Things I Didn't Know About Japanese Mini Trucks Until I Got One 🚛
So here's a thing that happened: I live on a small farm. I needed a work vehicle. I bought a Japanese mini truck instead of a UTV. Here's what surprised me.
1. They're street legal. In most US states, trucks that are 25+ years old can be titled and registered just like any other vehicle. Mine has regular license plates. I drive it on the road to the feed store.
2. The fuel economy is actually 45 mpg. My neighbor's Polaris Ranger burns $40 of gas in a long weekend. I spend maybe $15. It adds up FAST.
3. You can get one with air conditioning. Game changing for summer property work. My 2001 Suzuki Carry has working A/C and heat. I am not sweating through August anymore.
4. The payload is genuinely impressive. 700+ lbs in the bed. For comparison, the ATV I used to use maxed out at about 150 lbs. I've hauled lumber, feed sacks, flagstone, brush — without a second trip.
5. People will stop you everywhere to ask what it is. Every gas station. Every parking lot. Everyone wants to know about the tiny truck.
Got mine from JPM Mini Trucks — jpmminitrucks.com — for $9,700 with full documentation and a clean title. They have a whole inventory of these.