"Mini-Trucks, Microvans and Kei Cars are miniature motor vehicles manufactured to meet the requirements of the Japanese keijidosha vehicle classification. However, these compact trucks are ordinary in Asia, and recently, they have gained popularity in the United States. It's pretty broad. Kei trucks typically feature 6-foot beds with fold-down sides for extra capacity, and ratchet tie-downs may be used to secure freight for more adaptability. After two long months of searching, I randomly came across a Craigslist ad that had a very vague main photo and description. Customs and port clearance is the last but not least stage. Kei trucks were meant to be fairly basic and cheap to run. Mini trucks have 16 digit vins and are mechanically or electronically limited to lower speeds. Yes, we are Open For Business As Usual. You might want to ask why such long years? Joe's been around Japanese cars all of his life but the moment he laid eyes on this particular Bravo earlier this year, his mind was set. A nice find! To get maximum value for your investment in a Kei truck, ask your DMV guys and reputable dealerships a lot of questions before sinking money into this vehicle. Runs and drives great, fun truck to drive! Nowadays, Kei cars are a staple of the JDM scene, and if you happen to own a Kei truck like the Honda Acty, you get major respect points, even next to Supras and GT-R's! Joe explains that he enjoys the Bravo with his wife and young daughter, who'll likely inherit the microvan once she's old enough to drive years from now. Apparently the VT State Police have sent around an email to all DMV employees saying not to register Kei trucks. However, the vehicles are restricted from controlled-access highways and interstate highways if you register them for farm use. For that, he spent months on the internet and coughed up big bucks for components that had to be shipped over from across the Pacific. Brought up in the California car culture and educated in theater, childhood education, film, journalism and history, Nathan now lives with his family in Denver, CO. His words, good humor and video are enjoyed worldwide. Viewings By Appointment. There are several rugged, dependable 44 trucks that we never got in the US. He took the car out back, was the longest 30 minutes of my life, and came back with a signed and stamped VIN verification form. Its also rare to find one with A/C. Do you know what the process is in Maryland if you have only the import papers from the dealer? Heres a Barely Used JDM Nissan Safari Fire Truck for Sale Due to Japanese laws that regulate the surplus of the older minis, importers bring more used Kei trucks into the US than new. Read More Contact Details Address 13951 S. Main Street, Los Angeles, CA, USA, 90061 More Info. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Yes, they are allowed. Since it's a Japanese import, there are 11 characters in the VIN instead of the usual 17, needless to say the DMV didn't have any info on this car in their system. Please contact your hosting provider to confirm your origin IP and then make sure the correct IP is listed for your A record in your Cloudflare DNS Settings page. The 25-year rule is an exception to the plethora of legislation that makes it difficult to import and use mini trucks in the US. Buy Japanese mini kei trucks and import to California. Thanks! Their engines are roughly as fuel-efficient as a motorcycles, but theyre not powerful. It's a 53hp beast! Wheel spacers are one such. Some very basic ones didnt come with a tachometer; shift points were determined either by ear or by points marked on the speedometer. Tell us a little bit about yourself, Joe. The Bravo weighs in at 1,920 pounds, has a 660cc four-cylinder, top speed of 75mph and all-wheel-drive. 173.236.136.90 The most common cause is that your DNS settings are incorrect. The list of all states and any applicable minitruck legislation is shown below. Lots of farms, warehouses and large areas of private property already employ these vehicles. Mini trucks are street legal in many states. Buy Japanese mini kei trucks and import to California. Post about your kei trucks. New Hampshire allows the use of mini trucks with a 35 mph speed restriction. In the same vein, mini trucks which are 21 years old or more are exempt from EPA emission restrictions. And because these trucks have been finding an audience here, there are even parts suppliers to make maintenance easier. Please be aware that only mini trucks 25 years old or older can be registered for street use in the USA. For some more info on Rhode Island and a few other New England states: www.savethekei.com. I have my Acty registered in Houston county, but hear people have had issues in larger counties around Atlanta. Rather than explain each states requirement for these vehicles, here is the Insurance Institute for Highway Safetys (IIHS) explanation of state-by-state requirements. What did you have to go through to get it registered in Georgia? A few months later they gave me a date! It is legal to use mini trucks on Mississippi public roads but you need to provide a bill of sale, $100 title bond and an application of ownership. You can drive mini trucks legally as off-road vehicles in all 50 states of the US. Thousands of kei class mini trucks have been imported from Japan to Canada by registered importers and individuals alike. Before our photoshoot was done, Joe threw me the keys to take it for a spin around downtown L.A. and let me tell you, this thing is wicked fun to drive! Kei Trucks Make & Models To import a Kei truck into the United States it must first be 25 years or older. This is a sticky so that new members can quickly check. Email: sales . Mini trucks are allowed for street use only in California. They are also used daily for personal and business purposes on their roads. As "off-road" vehicles, mini trucks are legal to drive in all 50 states on most unpaved roads, in rural areas, and on private property. I was sent to CHP [California Highway Patrol] for VIN verification and was told I would need the title, all import documents, smog and insurance. Employ a company to receive and handle the documentation so the mini vehicle may pass customs. mb. Rules vary by state on the use of Kei trucks on public hiways. While there are no speed restrictions, the vehicle must use the extreme right-hand edge of the highway if its unable to achieve the maximum speed allowed on a specific roadway. Mini trucks are not street legal in Colorado. 1997 Suzuki Carry Refrigerator Truck Mini trucks are allowed to use Idaho Transport Board roads and as a local option without speed restrictions. You cannot use kei trucks on Virginia highways. Alabama. It can only be used in exhibitions, club activities, parades, tours, occasional transportation and similar uses. I became an auto broker selling the latest and greatest cars to clients. Which is More Reliable: 3.5L EcoBoost or 5.0L V8? Yes, this Kei van is one of the coolest JDM things I've seen all year, or maybe I'm just having major withdrawals from not visiting Japan in 2020. A 523 error means that Cloudflare could not reach your host web server. Mini trucks are allowed for street use only in California. However, they cannot travel faster than the set speed limit of 25 mph or on interstates. If you don't see your state/province/location here, make a new top-level comment for it. Ohio. Importing 4x4 used mini kei trucks, minivans such as dump bed, jumbo cab etc has never been easier. How hard was it? Just my luck, the CHP VIN officer was also a car guy. For additional details about American street-legal mini trucks, please keep reading. If you are considering buying one of a mini truck, check with your state Department of Motor Vehicles on their street use status. The mini truck is legal in Arizona with the Highway Use Certificate and vehicle assembly with the specified safety requirements. The lodge had four or five of these, all sporting ATV license plates and loaded up with shovels, buckets and other groundskeeping supplies. "Class I off-highway vehicle" includes mini-trucks. Kei trucks fit into the broader kei car category. Sounds like quite the beast indeedhah! Arkansas roads have a 55 mph or lower stated speed limit, except interstates and restricted access highways if the vehicle is utilized only for agricultural operations. This is the simplest and safest method for importing your mini truck. They will not be used for employment, transportation to and from employment or school, or for commercial purposes. You can use mini trucks on all public Nebraska roads without speed restrictions except on freeways, expressways and interstate highways. North Carolina. I realized if I did get the Kei truck, I wouldn't be able to enjoy it with my family. You can only use them in off-road situations such as on the farm. Some states allow on-road use as well, such as in Maine, where they can be registered as "low-speed vehicles" and can legally travel on public roads with a posted speed of 35 mph or lower. The designer has actually run into a police officer who uses a kei truck as a farming truck. Whether you are considering buying a mini truck for farming, landscaping, or delivery purposes, read on to learn more about the legal status of these vehicles in your state. My appointment was canceled until further notice. An update to the NCDOT Japanese Mini Truck titling in North Carolina. The state of Texas does not allow the use of mini trucks on its roads. A kei truck also can't be longer than 11.2' long, wider than 4.85', or taller than 6.5'. Under this rule, mini trucks over 25 years old or more are exempted from DOT regulations. #detroitcars #keitruck #hondaacty #acty #jdm #rhd #tinytrucks #retrorides #retrotrucks #carporn #carsofinstagram #trucks #microtruck #illest #stance, A post shared by D E T R O I T C A R S (@detroitcars) on Mar 4, 2018 at 8:13am PST. But based on the reciprocity of state motor vehicle registration, Alaska may allow non-residents to operate a vehicle registered in another state for 60 days. 2022 update: The 35-mile mark is supposedly downgraded to 20 miles! Please contact your hosting provider to confirm your origin IP and then make sure the correct IP is listed for your A record in your Cloudflare DNS Settings page. 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