My question is regarding the increasing number of small right hand drive 4 wheel drive minivans I see around Portland. what happened? Is it just a coincidence? A full-fledged trend? Annoying hipster sentiment? Or what? —Mark W.
Mark, what you’re looking at is one of the Japanese microvans like the Toyota Hiace, Mitsubishi Delicta, or Honda Acty. All of them have three things in common. It’s small, it’s not meant to be sold in the US, and — let’s be honest — it’s super cute. Importing JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) cars into the US is not easy, but these quirky yet practical microvans are sure to appeal to enthusiasts who will brave any obstacle to get their hands on them. We are slowly building our house.
In other words, yes, a hipster sentiment. But look how cute they are! I want one too. For example, the Hiace is basically the same length and width as the Camry, but she is 50% taller. It rides on ridiculously knobby tires and looks comically narrow from the front. (They look like they might be blown away by a strong wind, but apparently not.) I can see why people are obsessed with them.
Unfortunately for those who have always dreamed of crossing a Ford Expedition with a Hello Kitty, Microvans typically don’t meet U.S. emissions or safety standards. So how do they travel? Given Portland’s current laissez-faire approach to car registration enforcement, you might wonder if all these people were driving illegally. However, it turns out there is a loophole.
Under the Imported Vehicle Safety and Compliance Act of 1988, it is legal to import and operate a non-conforming vehicle that is more than 25 years old. The law was intended to carve out an exception for classic and collectible cars, but since 1988 car manufacturing has improved so much that it now allows for cars that are 25 years old and clearly not collectible. Many are now fully usable as daily drivers. (Ask me how I know.)
However, even a legal JDM car requires a lot of paperwork to import. So most of the cars you saw were probably imported through a Portland company called Vanlife Northwest. Vanlife specializes in importing and repairing his JDM Microvans. The vans have been sold to enthusiasts across the country, but owner Danny Hellewig estimates about 100 have stayed here in the Rose City. Is driving a car a bit too Portland-y and self-conscious? Probably, but I think it’s better than wearing cornrows and riding a fixed-gear bike.
Have a question? Send it to dr.know@wweek.com.