These cars are all under 660cc, meaning theyre far from the most powerful of vehicles. Receive the latest car import news & information. Awesome experience working with Taylor, he was extremely helpful and patience. Here's a list of 10 awesome foreign cars that we can actually drive in the states now and 10 we still can't. Provided a Kei truck is over 25 years old, you can legally import it to the US. Slowly but surely, the small hatchback is dying. Im talking Alto Works, Cappuccino, Vivio RX-R and others. And Ill even tell you a little bit about some of the Kei sports cars that you wont often find now for export since they were made in small numbers, like my old Mitsubishi Dangan ZZ. It was originally advertised that the weight distribution of the car was 50/50 if there were two passengers in the car, which is an incredible engineering feat that deserves applause. Those criteria have morphed with time theyve swelled with the inflation of the cities the carsinhabit but are still fairly tight. This is because Japanese cars are inspected often. The name originally referred to the engine size, 1.8L, although the car did come with other engine options, including a 2.9L turbo. WebNo lie. Private property is ok, and obviously car shows but besides that they cannot be used on the street. In addition, they come with a variety of features that make them perfect for family life, including child safety locks, cup holders, and storage compartments. Let us start with the first one. Top Gears guilty pleasures: Isuzu D-Max Arctic Trucks AT35, Carlos Sainz Sr flips his Audi Dakar car, gets airlifted to hospital, tells pilot to turn around, returns to race, The UKs cheapest, decent cars to insureincluding a few fast ones. Logos 1996. A compliment to this whole experience is that he does all the mechanical work. And so we come to the Suzuki Jimny. Yoshiro was a great help. Kei cars are cheap to maintain 2. Can you picture yourself driving this car to the beach? The antithesis of American pick-ups, the Suzuki Carry (as well as the Daihatsu Hi-Jet) are perfect for city tradies and country farmers who need a runabout. The car was exactly what was expect. These cannot legally be driven on highways, as they are mechanically restricted to this speed. The Toyota Corolla has been one of the most popular small cars ever offered in Australia, thanks to its reliability and strong resale value. It was originally based on the XR2i, but used a series of different parts, including a different tire size, suspension and turbocharger. Their uniqueness, versatility, and personality have made these small trucks popular with many JDM enthusiasts. That means that Kei car owners can save a lot of money on spares and repairs over the life of their vehicle. 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But this is what makes the car unique: its a little different than most other Z-series Nissans on the road and come on, "Fairlady Z" is a pretty sweet name for a sports car. Despite its relatively low power output of 118 brake horsepower, the Lotus Elise S1 is an absolute speed demon due to its curb weight of about 1,600 lbs. The earliest models of the Cosmo are actually old enough to be imported, however, all models will hit the 25 year mark pretty soon. The First FIA Intercontinental Drifting Cup! Mike Nguyen was super patient with me and my indecisiveness. Parking spots are also limited, and you can only find space for a Kei car. There was word that the lobby representing car dealers in Alberta tried to pay off the ruling provincial party to get RHD vehicles banned, but nothing came of it. Get weekly updates with the latest car news and reviews. The read moreI used Japan Car Direct's services to import a Nissan Silvia from Japan to Australia. I would work with Japan Car Direct again and recommend them to anyone. Japan was coming from a great catastrophe in 1945, when the United States dropped both Fat Man and Little Boy in Nagasaki and Hiroshima, having a casualty total estimated from 129,000 to 226,000 people. This is especially true for larger vehicles, which can be difficult to maneuver into tight spaces. To import a Kei truck into the United States it must first be 25 years or older. This can result in rejection of a vehicle by the compliance workshop / AVV meaning it can never be road registered, so you should only import a vehicle through someone you trust. It's a shame that the Pulsar GTI-R isn't completely available for import quite yet, as the retro rally style hatch is awesome. I understand why your customers give you really positive feedback. I have just ordered my second car from Yoshiro Nakajima at Japan Car Direct. From that point forward, the government working closely with the automobile manufacturers, modified the trucks specifications to meet new emission demands and customer demands. Known in Japan as 'kei' trucks, the models are fitted with economical 0.6-litre three-cylinder engines, but can offer genuine off-road capability with low-range four-wheel drive. Most cars are bought from auction, and inspected in person prior to the broker bidding on their behalf," Mr Cole told CarAdvice. From March 1990 starts the true Golden Age of the Kei sports cars. Safety Concerns: Kei cars are tiny, which brings their safety into question. I ultimately ended up with exactly what I was looking for within budget. There are certain clarifications that must be made before describing the actual procedure of importing or purchasing a Kei truck: So, you finally decided to purchase a Kei truck. If you are looking to import any vehicle from Japan, I would highly recommend the friendly and knowledgeable staff at JCD. Highly recommend JCD! What I told him basically says it all for me about my own sports Kei: Balance for cornering is excellent and the chassis is very communicative. I decided to give these guys a shot and bought a JDM Tesla into the country in the midst of the oil price hikes. Who can arrange export and import? In addition, like most Japanese Kei hatchbacks, it was a practical little load hauler and people carrier, in spite of its small external dimensions. Powered by a 1.0-litre turbo three-cylinder producing 72kW/140Nm, the Rocky offers all-wheel drive and all the safety gear you would expect in a modern, economical SUV, for less than $30,000. Webwhy is a climax community stable Login/Register. Just the usual: have an honest mechanic check your truck for any mechanical issues or rust. Available with a tipper body or refrigerated box, new models of these little utes come with a surprising amount of safety equipment: dual airbags, ABS, traction control, stability control, collision avoidance, and lane departure warning. Japan is well known for its unique driving culture, and a key part of that are the Kei cars. read less. Considering the status, rarity and importability of the 180SX, it's truly amazing that it is available for import, which is why is on this list. It was produced from 1974 to 1992 and then later reintroduced in 2008. I could not recommend JCD enough for any potential self importers! People outside of Japan are looking not only for technical and general information about Keis, they are also looking for impressions and experiences from those who have driven, owned, and lived with a Kei car. Hopefully someone gets a court case won for Kei car owners to set a precedent and stop further BS. WebAn essentially autonomous car is actually against the law in Australia right now, simply due to the fact that no laws presently exist to govern a car with no driver. I have just ordered my second car from Yoshiro Nakajima at Japan Car Direct. Would highly recommend!! I can picture it driving alongside an F-250 and thinking, I can probably fit that truck on that other trucks bed. Its quite the picture, honestly. Unfortunately, Kei cars do not meet safety standards in some countries, and that's why some jurisdictions won't make them legal. The best part about Kei cars is that theyre affordable to buy. Back in 1967 while in Okinawa I bought a 2000, Fairlady and sent it home. The Airtrek uses a detuned engine from the rally-bred Lancer Evolution, with the 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder sending 179kW to all four wheels. For a vehicle to be considered a Kei car, it must have the following specifications: The introduction of Kei cars in 1949 provided the following benefits: These incentives alongside the specifications that the trucks have, made them an excellent product for the Japanese population. 7. As stated before, there can be drawbacks to this method. he RAW applies for the Import Approval using the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number). I was a first time auction buyer and importer to the United States. As other aspects of Japanese driving culture have expanded globally in recent years, Kei cars have also begun to gain popularity overseas. read less, I had an excellent experience working with Matthew at Japan Car Direct. Except they dont. YES!!!!!!! We are getting a lot of questions about Japanese Kei cars from our customers. In short, it's cars (and vans, and trucks, and buses) which fit within a strict set of criteria, and get big tax breaks as a result. This is due to their lack of weight and small engines that are optimized for fuel efficiency. WebKei Cars. They wound up categorizing the Delica as a mini truck. However, if youre not in Japan its unlikely youll be buying a new Kei car, as not many are exported for sale in foreign markets from new. He is considered an expert in the area of classic car investment. Mathew walked me through every step and pointed me to all the right resources both online and here in the United States to complete the import process successfully. JDMBUYSELL does not sell or buy vehicles. Awesome experience working with Taylor, he was extremely helpful and patience. Australia lost the Daihatsu brand in 2006, but the company continues to produce affordable models in Japan. Its rather unfortunate that this particular trim of the Focus is not available for import, as I think it would be an awesome upgrade to the domestic Focus RS. I was a complete newbie about buying a car overseas and Mathew was kind enough to basically hold my hand and help me through the process. He helped my sort through options until landing a 1kz-te Land Cruiser Prado. He was very quick to respond, and very informative on all my questions. Unsurprising for Volkswagen, the Amarok comes equipped with a Turbocharged Direct Injection (TDI) diesel engine that can output about 120 horsepower. Presented in 1962, this tiney kei coupe was the first four-wheeler that Mazda produced. JCD was able to accommodate my unique needs, everything from short turn around inspections, expert opinions on bidding, arranging quick turn shipping, and handling of docs. This was my first time importing a car from Japan. The engine, which was essentially the same as the XR2i, but with a lower compression rate, can output about 130 brake horsepower. But, the last series of the original Rover Mini Cooper is an incredibly rare find, so it's too bad that they can't yet be imported into America. He helped my sort through options until landing a 1kz-te Land Cruiser Prado. Christopher joined jdmbuysell.com in 2018 as an automotive Journalist and now oversees all communications with buyers & sellers. I'd rather get hit by a Hijet than just about anything else on American roads. Just stumbled across your sight. Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. I had a million questions, and he had a million helpful answers. read less, Before this I have never imported any vehicles to NZ let alone one from Japan! Matthew at JCD is the man. A great way to keep the cost of motoring as low as possible! 4 April 2022 Update The transition from old to new import regulations has been extended for 12 more months. Look out for your regular round-up of news, reviews and offers in your inbox. Its cheap to run (although the engine is made for power and not economy, so it gets less mpg than many other Keis) and its easy to fix due to its basic simplicity. From its history, import status to the United States, to its current love and uses, Kei trucks are becoming more popular every day. We have built a list of what we believe are the 8 best JDM Trucks, Kei cars are synonymous with Japan. ), but the engine, while highly refined and tuned, is not overly complex with silly electronics and things on it. Theyre great for commuting in heavy traffic 6. Just picked up my car that I bought through JCD. Our 1.5-litre Jimny is agonisingly slow anyway, so what harm is losing a third of its horsepower? Upgrades began with the engine, changed from the standard 3.0L straight 6-cylinder to a 3.6L, twin turbocharged engine that can output about 377 brake horsepower. Highly recommend JCD! It started, With so many iconic cars to come from Toyota in the 90s, it would, Have you ever wondered where the name Altezza taillights came from? From there on, all is fair game! Copyright Drive.com.au 2023ABN: 84 116 608 158. Well, in 1949 the first Kei cars were only allowed a 150cc engine, if it was a four-stroke, or a 100cc engine, if it was a two-stroke. You can access it by opening the hatch in the middle of the bed. You might consider this option if you are looking for affordability, and better quality for the pricier vehicles or rare Kei trucks if purchased from a US dealer. If you still cant find the make and model, check the VIN online or the engine that might have some manufacturer information. Legally be driven on highways, as they are mechanically restricted to speed. I could not recommend JCD enough for any potential self importers to new import regulations has been for! 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