Has any one considered a Japanese Mini?

[jimgerken]

Woody: Thanks for the list of differences between the truck makers. I am assuming that the further BACK in the chassis they put the engine, the better off-road capability the truck has, due to balance of weight on all four wheels (assuming an empty box). Is that true? If so, the Subaru must be best off road, since the engine is in the back. Maybe Honda is second best, etc. Am I on the right track, or have you noticed another effect/difference between the truk types that make one better or worse than others for pure off-road dirt trail operation? Thanks for your help on that.

On your website, it looks like you have trucks listed that are located in WI, like in LaCrosse, etc. That's really close to my home. Do you have multiple car lots?

 

[woodhe1]

jimgerkin,

I haven't noticed any difference (on off road capabilities) between the different makes.

The difference I have noticed is the locking differential trucks get themselves out of trouble easier than the limited slip diff. trucks.

Most of the tracked trucks I have sold have locking diffs. The end user has them for emergency type uses, soil testing, pulling snow groomers, and large feed lots.

There is a difference in cab size and that's about it.

Also, I just found out Nissan makes a truck. I learn something new every day about these things.

My Dad lives in the LaCrosse area so I'm happy to get a truck to someone in that area. I also have people that sell them for me in Marshfield and Oshkosh, WI areas. If WI changes their laws to make these street legal (legislation pending), I hope to keep them very busy.

My best sales tool is you try it out for two weeks, if it won't work, I'll take it back, or switch it out with a different make ...... I've only taken two back in 4 years.

I'll have a new Suzuki at UW Madison (broom attachment) in two weeks for their evaluation. I'll also have 2 trucks at the Logging Congress in G. Bay Sept. 9-11.

dan woodliff

 

[jwcinpk]

What does the typical 4wd mini truck weigh? I was dead set on a rhino, but 80% of my use would be farm use.

 

[Cat_Driver]

I think everyone is trying to compare apples with pineapples.

The people that are saying WOW I love my ( insert name here ) because I love going on trails and 4x4ing and going into the woods etc.etc.etc. are all speaking of a sport vehicle designed to do just THAT. They are all toys with perhaps a secondary purpose on the farm because they have a 24" dump bed.

The MINI truck is not that, and it seems everyone wants to marry the two as the same vehicle and compare them accordingly. Funny that no one ever combines farm tractors and track loaders and compare them equally, of compare a sports car with a 4x4 - why not?

The Mini truck is more of a work horse, it has a cab, as huge bed some have air, they also have 4x4. Will the Mini truck do what the Sport utility vehicle do NEVER. will the sport utilities do what the Mini truck will do NEVER.

I simply needed more room in the bed for tools, PVC parts, boxes equipment, chain, PVC glue, valves, shovels, chain saw, cooler all in the same bed and there wasn't a sport UTV that could handle my needs. So I bought a Mini truck and spent 1/2 the price of a Sport UTV and can handle 4 times the equipment.

For me there is more a perfect vehicle than a Mini truck. The 4x4 works great the cab is great in dusty areas, air conditioning in the field is a luxury.

I don't need to go on trails and the guys that love going on trails don't need to haul a ton of gear like I do, so the two camps will never ever agree on which vehicle is better.

 

[timswi]

I think everyone is trying to compare apples with pineapples.

The people that are saying WOW I love my ( insert name here ) because I love going on trails and 4x4ing and going into the woods etc.etc.etc. are all speaking of a sport vehicle designed to do just THAT. They are all toys with perhaps a secondary purpose on the farm because they have a 24" dump bed.

The MINI truck is not that, and it seems everyone wants to marry the two as the same vehicle and compare them accordingly. Funny that no one ever combines farm tractors and track loaders and compare them equally, of compare a sports car with a 4x4 - why not?

The Mini truck is more of a work horse, it has a cab, as huge bed some have air, they also have 4x4. Will the Mini truck do what the Sport utility vehicle do NEVER. will the sport utilities do what the Mini truck will do NEVER.

I simply needed more room in the bed for tools, PVC parts, boxes equipment, chain, PVC glue, valves, shovels, chain saw, cooler all in the same bed and there wasn't a sport UTV that could handle my needs. So I bought a Mini truck and spent 1/2 the price of a Sport UTV and can handle 4 times the equipment.

For me there is more a perfect vehicle than a Mini truck. The 4x4 works great the cab is great in dusty areas, air conditioning in the field is a luxury.

I don't need to go on trails and the guys that love going on trails don't need to haul a ton of gear like I do, so the two camps will never ever agree on which vehicle is better.

Fully agree..These are on different planets for entirely different needs.

 

[KentT]

Fully agree..These are on different planets for entirely different needs.

Methinks you guys are trying to force things into a "black and white" view of the world, when there's actually more choices in the "gray area" than at the ends of the spectrum...

Polaris has made a lot of money bridging that gap with the Ranger, and John Deere sees it as lucrative enough to bring out the new 825i... 1,000 to 1500 lbs in the bed, and tow 1500 to 2000 lbs, while going in places a mini-truck would never think of going.

And that doesn't even count the hundreds of thousands of Yamaha Rhinos and Kawasaki Teryxs that have been sold, that can do some work and some more serious play... you can readily haul 400-500 lbs in the bed, or tow over 1,000 lbs. They work great with snowplows, for example.

The only "100% play" mainstream machine is the Polaris RZR...

 

[woodhe1]

the mini trucks weigh approx. 1500#. They can easily tow or carry their weight.

The comments are right, a comparison between mini trucks and atv/rtv is not apples to apples. These are trucks.

There have been millions of these trucks built & distributed throughout the world. There is a reason for this. They run cheap, very reliable, and simple to maintain (clutch change in a couple of hours with 3 wrenches).

 

[woodhe1]

Helping a friend install some heavy shutters

 

[woodhe1]

New mini trucks (Suzuki) are now street legal in all States. They will be speed restricted (LSV) ((low speed vehicle)) according to your States requirements. The trucks come with a 17 digit VIN number and a MI title. If your State will not transfer the title, the money will be returned.

 

[jimgerken]

Woodhe1: By "new", do you mean brand new, zero miles? I am afraid the cost of a brand new one would make a Polaris Ranger look inexpensive again.