Has any one considered a Japanese Mini?

[Dargo]

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.

For me I found quite the opposite. My RTV1100 is built far stronger than the little mini trucks I tried out, will go through and across far rougher terrain and carry far more weight with the added benefit of having the steering wheel on the right side of the machine for me.

There is a guy about 5 miles down the road who has been trying to sell these little mini trucks for several years now. He's sold a few and seems to have about half of them back on his lot trying to sell them on consignment for the original purchasers who discovered they wouldn't work like they thought. He has Mitsubishi, Suzuki, Dihatsu (sp?) and Honda trucks.

Everyone he sells to is trying to make them what they were never designed to do; be an off road vehicle with large mud tires on them for hunting. That requires a jackleg lift kit and lots of cutting on the body of the mini truck. I suppose if you spent enough money and enough time you may get one to do what you want. For me, I just bought the RTV1100 which already does all I want right from the factory and I'm not trying to make it into something it was never intended to be. They were made to drive on narrow streets in Asia as a much smaller version of what our S10 pickups were. Without a doubt, they are not for me. If you're really into fabricating and building things and reinforcing things and cutting on things and have a lot of time to do all that, go for it. If not, buy something that's already built from the factory to do what you want.

 

[Reverendbiker]

They are indeed completely different animals. I use a mini truck (Sambar) and a UTV (Rhino) on my ranch. The mini truck will indeed carry a larger payload and offers greater protection from the elements, but I've found that for almost every chore I prefer the Rhino. The mini truck is grunt slow, and it will beat me to death on pasture roads that the Rhino navigates with ease. Your experience may vary, but don't expect the mini truck to be a lower-cost alternative to a UTV.

 

[iplumb]

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.

are you in Michigan? If so where about? You don't have you profile filled out. Thanks may be interested in checking these out. Sold the Rhino.

 

[woodhe1]

Haven't been on this site in a while so I'll try to answer the questions/comments and also post a picture of a Honda and engine location.

Lets not compare apples to potatoes. These are trucks are located throughout the world. They come in 4wd with diff lock available. Most country's are not as fortunate as us when it comes to paved roads. Even in Japan the rural roads are gravel/sand. These are not for bahaing but provide an alternative.

The video posted on this site of a tracked Suzuki (pipeline backfill) will outperform any ATV/UTV/Side by side/sixwheeler (mud or snow).

My agriculture (mostly dairy) customers find these trucks an excellent chore truck. They can hold about 27 5 gal. pails for feeding calves.

A properly installed lift kit requires minimal trimming on the body unless you are installing tires larger than 24".

My used trucks are gone through 100% before being sold. (my guess is what the neighbor bought to sell probably were tired trucks) I also want the customer to use the truck for a couple of weeks before purchasing. This use can turn up any problems before the purchase. In 4 years of selling these, I have had 2 trucks returned ($ issues).

I am located in N. IL but titles (and trucks) come from my distributor located in Jackson, MI

Now a picture of a Honda and a tracked Suzuki

 

[Car Doc]

We have a few small dealers scattered around here and there and I have ran across a few needing repairs that showed up at my shop I am not real wild about working on them yet, I managed to fix all of them so far though.

The manuals being in Japanese is a problem however a good dealer will have the parts and the knowledge to help and basic computer diagnostic ability is a must on later models farmers use them the most here they like them a lot.

I would buy a 99 and up FI 4wd Suzuki in a heartbeat if I just needed one it cant be justified at this point but I sure would like one the right hand drive is a hoot maybe someday.

 

[woodhe1]

there are English manuals.

Go on minitrucktalk.com and click on the brand (Suzuki, Mitsubishi, Daihatsu, or any of the other brands) and search manuals. They are about $75.00 each. Some of them have links where you can print them out.

dan
Welcome

 

[Cat_Driver]

People who keep comparing these mini trucks to ATV' s are way off base.

Around here we have something like 70- 75 golf courses and they all have these mini trucks and they work them HARD, and they keep on ticking.

They are NOT hunting vehicles, they are NOT designed to go off road through the trees etc. . They are NOT made for cross country 4x4ing. etc.etc.

Two different animals. I have a mini truck that is a 4x4 and I use it every single day and wouldn't trade it for a dozen ATV's. Mine is a 4x4 and regular street tires and plows through deep sand like it's nothing. It hauls much more than any ATV on the planet with their tiny beds. It has a closed cab with air conditioning that ATV's do not.

There is no right or wrong you either NEED a vehicle to go off roading or you NEED a vehicle that hauls a bed load of tools and PVC sprinkler parts and is a satellite work shop.

They have not made a vehicle that does BOTH well. It's that simple.

The closest I have seen was the MULE made for the Military during Vietnam.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMeHchRXp3w&NR=1

YouTube - M274A2 USMC Mule and Crew

 

[Car Doc]

there are English manuals.

Go on minitrucktalk.com and click on the brand (Suzuki, Mitsubishi, Daihatsu, or any of the other brands) and search manuals. They are about $75.00 each. Some of them have links where you can print them out.

dan
Welcome

Thanks Dan next time I get a mini truck in here I will check into that appreciate the info so will my customers!

 

[woodhe1]

Thanks Dan next time I get a mini truck in here I will check into that appreciate the info so will my customers!

If your looking for parts (new or used) check with www.grimports.com
They have everything from windshields to tail-light lens covers and everything in between.

dan Welcome

 

[Car Doc]

Thanks again Dan I made a note of both places! :thumbsup: