The original Daihatsu Midget was a 3-wheeled single seat “min-truck” that looked like something designed by the French and built by the Polish, but was discontinued in 1972 when people figured out that cars should carry at least 2 people, maybe even 4. Anyway, in 1996 the guys at Daihatsu had forgotten about their family […]
I’ve secretly wanted one of these Daihatsu HiJets for years, but I’ve been put off by two things — first is I don’t want the difficultly of right hand drive and secondly, I don’t want over-hyped hipster pricing. Thankfully, this next HiJet has neither of those undesirable attributes and looks ready for death defying freeway jaunts or hauling home a load of groceries from Costco. Find this 1995 Daihatsu HiJet offered for $4,300 in Hesperia, CA via craigslist.
The Daihatsu Motor Company was originally founded in 1907 as the Hatsudoki Seizo Co., and it is Japan’s oldest automaker, but it certainly isn’t the most famous or successful here in the United States. For a few years Daihatsu tried to tap into the North American auto game, but they were unsuccessful, no doubt partly due to the fact that buyers/sellers couldn’t spell their name. If the Daihatsu Motor Company is good enough to be owned by the Toyota Motor Corp, then a Rocky is good enough to be owned by you. Find this 1991 Daihatsu Rocky 4X4 offered for $6,800 in Willow Glen, CA via craigslist.
Are you trying to decide if you next car should have 2 cylinders or 4 cylinders? Perhaps you want the frugal fuel economy that only 2 cylinders can provide, but the smooth and refined sounds of a 4-cylinder. Or maybe you want some of the 4-cylinder horsepower, but mixed with the 2-cylinder maintenance costs (2 spark plugs, 2 intake valves…everything costs 1/2 as much)…but you can’t decide. Then you get a 3-cylinder engine, because now you get all of the thrashy noises associated with a un-even number of cylinders combined with a hamster-pulling-a-boulder-up-a-hill acceleration. Find this 1992 Daihatsu Charade offered for $3,500 in Groveland, FL via headcrash wreckingbook. Tip from David.
This next car comes as a tip from Matt C who writes: Facebook Marketplace find that popped up: A rather unusual mud toy even by Cartersville, Georgia standards. Indeed, this isn’t your grandfather’s Daihatsu. This thing has been lifted three inches and rides on Mattracks — which means it will go as far as you are willing to deal with the inevitable failures associated with replacing the wheel with about 47 different mechanisms. I’m not saying it won’t be fun…but just watch the Grand Tour when they went to Madagascar. Find this 1996 Daihatsu Hijet offered for $12,500 in Cartersville, GA via facetrack marketank.
The asking price for this next pile of parts seems a bit high, but I still like it. Does that make me insane? Is the sun really yellow? Find this 1990 Daihatsu Hijet offered for $6,900 in Houston, TX via craigslist. Tip from Jeff. The Daihatsu HiJet is Japanese built micro van that has been a […]
Dreary commutes in mundane vehicles got you down? Tired of coal rollers filling your disrespected Civic with particulate? Don’t mind spending endless time explaining that your SUV isn’t named after an immortalized Hollywood prize fighter? Find this 1991 Daihatsu Rocky SE for sale in Columbia, SC for $6,500 via craigslist. In 1987 Daihatsu decided it was […]
By Matt — One of the undervalued thrills in life is trying to wring the last bit of speed out of something designed with a completely intent in mind. Daily tasks like passing or merging, taken for granted by those who drive supercars in excess of one-hundred-forty horsepower, are life events requiring significant planning ahead, […]
The Daihatsu Midget might have not been the first motorscooter based three-wheeler (that honor belongs probably the the Piaggio Ape), but the Midget was synonymous with the name Tuk-Tuk all over Southeast Asia starting in the late 1950s. For whatever reason, they never caught on over here in North America (aside from large companies like […]
Each year, there are tiny cars you may never knew existed becoming legal for import to the US as their 25 year import ban expires. Kei cars, limited in power, displacement and size, are afforded special tax breaks in Japan to promote space, fuel consumption, and emissions economy. To compete in this category, manufacturers had […]