Thinking about getting a farm use vehicle for checking fence, moving electric fence paddocks, etc. Daughter and SIL have a side by side. Swear by it for farm use.

Anyone using one of the 4x4 Japanese mini trucks around the farm as a UTV? Any issues getting stuck? Rollovers?

It's hard to beat the old Jeep.

I haven't seen any listed for sale in a
couple of years in this area

They look neat, but the suspension setup is the same as you’ll find on a conventional auto. Translation-they’ll beat you to death. Also, they’re harder to get in/out of. If you live in really flat/smooth country, or are worried about having a “cab” (for inclement weather), they might be worth a look, but for average use, a UTV with 4 wheel independent suspension is a much more comfortable ride.

Neighbor rancher has one, no idea what brand. They've been running around in it for the 7 years we've been here at least. Take it up this BLM dirt road to their spring tanks a mile or so up sometimes, rather than using one of their trucks



Saw a larger version, Nissan, in town. Crew cab style, small flat bed, with at least 15" tires. Street legal apparently as it was licensed with a regular plate. I could go for something like that

That’s a nice looking rig, smaller than I imagined and I’d like a different color but still nice. 😂

Kubota UTV?

The camouflage is outstanding!

Best I've seen!

I think you mean the best you haven't seen.

I used to want one, as several of my neighbors have them. The problem is when you have a breakdown. Good luck on finding parts. One guy told me he couldn't even find an oil filter for his.

Saw a guy pull into a local gas station with one. He’d done a lot of work on it, converted to left-hand drive, new shocks, off-road tires, camo paint. Said he towed it north for moose hunting on the lumber roads. Right-hand drive vehicles are a pain to get insured here. Only one company will do it and you’ll pay triple the price.

Really looked slick. If I see him again I might ask him to do one up for me.

Oh for the days of the old American made Field truck....

place down the road sells them , he gets maybe 2 a month, seems the going price with a decent mileage one is around $8K, 4X4 with A/C

considering I saw a chinese made SXS at Tractor Supply for $10K, they don't seem like such a bad deal

First inclination to look at the mini-trucks was price. Around here, new side by sides are starting at $9K-$10K depending on brand and retailer. Can get a clean mini truck with 4x4, a cab, and heat, possibly A/C and dump bed for starting price of a new side by side. Have also been looking at older Jeep CJ's as an option. However, they all seem to be "project" vehicles. Looking for "turn key". Thanks for the input regarding insuring RHD. I will need to check with my KY FB rep. THAT could be a deal breaker. Very few LHD mini trucks. One of the pluses for a mini truck is that it should be street-able. If insurance is a no-go, that goes out the window...

Curious, for the folks who have had multiple side by sides, UTV's... Most comfortable? Easiest riding? Dealing with my first "back experience". Do not want a rock sled.

First inclination to look at the mini-trucks was price. Around here, new side by sides are starting at $9K-$10K depending on brand and retailer. Can get a clean mini truck with 4x4, a cab, and heat, possibly A/C and dump bed for starting price of a new side by side. Have also been looking at older Jeep CJ's as an option. However, they all seem to be "project" vehicles. Looking for "turn key". Thanks for the input regarding insuring RHD. I will need to check with my KY FB rep. THAT could be a deal breaker. Very few LHD mini trucks. One of the pluses for a mini truck is that it should be street-able. If insurance is a no-go, that goes out the window...

Curious, for the folks who have had multiple side by sides, UTV's... Most comfortable? Easiest riding? Dealing with my first "back experience". Do not want a rock sled.

I'm not sure about street ready, I was watching a video of someone who said he couldn't get tags for it. I can't recall that I have ever seen one driving around town

This is about a block from the house. Suzuki Jimny. NRA sticker in the window.

Apparently the conversation to LHD is not difficult, if you’re handy that way. This guy did his own and even the consoles are designed to accomodate moving the instrument cluster.

We had a bunch of Dihatsu’s at Disney. They were fine.

Parts...

Get a utv

Where I hunt in SC a few of the guys have Suzuki Samuaris as woods trucks. They are very light and easy to get unstuck.

Farm use tags on a utv is good to go hear 😉

I've known ranchers that owned and used them and they have a lot of utility.

But they are a commitment of sorts as far as parts and you will have to fix them yourself typically.

Not for the Jiffy Lube crowd.

If it wasn't for Big Three and their counterparts in corporate media we would still have these available in the US.

They do a great job of keeping what Americans want out of reach.

That looks like a modified Suz-pukie Samuri to me.

Very easy to roll over too. I've rebuilt my share of them.

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I imported one last summer for that purpose.

Less than $4,000 to the port and I used a broker to clear customs.

Less than 80,000 kilometers. 4X4, A/C, 5 Speed.

A small lift kit, upgraded springs, aggressive tires will set you back less than $1,000.

I know one farmer that has one. He said it was half the price of a SxS and about the same price as a 4 wheeler.

There is/was one for sale in Fargo that has tracks and a snowplow.

LOL

Daihatsu HiJet would work. I think Daihatsu is now partially (majority?) owned by Toyota. In re: Street legal, If I go with a mini truck, will look for one that has already been tagged. Not sure that I will tag it for farm use. But back up option.


That would be fine if it had a removable top for easy access to the back end.

Toyota is coming out with a basic truck. $10K. This would make an awesome UTV.

https://www.roadandtrack.com/review...ruck-is-basic-transportation-perfection/

Until you add US emissions standards and it jumps to $20 K.

Article stated it will not be offered here in the US.

Mexico yes, USA, no

[quote=Valsdad]Article stated it will not be offered here in the US.



Just have some illegals drive em across.

Neighbor of mine had a cushman odd lookin machine

Always thought those would make a fun little hunting truck for the Ranch.

Cool concept. In essence a stripped down HiLux. Only pay for what you want. Bed sides-$. Instrument Cluster-$$. 4x4-$$$. Unfortunately, as noted in the article, will be available every where in the world EXCEPT the U.S.

For me, a traditional diesel HiLux 4x4 with diff lockers and DOT mud tires would be the ideal farm vehicle. Drive it anywhere on the farm. And then drive to town for parts as needed. I have the "adult sized" version of that with my Dodge W2500. Just more than I need to skitter around the fields, check critters, and move fence. A 70-80% weight reduction would be easier on the sod.

Appreciate all of the input.

There wasn't one damn thing wrong with the Samurai. I've had two and my youngest daughter had one and they were trouble free. Consumer's Reports did a deliberate hatchet because of one of their top executives didn't follow the instructions in the owners manual. Suzuki refused to honor the warranty so CR said, "I'll fix you." And that's what they did.

I drove mine like a sports car and made a few of the moves CR said were dangerous and could cause rollover. WhenI got the real story on what happened I no longer believed in anything they wrote about. Cancelled my subscription and to them they were f u c k ing liars in writing. There were a few other thing where their experiences/articles did not jive with mine and trashing my "Sam" was the last straw. My Stepson's ex-wife got Sam #1 and when I ran across another at a good price I snapped it up Two weeks after I bought it I was offered $3,000 more than I paid for it. I just couldn't pass that up. To this day and until the day I die, Consumers Reports is consider unspeakable words in my presence.
PJ

A buddy has a samurai. Biggest problem with it was it went through transmissions. He dumped it after putting in a third at 85k miles.

Im looking at a Mahindra.

Long time friend and neighbor bought one several years ago. Neighbor is dead now, but he brought it over and took me for a ride. When we got back, I told him, that will be last time I am ever in one of those things. You could not give me one if I had room up my ass for a sawmill. miles

Real popular around my parts...but never really looked at 'em up close

They are RH drive......not sure how they're registered

Highway or off road ???

Utah is very lax on the laws on any Quad....SxS...dirt bikes...or mini trucks on public roads

https://usminitrucksales.com/

Friend of mine here farms and has a duck club. He has one that has dual rear wheels. He said it will go anywhere on muddy rowcrop flat ground where he uses it. He uses it to work out of said he really likes it.

The Toyota truck looks real interesting but, as the article correctly mentioned, it would be totally screwed up by add-on features if it was to be sold here. Here, I need a 1 ton truck with a bed and cab (with a heater), an engine, a manual transmission, four wheels (and 4wd) and lights. That's all. A top speed of 75 MPH is fine, since there is little opportunity to go over sixty. The ability to tow ten thousand pounds would do. Enough box to haul 1/2 cord of wood. The chances that I would ever be able to buy what I want are virtually nil. Another five or six years and I likely won't need the damn thing anyway.
I was thinking of buying a new truck last year but decided to buy a small excavator instead. I'm happy with the decision. GD

I had an 87 for several years. Learned not to run 5th gear... ever... if you wanted to make a trans last more than about a year.

I miss that thing, but eventually it just completely fell apart from rust. It was a dandy little hunting and ice fishing rig.

If there ever was a vehicle that needed an exterior and interior roll cage, the Suzpukie Samuri is it. They didn't have enough power to pull a dead whore out of bed. Drove it like a sports car? c'mon.

Two of the funniest things I’ve ever read on this forum end up in the same thread. You guys slayed me with those. 🤣 🍻

A torque monster they definitely were not. 65mph into a stiff headwind was a struggle for mine.

The Jimny is the modern reiteration of the Samurai.

South Africa: https://www.suzukiauto.co.za/cars/jimny A 5 door version coming soon: https://content.suzukiauto.co.za/suzuki-jimny-5-door-preregistration

https://www.globalsuzuki.com/automobile/lineup/jimny/

I saw a few new Jimnys in South Africa earlier this year.

Well Hell, might as well try again. Could not pull a greased string out of a cats ass. miles

My buddy takes care of about 200 head of cattle and used side by sides for years but now days he swears they are money pits.

He buys 4x4 Geo Trackers now days

The ranch purchased a sxs last year, heavy duty working model, they said, and it’s used every day.
It’s not holding up.
A small reliable truck with decent clearance would be terrific, don’t care who makes it.

Osky

I’d add that sxs was 27k and change.

My buddy bought the CanAm enclosed cab

It's been in the shop more then it's not

A Samurai isn't a sports car, and doesn't have much power, but it does have a heater. Once you install a 6.5 - 1 transfer case gears, lockers front and rear it's a very capable off-road vehicle that you can drive on the road. I own a assortment of off-road 4x4 vehicles and my Samurai's are as good as it gets.

My Samurai was totally trouble free for the 75,000 miles I had it. Yes underpowered.

We have a 2001 Daihatsu Mini Jet for our farm. Right hand drive and 4x4. Very handy for building fence as I can fit a lot more fence posts and wire than on our atv or utv, hauling 1 round bale to feed, running parts to field etc. It came with ATV tires and was capable off road. It's not as good as our Polaris Ranger in really rough conditions, but that's ok. I put on plain winter tires and it gained some power and still handles everything we want to do on the farm. Here in PA I can't register it for on road use as it didn't have the proper paperwork. I do have it insured on an ATV policy with Progressive, but they won't insure if for full coverage. Only liability. Dad runs it back and forth from farm to his house all winter as it's cheaper to drive than his pickup truck.

I would recommend one for farm use and general light duty off road use. Nice hunting rig as sides fold down and easier to lift deer into this than full size truck.

Appreciate all of the input/comments. Found a nice side x side coming up for auction at a local estate sale next week. More than I need. However, daughter keeps telling me that it will be a "Buy once. Cry once." kinda deal. She and SIL use their SxS just about every day on their farm.

I’ve got a partially restored 79 Land Cruiser in the shop. It’s got what it takes but I really don’t like the thought of eventually burning it down.

Osky

All the rancher types around here bought SxSs a few years ago for running and checking cows and fence during the warm months when they aren’t feeding. Doesn’t matter what brand they’re all worn out in a year or two. Honda/Yamaha last a little better, Polaris sucks major ass like usual but none of them last 10-20k miles. My uncle wore out a JD Gator in 24 months driving it every day to do chores.

His replacement is a Mahindra Roxor. He got the halfcab pickup setup and so far, 1 year, it’s been awesome. Plus it’s actually road legal with signals and whatnot. SxSs can be tagged here and driven on the road some but it’s sort of a gray zone.

Another buddy had a Jap mini. He liked it fine for knocking around the ranch and running up and down the dirt roads between pastures until it broke down. Parts are hard to source and like Flave says, average Joe mechanic shop ain’t working on it. My cousin did manage to load a whole 5x5 bull elk into it way back up in the rocks and then drive it out of the ranch and 7 miles down the county road to hang it in his barn, was quite a sight!

interesting Samurai if seller isn't lying
Samurai for sale

Appreciate the link. "As the crow flies" Mt. Orab is only about 25 miles form here. I have looked at Samurai's... The ones that have not been totally chopped / welded up to be rock crawlers always seem to be a project. One JD Gator coming up for sale next week at auction. It will probably be out of my price range. Next in line at the moment is a new base model Massimo 450 at Tractor Supply for about $8K.

A Suzuki that I knew of in Texas at a “ranch” required some lead additive for the motor to run right.

II think Mt Orab is about to see some noticeable growth, especially after that Purina plant goes online. I've considered moving out there.

Not a mini-truck, but it's legit.

Dude in Enterprise works for the local cable company, drives this as his service rig.

LOVE the Sami platform; had a modified '87. Fun but I'll keep my SxS.

This, exactly. The TC gears are the key. Also, mine had 4.2 - 1 TC gears, which I like. 6.5s are too much of a good thing. 4.2 plenty low, and better for the highway. Mine had plenty of hwy power. Ran 30 inch mudders. I should add mine had a 1600 cc engine swap. The Tracker's available 1600 fuel injected engine is a better way to go, IMO.
However, I like those mini-trucks!