Why did you buy a Delica?

[FalcoColumbarius]

Why did you purchase your Delica?

[Mystery Machine]

Hey Falco,

I have a very good explanation/story as to why I bought my first Delica (and opend up a whole new world of vehicle ownership) but the quantity of S. African wine buzzzing around in my head right now is preventing me from explaining this in any form of rational way.

I'll be bakc tomorrow with my reasons/rational written on a coherent manner.

Nice questoin by theway,.

Bruce.

[jessef]

More room.

[Adam]

to drive my family on WVO

[BCDelica]

Good question Falco,

Because my love wanted one, and then I wanted my own.

And Bruce, I think you meant to say 'I'll be baked tomorrow'.

Cheers,
Kev

[marsgal42]

To carry cameras and telescopes and radios and things up mountains.

It actually started in 2001, when I got a nice bonus at work and decided to spend it on a car. The result, a 1986 VW Jetta, served me well until last year.

I found, though, that mobility plus money from a Real Job (TM) rekindled some interests of mine that had lain dormant for a long time. Particularly astronomy. I determined how much telescope gear I could stuff in my Jetta and where I could reasonably drive it. This served me. For a while.

But my interest grew, as did the equipment I was using, and I found I had outgrown the Jetta. I looked at possibilities, set a budget, drew up a list of requirements, and top of the list was cargo capacity, 4- or all-wheel drive, and some off-road capability, suitable for driving up mountains on crummy roads (e.g. Mount Kobau). A station wagon or a small van, in other words. The finalists were a Subaru Outback, or a Delica. A test drive, plus the coolness factor, clinched it.

The Jetta is still on the road, 320,000 km but still going strong. I gave her to my sister, as a learn-to-drive-mobile for my two teenage nieces.

...laura

[Green1]

I was looking for a vehicle I could use for events that I volunteer on, the requirements lists included such things as enough room inside to use as a mobile office, the ability to sleep in it, and room for a stretcher... I wanted Diesel as I truly believe it to be superior to gasoline (easier to get from renewable resources, more efficient, engines last longer, and on average (though I'm starting to question this one this month!) cheaper per litre) The 4wd wasn't essential, but it was certainly a big plus (I didn't tend to get too far off-road, but I spent a fair amount of time on some pretty lousy roads and even some cut-lines)
As far as I knew this narrowed things down to a full size van, with some heavy modification in the back, and it would have cost me $10,000 for a decent used van, plus any modification work. (my budget was only $12,000 and had to include all mods)
A co-worker then pointed out a Delica he had seen running around Calgary, I thought it looked neat, but figured that it was way too small for what I wanted, after much research on the UK Delica site (this site didn't exist yet), I still couldn't get anybody to give me actual measurements for the inside of the vehicle, I was about to give up when I saw a photo of a Delica done up as an ambulance with a full wheeled cot in the back, suddenly I knew this was the vehicle for me!
Add in the fact that it cost the same as the full size vans I had been looking at AND came with 4wd (which the vans didn't without expensive modifications) and all sorts of high end toys, I couldn't resist.
Once I got the Delica I planned to make some major modifications to the interior of the vehicle to suit my needs, but after using the vehicle on several events I've discovered that it's pretty well set up already, I could probably improve a few things for usability with a lot of work, but it would be a LOT of work, and it would only be minor improvements, So I am doing minor things here and there, but I no longer have plans to gut and re-build the interior.

Here it is in the "ambulance" mode for first aid events:


Some day I should take a picture of the setup we use when doing radio net control for car rally racing... mobile office with 3 people working in it.

[andre66]

I wanted something that I could take out camping and hunting as well as the ability to take a quick nap between jobs. I started looking at jeep cherokees but they didn't strike a chord with me but the first time I saw a Delica I knew that was what I wanted.
My wife and friends say I always want something that will make me stand out from the crowd, so they weren't shocked when I brought this home.
Andre

[konadog]

[patty]

Well i had been savin money since my firsty job whne i was 11 years old to buy a car ( my mom actualy made me do this, i wasnt that organized at 11) anyways i saved up around 7K by 18 years old and then my grandma had some inhertance for me so i put most of it into school (uni) then took the rest and went vehicle shopping.
I wanted something that was 4X4 for sure, so i was mostly looking at trucks. then i went on the yearly camping trip to birkenhead on May 24 and saw adams (adrocks) bitchen ride.thats when the obsession started. i soon found i could drive 7 passengers, sleep in the back and get pretty good milage for everything the van could do.(great road trip machine)
At first my dad wouldnt let me spend the money on somehting so "weird" but i talked him into a trip to silkroad anyways.after he saw the product and actualy drove it and saw all the cool shit he was sold too.It was pretty hard i put the down payment down but had to wait another week for the money transfer in all my accounts, whilst keeping this secrete from every one...didnt sleep much that week,haha.
Best part was when i was driving home i was stopped at a light and my brother was on the other side,so on his green i yelled to him as he drove by,him seeing me in this awsome van,as i get my green and drive off....He was really pissed i didnt tell him.

My dads still trying to talk my mom into letting him get one...though our house is quite the car farm

[The Pinkfingers]

Heard about them from a friend who drives a Landcruiser. He works with poor families in Mexico, building houses for them, so he needs a reliable vehicle. When our minivan broke down, he said that we should look at the Delica. Actually he said if he could do it again he would buy a Hiace or a Delica. We looked at both and loved the Delica. It was pretty much love at first sight.

It's unique...

It's reliable...

It's diesel...

It looks awesome...

It's affordable...

It is better for the environment...

It can run on veggie oil!...

It's safe...

It gets decent mileage...

It has everything we want and more...

And the kids love it.

[konadog]

It is better for the environment...

I don't know, I mean I love my bus, really I do, but have to ask what it is better than? Reusing an old vehicle is good, and converting to burn wvo is even better, but don't kid yourself - it's an environmental nightmare Oh well...

[Duke]

On an Easter trip to Tofino we saw quite a few deli's, but it was after stopping at Starbucks in Port Alberni we saw a white one with 31's on. I started drooling, the wife then knew I was obsessed. I had always wanted a VW van since high school to go camping and fishing in but ended up with a truck. Then I got into doing a little 4x4ing with friends. Both ideas stayed with me and after giving my S-10 Blazer to my son, I missed getting to the small out of the way lakes to go fishing ( my 2wd truck just couldn't do it ). But after getting a close look at a Delica, I had to have one. My kind and loving wife said I deserve to get what I want. She just does'nt realize what she's gotten herself into. So now I have two expensive hobbies, flying and helping Duke to "grow up".

[Hankster]

My cube van cost's $48 on the ferry.
My Delica cost's $20 on the ferry.
I take the ferry approximately 200 times a year!
I am quite impressed with the hauling and load capacity,and Dammit it's just "FUNNER"

[Green1]

I don't know, I mean I love my bus, really I do, but have to ask what it is better than? Reusing an old vehicle is good, and converting to burn wvo is even better, but don't kid yourself - it's an environmental nightmare Oh well...

Better than any other vehicle with even half the capabilities.
My other option was a full size diesel van, it would have burned at least twice as much fuel (7.2L engine!)

Sure it would be better if we all drove kei cars... but they just can't do what the Delica does (and of course they are no more available over here than a Delica anyway) When comparing, you have to realize that you are comparing TO something, you have to account for the fact that without the Delica most of us would still be driving something, and often something at least as large (A normal mini-van is longer and wider than a Delica) and that burns at least as much fuel if not more, and probably gasoline which is worse for the environment than diesel.

I'm not saying the environmental impact wouldn't be better if I were riding a bike, just that that's not the other alternative we're comparing to!