Newby looking to learn and purchase

[daveyboy70]

Well, I have read a couple of posts and joined in! I am looking to all you knowledgable folks to teach me a thing or two about these awesome looking machines. I live in the Lower Mainland and see a lot of these beauties driving around and looked at a couple in the past couple of months. The only thing keeping me from purchasing is lack of knowledge.

Nervous about parts availability and price, also lack of good mechanics locally that know these little beauties inside and out.

I guess my question is should I be scared......????

[The Pinkfingers]

Welcome!

Hey - I went through the same questions. But to answer your last one first, no you should not be scared. There are a few great mechanics around, depending on what part of the Lower Mainland you're from. There is a list of some repair shops here: http://wikrad.com/delica/index.cgi?local_repair_shops.

Also on that site are a list of part numbers. Many non-Delica specific parts are the exact same as Delica parts and are very available. I haven't had to do any repairs yet, but I suspect that being from the Lower Mainland, 90% of the parts you'll need are readily available.

We had a domestic minivan before our Delica but love our Deli. Here is a post of why people bought their Delica - maybe you'll be able to relate: http://www.delica.ca/forum/why-did-you- ... -3002.html.

Enjoy your browsing around the forum. You'll find a great community that is always happy to answer questions and tell you all about Delicas.

Nick

[Duke]

Nervous about parts availability and price, also lack of good mechanics locally that know these little beauties inside and out.

I guess my question is should I be scared......????

NOOOOO!!!! The water's fine, jump right in. I did.

[MardyDelica]

Hi, Daveyboy,
welcome to the club, i am one of the member who own a delica for 41/2 yrs now.
i could only say this delica is great & cannot replace any new toyota or honda mini-van.
as i am a delica dealer , do service & supply parts for this delica. if you have any question regarding this delica. fell free to call me pls.
Cheers;
Amazing Auto Imports Ltd
Mardy ( MardyDelica)
604-247-2111/ 604-720-6144

[daveyboy70]

Thanks for the feedback.......That's it, I am officially looking....

Differences between the Chamonix and Super exceed.....I looked at a Super exceed and saw some features that were different like the hot/cold box and additional steps, bumpers, mirrors and lighting. Are these the only differences?

[marsgal42]

Delicas had such extensive option lists that it is easily possible to kit up an Exceed to be fancier than a Super Exceed. There are summaries kicking around of what the different models had. The Chamonix was more an adaptation to winter sports than a trim level, right down to the special carpet pattern that didn't show mud as badly.

Delicas wouldn't be as popular as they are if there were issues with parts and maintenance. What the importers don't have they can get, and lots of parts are common to other Mitsubishi vehicles of that time (sometimes sold here by Dodge). Brand new Mitsubishi parts are available, because it's not that long ago that they stopped making L300s. Real L300, not the badge-engineered Mazdas they now sell as L300s.

Keep an eye out for upcoming events. There will be lots of Delicas to look at.

By all means, come on in. The water is indeed fine!

...laura, Super Exceed driver

[jwfchase]

And as you will find out from cruising this site, there are some very well regarded importers around, MardyDelica (the one who has already responded to you) would be at the top of my list!

[Todd64]

If I could butt into this thread with one question.

Should I be scared of getting one living on the far east coast(Newfoundland)? I could see getting one in a heartbeat if I were to live in BC where all the importers are located. But here in Newfoundland there are none and the thought of something major worries me. But the damn vans look so awesome and it would fit my needs perfectly.

[The Pinkfingers]

Differences between the Chamonix and Super exceed.....I looked at a Super exceed and saw some features that were different like the hot/cold box and additional steps, bumpers, mirrors and lighting. Are these the only differences?

A quick use of the search button reveals this thread: http://www.delica.ca/forum/delica-model ... s-857.html

[TardisDeli]

Hi Todd64

Miloki bought one and drove it home to Nova Scotia, only problem was the blizzard in Edmonton, but she just drove thru it.

Ghmorris in Ontario, plus a couple other ontario. ManitobaDeli. They drove em home

Crushers who is an importer from Alberta has just moved to Ontario, so maybe he can be a technical resource?

Delii are very reliable. Remember, the posts here are usually problems, people rarely post just to say what a great day they had, in their reliable as always Deli. And since most problems are minor, you can see how reliable they are.

So the usual problems are solved by a dealer who does a complete FULL service before purchase, replace all rubber and fluids. Don;t cheap out, go with the pros, spend it in advance, or spend much more later.

I recommend buying from one of the dealers who is ALSO well known on this site for good aftermarket care, and who answer their cell phones 24/7 for your time zone issues. MardyDelica is #1 as a dealer who does FULL prep service before purchase, and as a parts supplier (I phoned him 11pm to describe my weird electrical problem, couple questions, instant diagnosis (and correct as proven subsequently). Butch at CVI for service support, great phone service and help, and prep before purchase. Dealer Japanoid deals with lots of "back East Folk" put deli on train, they also do FULL prep service before purchase (they look new, so clean), speak to Shogo. John at Rocky Mountain Imports mails stuff to all the other repairers across Canada, and has huge stock of GENUINE parts, and good to talk to on phone, so you're set.

As long as you have a bit off mechanical knowledge, or have a tame mechanic, then working on these is actually simpler than working on new crap full of computers. So, its like working on older cars, you can actually do it without needing fancy computer readers.

And with the help of this website, you just post your question, and minutes later someone replies. I remember the post where the guy was waiting in the lineup for a tune up, needed some info, and before he got thru the lineup he already had a detailed reply.

In general: great tight turning radius, so small roads fine. We tow boats with ours (E&H hitch in burnaby). Very good visibility as high up and windows all around. In winter, Lovely and warm inside, and when you want to sleep just crawl over the centre console so dont open the door, keep the lovely heat inside. Very good traction in icy, slippery roads (we use the BFG AT 30 tires). Our loves the water, air intake quite high (see the post of Bruce Mystery Machine rescuing people in the floods last summer in england), drive thru small creeks, and down launch ramps.

My aged mum loves sitting in the captain seats in the back (much comfier than the chamonix bench seat, as the captains chairs arms wrap around and hold you on bumpy roads) as the view is great, and can stretch legs.

We camperized ours, removed rear bench, queen size air mattress, table, added microwave and inverter. Get high roof without crystal lite roof if camping, as extra headroom. Get the exceed, not chamonix if 2 sleeping in van.

Now remember, you'll be a poster child for Delica, so you're always on show (practice your royal wave), and don't do rude things waiting in traffic, those all round windows give great visibility. Make up a little business card to hand out with the delica website as you'll get tired answering the same questions over and over. Falco posted a great reply, yup 1991, yup 15 years, yup turbo, etc.

You're welcome to stay here in guest room if you want to come look em over, we'll organize a local deli meet for you so you can poke about in everyone's delii.

Check with your province about registering it. The japanese vin is shorter than a north american vin, so will their computer accept it?? Workaround for the problem is how they used to do it here before the icbc insurance agency changed their computer, have the inspector register it in BC and assign a BC vin number.

Cheers, Christine.

[Todd64]

Thanks Christine for that reply and offer of a guest room. Very temping. I would love to inspect a Delica.

Those are my main worries. Insurance and my provincial registration. Not many here on WVO(a few old Mercs) so I think the resource is there for the taking. Also I've never owned a diesel before so that'll be new territory for me.

One more question. I would be selling my vehicle to get this and it would then be my main vehicle. Anyone here with just a Delica?

Cheers
Todd

[jwfchase]

One more question. I would be selling my vehicle to get this and it would then be my main vehicle. Anyone here with just a Delica?

Todd

Lots and lots. (Though some have just two Delicas!)

[marsgal42]

One more question. I would be selling my vehicle to get this and it would then be my main vehicle. Anyone here with just a Delica?

Me! I sometimes toy with getting a second vehicle (A Soarer? An Alcyone? Something electric?) But then I decided not to. I had a ride in a Soarer a couple of weeks ago and was impressed.

For a while I was running two vehicles, a VW Jetta (LHD) and Gumdrop (RHD). Never had any trouble switching back and forth.

As for people who live in places like Newfoundland, even here in Delica Central, a major failure will put a Delica off the road until new parts come in. This is the same for any vehicle. All the usual service items are industry-standard parts, and can be installed by anybody who knows their way around. On the East Coast it might be useful to hook up with some of the Delica people in England.

...laura

[jwfchase]

I think this sounds like the perfect excuse to fly to BC, and then do that Cross-Canada trip you always dreamed about.

[The Pinkfingers]

One more question. I would be selling my vehicle to get this and it would then be my main vehicle. Anyone here with just a Delica?

Cheers
Todd

We have 5 kids and we've ALWAYS been a one car family. When we picked up our Delica, we technically had two cars for 1 day until we sold our minivan. Often it's like Grand Central here - I come in with some kids, wife goes out with other kids.

We rely solely on our Delica for our main and only vehicle.