Tips for First Time Buyer

[volnoir]

Hi All,

I am possibly looking to buy a Delica, and wanted to get some tips from everyone. I am looking for a vehicle to take on road trips, that I would have the ability to take into the mountains as well. Something good for camping/sleeping in for 1-2 week trips. From the threads I have read, and what I have seen online the L400 seems like the best fit for this, would you agree?

I notice there are different types of L400's and was wondering what I should know about the different models. Also do the seats fold down into a bed, or would it require customizations to do that? Also wondering what peoples opinions are on putting pop tents in the roof?

Lastly any suggestions on who to buy from? Have read a lot of contradicting reviews in the forums, which could just be the result of older posts.

Really appreciate any help you can give.

[Mr. Flibble]

Welcome! Lots of questions there; As for L300 vs L400 you will get lots of opinions on this forum, I won't try to answer that one as it is political.

Every single Delica type you can find though will meet your needs - but you will want to do a lot of searching on here before you pick one. And test drive a few too.

As far as I know they can all be converted into beds. For the L400s there are Long Wheel Base (LWB) and Short Wheel Base (SWB). The LWB is 2 feet longer. There are high and low roofs....

And then it gets crazy. In fact, the thing you need to understand about a Deli is that unless you buy the highest end model then the features that the Deli comes with will be different for nearly every single one you see! Why is this? Well, they were sold in Japan to be highly customizable, and the owners customized them themselves too. So hardly any two are alike.

As for whom to buy from? There will always be conflicting views on the forum - people are different to they never agree on the same things. I think you will never find a perfect answer to that question.

[sasquatch-hunter]

L400 LWB high roof is nice if you have camping in mind.

[glenn]

Don't forget that it is pretty easy to import yourself too. You can get a fresh from Japan L400 for about 1/2 the going price here. There are several importers working in Japan that can walk you through the whole process, and do nearly all of the legwork.

It will require some work/learning from you.
You have to pay up front, then wait for your van (up to 2 months).
There is an inherent risk in buying sight unseen, but the auction reports give you a pretty good indication of the vehicle condition (even the dealers import duds now and again.)
It's pretty cool to go to the port and pick up your van (and a bit stressful)

I used http://auction.pacificcoastjdm.com

A Canadian living in Japan - I was very impressed and pleased with the service he provided, he is always willing to answer questions and guide you through the whole process.

[snelson]

Having some fun looking thru the auctions.

One question, when I use the button at the top to specify US dollars, the starting bids for 96-97 delicas is 300 to 800 dollars??? That can't be right can it??

[glenn]

Yes. That's the fun part.
I bought this van at auction for $908. I added the flares, repainted the hood scoop, removed the decals, and detailed it since it arrived. But I did get an exceptional deal for a grade 4B diesel. The decals were in terrible condition, and it was a lot of effort to remove them - I think this may be why there wasn't more interest in it. Also, the series 2 are hot right now, and there are some good deals on series 1s. But, keep in mind there are a lot more expenses before the vehicle is insured here, and the higher the auction purchase price, the higher these expenses are. My $900 van became a $6000 van by the time it was landed, insured, and tuned up. And I lucked out and it came with good DOT tires.

Make sure you are very familiar with the auto auction sold statistics. This way you can get a good idea of what the selling prices are for the exact model you are looking for. Remember though, this is a wholesale auction and you are assuming all the risk. The dealers mark these vans up, but they offer a lot more piece of mind, and immediate gratification. You might be waiting for months for a van from auction. It all depends on the level of risk you are comfortable with.

Be patient though - there are always more vans coming through the auctions. And when you get serious - Derek is a lot of help, he will walk you through the whole thing.

[volnoir]

Doing the auctions yourself seems like a lot of effort. Do you feel the overall savings were worth your time to go the import route?

[glenn]

Yes, it is a lot more effort. For me, it was worth it. I had more time than money, so that was the trade off.

There is a good reason why the going price at the dealers here is what it is - they do all the work and assume all the risk, you pay for their effort.

[volnoir]

That makes sense. Thanks Glenn and the rest of you for your comments. Really looking forward to getting a Deli in the new year.

[Aciled]

Amazing Auto in Richmond or Coombs on the island. Pm me for more info

[whatthejeez]

Spare time is scarce for me. I imported through Rocky Mountain Imports. Costs are tax included.

Sale Price $2,020.00
Exit Fee (Japan) $1,252.00
Shipping $1,641.00
A/C Excise $100.00
Customs Duties $123.06
Customs GST $112.02
CIFA Fee $48.16
Disbursement Fee $9.37
Dock Charge $95.00
Inspection Fee $169.97
Brokerage Fee $280.00
Towing Charge $166.71
Headlight lenses $450.00
Air/Oil/Water filters $100.00
Tires $988.32
DRLs $22.40
Fluids $130.51
Batteries $317.97
Coolant Bottle $207.20
Glow Plugs $291.20
4WD Solenoid $313.60
Wiper Adaptors $21.95
Labor $1,189.44
Total (so far) $10,049.88