Buying a Kei Car
There are various sources to buy a Kei car from.
- Local USA dealers
- Car aggregators
- Direct from auction in Japan
Importing covers car aggregators and Japanese auctions. See dealerships for local dealers.
A local dealer will be the simplest way to get a Kei car for first-time Kei car buyers. This will allow for you to test drive the car and easily get the title from the dealer. Typically, the markup can be $2000-$4000, depending on the condition but it saves about 4 months of work.
If you want to save some money and don't mind waiting, see Buying from Japan
Picking a Kei car
There are quite a few Kei cars available from different car manufacturers. This page will detail what to look for when picking a car, different trims, and other variables.
25-year limitation for street-legal cars
The most important aspect of street-legal Kei cars is that they must be 25 years old. Some websites like CarFromJapan will not even sell you a car that's not 25 years or older. Cars imported to the USA must follow FMVSS (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards), emissions standards, and bumper standards. However, customs exempts cars 25 years or older from these standards.
Seatbelt tag
The seat belt will have the year when the car was manufactured, sometimes it will have the month. When the car lands in the USA, the date needs to be at least 25 years old.
Example tag
If the date of manufacture is not identified on a label permanently affixed to the vehicle by its original manufacturer, to establish the age of the vehicle, you should have documentation available such as an invoice showing the date the vehicle was first sold or a registration document showing that the vehicle was registered at least 25 years ago.
Vin lookup for date
If you can't find the exact month from the tag, you can search the date from the VIN (also known as chassis number)
Kei cars newer than 25 years
A private individual can’t import a Kei car under 25 years old on their own—you must work through a Registered Importer (RI) to certify that the vehicle meets all federal safety, bumper, and theft-prevention standards. It's generally not recommended to try to import a newer Kei truck yourself, and it will probably have issues with title and registration.
If you would like to buy a Kei car that is newer, please visit a local dealer in the USA. Most newer Kei cars are intended for off-road use only.
Cars that were imported when they were newer than 25 years old can never be registered and street legal. For instance, if the year is 2025 and you buy a 2001 Kei car from a local dealer, you can't title and register it the following year. It has to be 25 years old on the day of import.
Kei type
Kei trucks tend to be people's first entry into Kei cars. They're unique, high utility, and get tons of looks. However, since they're only two-seaters, their practicality in a city might be limited. Starting with a Kei van is generally recommended since they are just as unique, have a lower import tax, and can fit 4 people with a large trunk space.
WayBeforeTheFame explaining why Kei vans are better
Kei vans
See the Kei van tag for different street-legal Kei trucks
Lower trim kei vans may be better for hauling stuff, work-related tasks, and quick trips, whereas higher trim kei vans may be better for road trips, daily drivers, and longer commutes.
WayBeforeFame's video below goes over various Kei van cars and the difference in trim levels.
General trim variations
Seats
Higher trim vans have split seats, whereas lower trim vans have bench seats.
Split seat on the left vs bench seat on the right
Key hole
Some higher trim models have a 3rd key hole for the back passenger seat, whereas lower trim vans will not.
Key hole in the rear seat vs no key hole in the rear seat
Tactometer
Higher trim models may have a built-in tachometer, whereas lower trim models do not.
Kei trucks
See the Kei truck tag for different street-legal Kei trucks
Trim variations
Cabin space
Since these are smaller vehicles meant for Japanese body types, they are on the smaller size. The point of these cars is that they are small, so the cabin size is on the smaller side.
Here is an excellent blog post going over the different cabin spaces for Kei trucks.
Engine location
Kei trucks and vans typically don't have the engines in the front like a normal American truck. Engine location can vary between the different models. For example, the Suzuki Carry will have its engine underneath the passenger seat, but the Subaru Sambar has it in the rear. The Suzuki Carry will be able to be fixed while there's stuff in the back, but will produce heat and noise in the cabin. The Sambar will be quieter and less heat in the cabin, but access to the motor could be blocked by stuff in the cargo.
Suzuki Carry's engine under the passenger seat
Subaru Sambar's engine in the back
Buying from Japan
How to buy a Kei car from Japan
There are a few ways to buy cars from Japan for USA import, car aggregators, and direct auctions. Before naming all the available options, there are some key points to cover
Choosing a Kei car
Auction grade
When buying a Kei car, you will typically see the auction sheet with the auction grade. The grades are listed below:
- S or 6 – Brand New
- 5 - As new but used
- 4.5 - As above, with the most minor of blemishes
- 4 – Excellent Condition
- 3.5 – Minor Marks and Blemishes
- 3 – Noticeable/Heavy marks and Blemishes
- 2 – Poor condition
- 1/0/-1 – Very Poor condition OR modified (and quite possibly in excellent condition)
- R/RA – Accident Damaged/Repaired Vehicle
Trusting the grades
Most people advise purchasing Grade 3.5 or above vehicles, but grades do not hold as much weight as they seem. Some bidders have seen grade 4s with a heavy amount of rust, a bad smell, or other degraded features.
Example of 3.5 grade in bad condition
R grade
The R grade is also misleading because it may seem like R is the lowest grade. In reality, some good cars will have an R grade for any type of accident. R grades can become good deals, but it's recommended to have someone in person check the car.
The advice is to stick to grades 3 and above, but to still thoroughly inspect any car you purchase.
Auction sheets
See Japan Car Direct's How To Read Auction Sheets on how to read an auction sheet.
Example auction sheet
Interior grade
Similar to the auction grade is the interior grade; cars will receive an interior grade depending on the condition. The grade will take into consideration the age of the car.
- A: New
- B: Clean and in good condition
- C: Typical for its age
- D: Damaged interior and signs of wear and tear
- E: Terrible
Kilometers
Since street-legal Kei cars are 25 years old, expect the car to have a modest number of kilometers. A car in the 30,000 to 90,000 kilometer range is normal. With proper maintenance and good care, a Kei car can last well beyond 200,000 kilometers, but with all used cars, it's variable.
Car features
Kei cars have a wide range of features that can affect the pricing. The more features present in the car, the more expensive it will be. Typically, cars with 4WD and A/C will go for a higher price.
- 4WD vs 2WD
- Manual vs automatic
- A/C vs no A/C
Signs of a lower trim model:
- No keyhole in rear passenger door
- Bench seats
- No A/C
Engine placement is a factor when choosing a car. Some cars will have the engine under the seat, which can produce heat and noise, or in the back of the car.
See Picking a Kei car for more information on car features and how to pick a car.
Where to buy for import
Below are the common ways people in the USA buy Kei cars for import.
For importing a Kei car, I would recommend a direct auction importer for most people's first Kei car. There are many aspects of kei cars that someone in the USA might not know that they are more familiar with. They can help answer questions, find any issues, and help you learn information.
Car aggregator
Car aggregators list various cars on their websites for customers to choose from and order. It's similar to buying a car from CarMax or Carvana. Be extra cautious and thorough with these cars since the aggregators may not send any extra information beyond the photos of the car. Be sure to negotiate for a lower price; most of these websites will bid down the car price.
Direct auction
For a direct auction, you will work with a person in Japan who goes to the car auctions. This can be a great option since they are able to see the cars in person, take videos/photos, address any concerns you have, and ensure that the car you get is in great shape. The cost might be slightly higher than a car aggregator since it's more personal work, but you can ensure the car you get is in good shape and the one you want.
- Japan Car Direct
- T-S export
- Way Before the Fame
- Reach out to see if Nick is in Japan
- JDM Auction Watch
- Minitrucks
Steps after purchase
Once the car is purchased, see How to import a Kei car to start the import process
Local dealers in USA by State
Alabama
- Berryhill Mini trucks
- Address: 3499 County Rd 93 Anderson, AL 35610
- Phone: (256) 740-7287
- Grand Pointe Mini Trucks
- Address: 2045 2nd Ave NW, Cullman, AL 35058
- Phone: (256) 338-9464
Arizona
- AZ kei trucks
- Address: 505 W 8th Ave #7, Mesa, AZ 85210
- Phone: (602) 327-1434
- SM motor cars
- Address: 505 W 8th Ave #7, Mesa, AZ 85210
- Phone: (480) 299-8922
Arkansas
- Ozark mini trucks
- Arkansas mini trucks
- Mud hog mini trucks
- Fun karz
- Twin river mini trucks
- Eaton mini trucks
Texas
- Texas JDM
- Address: 230 W Davis St, Luling, TX 78648
- Phone: (830) 875-3333
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MaN1XZuqpA
- Tim's Tiny Trucks
- Address: 3402 FM 2100, Huffman, TX 77336
- Phone: (346) 353-6464
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiCXeYgLrOI
- Mud Bug Mini Trucks of Texas
- Address: 518 Columbus Rd, Sealy, TX 77474
- Phone: (866)-683-2847
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6p-0mEpNEc
- Weatherford Mini Trucks
- Address: 1015 Fort Worth Hwy Weatherford TX, 76086
- Phone: (682) 936-9225
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyR5_-JWkCc