Drove a Kei truck yesterday -- first time in a Kei (not far or fast)

[Natalya]

Hey look at this thing:
https://toronto.craigslist.ca/drh/ctd/6065281053.html

For sale, east of Toronto. Honda Acty Kei Truck with beer dispensing capability.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by Daschicken

30 YEARS OLD!? And I thought America's 25 year ban was ridiculous!

The maintenance staff at my campus uses kei vans, cute little things, but annoying when they drive on the sidewalk instead of the road around the campus....

I once saw a Suzuki Carry from the early-'90s on a sidewalk in my neighborhood.

[MetroMPG]

Just read this interesting nugget...

Now, as you might already know, the United States forbids the importation and registration of any non-federalized, foreign-market vehicle that isn't at least 25 years old; a rule that applies to kei cars and most desirable JDM models as a whole.

But there's an exception: 21 states allow kei trucks (also known as "mini-trucks") of any age to be imported as off-road vehicles and registered as ATVs, and many of these states happen to allow ATVs to be driven on public roads.

Japanese Kei Trucks Are Weird, Tiny...and Legal in the United States - Autotrader

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Even though they wouldn't comply with crash standards, allowing kei trucks in public roads on a nationwide basis would be actually a good move and benefit many small businesses. Too bad it doesn't sound so likely that Japanese automakers currently operating in the U.S. would feel confident to set a full-volume production for those mini trucks there even if a crash-worthiness waiver got on effect...

[rmay635703]

There are street legal kei cars both antique and NEV available

[niky]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

Just read this interesting nugget...



Japanese Kei Trucks Are Weird, Tiny...and Legal in the United States - Autotrader

I SO want a new Alto.


(Mazda rebadge variant)

Saw one of these the other month in Japan. Supposedly a shade over 600 kilograms... which is seriously light, even for a Kei car.

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Just as an aside, I recall reading those same rules elsewhere, in regards to UTVs... I do believe the license is a special low speed license? So not highway legal, right?

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by niky

Just as an aside, I recall reading those same rules elsewhere, in regards to UTVs... I do believe the license is a special low speed license? So not highway legal, right?

Not sure if that applies anywhere other than the U.S. or Canada.

[MetroMPG]

Not applicable to Canada, though our import law is less strict: 15 years or older.

Niky: the article says some states permit ATV's to drive on roads up to 50 mph. In some places, that makes Kei trucks viable everyday vehicles.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

Not applicable to Canada, though our import law is less strict: 15 years or older.

So, unlike the U.S., isn't it possible to import a kei truck to Canada before it turns 15-year old and register it as an ATV? Is it even legal to ride an ATV on public roads in Canada?

[rmay635703]

Originally Posted by niky

I SO want a new Alto.

Just as an aside, I recall reading those same rules elsewhere, in regards to UTVs... I do believe the license is a special low speed license? So not highway legal, right?

It’s state and locality specific

Vehicles over 25 years are federally legal nationwide but certain states are being lobbied to violate federal law and ban all NEV/LSV/Kei vehicles regardless of use


Amusingly while Wisconsin had a LSV ban on private vehicles back in the day, they now apparently allow newer than 25 year them (sort of) but I haven’t been able to find specifically how or what changed but apparently a few have gotten them past the gauntlet. Only thing I can find is that Wisconsin legalized locally built side by sides under road legal ATV law.

https://myvehicletalk.com/are-mini-trucks-street-legal/

It appears 21 states allow Kei cars under road legal ATV/UTV legislation , getting them imported can still be an issue as cars still get seized and crushed at the port


As an aside I attempted to import a Canadian Chevy Trax manual car a few years ago using the Substantially similar clause

https://jalopnik.com/here-are-the-fo...1682067632/amp

I had all the paperwork and due diligence done, I had verified that the emissions components and safety equipment all had identical part numbers
When I gave it all to Canadian Supersellers to import my total cost at the time including shipping was still a grand less than a similar local example but the broker refused to import because GM refused to provide a letter and sticker of compliance.

I was told I could take legal action and likely win a judgement of “Substantially Similar” even if GM protested but the cost and time of doing so certainly Isn’t worth it for a cheap car.

This is why I say it is not possible to import foreign cars newer than 25 years old, especially not on your own and definitely not in any time or cost effective manner.

Filling out paperwork does nothing to improve the situation when the automakers won’t provide a letter of compliance to a consumer