Delica Canada | Mitsubishi Van Club

When I got my Van from them I was happy with my Delica but as solanoid I realized they selling speech regarding the way they looked after my future vehicle before selling it was not done as they described .
The first day of driving home the heater core was leaking in the cabin. I had to drive back to Vancouver for them to look after it. Sure they changed the core for no charges but after all that work, replaced it with a use one from a spare parts van.
From RSI
"Here are lists we check/replace for our stock delicas.
5. cooling system
** new radiator, new water pump, new thermostat, new hoses.
Well after 1000km the rad was leaking and fund out it was a original one from Japan.
Also told me that the best block heater is a coolant heater which I fund out latter that device was useless ($250).

Another Word of advice...USE CAUTION!

claude wrote:Also told me that the best block heater is a coolant heater which I fund out latter that device was useless ($250)

pretty sure vast majority are coolant heaters that I have ever heard of, not to say that yours may or may not be working properly.........

claude wrote:Another Word of advice...USE CAUTION!

Yup, buying a used vehicle......
What did your second independent pre-inspection say before purchase?
What was/is there warranty policy? Considerations....... parts? labour? onsite/remote? bumper to bumper? list of items? What does your "paperwork" say?
$1000 - $2000 first year in repairs to a used vehicle is often the norm. Expect up to double that for these ones, 15+ years old + diesel, higher priced parts

claude wrote:"Here are lists we check/replace for our stock delicas.
5. cooling system
** new radiator, new water pump, new thermostat, new hoses.
Well after 1000km the rad was leaking and fund out it was a original one from Japan.

My guess is that they didn't get it to Canada and burn around in it for 1000km and then do an inspection.
15+ year old vehicle, while often they are in amazing condition overall are going to need some level of repair within first year..... or you are lucky. As per your quote, says check/replace, not an arbitrary replace..... not leaking at the time, not replacing it then I would assume.

IMHO, best ways to purchase a Delica in Canada....... get one that has heavy maintenance package completed (such as Amazing or CCautos), higher price upfront, cheaper in a year.
Or find one that has been owned and driven for at least a year for the "bugs" to surface.

Cheers

lopar wrote:

claude wrote:Also told me that the best block heater is a coolant heater which I fund out latter that device was useless ($250)

r priced parts

claude wrote:"Here are lists we check/replace for our stock delicas.
5. cooling system
** new radiator, new water pump, new thermostat, new hoses.
Well after 1000km the rad was leaking and fund out it was a original one from Japan.

My guess is that they didn't get it to Canada and burn around in it for 1000km and then do an inspection.
15+ year old vehicle, while often they are in amazing condition overall are going to need some level of repair within first year..... or you are lucky. As per your quote, says check/replace, not an arbitrary replace..... not leaking at the time, not replacing it then I would assume.

IMHO, best ways to purchase a Delica in Canada....... get one that has heavy maintenance package completed (such as Amazing or CCautos), higher price upfront, cheaper in a year.
Or find one that has been owned and driven for at least a year for the "bugs" to surface.

Cheers

Yes you are right i should had done a inspection, it's my fault and i don't expect to get a perfect van from a 15 years old vehicle but when the dealer tell you that the rad has been replace but that was not the case that live you with a biter taste.

Cheers!

claude wrote:Yes you are right i should had done a inspection, it's my fault and i don't expect to get a perfect van from a 15 years old vehicle but when the dealer tell you that the rad has been replace but that was not the case that live you with a biter taste.

Just take back with your paperwork, point it out..... does not have a choice but to honor it, if it says radiator replaced, it has to be replaced or financially compensated....... no luck, report to BBB and/or small claims.

This is an advantage of buying from a dealer vs private, paperwork is binding and hard to get out of, if something is stated as having been done, they are legally obligated.

Buying privately, the seller can "say" anything they want to make you feel good, usually make this mistake (like I did) with first and/or second vehicle purchase when teenager. "talk is cheap", actually irrelevant, just shove the paperwork back at him and say, "make car more gooder or I report and or sue". It's not a threat, just an entitled recourse.

lopar wrote:

claude wrote:Yes you are right i should had done a inspection, it's my fault and i don't expect to get a perfect van from a 15 years old vehicle but when the dealer tell you that the rad has been replace but that was not the case that live you with a biter taste.

Just take back with your paperwork, point it out..... does not have a choice but to honor it, if it says radiator replaced, it has to be replaced or financially compensated....... no luck, report to BBB and/or small claims.

This is an advantage of buying from a dealer vs private, paperwork is binding and hard to get out of, if something is stated as having been done, they are legally obligated.

Buying privately, the seller can "say" anything they want to make you feel good, usually make this mistake (like I did) with first and/or second vehicle purchase when teenager. "talk is cheap", actually irrelevant, just shove the paperwork back at him and say, "make car more gooder or I report and or sue". It's not a threat, just an entitled recourse.

I have a question about the heater coolant, I am not a mechanic neither knowledgeable about car but when you install a lower rad hose heather , does the warn coolant stay in in the hoses and does not go into the block engine because the thermostat is close?
Cheers

claude wrote:I have a question about the heater coolant, I am not a mechanic neither knowledgeable about car but when you install a lower rad hose heather , does the warn coolant stay in in the hoses and does not go into the block engine because the thermostat is close?

The warm/hot coolant is what opens the thermostat, a heater may not be enough to make this happen(probably not), usually "block heaters" as the name implies are installed in the block (lower half of the engine) as the water pump will not be circulating the coolant. Warming up the engine, via the coolant from the radiator would be very inefficient if not ineffective.

I am only familiar with "block heaters" installed by removing a frost plug in the block and installing a heater into the block coolant or some less effective oil coolers that are often stick elements to the oil pan (crappy tire specials, not recommended). Block heaters are the traditional, tried and true, cost effective method.

lopar wrote:

claude wrote:I have a question about the heater coolant, I am not a mechanic neither knowledgeable about car but when you install a lower rad hose heather , does the warn coolant stay in in the hoses and does not go into the block engine because the thermostat is close?

The warm/hot coolant is what opens the thermostat, a heater may not be enough to make this happen(probably not), usually "block heaters" as the name implies are installed in the block (lower half of the engine) as the water pump will not be circulating the coolant. Warming up the engine, via the coolant from the radiator would be very inefficient if not ineffective.

I am only familiar with "block heaters" installed by removing a frost plug in the block and installing a heater into the block coolant or some less effective oil coolers that are often stick elements to the oil pan (crappy tire specials, not recommended). Block heaters are the traditional, tried and true, cost effective method.

So that what mean when my coolant heather is useless, Lower rad hose heater

lopar wrote: I am only familiar with "block heaters" installed by removing a frost plug in the block and installing a heater into the block coolant or some less effective oil coolers that are often stick elements to the oil pan (crappy tire specials, not recommended). Block heaters are the traditional, tried and true, cost effective method.

True with the frost-plug swap type of heaters; I think the adhesive-type oil pan heaters are just to keep the engine oil from turning to molasses in the cold, not to try and heat up the innards of the engine.

tonydca wrote:True with the frost-plug swap type of heaters; I think the adhesive-type oil pan heaters are just to keep the engine oil from turning to molasses in the cold, not to try and heat up the innards of the engine.

that would make sense, there would be way it could effectively warm the engine from the pan unless the warm oil could jump/creep up for you. Need one of those fancy reverse gravity attachments.

Had the same problem with Japanoid when I bought mine asked for a block heater and found out later it was a lower rad hose heater, was not impressed had cvi install a true block heater and it works awsome only complaint there was that the cord was far too short would not reach past the side of the block. Just had to make a short extension cord for it.

Sorry to hear about your issues

That will be in my list to do next time I'll take my Delica to CVI