Poached Tech – Mini Trucks
Whoever designed the mini-trucks in Japan definitely had the small businessmen in mind. These trucks are small and it’s practically the same as having a “scania” that you can drive. They are small and so are the engines. They get the work done at a fraction of the cost but I should really emphasise on “light work’’. They use next to nothing where fuel is concerned. The major question though is whether they are good buys or they are goodbyes?
These mini-trucks are very similar in shape and size. Suzuki Carry, Honda Acty, Subaru samba, Daihatsu hijet you name them, basically they are the same car and all their engines are about 660cc. Parts are not the same however, they are just small purposefully built trucks. In japan they are called Kei Trucks, it’s a class of mini trucks and short for Kei Jidosha meaning light vehicle. It’s so light i could lift it with three other guys. In japan they service small businesses and are subject to lesser tax than normal cars. As small as they are some even come with niceties like air conditioning systems.
For a 660cc engine do not expect to get that much power from them. These are small engines for small jobs and carrying light and small things. I bet they were made to do town deliveries and the like. Because the engine is small, it doesn’t deliver that much power and you have to play around high revs to squeeze some power out of it. That creates one problem — all cars even high performance cars come with user manuals that direct the user to use the car within reasonable limits. Reasonable limits perhaps means not redlining the engine for one. If the engine is always over 5 thousand revs then its lifespan will be significantly reduced. That is the problem with the mini-trucks — the small engines work overtime and because of that reason they do not last as long as they should. One would really have to push the engine to the limits to keep up with traffic for example.
All these mini-trucks come 5 speed manual transmissions or 3-speed automatic transmissions. They are normally rear wheel drive like normal trucks with an option of four wheel drive on some models. They are so small and give one the sense that they can maneuver in tight spaces and through jammed up streets and for sure they can.
Emphasis is placed again on the fact that these are mini-trucks and therefore meant for light duty work. They can carry up to 600kgs and they weigh just over 700kg. With a 33-litre fuel tank you can travel the world and back with no need for refueling. That 660cc engine just needs to “smell” petrol and it will run.
On the flipside though, I have a few clients who are stuck with these trucks and all of them are looking for engine components. Spares are not easy to buy and these engines always wear out faster and break down for the said reasons. Do not get me wrong, these trucks have reliable small engines but sometimes they are overworked beyond their abilities. Repairing the engine brings about the issue of spares. They are not readily available yet and cost of importing goes beyond buying another mini-truck!
One question remains as to whether these mini-trucks are reliable. They have been in production since the sixties and to date they are still being produced albeit with bigger engines and some improvements but their reliability is second to none. The challenge which hopefully soon enough will be dealt with is the issue spares.
So is it a good buy or a goodbye? It’s a good buy but it can be a big problem when the need for repairs arises. They all come with very small engines and if you drive them hard you will soon be looking for another. They are a perfect solution for low cost transportation for small businesses or simply for personal use. With rising costs of fuel I’d probably get one for myself with the mind that it’s a small engine that tops out at 100km/hr if you push it too hard but for what’s its worth — it is a good buy for the right person. Till next time — Keep it JDM. Feedback Whatsapp: +263 772 33 9938 Email: lovert10@gmail.com Facebook: @Automart Zimbabwe