Hello, I tried searching the forums, but nothing relevant appeared so here I go with some basic questions. I'm trying to decide on which truck to buy. I'll start with some info on my needs and then ask my questions. I live on the West Coast of BC. I'm looking for a daily driver with good mileage for my commute (35km/20 miles) on an 80 km/h (50mph) highway. I also have a small rural acreage and want a 'pickup' for hauling stuff. So a mini truck it is! I'm leaning towards the dump style, it would be very handy to pick up bulk materials and dump them at my place. There are a few mini trucks in my area, but it seems all of the dealer businesses have shut down. I called a fellow who owns a parts company a few hours away (http://www.minitruckgarage.com/ ) and he suggested I could buy direct from Japan and ship to Vancouver (one day round trip) through 'RO/RO'. He also mentioned a few other bits of information I'd like to double check with folks around here. He was super helpful, but I always like multiple opinions. I'm 6'2" so a bigger mini truck is appealing. Canada requires imports to be at least 15 years old. Enough info; Question time (Even links to relevant posts would help): 1) What are the roomier mini trucks for tall people? 2) Are the 1999/2000 models (the one's with the 'new' cab style) actually roomier than the older models? 3) Are the dump boxes available in all makes? 4) Is rear or front engine better? Is there any difference? 5) Which models have 4x4 that can be turned off (2x for fuel savings on road)? 6) Changing the wheels: Custom 13x5 wheels or a lift kit and some other wheels? 7) Should I buy direct with RO/RO or try and find something local? 8) Any make safer than the rest? 9) Any make/model/year to avoid? Any notable lemons? 10) Does anyone do the winter/summer tire switch? That's it for now! Thanks in advance for any help.
Cant go wrong with Daihatsu or Suzuki. I think they are better for off road if you ever use it that way. If you want to go fast and stay on the road get a Subaru. Yes, dump models come in different flavors. You'll most likely find more installed on Daihatsu - Suzuki's. Yes, the newer models 1999 and above will have a little bigger cabs and come with EFI. Anything below 1999 will have a carb. unless its a deck van/van. Being 6'2" is doable in the carb. trucks but the newer will be a little bigger. There are a few trucks that will have a extended cabs but you lose a little bit of bed room but over all comfort is there if you are tall. However these are hard to find some time. Honda and Subaru have rear mounted engines and or AWD. Daihatsu Suzuki Mitsubishi have mid mounted engines and have selectable 4wd. As for lemons I honestly cant say there are any. Japanese engineering = pretty good stuff. As for ro shipment couldnt tell you the pros or cons. I know there are a few guys that have done it from your neck of the woods. Yes some guys are running two sets of tires winter and summer. Safety, I believe they are most likely rated the same. Try not to have a head on, its gonna hurt.
Hi again dochockin and Hi too to you Trax and Horns, I just wrote in on your other thread but I'll jump in here, too. Can't resist. Trax and Horns has pretty well covered it but I'm always interested in the front engine vs rear engine issue, and not just with minitrucks but with sports cars too as I've had front, mid, and rear engined vehicles and am still not settled in my own mind what is ultimately superior. It does depend on conditions and planned use, of course. Leaving aside Porsche vs Lotus vs Honda, and just turning to minitrucks (which is why we are here): I've noticed a tendency to over steer on rough surface cornering in the Acty (with the engine in front of the rear axel) but when zooming a Sambar (which has the engine in the rear behind the rear axel) around the same corners it has no big tendency to over steer, although it should with more of the weight to the rear. Shouldn't be that way in theory. Maybe I just didn't push the little beasty hard enough. But be all that as it may, in partial answer to your question number 4): On a snowy road, front engine should be safer due to a lesser tendency to over steer when braking on a corner. In terms of access for maintenance, the rear engined Sambar is pretty good as the rear bumper folds down to give you access to what is in fact the "top" of the engine (since the engine is laid on its side) and a big access plate in the load bed lifts off and gives you access to most of the other engine components. The Suzuki Carry has the engine between the front seats and access is a little bit less convenient (similar to the Daihatsu) but then again, due to the simple structure of these body-on-frame machines, you can get at most things just from underneath the truck. On the question of winter tyres: I have had very good performance on snow with proper winter tyres and clearly rather less with the all season jobbies. Some guys will say that a minitruck with winter tyres will equal the on-snow performance of a Suzuki Jimny. I won't say that, but certainly they will blast though very very well indeed. (But I'm a Jimny fan, too, and constantly war within myself about which is "better," minitruck or Jimny.) Cheers, Dave dave@japancardirect.com
Is rear or front engine better? Is there any difference?? The purpose rear front engine is to reduce the relative weight of the drive shaft, the transmission was normally split into two parts, the gearbox and the final drive.
If i were you then, i would definitely like to go with the smooth drive first and then look towards the other things of a truck such as engine, gear box etc.
