Thinking about a right side driver kei truck from japan

[grampahol]

https://japancardirect.com/listings/subaru-sambar-4wd-mini-truck/
Steering on the right, 4WD a bit under powered, but they'll haul entire sheets of plywood and lumber easily. In the US you can't legally operate a right side steering vehicle unless it's at least 25 years old, but the good news is they're plentiful and Japanese are well known to take meticulous care of their vehicles...About 10 feet long, 4 1/2 feet wide. 6 ft bed and reported by many to get about 50 miles per gallon depending on how you drive. Bad news is they typically only get to about 50 mph..anything over that and you're in red lining area, but in town they're fine. I don't mind driving like an old man.. LOL
I checked out two today..A 97 Honda with about 60,000 miles and an older Subaru with about 30,000.. Both started right up like new.. 
About a bit under $7000
The bed sides fold down to make it into a flat bed as well.. The problem here in SC..NO AC! YIKES..

Anyway..The only reason these are even on my radar is my wife's daughter got a job with the post office to deliver mail and they have to own their own right side steering vehicles. She bought a MINT condition 90 something Honda Odyssey for $12000..  Local dealer here has about 12 of the trucks.. 

[fredtoast]

Lightweight work will be fine.

But if you ever use your truck for heavier stuff like landscaping dirt, gravel, or rock it will be useless.

Plus, I don't think you can get spinners for wheels that small.

[*bfine32*]

I drove a vehicle like that in Afghanistan. It was a manual shift. Driving a ride-side vehicle is simple, but shifting with the left hand took a minute.

[MileHighGrowler]

Wait a minute. Postal workers have to provide their own vehicle??

[grampahol]

(08-10-2022, 10:30 AM)MileHighGrowler Wrote: Wait a minute.  Postal workers have to provide their own vehicle??

For rural routes..yup. The post office does provide some vehicles depending on the route, but if a carrier had to sub for a route without a gubnit buggy they're on their own.. Weird setup..  My wifes daughter has a company vehicle for her route, but still has to have her own.. 

[*Synric*]

I've driven a Suzuki it was 4wd and got up to 60. I was lucky it was an automatic too.

[fredtoast]

(08-10-2022, 11:37 AM)grampahol Wrote: For rural routes..yup. The post office does provide some vehicles depending on the route, but if a carrier had to sub for a route without a gubnit buggy they're on their own.. Weird setup..  My wifes daughter has a company vehicle for her route, but still has to have her own.. 

When I was a part time mailman I just drove my route in reverse instead of getting a right-side-drive vehicle.

[fredtoast]

(08-09-2022, 11:31 PM)grampahol Wrote:  

I would love to see someone make a parody "Monster truck" out of one of these.  Put a 36" lift kit on it with huge mudder tires.

[MileHighGrowler]

(08-10-2022, 11:37 AM)grampahol Wrote: For rural routes..yup. The post office does provide some vehicles depending on the route, but if a carrier had to sub for a route without a gubnit buggy they're on their own.. Weird setup..  My wifes daughter has a company vehicle for her route, but still has to have her own.. 

That is wild to me!  And people wonder why USPS is not highly regarded... 

[XenoMorph]

(08-10-2022, 12:31 PM)fredtoast Wrote: I would love to see someone make a parody "Monster truck" out of one of these.  Put a 36" lift kit on it with huge mudder tires.

lol ive seen a Monster Truck style Smart car....  This will probly look as goofy as that.

[grampahol]

(08-10-2022, 12:31 PM)fredtoast Wrote: I would love to see someone make a parody "Monster truck" out of one of these.  Put a 36" lift kit on it with huge mudder tires.

Check YouTube.. Already done.. 

[grampahol]

Those tiny trucks are all over Japan.. Check out the many videos of the tsunami that hit Fukashima and there's hundreds of little white trucks floating all over the place..