Looking to buy: rust problems?

[konadog]

I was always worried I would over heat my l300 making trips stressful.

Did you ever overheat it?

[CREGAN]

Living in Alberta, the Edmonton region in specific, I am so glad to have an L400. I believe that an L300 is awesome but it is suited more for you west coasters. With the amount of excessively speeding douche bags around here you will feel like a traffic hazzard- albeit a cool looking one. I say that because I also drive a westfalia. An L400 keeps up quite nicely around here and handles the terrible roads quite well. What you should do is organize a meet here in E-town and we can try to get some of each so you can drive them, look at them, and make a truly informed decision. Either one is cool but you have to choose what works best for you. I personally love putting on a wig and driving my kids to soccer in my L400 (there- beat you to it all you L300 owners! )

Craig

[konadog]

...you have to choose what works best for you.

That's it!

[nxski]

I won't knock the L400, but on my 56,000km road trip all over North America, I never found it to be too slow, and the only time I would have felt less stressed out in another vehicle was driving through Death Valley. I've also pulled up to 5600lbs with my van without incident (although since that was above the towing capacity, it was a bit butt clenching).

[doodah]

Nxski...didn't you have several vehicular issues on your N. American Odessy?

[nxski]

Nxski...didn't you have several vehicular issues on your N. American Odessy?

I did, but none that can be specifically blamed on having an L300, and no breakdowns. I ended up still having less repairs for that distance than the average 15 year old vehicle, and mine is 24 years old.

I was referring more the drivability than cost to maintain (although I don't know that the L400's are any better or worse in that respect anyway).

[robnlauren]

I'll admit, after spending some time checking out the L400, and seeing the awesome mods to it, I'm actually coming around to the looks! But maybe that's because I'm a mom who fully intends to put her kid in soccer one day I think a nice safari rack would be great to carry the kid's equipment around in, eh?

It really does seem like a great option either way. I think the 400 will fit our needs better, though if the right 300 came along... I'm just glad we're not having to look at a minivan anymore!

Thanks again for all the input folks, much appreciated. Now back to searching for *my* Delica

[tonydca]

I was resistant to the L400, loving the look of the L300, but the more I read, the more I'm warming up to the idea. Especially for long highway road trips, which is what we're looking to do!

http://www.delica.ca/forum/new-delica-h ... tml#p73451

It's now been 3.5 years but my feelings are pretty much unchanged...

[psilosin]

The L400 with the 4M40 is pretty much a perfect balance of ecconomy and power.

It has enough get up and go to keep up with traffic and climb big highway hills at a respectable pace. It also does this at >20mpg. For the LWB which holds 7 people and still has a huge cargo area behind the last row of seats it is pretty amazing.

After driving a Hilux Surf (that is slightly more powerful than an L300) where tinkering to extract as much extra HP as possible became a hobby, I had a big list of mods planned for the L400. I did a few mods and then realized the L400 is plenty fine as is and abandoned most of then. With my new found free time I discovered the cure for cancer (but then big pharm payed me a huge amount to keep it secret but thats a story for another day).

[glenn]

It has enough get up and go to keep up with traffic and climb big highway hills at a respectable pace. It also does this at >20mpg. For the LWB which holds 7 people and still has a huge cargo area behind the last row of seats it is pretty amazing.

I agree. Both vans consume about the same amount of gas, but one has all the power I could ever want, the other can't maintain the speed limit on most highways.

There is also the 4 wheel disk brakes, front crumple zone, the awesome center differential that can be locked or unlocked, quieter ride.

As much as I still love my L300 - it is not a modern vehicle. Be aware that the L300 is a lifestyle choice. A really cool one though.

[Rattlenbang]

To me, it seems the L300 is more closely related to VW buses than the newer models. Which means both simpler and easier to work on, but possibly less reliable. Funkier and stranger, but underpowered for modern driving norms. Obsolete technology, but loaded with character. L300 more suited for the hippies in us, while the L400 more for the get-up-and go. But it's an imperfect metaphor, because either is waaay more reliable than the VWs. I bet my left nut that a lot of Delica owners are reformed VW bus owners.

[nxski]

To me, it seems the L300 is more closely related to VW buses than the newer models. Which means both simpler and easier to work on, but possibly less reliable. Funkier and stranger, but underpowered for modern driving norms. Obsolete technology, but loaded with character. L300 more suited for the hippies in us, while the L400 more for the get-up-and go. But it's an imperfect metaphor, because either is waaay more reliable than the VWs. I bet my left nut that a lot of Delica owners are reformed VW bus owners.

I think that's pretty much it. I would compare the style of the L300 to the VW bus and the L400 to the Eurovan. The L300 is generally considered easier to work on. I don't know which would be more reliable though, both seem to have their own unique problems and some owners get lucky while others don't.