this post was submitted on 28 May 2024
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[–] [email protected] 8 points 6 months ago (18 children)

While this policy is bullshit, I'd firmly disagree that kei cars are safer than half of vehicles in the US.

  • They're all right hand drive, which makes it harder to see other traffic and pedestrians. Their headlights are also aimed to illuminate the left shoulder in Japan. In the US, those headlights will blind oncoming drivers.
  • In order to be imported into the US, these kei cars are all 25 years old at least. Crash safety has improved a lot in that time. The slab fronts of these cars provide no crumple zone for occupants. Like many modern pickup trucks, a pedestrian will be crushed, rather than scooped onto the hood and windshield of a shorter car like a sedan.
  • Because of their age, many of these vehicles might not have ABS or airbags. Additionally, their age also will make them more likely to have a technical problem, which will be harder to solve since they're JDM only vehicles.
[–] Varyk 6 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (14 children)

I understand where you're coming from, but

  • American vehicles are so tall and poorly designed they are traffic hazards just by existing. The danger of a less "robust" chassis on American roads comes from the outside threat of poor manufacturing and disproportionate inefficiencies of American auto manufacturing.

  • The build, visibility and reduced weight of kei trucks makes them safer than American vehicles.

  • American headlights are obscenely bright and kei truck headlights are not going to outshine bubbas ford firebeams any time soon.

  • 25 year old cars are generally easier and cheaper to work on because they were made to swap accessible, standard parts out easily. Not that these trucks quit easily in the first place. The American auto model looking down its nose at Japanese auto reliability is absurd.

[–] Kecessa 0 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (11 children)

"The build, visibility and reduced weight of kei trucks makes them safer than American vehicles."

Not for the occupant when in a collision with a vehicle made for the American market and not for pedestrians who, as mentioned before, are getting hit by what is basically a wall coming at them and it just so happens that said wall is a foot above the ground which changes the dynamic because the pedestrian will tend to end up under the vehicle.

"25 year old cars are generally easier and cheaper to work on because they were made to swap accessible, standard parts out easily."

You're talking about 25 years old vehicles never sold in North America to begin with, parts aren't available at your local parts store unless you find an equivalent by looking on the web and then you're relying on people having tried to come up with a solution before you.

[–] SpeakinTelnet 1 points 6 months ago (1 children)

A lot of the kei trucks and cars have a Suzuki F6A or K6A engine that was also used in some artic cat snowmobile. That kind of commonality makes it easy enough to find parts. Worst case scenario it is a 2 weeks wait time to get the part delivered from Japan. You know what took me more than 2 weeks to get some parts? A 2015 VW golf.

[–] Kecessa 2 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (1 children)

That covers your Suzuki Alto Works' engine but how much trouble was it to figure out where to get brakes for it?

😬

[–] SpeakinTelnet 3 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Easy enough that I could get the car to pass the provincial inspection roughly a month after I got it. How long did it took you to get that Audi S2 road legal?

[–] Kecessa 1 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

Call the dealer, order part VS spend hours figuring out what to order from where and hope that it's actually legit...

Never had an S2 but it wasn't for a lack of parts that I didn't get my S4 road legal

🖕

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