While it can sometimes seem difficult to imagine owning one vehicle across multiple generations, it’s an intriguing thought: why not buy an enthusiast vehicle that your offspring and their families can enjoy? That’s the seller’s case for this JDM import Toyota Hilux SSR-X Crew Cab 2.8 Diesel pickup that’s a rust-free example imported from one of the drier regions of Japan and will come with all the necessary paperwork to legally register it in your home state (unless you live in California, where everything is difficult.) Find the Hilux here on eBay with an asking price of $28,000 and the option to submit a best offer.

Over the years, there’s been a bit of a gold rush when it comes to importing forbidden fruit from Japan. It started with the sports cars, the Nissan Skylines, Toyota Supras, and other vehicles glorified in films like The Fast and the Furious, but the marketplace of vehicles not sold stateside is far bigger than just two-seaters with big turbos. The van life community is one aspect of Japanese car culture that’s increasingly showing up stateside, with Toyota HiAces and Mitsubishi Delicas fully kitted up with curtains, beds, and four-wheel drive commanding big prices for the privilege of driving a go-anywhere home on wheels. It’s only natural that some of the country’s overbuilt diesel trucks start to make an appearance, too.

I’m sure there’s a good reason why Toyota didn’t bother to import its four-door, diesel-powered Hiluxes, but it’s lost on me. There would have been a permanent waiting list for a truck equipped in this fashion, and given how much people are paying for used-up Tacomas these days, buying this one for an offer just under the seller’s asking price makes way more sense. Aside from the right-hand-drive steering, which can be a turn-off for some drivers, there’s very little here that would deter me from purchasing a truck like this versus a locally-available Tacoma with 300K miles and a standard U.S.-spec drivetrain. Throw in the fact that this one is a manual to boot and there’s no contest.

As far as why Toyota didn’t bother importing these, I would guess there was some difficulty associated with getting 50-state compliance for the diesel engine. That’s certainly been part of the reason for Mazda’s delay and ultimate cancellation of its novel Skyactiv-D turbodiesel powertrain, which left the U.S. with very few options for turbodiesel-equipped vehicles. Given this Hilux has only 130,000 miles on the clock (verified through its paper trail, according to the seller), there’s little doubt it will survive at least a few decades’ worth of use with ongoing maintenance. It looks tough sitting on new BF Goodrich All-Terrain TAs, and if you can knock a few grand off the asking price, it’s a relative bargain. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Boot for the find.