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Post by woofwoof on Aug 27, 2023 11:33:27 GMT
Mrs WW watches a Thai ladies channel on youtube, it's mostly about gardening and cooking as she grows her own veg and spices etc but includes some personal stuff and thus we learned that she's learning to drive and has bought a Suzuki Maverick (this is in Japan where she lives.) I'd never heard of them but remembered that the Japanese have a small car classification and thought this was one, and it seems to be. Googling threw up some interesting looking Kei cars, for example in this TG article... www.topgear.com/car-news/tgs-guide-japan/ten-japanese-kei-cars-we-need-ukThese also reminded me of that Highland thingy I posted about a while back. I do wish these Kei cars were available in the UK without the usual rip off Britain pricing being applied. Looking at what's for sale in the UK some seem to be twice the price of what they're available for new in Japan. Hey-ho. So, I wondered why these aren't available in the UK. Emissions? Crash regs? Any insights or opinions? I'd have one  |
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Post by Alex on Aug 28, 2023 10:18:43 GMT
Suzuki did bring a previous generation of the Wagon R to the UK which I believe was a Kei car but in Europe it had a 1.3ltr engine as opposed to the 660cc which they're restricted to in order to comply with the Kei car regulations. Vauxhall rebadged it the as the original Agila and it was quite popular with the elderly car buyer. Some of the stuff Daihatsu used to bring over were also Kei cars hence the original Copen was a 660cc. But they weren't big sellers. So they have been tried over hear but especially now people only buy SUVs I don't see that there's a market anymore.
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Post by Ben on Aug 28, 2023 11:20:02 GMT
If you're just pootling around in the city or town, then these are pretty neat vehicles to have. I can't imagine they'll be great on the motorway, or in a crash, though.
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Post by woofwoof on Aug 28, 2023 11:30:57 GMT
Suzuki did bring a previous generation of the Wagon R to the UK which I believe was a Kei car but in Europe it had a 1.3ltr engine as opposed to the 660cc which they're restricted to in order to comply with the Kei car regulations. Vauxhall rebadged it the as the original Agila and it was quite popular with the elderly car buyer. Some of the stuff Daihatsu used to bring over were also Kei cars hence the original Copen was a 660cc. But they weren't big sellers. So they have been tried over hear but especially now people only buy SUVs I don't see that there's a market anymore. Since I got my Evoque the number of SUV's have grown in our road. The guy opposite got one almost identical to mine and a few doors down there's a BMW and a Kia. Mrs WW said a while back that she wanted a small auto but now seems to have gone off the idea of driving in the UK. |
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Post by woofwoof on Aug 28, 2023 11:33:01 GMT
If you're just pootling around in the city or town, then these are pretty neat vehicles to have. I can't imagine they'll be great on the motorway, or in a crash, though. Yes, I think a small engined Kei car would be nice around the local area especially at Japanese home market prices. I'm surprised that the above mentioned cars that made it to the UK weren't popular. I suppose the increase in engine also brought an increase in price and that could at least partly explain the lack of love, maybe. |
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Post by Ben on Aug 28, 2023 12:53:41 GMT
I think it's a matter of culture as well. Many of these Kei car drivers in Japan rarely venture out of Tokyo or their own cities/towns, and if they wanted to travel further out they would likely take the more efficient trains or public transport.
Whereas in Western countries people are probably used to driving their cars for longer distances and so something like this wouldn't quite suit.
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Post by woofwoof on Aug 28, 2023 13:09:46 GMT
I think it's a matter of culture as well. Many of these Kei car drivers in Japan rarely venture out of Tokyo or their own cities/towns, and if they wanted to travel further out they would likely take the more efficient trains or public transport. Whereas in Western countries people are probably used to driving their cars for longer distances and so something like this wouldn't quite suit. As you may know public transport in the UK can be a bit of a PITA if it exists at all and there's always how you get to and from the train station to think about too. Add the taxi and train fares up and factor in the time frames and maybe think about encountering the people you don't want to encounter on your trip and public transport sometimes loses it's appeal. I think also maybe some men wouldn't want to be seen dead in one of these cars and maybe a fair few women wouldn't either. I don't care. I'd probably have one. I like the look of that Maverick and I like some of the 2 seat roadster ones too. |
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Post by racingteatray on Aug 31, 2023 19:36:54 GMT
I am disappointed that Bob has not yet commented on this thread. The introductory line is just crying out for one of his pithier contributions!
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Post by Bob Sacamano v2.0 on Sept 1, 2023 13:19:50 GMT
I am disappointed that Bob has not yet commented on this thread. The introductory line is just crying out for one of his pithier contributions! I don't know what's happened there? How did I miss and open goal like that? Have I become the forum's answer to Romelu Lukaku? The only excuse I can offer up is that I've just started a new job so have been distracted. That said, driving home the other day there were big posters by the side of the road advertising The Ladyboys of Bangkok at the City Hall and I had a niggle that I had missed something important.. I'll try and do better. I'll also try and find the log in details for my YouTube account. |
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Post by woofwoof on Sept 1, 2023 16:08:38 GMT
I am disappointed that Bob has not yet commented on this thread. The introductory line is just crying out for one of his pithier contributions! I don't know where you mind is. I can't remember the name of the Thai lady in Japan but it is well worth watching if you enjoy growing your own and cooking at home. I do remember another youtuber we like, a Korean lady who goes camping with her dog. The vids are entertaining and funny and sort of relaxing. Watching her eat by shoving huge amounts of food into her mouth and really enjoying the food are worth the watch in themselves. www.youtube.com/@ssoberrycampingDifficulties and commitments re caring mean I can't go camping and the closest we get is sitting in the back of the Evoque. Re ladyboys. I've seen some who at first glance were nothing short of beautiful but I'm just not getting any closer. Good luck to those who feel the need and of course any love between two consenting adults is a beautiful thing. |
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