Jap 4x4 Mini trucks???

Japanese Mini Trucks waste of money or cheap fun?

  • Piece of crap?

    Votes: 4 15.4%

  • Reliable useful fun?

    Votes: 9 34.6%

  • No parts stay away?

    Votes: 1 3.8%

  • Good buy for the size and capability compared to the utility side by side market?

    Votes: 6 23.1%

  • I've lost my marbles?

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Please get a buch of em so we can have our own UNF "Uwharrie"Cult?

    Votes: 11 42.3%
  • Total voters
    26
WARRIORWELDING

WARRIORWELDING

Owner opperator Of WarriorWelding LLC.
Joined
Jan 6, 2008
Location
Chillin, Hwy 64 Mocksville NC
No not Tacos or the like, I mean the little farm use import trucks. Usually flat bed and Right Hand Drive like a little cab over. Anybody own one. Anybody drove one? Hard to import a few without crazy paper work? I'm just starting to do some research. Found a few dealers and even a forum for the little trucks. Wandering if any local NC peeps had any dealing with em? My initial research found a few for sale by some specialized dealers but they were way higher priced than expected. Am I missing something??
 
I've seen a few on Craigslist lately. Mini brutes I believe. Guy around my hometown used to sell them. He would drive them around. Think they would run 40-45. He had itp style 4 wheeler rims and tires on them. They would be cool for hunting or around the farm.
 
the only way to get one tagged is as an LSV or low speed vehicle. But NC wont tag one unless its electric and has a vin plate from the factory or a "dealer authorized to issue a vin".

I looked into these for my "golf cart taxi" i'd love to figure out how to legalize one with a gas engine and run that instead of a golf cart
 
whats not to like? Reliable SxS, with heat and possible a/c. Radio, doors, windows, the one I played around with even had a high and low range t-case. Most likely will have a strut type suspension. It shouldn't be hard to make a 1-2" spacer lift for it, but probably not much more. Ground clearance and a poor break over angle are the only down sides I see.
 
nc has a grey area no "law" from what I've found. Several states have varying laws for the highway use. Mostly "cool ones" with a lot more rural areas out west. A few dealers represent them as street legal here in NC. The fed however says no to any Federal highway, ie Interstate. I sure wouldn't drive one down I40. Still researching buying multiple units, newer versions are fuel injected, older are carbed and all claim extremely good mpg....All are governed to 25 mpg to legally import, but capable of 60 mph! Still digging..........Need more NC4x4 feedback, Thanks so far..
 
Reid said:
I looked into these for my "golf cart taxi" i'd love to figure out how to legalize one with a gas engine and run that instead of a golf cart
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Curious, for your needs, why would you need it tagged? The carts don't get tags either.
 
Also guys I'm thinkin more utilitarian, not some sort of SXS cheapo entry....those break a bunch from going fast anyways.
 
RatLabGuy said:
Curious, for your needs, why would you need it tagged? The carts don't get tags either.
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11 pages of city ordinance...some where buried in the legaleze is the phrase "built for the purpose of being driven on a golf course".

our petition to the city was only for the usage of golf carts. They wanted to stay away from language that could allow the use of 4wheelers and side by sides. I think in retrospect its a bit redundant. That language was added at an early stage when the permit was to be open to the general public. Some how we got the "taxi" label applied to us and much more strict rules as to what we can use.

The other side to that coin is the wording of the state law "forbidding" the use of golf carts on roads. While the state itself will not allow them it gives a municipality authority within its own borders to regulate the use of golf carts, again using the same definition as quoted above. Without tagging the jap mini truck as an LSV there isnt wiggle room in the laws to get it it in the way we did the golf carts.
 
My neighbor has one. Found it on Craigslist a few years ago. He has a small lift with ATV tires on it. The sides of the bed fold down to make a flatbed. We have used it to bail round bales of hay on before. It will only hold 1 at a time but hauled it like a champ. He also has a Yamaha rhino but since he got the mini truck it rarely gets used.
 
j_dunn said:
My neighbor has one. Found it on Craigslist a few years ago. He has a small lift with ATV tires on it. The sides of the bed fold down to make a flatbed. We have used it to bail round bales of hay on before. It will only hold 1 at a time but hauled it like a champ. He also has a Yamaha rhino but since he got the mini truck it rarely gets used.
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That's where I'm headed and thinkin. I had a larger 4x4 four wheeler 500 cc and they only get bigger and more expensive these days. For what I used it for it still sucked. Think ranch type work and hunting, with some playing on the side. I've always wanted a Kawi mule or Kubota. We have outfitted the latter for rescue and medical service for some municipalities and I found them undersized and lacking. Most due to wheel base and width.
 
I think he only gave around $3,500 for his. And when we get a group together to ride 4wheelers he always brings the mini truck. It fits down the trails fine.
 
cruised through all those....some listed as street legal.
 
Kei trucks. For a little while a few years ago, I guess the law hadn't caught up to them and they were somewhat legal to import, register, and drive on the street. I knew somebody that was seriously looking at dealing in them. I believe he brought a few over. There were dealers popping up around here. Then it seems federal regulations changed and overnight they were all but outlawed. My bud gave up on it then. A bunch made it across the pond back then, but I don't know if you would have an easy time getting one over now. I'd love to have one, but if I can't drive it to the gas station, then I'll just get a tractor.
 
I was just reading an article on Jalopnik about the import process, specifically from Japan. To the regular guy, it looks to be a massive PITA and almost impossible due to language barriers. However, there are companies who specialize in doing this and already have the paperwork done for you and the vehicle here in the States.

http://www.japaneseclassicsllc.com/1989-custom-nissan-sunny-truck-4-speed-11995.html - I know that really isn't what you're talking about, but that little thing looks so badass.

http://www.japaneseclassicsllc.com/1988-ha1-honda-acty-truck.html - that one sold for 7495 with 18k miles on it.

One thing I remembered from the article was that the Japanese actually have to deregister the car in Japan. They then provide you a certificate that that has been done and the car is ready for export. If you happen to lose that document, you're absolutely screwed. You cannot get it back.

There was also a whole bunch of other things to get that might not be so clear to the average person. Customs brokers, insurance, etc. Also, keep in mind that anything imported from another country basically has to be 25 years old or older. Any newer and it's illegal and will be crushed on arrival.
 
Something like this would be fun and cool:

aimages.craigslist.org_00a0a_3068ScRRn4v_600x450.jpg


http://charlotte.craigslist.org/cto/4888501266.html
 
Now that I think about it, there was a guy in Boone that sold these and I remember seeing one on the road with tag on it near where we lived. (car tag not motorcycle) so I'm guessing it is possible but probably a real PITA
 
UNCC has them for their parking nazis and maybe facilities services stuff.
 
a friend has one on his farm. Its an older open cab style, looks similar to a big golf cart. It has a mitsu 3cyl engine with 4spd and 4x4. Its got a 6ft flat dump bed on the back. It needs better tires, but it seems to go anywhere and the hydro dump is awesome around the farm.

edit: apparently it is a toro workman 3300, like this. He bought it used from craigslist.

ai.ebayimg.com_00_s_MTIwMFgxNjAw_z_Y_sAAOSwqu9U4R5B___57.JPG
 
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i suppose if you finagle the DMV to give you a tag it's not as big of a loss if the feds swoop in and seize it like they did the land rovers!!
 
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