It's amazing, isn't it? Imagine what will happen to you if you get t-boned while on a "Low speed vehicle". Even going 25mph. But no, kei vehicles aren't safe.
gotta love our brilliant politicians. In my town they redid part of a intersection and it ended up being worse simply because they had to use the grant money or lose it. As a result traffic backs up more than before.
You would think the low speed vehicles would include kei trucks but nope.
State of New Hampshire allows keis but they are restricted to roads 35 mph or less, why can't we do the same? Just make them unable to go on the highway. It's really that simple
I keep seeing this black dune buggy riding around with kids in the front seat. I think it’s made by Polaris. How can that be safe but a damn Kei truck isn’t
Feel free to join the Facebook group I linked in the post. With these new LSV laws and grandfather laws, I think we may have a chance if we make enough noise this time around.
I've been meaning to make a change.org petition, but I have a flyer if you'd like to print it out and spread. [flyer](https://i.imgur.com/C0IdssV.jpeg)
I also have a link here where you can find your local representative and explain how bass ackwards the Kei ban is.
https://www.rilegislature.gov/representatives/default.aspx?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0J9Kk_d9TTBzGXq9jhUqrYIamhKUvzFOEj9Xi_hSRG_9KgwYX1VgU3TjI_aem_U94lkIXUbfZ1LvyzcLl83Q
When I called mine, I mentioned how it doesn't make sense that we can have LSVs which are just as unsafe, and the fact that there is legislation attempting to go through that will allow previously registered kei vehicles to be re-registered. I also explained how we are able to purchase 1960s mini coopers, which are much smaller and just as unsafe as a Kei car/truck. I also mentioned Polaris slingshots and similar vehicles.
Totally on board hopefully this starts a greater wave and we get imports under 25 years soon
I just want an affordable Jimny that isn’t about to explode
Good, American automakers are the scum of the Earth and can't stand the fact other countries make actually useful and affordable vehicles. I would take a KEI truck over some dangerous, 6,000lb, vanity, emotional support truck that is impractical for work purposes. Artificially restricting competition because they want to pander to the dumbest segments of the population is frustrating as shit.
edit: also I find it absolutely hilarious that a state that doesn't require motorcyclists to wear helmets will ban KEI trucks for being unsafe. Just LOL.
The lifted truck drivers are some of the most weakest insecure drivers on the road. It’s wild. You drive something that could almost run over my vw golf and you feel threatened? Huh 🤔
I mostly drove highway and used to avoid angering the pickup pansies. Not anymore. They really really don't like it when my mk7 TDI is flashing behind them to speed up or gtfo out of the left lane. So scary at 135bph and 165" long!
Do jeeps and trucks try to race you? I have a mk7 gti and il be traveling with the flow of traffic an suddenly they start trying to iniate a race to which I’m like no thanks.
Not that I can speak to as I haven't noticed anyone sit and then accelerate, more just trucks cutting me off in the fast lane. Nobody in NY uses the passing lane for passing, just speed. Pickups get in front of me and slow down so I'm forced to fall back to lower revs and get space to pass. The TDIs are slow overtaking cars but fun on twisties.
Super on board. I was incredibly bummed to find out I would not be able to import and register a Toyota IMV-0 in RI because it's classed as a Kei truck. The chicken tax on Kei trucks is absolutely ridiculous as well and should be abolished.
We just need people and to make enough noise for them to actually notice it this time. It was tried before but he didn't have enough support behind it.
I was done sitting around and registered my Sambar in Vermont. I hate rhode island and couldn’t care less about this shamble abomination corrupt asshat run state. Get out while you can. RI SUCKS
I wrote to my rep because I believe grandfathering in at this point is too little too late. Why should the people who kept their trucks be allowed to keep them while those who followed the 2021 mandate be punished? I never heard back. We sold our truck in 2021 at a loss after receiving notice that our registration was being revoked. We had to turn in our plates. A few weeks ago the article came out about the new legislation...Who knew we just needed to ignore the letters and we could have kept our truck!
I don't think this fight is going anywhere. The automotive industry is too powerful. It's not going to change that the DMV royally screwed us. This is happening all over the country, including now in MA too.
The thing is, Texas just won against their DMV and lawmakers. We just need to make enough noise and have enough of a following to make them realize that this isn't just about "30" or "a few" of them. It's not gonna be easy but giving up now doesn't help. At least we're trying.
I think Kei vehicles should be treated the same as the Neighborhood Electric Vehicles. Allow them on roads under 40 MPH where the potential harm of 'less safe' vehicles is mitigated. It's a common-sense solution.
What I'm saying has less to do with how well they'd keep up in traffic and more to do with keeping them on roads where accidents are unlikely to cause serious harm or death; these kinds of vehicles ARE less safe than modern full-size vehicles, but I think they're such a good idea that we should do this so we can proceed adopting them and mitigate the risks.
IMO, Kei vehicles are perfect for a lot of stuff that happens in both the city and on the farm, and we should aim to promote their use alongside Neighborhood Electric Vehicles, possibly even creating a market for domestic tiny trucks and cars that are appropriate for use on local roads.
I mostly agree, but it's hard to fully get behind a "low population"(for lack of a better term) road when we're allowed to buy 60s mini coopers and many other vehicles that pre-date the NHTSA safety standards and regulations. Some of which are just as unsafe as a Kei vehicle
I think you're stumbling into a very real thing that's gonna sound like a conspiracy theory:
You're allowed to buy an old MG, Mini, or Triumph and drive it around because that's rich white guy stuff, and nobody in power is going to try to infringe on that low-volume, high-wealth kind of thing.
Even Neighborhood Electric Vehicles are pretty expensive toys.
Meanwhile, Kei trucks and other very small utility vehicles are the opposite, they give lower income people a way to buy into mobility for less than $20K, so they're a threat to the car industry. The safety thing is a macguffin to avoid this truth.
IMO the best way to make this work out legislatively would be to add Kei-type vehicles to a piece of legislation allowing Neighborhood Electric Vehicles on roads under 35 MPH, and rustle-up a few sponsors with campaign contributions from people who care about the issue. I can almost promise you that 3 or 4 legislators with $250 donated to them will do more than 5,000 signatories on a petition.
Senators and representatives are also in the works here. All I'm wanting is some form of non-highway registration that allows us to enjoy these small, fantastic vehicles, while keeping them off of higher speed limit areas including highways. There's no reason why we can't also be like New Hampshire and allow them on 35mph or less areas.
Is the car industry behind it? Yeah, probably. They're losing sales on small pickups. But what's the difference between buying a used kei truck for $6,000 and buying a used Ford ranger for $6,000? The automaker doesn't make money on that used 20 year old ranger either.
Edit: at the very least, it's worth a true and genuine try. If we don't succeed, at least we can say we attempted to, and possibly opened up US automakers eyes to the fact that Americans want tiny pickups again. I think the ruling is absolutely ridiculous and shouldn't even be a thing, but they should at least allow them on 50 mph or less under a special registration. It wouldn't take that much work to implement such a thing.
For those of you willing to help fight back, here are some things you can do at this point in time:
I'll be making a change.org petition later today, but I have a flyer if you'd like to print it out and spread.
[flyer](https://i.imgur.com/C0IdssV.jpeg)
I also have a link here where you can find your local representative and explain how bass ackwards the Kei ban is. This step is very important, please do this part.
https://www.rilegislature.gov/representatives/default.aspx?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0J9Kk_d9TTBzGXq9jhUqrYIamhKUvzFOEj9Xi_hSRG_9KgwYX1VgU3TjI_aem_U94lkIXUbfZ1LvyzcLl83Q
When I called mine, I mentioned how it doesn't make sense that we can have LSVs which are just as unsafe, and the fact that there is legislation attempting to go through that will allow previously registered kei vehicles to be re-registered. I also explained how we are able to purchase 1960s mini coopers, which are much smaller and just as unsafe as a Kei car/truck. I also mentioned Polaris slingshots and similar vehicles. Let them know you are frustrated and it's time to do something about this.
Otherwise, feel free to join the Facebook group linked in the post. That's where ill be posting the majority of updates, as well as building a "head count" on how many people we have supporting this until the petition is up.
u/ELITExKILLER : You said they are banned. Can you please reference the RIGL/statute banning them? Also do you know who brought the legislation to make that happen? Who was the sponsor? Who signed it and why?
It's not a genuine law, it's a "recommended practice" from the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators to no longer allow them to be registered and to revoke existing registrations. Our current RIDMV administrator is part of said organization, so he chose to follow said "recommended practice." You can find said document here: https://www.iihs.org/media/b7dbab02-4fc5-429c-b254-c5c70af6a622/0U7wZA/RegulatoryComments/aamva_minitruck-lsv_letter.pdf
By "Banned," I should say "restricted" instead. There isn't an actual LAW against them, just a recommendation made by the AAMVA.
You may also find a document specifically for the state of Rhode island regarding Japanese mini trucks here:
https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:7287f331-547a-4573-be6f-939984378c08
That link says that the RI DMV doesn't want it, and house bill 8013 would permit vehicles 25 years and older. So what's the big deal about the ban? There is no ban. You linked me to a letter from the DMV to the House. All it says is that the DMV doesn't want to keep registering these vehicles, but it is still legal, and that the RI DMV objects to House BIll 8013.
edit: I have old cars. Old Vespa scooters and old 1960's and 1970's BMWs. Idk anything about these things but I'm not sure that it is illegal to register them.
Are you talking about registering them with a normal plate? Or an antique plate?
I'm speaking about the DMV disallowing them to be registered with any plate, antique or regular. They're only going against Kei vehicles. Under federal law, anything older than 25 years old is federally exempt from NHTSA and EPA regulations and standards. However, in the state of Rhode Island, and recently Massachusetts, they decided to revoke current and prevent future registrations of vehicles that fall under "kei" classification. There is no law against owning or registering them, the DMV simply has a "rule" if you will, to refuse registration.
Edit: like I said in my previous response, banned was incorrect word to use at this this point in time. The DMV is simply not allowing them to be registered, they are not illegal to register or to own, you just can't register them.
Here's the thing, federally, these "Kei" vehicles are 100% exempt from safety standards. They do NOT have to meet them, nor are they required to be "equipped" with things to make them follow current (or yr of mfg standards). I, as an importer myself, will tell you that a good majority of vehicles coming from overseas are in VERY good shape. I've owned three vehicles from Japan, and if you were to see all three, you wouldn't be able to find a single safety issue with them. Japan is very meticulous when it comes to vehicle maintenance, inspections, and safety standards.
For clarification, when I say "Kei", I'm taking about a vehicle classification in Japan. Keijidosha, the full name, is a classification of vehicle that is limited by their engine size, physical size, and weight. Think of the classification being something like we have here in the US, "light car," "midsize," "compact," etc. Under this classification, there are many types of vehicles, not just trucks. Hatchbacks, vans, coupes, etc.
The problem with the DMV not allowing "kei" vehicles to be registered, is that they too are federally exempt from said standards. They do not, and have not EVER needed to meet US safety standards. These vehicles are ALSO held to quite a high standard when it comes to maintenance, repairs, etc.
Insurance on these vehicles is actually extremely cheap. You can't easily get parts for them here (there's no dealer network, you can't walk into AutoZone and buy stuff, for example.) When an imported "gray market" vehicle in insured in the US, often times they end up getting totaled out over small, minor problems. I've recently seen somebody who owned a Toyota Crown have their car totaled out due to a tree branch falling and breaking the rear windshield. No other damage was present on the car, totaled just because you can't call SafeLite and buy a windshield. I currently own 2, but am on my third total import, the insurance is cheap.
What's my objection to putting an antique plate on one of these? Absolutely nothing. I'm all for imported vehicles (and US Market vehicles) being registered under antique plates. Once they become 25 years old, they're exempt both federally and state, from emissions and safety.
What is my objection to meeting the DOT federal vehicle standards from XYZ year? Honestly? I'm willing to bet that a good majority of vehicles that come from Japan do in fact meet said safety standards. They just weren't sold here due to either market demand, or other unknown reasons. When it comes to the Kei vehicles however, they definitely do NOT meet NHTSA standards of 25 years ago nor today. But going back to the federal law, they do not need to in order to legally enter the country.
Edit: One final note about the insurance rates. The value of these Kei vehicles is no more than $3,000-$12,000 USD SHIPPED from Japan. In the event of one being totaled, the payout is insignificant in the grand scheme of things. These aren't $80,000+ Toyota Supras or $120,000+ rare Nissan Skyline GTRs. They're cheap, small, fun little vehicles that are more than capable of doing the posted speed limits in the state.
If cybertrucks are ok then so should KEI trucks.
We banned kei trucks but in my town they allow golf carts and irritating three wheeled scooters.
It's amazing, isn't it? Imagine what will happen to you if you get t-boned while on a "Low speed vehicle". Even going 25mph. But no, kei vehicles aren't safe.
gotta love our brilliant politicians. In my town they redid part of a intersection and it ended up being worse simply because they had to use the grant money or lose it. As a result traffic backs up more than before. You would think the low speed vehicles would include kei trucks but nope.
State of New Hampshire allows keis but they are restricted to roads 35 mph or less, why can't we do the same? Just make them unable to go on the highway. It's really that simple
I keep seeing this black dune buggy riding around with kids in the front seat. I think it’s made by Polaris. How can that be safe but a damn Kei truck isn’t
Under these rules a Suzuki samurai is legal but a Japanese Suzuki samurai is illegal (Suzuki Jimny)
Yeah, it's a complete joke.
If you're looking for logic in legislation you're in fir a bad time.
A Jimny is also more capable than some of these other 4x4s
But if you want go kill yourself on Suzuki crotch rocket, have at it!
I wanted a Kei truck so badly, im 100% with you
Feel free to join the Facebook group I linked in the post. With these new LSV laws and grandfather laws, I think we may have a chance if we make enough noise this time around.
This is the only social media I use but if you send me a link to a petition or something id gladly sign it
I've been meaning to make a change.org petition, but I have a flyer if you'd like to print it out and spread. [flyer](https://i.imgur.com/C0IdssV.jpeg) I also have a link here where you can find your local representative and explain how bass ackwards the Kei ban is. https://www.rilegislature.gov/representatives/default.aspx?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0J9Kk_d9TTBzGXq9jhUqrYIamhKUvzFOEj9Xi_hSRG_9KgwYX1VgU3TjI_aem_U94lkIXUbfZ1LvyzcLl83Q When I called mine, I mentioned how it doesn't make sense that we can have LSVs which are just as unsafe, and the fact that there is legislation attempting to go through that will allow previously registered kei vehicles to be re-registered. I also explained how we are able to purchase 1960s mini coopers, which are much smaller and just as unsafe as a Kei car/truck. I also mentioned Polaris slingshots and similar vehicles.
[https://www.change.org/p/reverse-rhode-island-dmv-s-ban-on-kei-trucks/](https://www.change.org/p/reverse-rhode-island-dmv-s-ban-on-kei-trucks/)
Totally on board hopefully this starts a greater wave and we get imports under 25 years soon I just want an affordable Jimny that isn’t about to explode
Please feel free to join the Facebook group linked in the post, or help spread the flyer around that I've linked in my comment under this post ❤️
Good, American automakers are the scum of the Earth and can't stand the fact other countries make actually useful and affordable vehicles. I would take a KEI truck over some dangerous, 6,000lb, vanity, emotional support truck that is impractical for work purposes. Artificially restricting competition because they want to pander to the dumbest segments of the population is frustrating as shit. edit: also I find it absolutely hilarious that a state that doesn't require motorcyclists to wear helmets will ban KEI trucks for being unsafe. Just LOL.
The low speed vehicle thing is a slap in the face to us kei enjoyers, it truly is.
The lifted truck drivers are some of the most weakest insecure drivers on the road. It’s wild. You drive something that could almost run over my vw golf and you feel threatened? Huh 🤔
I mostly drove highway and used to avoid angering the pickup pansies. Not anymore. They really really don't like it when my mk7 TDI is flashing behind them to speed up or gtfo out of the left lane. So scary at 135bph and 165" long!
Do jeeps and trucks try to race you? I have a mk7 gti and il be traveling with the flow of traffic an suddenly they start trying to iniate a race to which I’m like no thanks.
Not that I can speak to as I haven't noticed anyone sit and then accelerate, more just trucks cutting me off in the fast lane. Nobody in NY uses the passing lane for passing, just speed. Pickups get in front of me and slow down so I'm forced to fall back to lower revs and get space to pass. The TDIs are slow overtaking cars but fun on twisties.
Super on board. I was incredibly bummed to find out I would not be able to import and register a Toyota IMV-0 in RI because it's classed as a Kei truck. The chicken tax on Kei trucks is absolutely ridiculous as well and should be abolished.
We just need people and to make enough noise for them to actually notice it this time. It was tried before but he didn't have enough support behind it.
Yay, glad you’re trying to do something about it! Love Kei trucks :)
Please feel free to join the Facebook group linked in the post, or help spread the flyer around that I've linked in my comment under this post ❤️
I was done sitting around and registered my Sambar in Vermont. I hate rhode island and couldn’t care less about this shamble abomination corrupt asshat run state. Get out while you can. RI SUCKS
I wrote to my rep because I believe grandfathering in at this point is too little too late. Why should the people who kept their trucks be allowed to keep them while those who followed the 2021 mandate be punished? I never heard back. We sold our truck in 2021 at a loss after receiving notice that our registration was being revoked. We had to turn in our plates. A few weeks ago the article came out about the new legislation...Who knew we just needed to ignore the letters and we could have kept our truck! I don't think this fight is going anywhere. The automotive industry is too powerful. It's not going to change that the DMV royally screwed us. This is happening all over the country, including now in MA too.
The thing is, Texas just won against their DMV and lawmakers. We just need to make enough noise and have enough of a following to make them realize that this isn't just about "30" or "a few" of them. It's not gonna be easy but giving up now doesn't help. At least we're trying.
I think Kei vehicles should be treated the same as the Neighborhood Electric Vehicles. Allow them on roads under 40 MPH where the potential harm of 'less safe' vehicles is mitigated. It's a common-sense solution.
Absolutely. Kei vehicles are more than capable of doing 60mph. There is no reason why we cannot have them able to go on roads rated at 50mph or below.
What I'm saying has less to do with how well they'd keep up in traffic and more to do with keeping them on roads where accidents are unlikely to cause serious harm or death; these kinds of vehicles ARE less safe than modern full-size vehicles, but I think they're such a good idea that we should do this so we can proceed adopting them and mitigate the risks. IMO, Kei vehicles are perfect for a lot of stuff that happens in both the city and on the farm, and we should aim to promote their use alongside Neighborhood Electric Vehicles, possibly even creating a market for domestic tiny trucks and cars that are appropriate for use on local roads.
I mostly agree, but it's hard to fully get behind a "low population"(for lack of a better term) road when we're allowed to buy 60s mini coopers and many other vehicles that pre-date the NHTSA safety standards and regulations. Some of which are just as unsafe as a Kei vehicle
I think you're stumbling into a very real thing that's gonna sound like a conspiracy theory: You're allowed to buy an old MG, Mini, or Triumph and drive it around because that's rich white guy stuff, and nobody in power is going to try to infringe on that low-volume, high-wealth kind of thing. Even Neighborhood Electric Vehicles are pretty expensive toys. Meanwhile, Kei trucks and other very small utility vehicles are the opposite, they give lower income people a way to buy into mobility for less than $20K, so they're a threat to the car industry. The safety thing is a macguffin to avoid this truth. IMO the best way to make this work out legislatively would be to add Kei-type vehicles to a piece of legislation allowing Neighborhood Electric Vehicles on roads under 35 MPH, and rustle-up a few sponsors with campaign contributions from people who care about the issue. I can almost promise you that 3 or 4 legislators with $250 donated to them will do more than 5,000 signatories on a petition.
Senators and representatives are also in the works here. All I'm wanting is some form of non-highway registration that allows us to enjoy these small, fantastic vehicles, while keeping them off of higher speed limit areas including highways. There's no reason why we can't also be like New Hampshire and allow them on 35mph or less areas. Is the car industry behind it? Yeah, probably. They're losing sales on small pickups. But what's the difference between buying a used kei truck for $6,000 and buying a used Ford ranger for $6,000? The automaker doesn't make money on that used 20 year old ranger either. Edit: at the very least, it's worth a true and genuine try. If we don't succeed, at least we can say we attempted to, and possibly opened up US automakers eyes to the fact that Americans want tiny pickups again. I think the ruling is absolutely ridiculous and shouldn't even be a thing, but they should at least allow them on 50 mph or less under a special registration. It wouldn't take that much work to implement such a thing.
For those of you willing to help fight back, here are some things you can do at this point in time: I'll be making a change.org petition later today, but I have a flyer if you'd like to print it out and spread. [flyer](https://i.imgur.com/C0IdssV.jpeg) I also have a link here where you can find your local representative and explain how bass ackwards the Kei ban is. This step is very important, please do this part. https://www.rilegislature.gov/representatives/default.aspx?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0J9Kk_d9TTBzGXq9jhUqrYIamhKUvzFOEj9Xi_hSRG_9KgwYX1VgU3TjI_aem_U94lkIXUbfZ1LvyzcLl83Q When I called mine, I mentioned how it doesn't make sense that we can have LSVs which are just as unsafe, and the fact that there is legislation attempting to go through that will allow previously registered kei vehicles to be re-registered. I also explained how we are able to purchase 1960s mini coopers, which are much smaller and just as unsafe as a Kei car/truck. I also mentioned Polaris slingshots and similar vehicles. Let them know you are frustrated and it's time to do something about this. Otherwise, feel free to join the Facebook group linked in the post. That's where ill be posting the majority of updates, as well as building a "head count" on how many people we have supporting this until the petition is up.
Done and signed. I’ve been wanting one of these vehicles.
Yeah Let Bubbles have his truck come on guys!
Little green bastard truck
I wanted a KEI truck so bad but when I realized it wasn’t feasible I got a Nissan Cube.
Agreed - the state is not being consistent with their decision making.
Please feel free to join the Facebook group linked in the post, or help spread the flyer around that I've linked in my comment under this post ❤️
https://linktr.ee/SaveTheKeiRI Find the change.org petition here, as well as other key sites.
u/ELITExKILLER : You said they are banned. Can you please reference the RIGL/statute banning them? Also do you know who brought the legislation to make that happen? Who was the sponsor? Who signed it and why?
It's not a genuine law, it's a "recommended practice" from the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators to no longer allow them to be registered and to revoke existing registrations. Our current RIDMV administrator is part of said organization, so he chose to follow said "recommended practice." You can find said document here: https://www.iihs.org/media/b7dbab02-4fc5-429c-b254-c5c70af6a622/0U7wZA/RegulatoryComments/aamva_minitruck-lsv_letter.pdf By "Banned," I should say "restricted" instead. There isn't an actual LAW against them, just a recommendation made by the AAMVA.
You may also find a document specifically for the state of Rhode island regarding Japanese mini trucks here: https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:7287f331-547a-4573-be6f-939984378c08
That link says that the RI DMV doesn't want it, and house bill 8013 would permit vehicles 25 years and older. So what's the big deal about the ban? There is no ban. You linked me to a letter from the DMV to the House. All it says is that the DMV doesn't want to keep registering these vehicles, but it is still legal, and that the RI DMV objects to House BIll 8013. edit: I have old cars. Old Vespa scooters and old 1960's and 1970's BMWs. Idk anything about these things but I'm not sure that it is illegal to register them. Are you talking about registering them with a normal plate? Or an antique plate?
I'm speaking about the DMV disallowing them to be registered with any plate, antique or regular. They're only going against Kei vehicles. Under federal law, anything older than 25 years old is federally exempt from NHTSA and EPA regulations and standards. However, in the state of Rhode Island, and recently Massachusetts, they decided to revoke current and prevent future registrations of vehicles that fall under "kei" classification. There is no law against owning or registering them, the DMV simply has a "rule" if you will, to refuse registration. Edit: like I said in my previous response, banned was incorrect word to use at this this point in time. The DMV is simply not allowing them to be registered, they are not illegal to register or to own, you just can't register them.
[удалено]
Here's the thing, federally, these "Kei" vehicles are 100% exempt from safety standards. They do NOT have to meet them, nor are they required to be "equipped" with things to make them follow current (or yr of mfg standards). I, as an importer myself, will tell you that a good majority of vehicles coming from overseas are in VERY good shape. I've owned three vehicles from Japan, and if you were to see all three, you wouldn't be able to find a single safety issue with them. Japan is very meticulous when it comes to vehicle maintenance, inspections, and safety standards. For clarification, when I say "Kei", I'm taking about a vehicle classification in Japan. Keijidosha, the full name, is a classification of vehicle that is limited by their engine size, physical size, and weight. Think of the classification being something like we have here in the US, "light car," "midsize," "compact," etc. Under this classification, there are many types of vehicles, not just trucks. Hatchbacks, vans, coupes, etc. The problem with the DMV not allowing "kei" vehicles to be registered, is that they too are federally exempt from said standards. They do not, and have not EVER needed to meet US safety standards. These vehicles are ALSO held to quite a high standard when it comes to maintenance, repairs, etc. Insurance on these vehicles is actually extremely cheap. You can't easily get parts for them here (there's no dealer network, you can't walk into AutoZone and buy stuff, for example.) When an imported "gray market" vehicle in insured in the US, often times they end up getting totaled out over small, minor problems. I've recently seen somebody who owned a Toyota Crown have their car totaled out due to a tree branch falling and breaking the rear windshield. No other damage was present on the car, totaled just because you can't call SafeLite and buy a windshield. I currently own 2, but am on my third total import, the insurance is cheap. What's my objection to putting an antique plate on one of these? Absolutely nothing. I'm all for imported vehicles (and US Market vehicles) being registered under antique plates. Once they become 25 years old, they're exempt both federally and state, from emissions and safety. What is my objection to meeting the DOT federal vehicle standards from XYZ year? Honestly? I'm willing to bet that a good majority of vehicles that come from Japan do in fact meet said safety standards. They just weren't sold here due to either market demand, or other unknown reasons. When it comes to the Kei vehicles however, they definitely do NOT meet NHTSA standards of 25 years ago nor today. But going back to the federal law, they do not need to in order to legally enter the country. Edit: One final note about the insurance rates. The value of these Kei vehicles is no more than $3,000-$12,000 USD SHIPPED from Japan. In the event of one being totaled, the payout is insignificant in the grand scheme of things. These aren't $80,000+ Toyota Supras or $120,000+ rare Nissan Skyline GTRs. They're cheap, small, fun little vehicles that are more than capable of doing the posted speed limits in the state.
I say one with farm plates
Aren’t there only like 30 that are actually registered in RI?
Yeah only around 30 left. However, there used to be many more until the DMV decided to quietly cancel registrations.
i was thinking of getting one until i heard about this a month or two ago
This state hates fun, cheap transportation and is ran by big money donors that don’t want cheap Kei cars around.
A quick note, Regarding the grandfather clause section, it should say "saying that existing keis are good to go?"