I personally don't think kei trucks are being banned because of safety concerns, they're being banned because other light truck/UTV producers are gonna lose profit since kei trucks are more practical in every sense.
There are MANY Americans that would be fine with smaller vehicles. Unfortunately EPA has a very strange formula that impels auto manufacturers to produce much larger vehicles...specifically giant SUVs. Additionally, there are some States (mine is one) that outright prohibit the registration and operation of a Kei class vehicle on public roadways. Again, there are millions of us that would be OK with Kei class vehicles, but our government nanny-state won't let us have them.
In my three years of living in Japan I found that the Suzuki Carry with the turbo 660cc engine was by far the best bang for your buck. You could get them with a 5 speed and 4wd and a locking differential. I personally had a AWD 1988 Honda Acty with the 550cc N/A engine, and it was pretty great for Japan but i would never bring it to the states just because I knew that the Suzuki and even the newer Acty's far outclassed it. As far as parts are concerned, I find almost all of the Suzuki's had the best aftermarket and factory options for parts compared to all of the others. Lastly, I recommend you shop around before you buy. No one should ever pay more than 8k for one of these. Talk to an importer and talk to a reputable company (there are a lot of scammers) in Japan and find the right deal for you.
I came very close to buying the suzuki carry over the sambar. But rear leaf springs front mounted engine and a smaller cab (leg room) is what pushed me over the edge to get the sambar. The aftermarket support of the carry and the fact that it has a real transfer case are both HUGE selling points! I haven't seen a turbo charged carry in the states yet but if I do.... I might be buying a 2nd KEI truck 😁. It would be to damn tempting to say no!
@@DirtLifestyle Yeah the mid 90's on had the turbo model. Look up chassis number DD51T for the K6A turbo specification. Also make a Buyee account if you haven't already. Great resources for getting little ods and ends for these Japanese trucks. Also... The dream setup in my opinion is the Suzuki carry with the turbo 660, locking differential and the hydraulic dump bed. Orrrr, just wait till the newer ones are importable and get the extended cab model.
Good intro to kei trucks. It's pronounced "kay", BTW. I love my 1996 4WD Daihatsu Hijet. I bought it for $265, paid $1935 to ship it to the US, and have almost $8000 in it including insurance, registration, upgrades, maintenance, etc. It's easy to maintain and repair. I use it as a half ton pickup. Full 1100 pounds. I don't hit big bumps with it, but I've hauled four loads of freshly cut water maple firewood, filling the bed. It'll go almost anywhere that doesn't have large boulders or ruts. Hills of any steepness are not a problem and I almost never need to use the low range on the HI/LO transfer case. It's narrow and turns on a dime so it can go places my 4WD Tacoma never could. I think the Suzuki Carry engine under the seats puts some heat into the cab, but the engine under the seats in my Hijet doesn't. 100% not an issue. Keitora are incredibly practical and useful, even down to the small details. It's much more useful to have cargo tie downs on the outside of the bed sides rather than inside the bed, being able to fold down the bed sides to make a flat bed is great and removing the tailgate and both bed sides with three 10 mm bolts is very convenient. Unlike US trucks, there are no wheel wells poking up into the bed to eat up cargo space and make it difficult to carry sheet goods and break drywall when I hit a bump. Everyone loves the little kei truck. I think I have the only one in town. I expected gear head guys to like it, but women love it because it's so cute and kids love it too. The US needs a modern kei truck with a 1200 cc engine, but government is the reason we can't have nice things.
If climate change was as severe as they say so much so that were all gonna be dead soon then they would implement overnight such practical and fuel efficient and low material use to make trucks and vans like the Japanese use instead of making laws to keep them out, plus….. electric cars use far far more materials that are hazardous in landfills and more energy used in their lifetimes and cost 5 to 10 times more.
Modern kei truck with 1200cc? I think you meant/would rather be in "regular" sized style true work pickups that we have in Asia. Bigger than a kei truck, with even more spacious bed, near 1 tonne to near 2 tonne payload, and with a regular(ish) car engine, but still smaller than most SUVs and crossovers. Theres alot of those you can find that are pretty old already, dont have to wait for a modern iteration because we Asians already get millions for years and years. Look up the newest Suzuki Super or Mega Carry for example then trace that one back to the 90s or early 2000s and you'll see the same thing, just with less modern amenities.
@@PlatinumNath - Nah. I meant a kei truck sized truck but with a 1200 cc engine so it could tow a trailer for those who want to do that, and merge into traffic faster and safer. Of course, keep the gearing low enough that someone doesn't try to drive a kei truck at 120 MPH. I'm actually happy with the 660 cc Hijet. I've seen larger versions with the same kei truck features - TownAce, HiAce, etc. and they look great for those who need more capacity and a larger truck but I love the maneuverability and narrow track of the little kei truck that goes where US trucks can't.
@@HijetHijinks Hmm... ST100 gen Carry 1000's with the 970cc F10A is probably good enough to fit that description. Or the later SL41 which admittedly isn't kei sized anymore but got 1300cc and 1600cc, which you can probably fit into kei Carry's and Hijet's if need be since they're still of somewhat the same design in terms of the fitting.
Welcome to the "Sambar Club"! My son bought one a few years ago. He chose it for many of the same reasons you did. One of the nicest things I have found working on it is that most, if not all, hardware is cadmium plated - so it usually comes out without breaking off! Watch out for the steel coolant lines running up to the front - they do tend to rust out along with the steel wire clamps holding the hoses on. They usually seize and break when being removed. Good Luck, and have fun with it!
What you’ll really love about it, is the fuel consumption. I’ve got a Ranger raptor, a Chevy 2500 and a Carry. The carry is now my daily driver (100km daily) and my average is 6.8 l/100km (34mpg)
Growing up in South America late 70’. we have this little trucks for many years from Daihatsu. ; Suzuki and Subaru. They all performed flawlessly for many years, definitely they are great little truck. You did an excellent review. Thanks
Did you prefer one over the other? What was more common, known for being better in any ways, ie. quality, longevity, durability, capacity, capable, etc.?
@@kellstatSuzuki was more durable in this era, nowadays it's about on par. Daihatsu had an issue where the fuel pump seal fails and it would leak gasoline into the oil sump Later models had an electric fuel pump to solve this. The carry also had a 4 cylinder 1.0L non-interference engine, meaning the engine would not explode even if the timing chain skipped tooth. Most modern mini trucks have a 3 cylinder engines which vibrates a lot more.
I've owned a 6x4 Gator and a Suzuki Carry. The Carry was infinitely better than the Gator in every way. The Gator was more expensive, carried less, broke more often, was less useful, and got stuck way more easily. Never mind the street legality! Never driven an Acty, but they sound great, likely better than the Carry. I'd buy another Kei truck in a heartbeat.
...Another Sambar advantage is that they're the only Kei truck with a body on frame construction, not a unibody. That means you can do a body lift if you're looking at bigger wheels and tires. All the other Kei trucks need to do a suspension lift. If you go more than a 2" lift on the other Kei trucks it screws up the suspension geometry and can cause axles to pull out at full droop. Sambars can be lifted easily and cheaply with a body lift and it doesn't compromise the suspension. Another benefit is that if you want to go mini monster truck, I'm sure you could drop the Sambar cab and bed onto something like an early Jeep, Samurai or Geo Tracker frame. Now that would be cool...
I've got a sambar myself. I cut the panel behind the seats out and moved it rearward about 3 inches and welded back in. Then had to make some minor seat bracket modifications. It doesn't sound like much but 3 more inches of leg room made a crazy difference.
We Filipinos import these Kei Minis, cutup aready, as parts (importing it as whole vehicle the govt will tax you so much), it then gets converted from RH drive to LH drive, and into all kinds of transportation needs from 12 passenger Jeepneys to micro vans to PIckup trucks, 250,000 to 300,000 Pesos,around $6000USd
Today I saw my first KEI (kay) truck at Lowes in Hamilton, NJ and now I want one. Especially at those prices! They are so cute. Researching this is my new hobby. Thanks for the video!
We have a few of these at work in Canada ,the most useful one is 4WD , tilt bed, 8 foot raised man lift with remote control. Its box sides fold down for flatbed. It takes ATV wheels and tires for off road during hunting season. Radio and heater work, added winch on front. The other less equipped trucks are used for hauling electrical supplies around large work sites
Love the channel! Long time watcher of your stuff. I’m a proud owner of a 1996 Toyota Liteace YM65 truck. It’s like a Kei truck scaled up about 40 percent. Mine has a 1.8L gas engine, 5spd column shift manual, 4wd with manual locking 5lug hubs and a 1000kg payload in the nearly 5x8.5ft bed. It also had AC and seats 3 people. It’s a slightly more practical alternative to a Kei truck, and can be registered more easily in some states that are strict on Kei cars because it’ll actually do highway speeds.
Great review Nate, here in Manitoba i have seen about a dozen or so, they are cool for sure,I asked one guy last winter , yes at my local Home Depot, how he liked it as we were both waiting to loaded up at the Pro entrance doors, he said it was great, if i remember his was a Suzuki 4WD, 5 speed, rear locker, and 600 or 660 cci 3 banger, he said was a bit noisy sitting on top of the engine and his solution was to remove everything in the cab and washed it out, left it to dry a couple of days then used the peel and stick sound deadener material through out almost the whole interior and inside the doors to to stop any resonating and it worked incredibly well and was quite a bit quieter and warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer, didn't get any where near as much heat from the engine anymore and it was never really bad for our cold weather winters here which are even cooler than North Dakota, he did have to get a thermostat for it that they use in Hokkaido Japan and he said that made the biggest difference for the cold winter days for keeping windows clear and engine seemed to run better he said after changing the thermostat, cost him around $45 CDN by the time it was shipped to his home and was worth every penny, he got some tire/rim combo for it, for winter and it made a huge improvement on how it drives in the snow/ice on the road, he told me to swap tires it only takes about 40 minutes with doing a little inspection and putting away tools, next one will have A/C and PS and front/rear lockers he said he hoped to find, Canadian import laws are any vehicle 14 years or older can be imported into Canada, now I am curious and will look for a Sambar , i like the 4 cyl and independent suspension and non interference engine all my Volvos have been this way
I am involved in facility maintenance at a University. I have been advocating that Kei trucks are perfect transportation for our technicians. Kei vans are cool and practical, too.
@@histguy101correct, but it's a completely sealed cab, and every thing else just like any other car. And when has anyone heard of a less than 50k Toyota (Daihatsu), Suzuki, Subaru, Nissan, Mazda, Mitsubishi, or Honda with a 5spd on a ladder frame and a base model truck, with several have more in the 1000-1400lbs. payload, everbeen ever know for being anything but a top pick for a cheap, base, truck?
@@histguy101 it is way more expensive because you must import it directly from japan and must wait 25 year to do so brand new top of the line subaru sambar truck is only 8000usd in japan
Perfect timing. My sister has some property on the other side of town off of one of the roads you drove on. She was thinking about getting a gator to maintain her trails and I've been trying to get her to buy a kei truck for a while. I'm gonna send her this video, kei trucks are so much better in many ways.
I just bought a Suzuki carry from a local farmer. When the gaskets show up i will assemble the engine and put it to work. Im excited to finish the project after seeing your video. Nice little toy / tool. Great video.
I live in Southeast Washington State I see about a dozen or more of them running around where I live some K-trucks and some K-vans. I'm thinking about getting one. The company I work for has two of them we're a general contractor that does excavation work and we use them for running around job sites and parts runs. Thanks for the research Nate 👍🏼
I spent 1 year and 4 months living in Okinawa Japan and in my experience there, these trucks had far more hours on them than miles. They were used locally over an 8 hour work day more than they were over miles and miles driven.
There was a guy in Colfax WA. years that modified these little 4x4 trucks, but at the time they couldn't be used on the road. Happy to see that they now can be. Looking forward to any mods you do to it, wheels/tires etc. Have fun with it!
Great intro to Kei trucks. Looks like a topic your followers are interested in for much the same reason you described, utility use. The comments your followers added have helped me understand pricing, and build on your street legal concerns. Since I live in a very urban area and having to use a dually for home depot runs I was thinking an electric conversion would be a great addition to our fleet.
I (kind of) hate to be that guy, but it's pronounced 'kay'. (9 years in Japan... owned numerous kei cars.) It DOES look like 'key', given the wishy-washy pronunciation rules of English. These little vehicles are the backbone of Japan. They're everywhere and people tend to stick to their maintenance schedules. Partially because having a vehicle registered on the road is expensive. So, it makes sense to maintain the vehicle. Also, good presentation is a big part of the society and your vehicle is a shining example of that.
I went with a 94 Mitsubishi minicab because the engine was actually sold in artic cat equipment, the 4wd is an axle locker (not hub), very wide ratio trans (idle 1st high range 3mph to top speed 5th near redline 82mph). The front engine let's you overload the hell out of the rear, had just over a ton in the back and it still wasn't on bumpstops. Loaded even with that much, power is just fine. Brakes are lacking with that much load. Mine is simple, all manual everything except power brakes, i put heavier duty progressive springs in the front and foreceum mt06 lt rated tires (just a tiny bit taller than stock)
I got for myself a 2009 Suzuki 3cylinder 660cc 12 valve 4x4 5-MT kei truck with air conditioner. It goes everywhere, great fuel economy and I haul more than any pickup truck bed could ever fit in. What’s more, I bought it for $4,500.00 only. Well it got 255,000km on it when I got it. So far engine is ok. Those that broke since are O2 sensor, water pump and alternator. I like my micro truck very much. You’re lucky you’re allowed to drive it as is. In the Philippines it must be converted to left hand drive. We call them multicabs here.
Greetings from Denmark and thanks for a nice video with your information about your Subaru kei truck. Im happy with my Honda Acty from 1988, which i got this spring.
I used to sell Kei trucks, and liked all of them. The Subaru is quieter and faster unless you get a turbo charged 3 cylinder. But for wheeling the departure angle is bad because of the rear engine and the Suzuki can have lockers and have a hi/lo transfer case. I'm sure you will be happy with your Subaru for what you want it to do.
We used a Suzuki carry and made a street sweeper out of it. Because of how narrow it was it fitted between the Safty bollards at the local parks at the time and it was able to sweep all the foot paths
I have a Daihatsu HiJet I use on my farm. I love it. It accumulates tools (chain saw, fuel, oil, pole saw, string trimmer, shovel, hoe, rake, crowbar, hatchet, tie straps, sledgehammer, chains and so forth) then a couple of times a year it gets completely cleared and the sides folded out (clamped to a 2x4 to hold level) to haul many loads of hay bales. Rinse, repeat. Driving around picking up hay bales, you are mostly idling, and this idles on nothing. I just park my Silverado w/ 18' trailer in the field and then bring bales to it. I did put 6-ply offroad tires on it that I run at low pressure, the street tires were too small to stay out of groundhog holes. Also - thorns; they were all full of fix-a-flat anyway.
My 1 year old FRENCH BULLDOG Absolutely loves to watch your show with me I've been following you for two years and the last year KNUCKLES has been watching with me
Glad you bot a vintage kei truck from my country. Personnay, i think you made the best choice. This Samber kei truck is called Porsche of farm road, because of its engine layout and its super run. Another reason is that Subaru no longer makes Samber, but Daihatsu makes it for Subaru on the OEM basis which basically is a Daihatsu truck with Samber name on it. Therefore its not 4 cylinder anymore. Its only 3. And engine is mounted right underneath of the driving seat. The genuine Subaru Samber has a van version which you might want to look at. Enjoy your kei truck.
That truck is dope. Would love one when I finally get some property. But what really caught my eye were those very creative driving shots on the road. Super cool and unique shots
It's called the "multiple inconsistent burdens" doctrine under the USSC's interpretation of the interstate commerce clause. That's why you can drive that kei in Oregon.
the first I traveled to Japan me and my wife stayed in the Hokkaido area big farming community tons of Kei trucks!!! I told my wife I Iwouldn’t mind getting one but with a dump👍🏽awesome video 👌🏾
Honda van for me. First, it's a Honda. Easiest to get one with passenger car comforts. Full time AWD, and lots have A/C. Hondas have the best seats. Like the Hondas half-a-Goldwing engine. Easy new parts, easy junk parts, huge owner community, MUCH better seats. Plus, they're better looking. Drove them all bavk to back, and the Honda van was the winner.
Last summer I imported a 1996 Mitsubishi Pajero Mini. 660 cc 4 cylinder. 92,000 km. Got it VA titled, registered, and insured so able to drive on the road. Is a stick shift, rear wheel 2WD, non turbo. It's very basic, and obviously slow, but great for tootling around the back roads near where I live. It cost me a total of $2600- $1300 for the vehicle and $1300 for shipping.
I Looked for years for one to use as a ranch truck. Nothing very close. Those that i did find most had been beat on and not maintained very well. Ended up buying a Tracker. Doesn't have the bed space but I love it. Really liked the motor access. Look forward to your updates on how it's working for you.
Love these little trucks! Can't afford one but it was great to hear all the pro's and con's of some of them. Always been a Honda and Yota guy but this little Suby sounds great! Oregon laws are ridiculous! lol
What a cool little truck! Can’t wait to see what you do with it. It would be even cooler with a hydraulic dump bed. Congrats on the new property. Can’t wait to see the progress on the new shop.
I'ma tell you right now if you are a farmer, tradesman, small town hauler. A Kei truck will save you a shitton of money. Just a bit of TLC and they'll run forever.
Just get soemthing like a mitsubishi triton or toyota hilux much better, highway capable, tried and tested in countries like australia for the last 50ish years, 4 cylinders turbo diesel. You wont really find much need for a massive engine unless your towing, but even then the hilux and triton do that to a point.
Had one when i worked on a farm, thing got more use then the tractors, gators, atv’s and everything else. And never failed to put a smile on my face driving it, especially next to the beehives during pollen season, tiny cab kept the allergy’s and bee’s out of your face. With 6’+ me and my 350+lb boss in it we simultaneously exceeded the designed passenger specs in height and weight respectively. Loved that truck.
I put 14 or 15 inch rims on them before they are sold to get more US highway mph out of tbe gears. Sambars are easy timing belt changes and the Honda is maybe 10 minutes more. The Suzuki/HiJet are the hardest and hardest to get parts for. Hondas have a brake upgrade to American Civic parts which is nice. I haven't figured that out on the Subarus yet but brake parts have been easy. Biggest improvement for SoCal roads is the larger wheels and an exhaust that helps the top end breath. With traffic out here youvare ten tenths all the time. I like the handling and feeling of the interior of the Hondas beat. Subarus have a little more umph which is good if you want 4WD. The Suzuki/Hijet with their staight axle in the rear seams the best for al out modding which is good because part avaliablity is poor.
I had a 91 Suzuki Carry. Truck was bullet proof. I ordered the few parts I needed from the Philippines. Received a bad part, and they immediately sent me a new part--including free air freight. Maintenance was easy and cheap--ran like a clock. Had a friend put a 2" receiver on the front. Hauled anything an everything, and pushed a 80" snow plow,.
Owned a Suzuki when I was stationed in Japan many many years ago. I really enjoyed it and it was just a fun unique truck. I considered shipping it back stateside. But it just wasn't economical at the time. To make the changes and "hopefully " get it licensed to be a daily driver. But if you're able by all means they are a great little truck. Lots of ways to customize them if desired. They are extremely handy for all the chores you mentioned. Fun little trucks. Be kinda nice if the automotive manufacturers built a line of them for sale and purchase here in the states..... unfortunately if they did. They would have a unbelievable sticker price !!
You can also get Kei bed campers, just like US truck bed campers. they slide in, some have pop tops to let you stand up in, others are little more then a bed and storage like a "teardrop trialer"
The reason for the noticed mileage mark is due to Japan's requirement that all internal combustion engines in motor vehicles are pulled and replaced at a certain mileage. Those motors are then sold to the US as replacement engines, as we don't have that requirement here
I don’t think there’s a single best one. I was in the market for one and thought I was going to buy a Sambar, but went home with a Hijet. Zero regrets. Love love love this truck.
I've always wanted one... It's just so much overkill to pull out a trailer, and my truck to haul some dead branches around my property. It's also not enough to grab a wheelbarrow or hook a small landscaping trailer up to my zero turn without doing 50 trips.
I have a Suzuki trunk 3 cylinder 4WD. I’ve hauled a full load of Sand and gravel. Multiple times. Use the 4WD to get out of the river area after a heavy rain. Im in the Philippines.
I love those little trucks, we had one at the motor pool on one of the bases I used to be stationed at. It had a generator and air compressor in the bed and I used it to drive around to do maintenance on buildings and heavy equipment....think it was a Daihatsu.
It's sad you can't buy these new in the US. I can buy a brand new 2024 Kei truck for $11,000 US. They come in tipper trucks. Crane lifts and covered trays. Very practical
770lbs is the advertised max, they can handle WAY more (at least my ACTY can). I put round bales(anywhere from 1100-1400 lbs) in the back of mine, drive 25 miles back to the farm, and it has no problem getting up to speed or if I end up hitting bumps.
Unless you need long-travel independent suspension, there's little reason not to buy one over a new side-by-side for work around the property. 4x4 is common and a locking rear differential isn't hard to find. Automatics exist but most are manual, often with an extra-low first gear or reverse. The bed is bigger than a SxS. They're street-legal in most states and can do 55MPH. They're fully enclosed stock with heat and sometimes A/C. I've seen a few on the road in my state and they look like a ton of fun. Like you said, it makes no sense to allow motorcycles and disallow kei cars.
I'm sold on the Sambar. I'm getting ready to retire my 89 Dodge Aries that I bought in 2003 and overhauled in my driveway. It's hitting up 180,000 on the overhaul and is starting to use oil. Still runs great but it's about time to move on. I doubt I could overhaul it again anyway. Parts were hard enough to find in 2003. You finally told me what I needed to know. The engine is not an interference engine. I can bust a belt and not ruin the thing. So I'm in the market. I'll buy one and after I have done everything that needs to be done I'll retire the Aries.
Agreed but it is more of a “keigh” sound than a “kay” sound. 軽いkarui means light and ケイ(kei) is the on-youmi reading of that Kanji. So it is a short way of saying “light”. EI sounds are an eigh sound because you pronounce the E and I as the long vowel sounds A and E respectively.
@@jflabeets1 Depending on your accent/ dialect/ where you live, "Kay" and "Keigh" can end up sounding identical. It's possible the person who wrote "Kay" lives somewhere that it is pronounced the same as "Keigh"
I agree that it is messed up that people with Kei cars and trucks can drive in Oregon from Washington and us Oregonians can't even have them registered in our state! At least there are loopholes though, there are iirc 5 states that allow out of state registrations of vehicles, Montana being one of them, so there is that way of going about things.
I am glad to hear American guy enjoy Japanese key truck as we Japanese do. It is very popular with Japanese farmers. Most of the farmer own key truck for their task.
Yeah, I'm importing one and it should be here in the next few weeks. I bought it for many of the same reasons Nate did. I have a recreational property in East Texas and was looking at sxs, and the price, along with the real practicality led me to these mini trucks. After I bought it, I started wondering how I was going to fix a hitch to the rear. Do you have any pointers?
@@Big_DT I took off the rear engine cover and used the same holes for my new bumper brackets. The bumper is made from 2x 4 box steel with a reciever sectioned into the middle, allowing me to switch hitch sizes. I use it for moving trailers,hay wagons and my wood splitter. Still have access to oil filler and dipstick. Comes off in four bolts if needed.
I bought and imported my Honda acty SDX 4x4 and have been having a ton of fun with it! It hauled my 1964 square back coke machine I'm restoring with ease! I love my Honda acty and besides a little effort getting the truck street legal I've had no problems though I am replacing the fuel pump myself, no big deal! If you want to have fun and everyone asking where you got it I say just get prepared! The Big three in Detroit I'm sure they are going to try to get them band because Ford, Chev. and Dodge don't want to make what the people want and they don't want the competition of these KEI trucks that are 25 years old!
It seems that the "Kei" truck thing is the fad, coworkers are talking about them and one of my coworkers bought the van with a diesel in it. I have to admit that I am looking in to them also for that "garbage hauler" role and well for around 7k it is tempting.....Awesome video Nate!! and thanks for the review on your Kay.....Kie.....little truck!!!
I don't know what they use these for in Japan, but I drove one in the early '90s when I mowed greens on a TPC golf course in Vegas. Ours were dump bed Mitsubishi and did very well pulling trailered greens mowers and hauling all manner of materials around the course everyday. We much favored these over our 3-wheel Cushman carts for most of our needs.
Most used in Japan and Asia overall are for city runner businesses and maybe small moving jobs. Think of carrying crates of fishes from a dock to a market, or plumber carrying plumbing tools and equipment, or someone moving carrying some furnitures to move from a house to another, or a shop owner carrying stocks from warehouse to shop in a mall... so many things to and can do as long as it fits in the bed (or not... Asians like to overload) and doesnt go over recommended payload (or not either... Lol)
Dude, that's my Home Depot in Chehalis. I think I saw you the other day. I daily drive a 94 honda acty that's parked by the courthouse in Chehalis every day.
Honda Acty, and Daihatsu Hijets , Both have parts still OEM manufactured. Those are the only reason they are relatively better for some but, as far as I know the Subaru Clover4 is still in production today So you can get all the Engine bits you need
I live in southern Arizona. And yes, SxS are all over the roads. But for a good 15-20 years now, I've always wanted to see one of these as a full blown, solid axle, trail rig. We don't have "sticks". We have "roccks". To I don't mean a trail rig, I don't mean something for going out in the sticks, but more like moab style true rock crawling.
I probably haven't done as much research as you, but from what I have seen the Sambar is the way to go. Did you know that a Sambar is a large deer native to Asia? I am hoping to get a Subaru Sambar soon. How is it running for you now? Any changes you have made to it yet? Good video.
wow really learned a lot from this vid. out here in eastern wa and a lot of guys use these for hunting and farm trucks. I've always wanted one but now that i know that i can drive it out of state is a huge bonus. Thanks for all the info Dirt Lifestyle! subscribed.
I have a Honda Acty, and use mine for gathering firewood and plowing up in the Rockies. It mostly works great for those things, though as I'm not a mechanic, been struggling trying to fix an issue where it runs like absolute crap until the engine warms up - then it works great. Swapped out the fuel filter and the thermostat, but no dice. Don't buy old vehicles unless you can fix em!
We have a Subaru Sambar Japanese fire truck here in the UK, its great fun and always gets smiles! Im 6ft and 190kg and I still fit in it and drive it 🤣
Love the kei trucks, but in Pennsylvania we aren't allowed to make em road legal, totally looking forward to seeing the upgrades, and you putting the truck to use, I'm jelly....enjoy bro !!!
The only bonus to the HiJet or Carry is you can get JDM aftermarket lift kits, but that kind of ruins the usefulness of the bed height and load capacity. You can also get factory tire sized mud, trail, and all terrain tires for them in Japan. Think the Toyo and Nitto trad pattern tires.
My 1993 Sambar KS4 has AC., and surprisingly it works. I am gonna put 2” lift 15” wheels. And either make a shell for the back with an extended cage, or design a pop up “roof” tent that will sit in the bed on a platform. So I can have storage space underneath it. Maybe add some extra protection for the engine area. Got plenty of ideas.
I'm about to buy one, I love those tiny truck.. I think it's look so cute but sad, Oregon not allow for it.🤷🏼♂️.. but Washington ok.. freaking Oregon right ..🤷🏼♂️
I was lucky enough to find a Suzuki Carry in 4 wheel drive and left hand drive conversion. Also, it is also in the extended cab version. We call it Ernie because we had a chihuahua named Ernie and he has passed away and we didn't want to forget him. The Suzuki is a ton of fun to drive but a little rough in the rocks. Probably going to change the carb to a Yamaha 660 Chinese clone just to less complicate the intake. There is a video out there where the owner changed out the engine to a Howabusa motorcycle engine( I think that's how it spelled ) and it turned the little truck into a beast. These little trucks are just a gold mine to create whatever you want it to be. I paid $3K for mine.
I have a 95 Sambar as well and love it! I think everyone should own one! It has been more handy than the Dodge Ram 2500 that I sold to get it. Better fuel economy and honestly, a more practical bed. Easier to get in and out of and has tackled everything I have thrown at it so far. Bought mine from Tony at Mayberry Mini Trucks in Mt Airy NC. I live in Central Indiana.
Look at the Suzuki DA63T model like the one I bought. They are made after 2001 so we are not at the 25 years mark yet if its an issue. The main advantages are they have a more modern EFI engine, so no more carb to tinker with and they are built with the front wheel foward so the front overhang is pretty small , perfect for offroading. Look for one with the difflock and dump bed is pretty nice too. I builded the dump bed on mine an a front winch bumper and with some upgrade they can handle 2000 lbs in the back. Hope to see more kei truck content keep up the good work.
In 1991, I had a VW type 2 single cab. Had the same drop down sides and absolutely nothing but a thin piece of sheet metal and a VW logo to protect me. That was a major concern for me as the brakes were kinda sketchy in the first place. I sold it to a surfer boy, as i lived in Virginia Beach.
Father in law has a Mitsubishi, works awesome, the locker in the rear is key. Has AC too!!!! I have a cushman, not 4wd, but damn if I haven't gotten it stuck yet....Great content Nate, loving seeing the new property and what you have planned. Keep livin the dream brother!!!!
If you put bigger tires on this up grade the hp of the engine and maybe 1/2 taller tire, a wider tire is ok. The more stock you can keep it the longer it will last.
I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to drive one of these. Super fuel economy, more than enough carrying capacity for 90% of my needs, inexpensive. However, I live in Georgia. Georgia has declared war on these Kei trucks for some unknown reason. I ride a motorcycle in Georgia, which as the video states has NO impact protection, yet the State has decided that since these Kei imports lack FMVSS features...I can't legally drive one on the road in Georgia. Never mind that I also own a 1980 Ford Courier (Mazda B2000 with a Ford engine), which also lacks FMVSS features, and SUPPOSEDLY I can register and drive it on the roads in Georgia with no problem. I have a serious wrinkle with the Courier though...I've non-opped it for around 10 years now, thinking I'd want to drop a V8 in it. However since it doesn't have a 17 digit VIN and is nonconforming with FMVSS...I might not be able to re-register it. Georgia is peculiar about things like that. I guess I need to discuss with my county tag representative to see if there's going to be a problem, although that's no guarantee - county representatives were registering Kei trucks in Georgia years ago, but then the State revoked the registrations retroactively. Again...Georgia is peculiar about things like that...
![Which Is The Best JDM Kei Truck? Sambar? Acty? HiJet? Carry? Minicab? [Collector Car Guru's RANKED!]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/cdBN6R1KAvI/mqdefault.jpg)
![Which Is The Best JDM Kei Truck? Sambar? Acty? HiJet? Carry? Minicab? [Collector Car Guru's RANKED!]](/img/tr.png)
I personally don't think kei trucks are being banned because of safety concerns, they're being banned because other light truck/UTV producers are gonna lose profit since kei trucks are more practical in every sense.
This is my suspicion as well!
They are banning them so the new $10000 toyota mega kei Can't be sold in the future.
And everything is under the guise of "safety" when it's really down to taxes and money grabbing in general.
モーターサイクルの方が安全上の懸念は大きいと思います。
If that's the case, they should just make and sell an alternative to kei trucks, but they don't.
Good to see American people are willing to down size to much more efficiently operating vehicles that can do the job
Literally this... there is no real reason for cars to be as huge as they are... in the pursuit of psudo safety we built pedestrian killer cars.
Yeah but it's more like we are reverting to our childhood and want to drive a go-kart again yet stay out of the rain
There are MANY Americans that would be fine with smaller vehicles. Unfortunately EPA has a very strange formula that impels auto manufacturers to produce much larger vehicles...specifically giant SUVs. Additionally, there are some States (mine is one) that outright prohibit the registration and operation of a Kei class vehicle on public roadways. Again, there are millions of us that would be OK with Kei class vehicles, but our government nanny-state won't let us have them.
I will keep my one ton. 01 7.3 300.000 and running strong.
It is natural for consumers to seek rationality.
In my three years of living in Japan I found that the Suzuki Carry with the turbo 660cc engine was by far the best bang for your buck. You could get them with a 5 speed and 4wd and a locking differential. I personally had a AWD 1988 Honda Acty with the 550cc N/A engine, and it was pretty great for Japan but i would never bring it to the states just because I knew that the Suzuki and even the newer Acty's far outclassed it. As far as parts are concerned, I find almost all of the Suzuki's had the best aftermarket and factory options for parts compared to all of the others. Lastly, I recommend you shop around before you buy. No one should ever pay more than 8k for one of these. Talk to an importer and talk to a reputable company (there are a lot of scammers) in Japan and find the right deal for you.
GR8 post, thx😊
I came very close to buying the suzuki carry over the sambar. But rear leaf springs front mounted engine and a smaller cab (leg room) is what pushed me over the edge to get the sambar. The aftermarket support of the carry and the fact that it has a real transfer case are both HUGE selling points! I haven't seen a turbo charged carry in the states yet but if I do.... I might be buying a 2nd KEI truck 😁. It would be to damn tempting to say no!
@@DirtLifestyle Yeah the mid 90's on had the turbo model. Look up chassis number DD51T for the K6A turbo specification. Also make a Buyee account if you haven't already. Great resources for getting little ods and ends for these Japanese trucks.
Also... The dream setup in my opinion is the Suzuki carry with the turbo 660, locking differential and the hydraulic dump bed. Orrrr, just wait till the newer ones are importable and get the extended cab model.
Mayberry mini trucks had a couple of supercharged ones that I believe were Sambars.
I thought the Subarus were n\a, supercharged or turbo depending on the year and trim.
Good intro to kei trucks. It's pronounced "kay", BTW.
I love my 1996 4WD Daihatsu Hijet. I bought it for $265, paid $1935 to ship it to the US, and have almost $8000 in it including insurance, registration, upgrades, maintenance, etc. It's easy to maintain and repair. I use it as a half ton pickup. Full 1100 pounds. I don't hit big bumps with it, but I've hauled four loads of freshly cut water maple firewood, filling the bed. It'll go almost anywhere that doesn't have large boulders or ruts. Hills of any steepness are not a problem and I almost never need to use the low range on the HI/LO transfer case. It's narrow and turns on a dime so it can go places my 4WD Tacoma never could.
I think the Suzuki Carry engine under the seats puts some heat into the cab, but the engine under the seats in my Hijet doesn't. 100% not an issue.
Keitora are incredibly practical and useful, even down to the small details. It's much more useful to have cargo tie downs on the outside of the bed sides rather than inside the bed, being able to fold down the bed sides to make a flat bed is great and removing the tailgate and both bed sides with three 10 mm bolts is very convenient. Unlike US trucks, there are no wheel wells poking up into the bed to eat up cargo space and make it difficult to carry sheet goods and break drywall when I hit a bump.
Everyone loves the little kei truck. I think I have the only one in town. I expected gear head guys to like it, but women love it because it's so cute and kids love it too.
The US needs a modern kei truck with a 1200 cc engine, but government is the reason we can't have nice things.
I also have a ‘96 hijet. Makes a great little work truck, plus fun to drive.
If climate change was as severe as they say so much so that were all gonna be dead soon then they would implement overnight such practical and fuel efficient and low material use to make trucks and vans like the Japanese use instead of making laws to keep them out, plus….. electric cars use far far more materials that are hazardous in landfills and more energy used in their lifetimes and cost 5 to 10 times more.
Modern kei truck with 1200cc? I think you meant/would rather be in "regular" sized style true work pickups that we have in Asia. Bigger than a kei truck, with even more spacious bed, near 1 tonne to near 2 tonne payload, and with a regular(ish) car engine, but still smaller than most SUVs and crossovers. Theres alot of those you can find that are pretty old already, dont have to wait for a modern iteration because we Asians already get millions for years and years. Look up the newest Suzuki Super or Mega Carry for example then trace that one back to the 90s or early 2000s and you'll see the same thing, just with less modern amenities.
@@PlatinumNath - Nah. I meant a kei truck sized truck but with a 1200 cc engine so it could tow a trailer for those who want to do that, and merge into traffic faster and safer. Of course, keep the gearing low enough that someone doesn't try to drive a kei truck at 120 MPH. I'm actually happy with the 660 cc Hijet. I've seen larger versions with the same kei truck features - TownAce, HiAce, etc. and they look great for those who need more capacity and a larger truck but I love the maneuverability and narrow track of the little kei truck that goes where US trucks can't.
@@HijetHijinks Hmm... ST100 gen Carry 1000's with the 970cc F10A is probably good enough to fit that description. Or the later SL41 which admittedly isn't kei sized anymore but got 1300cc and 1600cc, which you can probably fit into kei Carry's and Hijet's if need be since they're still of somewhat the same design in terms of the fitting.
Welcome to the "Sambar Club"! My son bought one a few years ago. He chose it for many of the same reasons you did. One of the nicest things I have found working on it is that most, if not all, hardware is cadmium plated - so it usually comes out without breaking off! Watch out for the steel coolant lines running up to the front - they do tend to rust out along with the steel wire clamps holding the hoses on. They usually seize and break when being removed. Good Luck, and have fun with it!
What you’ll really love about it, is the fuel consumption.
I’ve got a Ranger raptor, a Chevy 2500 and a Carry.
The carry is now my daily driver (100km daily) and my average is 6.8 l/100km (34mpg)
I do recomend something else for daily tho..
Those carry will hurt your back and butt in the long run..
Might want to invest in a Recaro seat or the like
Growing up in South America late 70’. we have this little trucks for many years from Daihatsu. ; Suzuki and Subaru. They all performed flawlessly for many years, definitely they are great little truck. You did an excellent review. Thanks
Did you prefer one over the other? What was more common, known for being better in any ways, ie. quality, longevity, durability, capacity, capable, etc.?
Actually. Either or but there Suzuki prevailed
@@kellstatSuzuki was more durable in this era, nowadays it's about on par.
Daihatsu had an issue where the fuel pump seal fails and it would leak gasoline into the oil sump
Later models had an electric fuel pump to solve this.
The carry also had a 4 cylinder 1.0L non-interference engine, meaning the engine would not explode even if the timing chain skipped tooth.
Most modern mini trucks have a 3 cylinder engines which vibrates a lot more.
I've owned a 6x4 Gator and a Suzuki Carry. The Carry was infinitely better than the Gator in every way. The Gator was more expensive, carried less, broke more often, was less useful, and got stuck way more easily. Never mind the street legality! Never driven an Acty, but they sound great, likely better than the Carry. I'd buy another Kei truck in a heartbeat.
In Japan, Subaru Sanbar is called Porsche of farm road because it's RR. Honda Acty is called Ferrari of farm road because it's MR.
I'm assuming this means Porsche because of rear-engine, and Ferrari because of mid-engine.
@@anonymousplanetfambly4598 RR = rear engine, rear drive. MR = mid engine, rear drive?
@@gardnerjr Yes, that`s right.
never heard anyone japanese call them like that
Some Sanbar have a supercharger. they are Awesome
...Another Sambar advantage is that they're the only Kei truck with a body on frame construction, not a unibody. That means you can do a body lift if you're looking at bigger wheels and tires. All the other Kei trucks need to do a suspension lift. If you go more than a 2" lift on the other Kei trucks it screws up the suspension geometry and can cause axles to pull out at full droop. Sambars can be lifted easily and cheaply with a body lift and it doesn't compromise the suspension. Another benefit is that if you want to go mini monster truck, I'm sure you could drop the Sambar cab and bed onto something like an early Jeep, Samurai or Geo Tracker frame. Now that would be cool...
My 91 Suzuki Carry is body on frame. Also a dump bed too...
I thought most of the kei trucks are body on ladder frame? Daihatsu and Suzukis?
All Kei trucks are body on frame tho wdym?
What you say? My 1995 Honda acty sdx 4x4 is a truck with a frame last time I was under it!
Pretty sure almost all proper kei trucks are body on frame, all of them can be given lift and modifications to help off-road, wdym unibody
I've got a sambar myself. I cut the panel behind the seats out and moved it rearward about 3 inches and welded back in. Then had to make some minor seat bracket modifications. It doesn't sound like much but 3 more inches of leg room made a crazy difference.
Good to know 👍
We Filipinos import these Kei Minis, cutup aready, as parts (importing it as whole vehicle the govt will tax you so much), it then gets converted from RH drive to LH drive, and into all kinds of transportation needs from 12 passenger Jeepneys to micro vans to PIckup trucks, 250,000 to 300,000 Pesos,around $6000USd
Do you export any of the LH drive converted models? American here asking for a friend...; )
Today I saw my first KEI (kay) truck at Lowes in Hamilton, NJ and now I want one. Especially at those prices! They are so cute. Researching this is my new hobby. Thanks for the video!
We have a few of these at work in Canada ,the most useful one is 4WD , tilt bed, 8 foot raised man lift with remote control. Its box sides fold down for flatbed. It takes ATV wheels and tires for off road during hunting season. Radio and heater work, added winch on front. The other less equipped trucks are used for hauling electrical supplies around large work sites
Love the channel! Long time watcher of your stuff. I’m a proud owner of a 1996 Toyota Liteace YM65 truck. It’s like a Kei truck scaled up about 40 percent. Mine has a 1.8L gas engine, 5spd column shift manual, 4wd with manual locking 5lug hubs and a 1000kg payload in the nearly 5x8.5ft bed. It also had AC and seats 3 people. It’s a slightly more practical alternative to a Kei truck, and can be registered more easily in some states that are strict on Kei cars because it’ll actually do highway speeds.
Great review Nate, here in Manitoba i have seen about a dozen or so, they are cool for sure,I asked one guy last winter , yes at my local Home Depot, how he liked it as we were both waiting to loaded up at the Pro entrance doors, he said it was great, if i remember his was a Suzuki 4WD, 5 speed, rear locker, and 600 or 660 cci 3 banger, he said was a bit noisy sitting on top of the engine and his solution was to remove everything in the cab and washed it out, left it to dry a couple of days then used the peel and stick sound deadener material through out almost the whole interior and inside the doors to to stop any resonating and it worked incredibly well and was quite a bit quieter and warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer, didn't get any where near as much heat from the engine anymore and it was never really bad for our cold weather winters here which are even cooler than North Dakota, he did have to get a thermostat for it that they use in Hokkaido Japan and he said that made the biggest difference for the cold winter days for keeping windows clear and engine seemed to run better he said after changing the thermostat, cost him around $45 CDN by the time it was shipped to his home and was worth every penny, he got some tire/rim combo for it, for winter and it made a huge improvement on how it drives in the snow/ice on the road, he told me to swap tires it only takes about 40 minutes with doing a little inspection and putting away tools, next one will have A/C and PS and front/rear lockers he said he hoped to find, Canadian import laws are any vehicle 14 years or older can be imported into Canada, now I am curious and will look for a Sambar , i like the 4 cyl and independent suspension and non interference engine all my Volvos have been this way
I am involved in facility maintenance at a University. I have been advocating that Kei trucks are perfect transportation for our technicians. Kei vans are cool and practical, too.
Plus you can get them into tight spaces & more fuel efficient.
We have these all over here in Canada.. they are great, great on gas, great for getting around AND it’s street legal…
I've had mine for 12 years. Best 5k I ever spent. No issues never broke anything. Just fuel and oil changes
@12pawsinn what Kei truck model do you own?
@@12pawsinnwhich one did you go with? the sambar?
Cheaper and more versatile than a sidebyside or or gator.
Even golf carts cost more
Well, it's cheaper because it's 25-30 years old.
@@histguy101correct, but it's a completely sealed cab, and every thing else just like any other car. And when has anyone heard of a less than 50k Toyota (Daihatsu), Suzuki, Subaru, Nissan, Mazda, Mitsubishi, or Honda with a 5spd on a ladder frame and a base model truck, with several have more in the 1000-1400lbs. payload, everbeen ever know for being anything but a top pick for a cheap, base, truck?
@@histguy101 it is way more expensive because you must import it directly from japan and must wait 25 year to do so
brand new top of the line subaru sambar truck is only 8000usd in japan
@@histguy101 but its japanese it will still last longer than a new SxS
@@Woodie-xq1ew prob true, unless it's a Nissan.
Perfect timing. My sister has some property on the other side of town off of one of the roads you drove on. She was thinking about getting a gator to maintain her trails and I've been trying to get her to buy a kei truck for a while. I'm gonna send her this video, kei trucks are so much better in many ways.
Kei cars fit inside the Japanese market as a “motorbike”. Huge savings in taxes, insurance, and parking in Japan.
Japan has very tight hilly roads they have a ton of mountains and small farms on hills and mountain sides these trucks were built with that in mind
Looking forward to the “Kei car on tons” build series.
That will destroy this truck.
Guess I needed to add the wink emoji 😉
Check out the Peck Brothers.
They did an LS swap and Tons.
Go check out Peck Brothers for a kei on tons with a turbo LS
I love the daihatsu hijet 4x4 van, they were actually sold in Europe as LHD with 4cyl engines!
I just bought a Suzuki carry from a local farmer. When the gaskets show up i will assemble the engine and put it to work. Im excited to finish the project after seeing your video. Nice little toy / tool. Great video.
I live in Southeast Washington State I see about a dozen or more of them running around where I live some K-trucks and some K-vans. I'm thinking about getting one. The company I work for has two of them we're a general contractor that does excavation work and we use them for running around job sites and parts runs. Thanks for the research Nate 👍🏼
I spent 1 year and 4 months living in Okinawa Japan and in my experience there, these trucks had far more hours on them than miles. They were used locally over an 8 hour work day more than they were over miles and miles driven.
There was a guy in Colfax WA. years that modified these little 4x4 trucks, but at the time they couldn't be used on the road. Happy to see that they now can be. Looking forward to any mods you do to it, wheels/tires etc. Have fun with it!
Great intro to Kei trucks. Looks like a topic your followers are interested in for much the same reason you described, utility use. The comments your followers added have helped me understand pricing, and build on your street legal concerns.
Since I live in a very urban area and having to use a dually for home depot runs I was thinking an electric conversion would be a great addition to our fleet.
I have a local JDM here in Clallam County WA and he has Kie cars in stock occasionally. So this video just really peaked my interest
Here in Pakistan we load them upto 1500kg. They are very reliable.
any modifications needed?
@CountAdrianEJ not much
I (kind of) hate to be that guy, but it's pronounced 'kay'. (9 years in Japan... owned numerous kei cars.)
It DOES look like 'key', given the wishy-washy pronunciation rules of English.
These little vehicles are the backbone of Japan. They're everywhere and people tend to stick to their maintenance schedules. Partially because having a vehicle registered on the road is expensive. So, it makes sense to maintain the vehicle. Also, good presentation is a big part of the society and your vehicle is a shining example of that.
I went with a 94 Mitsubishi minicab because the engine was actually sold in artic cat equipment, the 4wd is an axle locker (not hub), very wide ratio trans (idle 1st high range 3mph to top speed 5th near redline 82mph). The front engine let's you overload the hell out of the rear, had just over a ton in the back and it still wasn't on bumpstops. Loaded even with that much, power is just fine. Brakes are lacking with that much load. Mine is simple, all manual everything except power brakes, i put heavier duty progressive springs in the front and foreceum mt06 lt rated tires (just a tiny bit taller than stock)
Fun, cute, practical. Total middle finger to every giant overjuiced tough guy truck on the road. We need more cars like this.
No issues there, right?
@@christopherbrush7845 The issue is it's too cute for you to be seen in while still appearing macho to your friends?
I got for myself a 2009 Suzuki 3cylinder 660cc 12 valve 4x4 5-MT kei truck with air conditioner. It goes everywhere, great fuel economy and I haul more than any pickup truck bed could ever fit in. What’s more, I bought it for $4,500.00 only. Well it got 255,000km on it when I got it. So far engine is ok. Those that broke since are O2 sensor, water pump and alternator. I like my micro truck very much. You’re lucky you’re allowed to drive it as is. In the Philippines it must be converted to left hand drive. We call them multicabs here.
ダイハツ、ハイゼットジャンボは
日本で新車150万円です。
農場のレクサスです。
Greetings from Denmark and thanks for a nice video with your information about your Subaru kei truck. Im happy with my Honda Acty from 1988, which i got this spring.
I used to sell Kei trucks, and liked all of them. The Subaru is quieter and faster unless you get a turbo charged 3 cylinder. But for wheeling the departure angle is bad because of the rear engine and the Suzuki can have lockers and have a hi/lo transfer case. I'm sure you will be happy with your Subaru for what you want it to do.
Great video. The thing about you is that the videos are always very informative and easy to interpret.
We used a Suzuki carry and made a street sweeper out of it. Because of how narrow it was it fitted between the Safty bollards at the local parks at the time and it was able to sweep all the foot paths
I have a Daihatsu HiJet I use on my farm. I love it. It accumulates tools (chain saw, fuel, oil, pole saw, string trimmer, shovel, hoe, rake, crowbar, hatchet, tie straps, sledgehammer, chains and so forth) then a couple of times a year it gets completely cleared and the sides folded out (clamped to a 2x4 to hold level) to haul many loads of hay bales. Rinse, repeat.
Driving around picking up hay bales, you are mostly idling, and this idles on nothing. I just park my Silverado w/ 18' trailer in the field and then bring bales to it.
I did put 6-ply offroad tires on it that I run at low pressure, the street tires were too small to stay out of groundhog holes. Also - thorns; they were all full of fix-a-flat anyway.
My 1 year old FRENCH BULLDOG Absolutely loves to watch your show with me I've been following you for two years and the last year KNUCKLES has been watching with me
Glad you bot a vintage kei truck from my country.
Personnay, i think you made the best choice. This Samber kei truck is called Porsche of farm road, because of its engine layout and its super run. Another reason is that Subaru no longer makes Samber, but Daihatsu makes it for Subaru on the OEM basis which basically is a Daihatsu truck with Samber name on it. Therefore its not 4 cylinder anymore. Its only 3. And engine is mounted right underneath of the driving seat. The genuine Subaru Samber has a van version which you might want to look at. Enjoy your kei truck.
That truck is dope. Would love one when I finally get some property. But what really caught my eye were those very creative driving shots on the road. Super cool and unique shots
Thanks brother 👍
It's called the "multiple inconsistent burdens" doctrine under the USSC's interpretation of the interstate commerce clause. That's why you can drive that kei in Oregon.
Very practical choice. Hope it serve you well for the years to come.
the first I traveled to Japan me and my wife stayed in the Hokkaido area big farming community tons of Kei trucks!!! I told my wife I Iwouldn’t mind getting one but with a dump👍🏽awesome video 👌🏾
Honda van for me. First, it's a Honda. Easiest to get one with passenger car comforts. Full time AWD, and lots have A/C. Hondas have the best seats. Like the Hondas half-a-Goldwing engine. Easy new parts, easy junk parts, huge owner community, MUCH better seats. Plus, they're better looking. Drove them all bavk to back, and the Honda van was the winner.
Last summer I imported a 1996 Mitsubishi Pajero Mini. 660 cc 4 cylinder. 92,000 km. Got it VA titled, registered, and insured so able to drive on the road. Is a stick shift, rear wheel 2WD, non turbo. It's very basic, and obviously slow, but great for tootling around the back roads near where I live. It cost me a total of $2600- $1300 for the vehicle and $1300 for shipping.
I Looked for years for one to use as a ranch truck. Nothing very close. Those that i did find most had been beat on and not maintained very well. Ended up buying a Tracker. Doesn't have the bed space but I love it.
Really liked the motor access.
Look forward to your updates on how it's working for you.
Love these little trucks! Can't afford one but it was great to hear all the pro's and con's of some of them. Always been a Honda and Yota guy but this little Suby sounds great! Oregon laws are ridiculous! lol
What a cool little truck! Can’t wait to see what you do with it. It would be even cooler with a hydraulic dump bed. Congrats on the new property. Can’t wait to see the progress on the new shop.
I'ma tell you right now if you are a farmer, tradesman, small town hauler. A Kei truck will save you a shitton of money. Just a bit of TLC and they'll run forever.
Just get soemthing like a mitsubishi triton or toyota hilux much better, highway capable, tried and tested in countries like australia for the last 50ish years, 4 cylinders turbo diesel. You wont really find much need for a massive engine unless your towing, but even then the hilux and triton do that to a point.
Had one when i worked on a farm, thing got more use then the tractors, gators, atv’s and everything else.
And never failed to put a smile on my face driving it, especially next to the beehives during pollen season, tiny cab kept the allergy’s and bee’s out of your face.
With 6’+ me and my 350+lb boss in it we simultaneously exceeded the designed passenger specs in height and weight respectively.
Loved that truck.
Ha a friggin hilux would cost a fortune @@Steve211Ucdhihifvshi
I put 14 or 15 inch rims on them before they are sold to get more US highway mph out of tbe gears.
Sambars are easy timing belt changes and the Honda is maybe 10 minutes more. The Suzuki/HiJet are the hardest and hardest to get parts for.
Hondas have a brake upgrade to American Civic parts which is nice. I haven't figured that out on the Subarus yet but brake parts have been easy.
Biggest improvement for SoCal roads is the larger wheels and an exhaust that helps the top end breath. With traffic out here youvare ten tenths all the time.
I like the handling and feeling of the interior of the Hondas beat. Subarus have a little more umph which is good if you want 4WD. The Suzuki/Hijet with their staight axle in the rear seams the best for al out modding which is good because part avaliablity is poor.
I had a 91 Suzuki Carry. Truck was bullet proof. I ordered the few parts I needed from the Philippines. Received a bad part, and they immediately sent me a new part--including free air freight. Maintenance was easy and cheap--ran like a clock. Had a friend put a 2" receiver on the front. Hauled anything an everything, and pushed a 80" snow plow,.
Owned a Suzuki when I was stationed in Japan many many years ago. I really enjoyed it and it was just a fun unique truck. I considered shipping it back stateside. But it just wasn't economical at the time. To make the changes and "hopefully " get it licensed to be a daily driver. But if you're able by all means they are a great little truck. Lots of ways to customize them if desired. They are extremely handy for all the chores you mentioned. Fun little trucks. Be kinda nice if the automotive manufacturers built a line of them for sale and purchase here in the states..... unfortunately if they did. They would have a unbelievable sticker price !!
You can also get Kei bed campers, just like US truck bed campers. they slide in, some have pop tops to let you stand up in, others are little more then a bed and storage like a "teardrop trialer"
The reason for the noticed mileage mark is due to Japan's requirement that all internal combustion engines in motor vehicles are pulled and replaced at a certain mileage. Those motors are then sold to the US as replacement engines, as we don't have that requirement here
I don’t think there’s a single best one. I was in the market for one and thought I was going to buy a Sambar, but went home with a Hijet. Zero regrets. Love love love this truck.
I've always wanted one... It's just so much overkill to pull out a trailer, and my truck to haul some dead branches around my property.
It's also not enough to grab a wheelbarrow or hook a small landscaping trailer up to my zero turn without doing 50 trips.
I have a Suzuki trunk 3 cylinder 4WD. I’ve hauled a full load of Sand and gravel. Multiple times. Use the 4WD to get out of the river area after a heavy rain. Im in the Philippines.
I love those little trucks, we had one at the motor pool on one of the bases I used to be stationed at. It had a generator and air compressor in the bed and I used it to drive around to do maintenance on buildings and heavy equipment....think it was a Daihatsu.
I’ve wanted one of these for years, ever since being stationed in Korea. Seen a few down in lower Alabama where I live!
The Mitsubishi Delica was banned in Maine due to safety reasons. It definitely is different depending on the state for sure!
It's sad you can't buy these new in the US. I can buy a brand new 2024 Kei truck for $11,000 US. They come in tipper trucks. Crane lifts and covered trays. Very practical
770lbs is the advertised max, they can handle WAY more (at least my ACTY can). I put round bales(anywhere from 1100-1400 lbs) in the back of mine, drive 25 miles back to the farm, and it has no problem getting up to speed or if I end up hitting bumps.
Unless you need long-travel independent suspension, there's little reason not to buy one over a new side-by-side for work around the property. 4x4 is common and a locking rear differential isn't hard to find. Automatics exist but most are manual, often with an extra-low first gear or reverse. The bed is bigger than a SxS. They're street-legal in most states and can do 55MPH. They're fully enclosed stock with heat and sometimes A/C. I've seen a few on the road in my state and they look like a ton of fun. Like you said, it makes no sense to allow motorcycles and disallow kei cars.
these units are rolling traffic obstacles in north america. like a 125cc scooter
I'd pick the Subaru because the engine's location and being air cooled makes it easier to service, and should allow more options for an engine swap.
I'm sold on the Sambar. I'm getting ready to retire my 89 Dodge Aries that I bought in 2003 and overhauled in my driveway. It's hitting up 180,000 on the overhaul and is starting to use oil. Still runs great but it's about time to move on. I doubt I could overhaul it again anyway. Parts were hard enough to find in 2003. You finally told me what I needed to know. The engine is not an interference engine. I can bust a belt and not ruin the thing.
So I'm in the market. I'll buy one and after I have done everything that needs to be done I'll retire the Aries.
I need to correct this right off the bat. It is pronounced like "kay" not "key" and as these are getting more popular, please pass it on. Thanks!
I cringed when I heard him say "key", but then he pronounced it correctly at :22 - so good on him for covering his bases I guess, lol 🤷🏼♂️
Agreed but it is more of a “keigh” sound than a “kay” sound. 軽いkarui means light and ケイ(kei) is the on-youmi reading of that Kanji. So it is a short way of saying “light”.
EI sounds are an eigh sound because you pronounce the E and I as the long vowel sounds A and E respectively.
who gives a shit lol
@@r65-h4g you gave enough of one to read and reply.
@@jflabeets1 Depending on your accent/ dialect/ where you live, "Kay" and "Keigh" can end up sounding identical. It's possible the person who wrote "Kay" lives somewhere that it is pronounced the same as "Keigh"
I agree that it is messed up that people with Kei cars and trucks can drive in Oregon from Washington and us Oregonians can't even have them registered in our state! At least there are loopholes though, there are iirc 5 states that allow out of state registrations of vehicles, Montana being one of them, so there is that way of going about things.
I am glad to hear American guy enjoy Japanese key truck as we Japanese do. It is very popular with Japanese farmers. Most of the farmer own key truck for their task.
Good review, have owned te exact same truck for 5 years (KS4) hardest part was figuring out how to put a hitch on it. Have fun with it, I love mine!
That's the biggest con to the sambar as it's rear engine. I've seen it done to them, but it's much easier to fab a hitch on a carry or hijet.
Yeah, I'm importing one and it should be here in the next few weeks. I bought it for many of the same reasons Nate did. I have a recreational property in East Texas and was looking at sxs, and the price, along with the real practicality led me to these mini trucks. After I bought it, I started wondering how I was going to fix a hitch to the rear. Do you have any pointers?
@@Big_DT I took off the rear engine cover and used the same holes for my new bumper brackets. The bumper is made from 2x 4 box steel with a reciever sectioned into the middle, allowing me to switch hitch sizes. I use it for moving trailers,hay wagons and my wood splitter. Still have access to oil filler and dipstick. Comes off in four bolts if needed.
I bought and imported my Honda acty SDX 4x4 and have been having a ton of fun with it! It hauled my 1964 square back coke machine I'm restoring with ease! I love my Honda acty and besides a little effort getting the truck street legal I've had no problems though I am replacing the fuel pump myself, no big deal!
If you want to have fun and everyone asking where you got it I say just get prepared! The Big three in Detroit I'm sure they are going to try to get them band because Ford, Chev. and Dodge don't want to make what the people want and they don't want the competition of these KEI trucks that are 25 years old!
It seems that the "Kei" truck thing is the fad, coworkers are talking about them and one of my coworkers bought the van with a diesel in it. I have to admit that I am looking in to them also for that "garbage hauler" role and well for around 7k it is tempting.....Awesome video Nate!! and thanks for the review on your Kay.....Kie.....little truck!!!
I have one with diff locks and these trucks are a gem, super reliable and a true practical workhorse.
I don't know what they use these for in Japan, but I drove one in the early '90s when I mowed greens on a TPC golf course in Vegas. Ours were dump bed Mitsubishi and did very well pulling trailered greens mowers and hauling all manner of materials around the course everyday. We much favored these over our 3-wheel Cushman carts for most of our needs.
Most used in Japan and Asia overall are for city runner businesses and maybe small moving jobs. Think of carrying crates of fishes from a dock to a market, or plumber carrying plumbing tools and equipment, or someone moving carrying some furnitures to move from a house to another, or a shop owner carrying stocks from warehouse to shop in a mall... so many things to and can do as long as it fits in the bed (or not... Asians like to overload) and doesnt go over recommended payload (or not either... Lol)
Dude, that's my Home Depot in Chehalis. I think I saw you the other day. I daily drive a 94 honda acty that's parked by the courthouse in Chehalis every day.
Honda Acty, and Daihatsu Hijets , Both have parts still OEM manufactured. Those are the only reason they are relatively better for some but, as far as I know the Subaru Clover4 is still in production today So you can get all the Engine bits you need
I live in southern Arizona. And yes, SxS are all over the roads. But for a good 15-20 years now, I've always wanted to see one of these as a full blown, solid axle, trail rig. We don't have "sticks". We have "roccks". To I don't mean a trail rig, I don't mean something for going out in the sticks, but more like moab style true rock crawling.
I too live in Siuthern Az (Tombstone area) and these would be great for the little mining trails we have out here…
I'm from India and the Suzuki Carry is sold here, it regularly carries 1 ton i.e. 1000 kilograms or 2,200 pounds.
I probably haven't done as much research as you, but from what I have seen the Sambar is the way to go. Did you know that a Sambar is a large deer native to Asia? I am hoping to get a Subaru Sambar soon. How is it running for you now? Any changes you have made to it yet? Good video.
wow really learned a lot from this vid. out here in eastern wa and a lot of guys use these for hunting and farm trucks. I've always wanted one but now that i know that i can drive it out of state is a huge bonus. Thanks for all the info Dirt Lifestyle! subscribed.
I have a Honda Acty, and use mine for gathering firewood and plowing up in the Rockies. It mostly works great for those things, though as I'm not a mechanic, been struggling trying to fix an issue where it runs like absolute crap until the engine warms up - then it works great. Swapped out the fuel filter and the thermostat, but no dice. Don't buy old vehicles unless you can fix em!
We have a Subaru Sambar Japanese fire truck here in the UK, its great fun and always gets smiles! Im 6ft and 190kg and I still fit in it and drive it 🤣
Love the kei trucks, but in Pennsylvania we aren't allowed to make em road legal, totally looking forward to seeing the upgrades, and you putting the truck to use, I'm jelly....enjoy bro !!!
The only bonus to the HiJet or Carry is you can get JDM aftermarket lift kits, but that kind of ruins the usefulness of the bed height and load capacity.
You can also get factory tire sized mud, trail, and all terrain tires for them in Japan. Think the Toyo and Nitto trad pattern tires.
My 1993 Sambar KS4 has AC., and surprisingly it works. I am gonna put 2” lift 15” wheels. And either make a shell for the back with an extended cage, or design a pop up “roof” tent that will sit in the bed on a platform. So I can have storage space underneath it. Maybe add some extra protection for the engine area. Got plenty of ideas.
I'm about to buy one, I love those tiny truck.. I think it's look so cute but sad, Oregon not allow for it.🤷🏼♂️.. but Washington ok.. freaking Oregon right ..🤷🏼♂️
I was lucky enough to find a Suzuki Carry in 4 wheel drive and left hand drive conversion. Also, it is also in the extended cab version. We call it Ernie because we had a chihuahua named Ernie and he has passed away and we didn't want to forget him. The Suzuki is a ton of fun to drive but a little rough in the rocks. Probably going to change the carb to a Yamaha 660 Chinese clone just to less complicate the intake. There is a video out there where the owner changed out the engine to a Howabusa motorcycle engine( I think that's how it spelled ) and it turned the little truck into a beast. These little trucks are just a gold mine to create whatever you want it to be. I paid $3K for mine.
I have a 95 Sambar as well and love it! I think everyone should own one! It has been more handy than the Dodge Ram 2500 that I sold to get it. Better fuel economy and honestly, a more practical bed. Easier to get in and out of and has tackled everything I have thrown at it so far. Bought mine from Tony at Mayberry Mini Trucks in Mt Airy NC. I live in Central Indiana.
Look at the Suzuki DA63T model like the one I bought. They are made after 2001 so we are not at the 25 years mark yet if its an issue. The main advantages are they have a more modern EFI engine, so no more carb to tinker with and they are built with the front wheel foward so the front overhang is pretty small , perfect for offroading. Look for one with the difflock and dump bed is pretty nice too. I builded the dump bed on mine an a front winch bumper and with some upgrade they can handle 2000 lbs in the back. Hope to see more kei truck content keep up the good work.
I loved the episodes where Marty from Mighty Car Mods turbocharged his Daihatsu HiJet Kei tip truck - so fun 👍
In 1991, I had a VW type 2 single cab. Had the same drop down sides and absolutely nothing but a thin piece of sheet metal and a VW logo to protect me. That was a major concern for me as the brakes were kinda sketchy in the first place. I sold it to a surfer boy, as i lived in Virginia Beach.
I am in love with KEI TRUCKS! 🚛
Father in law has a Mitsubishi, works awesome, the locker in the rear is key. Has AC too!!!! I have a cushman, not 4wd, but damn if I haven't gotten it stuck yet....Great content Nate, loving seeing the new property and what you have planned. Keep livin the dream brother!!!!
If you put bigger tires on this up grade the hp of the engine and maybe 1/2 taller tire, a wider tire is ok. The more stock you can keep it the longer it will last.
Or.maybe change the diff gearing ? If that's possible
Really a useful motorcycle with four wheels a small motor and a reasonable size bed and along with an enclosed cab...
I want one so bad lol i have a sweet lifted 2012 tacoma but all i think about at work is japanese mini kei trucks lol i cant wait to get one
I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to drive one of these. Super fuel economy, more than enough carrying capacity for 90% of my needs, inexpensive.
However, I live in Georgia. Georgia has declared war on these Kei trucks for some unknown reason. I ride a motorcycle in Georgia, which as the video states has NO impact protection, yet the State has decided that since these Kei imports lack FMVSS features...I can't legally drive one on the road in Georgia. Never mind that I also own a 1980 Ford Courier (Mazda B2000 with a Ford engine), which also lacks FMVSS features, and SUPPOSEDLY I can register and drive it on the roads in Georgia with no problem.
I have a serious wrinkle with the Courier though...I've non-opped it for around 10 years now, thinking I'd want to drop a V8 in it. However since it doesn't have a 17 digit VIN and is nonconforming with FMVSS...I might not be able to re-register it. Georgia is peculiar about things like that. I guess I need to discuss with my county tag representative to see if there's going to be a problem, although that's no guarantee - county representatives were registering Kei trucks in Georgia years ago, but then the State revoked the registrations retroactively. Again...Georgia is peculiar about things like that...