How Much Should You Pay For a Mini Truck? (Plus Negotiation Tactics)

We need to first understand the kind of mini truck you’re talking about to answer that question. Are you looking to buy a used Kei truck or a new Japanese mini truck?

As you may expect, used trucks tend to cost a lot less than new ones. So, if you’re low on budget or generally looking for a cheaper solution, used Kei trucks may be your best bet.

How Much Should You Pay For a Mini Truck?

Mini trucks generally cost the same everywhere. However, you may find a few price ranges depending on where you look.

How Much Should You Pay For a Mini Truck: If You’re Buying a Used Kei Truck?

To buy used Kei trucks from Japan, you can expect to pay anywhere between $1k and $5k. Mind you; it’s possible to find a used mini truck that shoots above this range, but never less.

Can you negotiate the price of a used Kei truck if you cannot afford the asking price? Absolutely. We’ll show you how later.

How Much Should You Pay For a Mini Truck: If You’re Buying a New Kei Truck?

New Japanese mini trucks typically cost between $8k and $16k. However, as with the used ones, there are new trucks that fall outside this price range. For example, the 2018 Daihatsu Hijet costs $16,480, which is just a few hundred dollars outside the range.

Negotiating The Price of a Mini Truck: Is it Possible to do That?

Whether you’re visiting a dealership shop or researching online, the price range we specified here is what you’re likely to find.

However, as with any automobile, nobody expects you to pay the actual asking price. There’s always room for negotiations.

Tips For Negotiating The Price of a Mini Truck

1.   Have a Budget But Make Sure Your Initial Offer is Way Below Your Budget

Most dealerships normally add a few thousand dollars to a vehicle’s actual market value. This is to ensure their profit margin is protected even if negotiation does kick in.

What does this mean for buyers?

It means the list price you see on the dealer’s website is probably not the final price the vehicle can go for.

So, what you want to do is offer the dealer a value that’s way below your budget and the list price. For instance, let’s say your budget is $13k, and you find a $13.5k Suzuki Kei truck that interests you. You want to start your negotiation at around $12k, knowing that even if the dealer doesn’t accept your initial offer, they might be open to accepting subsequent offers.

2.   Search The Internet Before You Begin the Negotiation

It pays to have the right information before you start bargaining for a truck. In most cases, a vehicle’s price varies from dealer to dealer.

For example, you may find a 1995 Mitsubishi Minicab for $6k on one site. When you check another, you may find the same for $5.5k.

You should get as much information as you can on the web about the particular mini truck you want. Leverage online reviews, forums, social media, or general mini truck websites.

3.   Be Clear About What You Want

During the course of a negotiation, a dealer might try to play the emotional card with you if they sense your desperation to secure a truck.

Don’t appear desperate. Instead, be clear about what you want. And if they’re not willing to drop their asking price, let them know you’re happy to look elsewhere.

4.   Don’t Appear Excited

If you’re buying online, don’t walk into the dealer’s message box screaming, “Oh My God, I’ve been looking everywhere for this van.” If you’re buying physically, don’t walk into a dealer’s shop screaming like you’ve seen the vehicle of your dreams.

Letting your excitement show is a win already for the dealer. Instead, appear as if the vehicle isn’t up to your expected standard. Even if it appears to be in pristine condition, find faults (no matter how minimal) and point them out. This little stunt you’ve pulled will come in handy once you get into the negotiation mood.

5.   Ask to See if Any Cost Can be Dropped

Sometimes, a dealer may be reluctant to sell below the vehicle’s list price. In this case, ask them if there are other ways you could get a reduction.

Typically, most truck purchasing processes come with additional costs like dealer fee, trade allowance, title and registration fees, tax, destination fees, processing fees, etc.

Whenever it seems like the asking price can’t be negotiated, ask for a reduction in any of the additional fees.