Cars of Guam (COGS) - Ep. 1

I have been so excited to put together this segment that we have craftily named Car(s) of Guam (COGS). One of the areas that I find fascinating is how both people and things are moved to and around the island. As I sit here, I am surrounded by hundreds to thousands of miles of ocean in any one direction and some how we as humans have decided that living in a desolate place in Pacific is worth quite a bit of time, effort and resources. So this series of weekly "episodes" is devoted to just that: What are the unique forms of transportation on the island?, How do cars, trucks, suvs and other transportation equipment get to the island and to their destination?, and lastly: What does this vehicle selection tell us about the Guam culture? 

Episode 1: The Honda Acty Truck

3/3/2022 - From day 1 on the island I have been enthralled by these little tiny trucks. Maybe it is the proportion of the truck relative to the proportion of this small island, or maybe its because it challenges my own mental model. I titled this article the Honda Acty, but Honda isn't the only manufacturer of these tiny vehicles that are seen on the island, Subaru, Toyota and Suzuki have a similar designs. What I have gathered is in Japan these are very common vehicles due to their price, size and relative utility for an island nation. Yes there are bigger trucks in Japan for bigger jobs, just like here on Guam,  but for a place you don't have to drive many miles at a time, this fits the need.

This specific vehicle is either a 1995 or 1996 model, from what I have read online, (cite wikipedia) the clear headlights were a change for 1996. The years of these tiny trucks that are seen on the island are 1996 and older, this is due to the limitations of import laws. So we are close in the guess. 

The truck is setup in a right hand drive configuration, designed for one driver and one passenger. I don't know how people drive these on the island as the roads are the same as the mainland. Drive on the right side of the road and drive on the right side of the car with this Japanese setup. The engine is anemic at best, at 650cc, 65 hp, the 3 cylinder would better suited for a motorcycle than a truck. Vehicle weight on the other hand is not an issue, at ~1500 lbs, power to weight shows there is 1 hp for every 23 lbs. Light on weight, light on power. From my reading it looks as though the payload of this vehicle is 700 lbs, so roughly 550 lbs of spare room for either your cargo or passengers after you put yourself in. Expected fuel economy can reach levels as high as 45 mpg. So, 500lbs payload definitely covers paddle boards, scuba gear, and 45mpg means you can travel from N to S on Guam with one gallon of fuel. (Remember gas is $5.50 / gallon here) Last thing, as a used car that is imported from Japan, I have seen these sell for ~$4500 post import fees + tune up, cheap even for used car standards around here.

So what does this tell us about the people of Guam?

From what I have seen many people here on the island love to live an outdoor lifestyle, the need to move mountain bikes, fishing gear, paddle boards, you name it, comes with living on Guam. Also, cost of living here is such that many look at ways of how to stretch their dollar, this includes filling up at the pump less and finding good deals. Longevity of goods is also something that many are concerned about, between pot holes, the sun that doesn't quit, and the high salty humid air, things don't last as long here. My takeaway is the people here are very good at optimizing for what they have, and worry very little about what they don't. Enjoying the day at the beach is a highlight, but living in the moment is what is important. 

Wikipedia link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_Acty