Importing our Subaru Sambar Kei Truck from Japan

People import JDM Kei vehicles from Japan all the time and the process has been documented pretty well - at least in Texas where a Kei truck ban was overturned and it's been officially OK to register them with the DMV since 2024 (codified into law in 2025, thanks to efforts of the Lone Star Kei group). There are even several Kei dealerships here.

I put a lot of time into researching and getting one over here and fixing it up. First, I should say there are only two good reasons to import one yourself - 1. Getting a lower price 2. Getting something very specific that isn't readily available locally. For me it mostly the latter, my wife Marie wanted an automatic transmission - which are pretty rare - but I definitely didn't want to pay top dollar either.

I decided a 6th generation Sambar was the "best" for what she wanted one for- and suddenly I'm after a pretty specific unicorn that isn't going to come up randomly on Facebook Marketplace.

Once the truck comes in it's yours and you never know what you're going to get - it could be in great shape, or it could need work. They are all 25+ years old. Personally, I had several things go wrong immediately and have put around $1,000 into replacement parts - some I had planned on, some that I had not. I still probably cost-wise ahead of buying one locally - but I'm not ahead as far as time goes - this has been a 4-month process, that inconvenience isn't worth the money saved for some people. I also did all the mechanical work myself, which probably saved quite a bit.

You can have someone import one for you that has it fixed up by a mechanic in Japan before it leaves - I have no idea how much this costs. Besides the dealerships, there are a handful of people who import these for a living, and they offer this service.

Post under construction - more info coming soon