I've been thinking...

"RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars" (rallydarkstrike) 01/04/2020 at 21:07 • Filed to: Kei Truck, Piaggio Porter, Daihatsu HiJet

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A lot of North Am erican importers love bringing in JDM Kei trucks, but people sometimes have a hard time insuring/registering them, etc because they are right-hand drive.

BUT...why does nobody import Piaggio Porters from Italy that are based on the Daihatsu Hijet (though with larger engines) and are LHD? I am guessing they are more expensive to get and ship over in Europe, but

https://translate.google.ca/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&u=https%3A%2F%2Fit.wikipedia.org%2F%3Ftitle%3DPiaggio_Porter%26redirect%3Dno

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daihatsu_Hijet#Piaggio_Porter

http://www.piaggiocommercialvehicles.com/en_EN/models/porter/

http://www.piaggiocommercialvehicles.com/en_EN/models/porter-el/

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 01/04/2020 at 21:26

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I magine what they look and drive like after 25 years of Italian life... that's why.

Longtime Lurker > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 01/04/2020 at 21:27

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It does happen, but I think that specific example would have to be a special order. Also higher initial purchase price probably.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 01/04/2020 at 22:01

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Or why doesn’t Dai hatsu use the LHD configuration and sell them new as specialty off road or utility vehicles a la Mahindra Roxor through powersports dealerships?

f86sabre > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 01/04/2020 at 23:31

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What states give you a hard time about RHD?

pip bip - choose Corrour > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 01/05/2020 at 00:28

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are they old enough to import?

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Longtime Lurker 01/05/2020 at 07:06

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I just posted a random picture of one. I’ve never seen any for sale here though! The ‘Porter EL’ is the one that is the cheaper version with a normal Kei Truck-style bed.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media 01/05/2020 at 07:06

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True, but some of the ones on the Japanese auctions aren’t much better!

Plus, the Porter is actually sold in a lot of Western Europe, so they col get it from another country as well! I know Germany has several in some places that are used as like....municipal utility trucks and the like!

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 01/05/2020 at 07:08

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Goo question! I guess sales wouldn’t be worth it when people are importing the RHD ones for cheaper....they’d be sortof competing against themselves I guess?

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > f86sabre 01/05/2020 at 07:13

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Not sure about the US, but I know some states won’t allow them to be road -legal at all. They’re legal in all provinces in Canada, and registerable in all provinces, so I guess that was a bit of a error on my part . It’s mostly insurance here . A lot of companies out west are pretty easy to insure them with as they are so common out there, but here in central and Eastern Canada a lot of companies refuse to insure them (well, they’ll still insure things like RHD classics like Jag E-Types, etc, but not modern JDM imports). I know my current insurance company won’t insure them.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > pip bip - choose Corrour 01/05/2020 at 07:15

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They are in Canada and the US (at least the early ones in the US). Piaggio started producing them in ‘92 I believe?

f86sabre > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 01/05/2020 at 09:44

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Ah, I haven’t heard of any US states that have an issue with it. I used Hagerty collector car insurance on the Mini, but was able to get a quote from the company that covers my dailys.

Russell Early > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 01/05/2020 at 13:15

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I can’t help but think a kei van would be the perfect replacement for the postal llv.

RHD, efficient, 4wd( r ural routes)the van bodies would have plenty of cargo space.... etc.

The USPS should call up daihatsu and order a few thousand.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Russell Early 01/05/2020 at 19:26

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Here in Canada, Canada Post will give delivery drivers an allowance to purchase a RHD vehicle if they so choose. Most are JDM imports of vehicles we already have here for the sake of parts availability....petrol Toyota Hilux Surfs (we got them as the 4Runner), or Rav4s, etc, etc are common!