Our Newest Purchase: 1998 Suzuki Jimny Wide

July 22, 2025 / Andy Lilienthal / Leave a comment

Years ago, I told myself that when the 1998 Suzuki Jimny became legal to import into the U.S in 2023, I’d buy one. Mercedes was on board with this plan, especially after we rented a 2019 Jimny in Iceland (we’ll have to wait until 2044 for one of these). Despite two years of tardiness, we…

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BREAKING: Oregon Kei Truck Bill Scrapped, But Ammendment to Existing Bill Added; Could Pass Sooner

June 12, 2025 / Andy Lilienthal / 1 Comment

We’ve been talking and writing a lot about Oregon and its move to legalize kei trucks. As of tonight, there are new developments.

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Oregon State Senator Introduces Bill to (Hopefully) Legalize Kei Vehicles

June 5, 2025 / Andy Lilienthal / 1 Comment

It hasn’t been long since a host of us have been pushing the state of Oregon to legalize kei vehicles. Now, Oregon State Senator Anthony Broadman has introduced a bill that’d allow kei trucks to be legalized. Many of us are hopeful.

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Want Kei Cars Legal in Oregon? Read on.

May 30, 2025 / Andy Lilienthal / Leave a comment

Oregon is among a handful of states that don’t allow kei vehicles to be registered for use on public roads. However, there’s now a group that is advocating to have this changed. The group, JDM Oregon Advocates, is organizing for a move to allow kei cars to be road-legal there and to have a level…

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2025 Volkswagen Tiguan First Drive: Refined and Ready for Road-Worthy Adventures

May 26, 2025 / Mercedes Lilienthal / Leave a comment

We recently attended the 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan first-drive event in Bozeman, Montana. Although the weather offered steady rain and wind, that didn’t dampen our spirits when testing VW’s third-generation five-seat SUV. Along with the rest of VW’s SUV lineup, this all-new people mover may have the American audience captivated. In 2024, the Germany-based auto manufacturer’s…

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Our 1994 Mitsubishi Delica Space Gear Walkaround Video

May 21, 2025 / Andy Lilienthal / Leave a comment

It’s been nearly five years since we’ve had our van, aka, the Travel Tractor. So it seems appropriate that our 1994 Mitsubishi Delica Space Gear walkaround video finally happens. So, without further ado, see the motion picture above.

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The 2025 One Moto Show Brings Eccentric and Eclectic Bikes and Cars to Portland

May 5, 2025 / Andy Lilienthal / 1 Comment

Every year, The One Motor Show fills a vacant industrial area along Portland, Oregon’s waterfront with highly customized motorcycles, trikes, mini bikes, cars, and trucks. While the world-class show is distinctly Portland, it brings in people, vehicles, and vendors from all over the U.S. (and abroad) to take in amazing builds. There’s a little bit…

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Mitsubishi Delica Deep Dive FAQs

April 24, 2025 / Andy Lilienthal / 2 Comments

I’ve written quite a bit about Mitsubishi Delica vans. From the Star Wagon (L300) and Space Gear (L400), to the Delica D:5, I’m passionate about these JDM vehicles. Heck, I even run the MDOC: Mitsubishi Delica Owner’s Club on Facebook. Because of all this, I get a lot of the same Delica-related questions over and…

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Part 4: Days 13–16 of the 2024 Baltic Sea Circle Rally with a Volkswagen ID. Buzz EV

April 14, 2025 / Mercedes Lilienthal / 1 Comment

Andy and I finished the 2024 Baltic Sea Circle Rally, the northernmost rally in the world, from June 22 to July 7. We rallied through nine countries and nearly 5,000 miles in just over two weeks. We became the first non-European EV team to compete in and finish the Baltic Sea Circle Rally and were also the…

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Owning A JDM Vehicle Is Not Like Owning A New Vehicle

April 9, 2025 / Andy Lilienthal / 1 Comment

I regularly get pinged via email, Facebook, Instagram, carrier pigeon, smoke signal, and singing telegram asking about the ins and outs of owning a JDM vehicle. People get excited about the idea of owning a Mitsubishi Delica, or a Toyota Hiace van; maybe a Subaru Sambar or a Suzuki Jimny. But what many people don’t…

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