Delica Canada | Mitsubishi Van Club

Hello,

My family of 5 is in need of a new used vehicle. I have been seeing a few Delicas around Toronto and am quite interested. Research has shown that this vehicle fits our needs in terms of passenger/cargo capability and gas mileage. We clock about 35k km/yr. My wife is leary of RHD. Any suggestions to sway her to my way of thinking?

cheers,
dlibbey

Buy a Delica and get rid of whatever it is you currently have.

Tell her if she wants to drive, "It's out in the driveway." Make sure you say it like that, too.

Buy the vehicle for it's characteristics, capabilities, and capacities. Whatever else remains is inconsequential - competent drivers shouldn't be affected by position of the steering wheel.

Probably, the best thing you can do is arrange to have her drive one. Once she sees what a non-issue it is the problem will likely go away on its own.

Alternatively, if you don't mind spending the money, there is a kit you can get to convert to LHD. But you'll never recoup the cost.

My wife was not keen on the idea at all , and I was unsure as well so the first thing we did was take one for three test drives on non -busy roads over a period of a month. This allowed my "gotta have it now" self to be cooled off and allowed space for my analytical self to work. Plus it allowed my wife to make a decision with out me putting pressure on her.

For our first drive the owner actually drove us for a bit till we relaxed then I tried it. Second test I drove for a bit then my wife tried it and we discussed what it was like to drive on the right. After our third test I said that I was not making this decision on my own and she had to be 100% in favor or we were not going to make the purchase.

A few days later she decided that it was a good thing and she went and make the purchase so it was waiting for me when I got home from a business trip. Nice!

Now we own a Delica and she is totally comfortable driving it.

Take her out and show her what you can buy domestically for 6-8 grand and then take her out and show her what you can get for the same price on a Delica. There's a pretty nice L400 just went in the marketplace here for $7700.00

William wrote:Take her out and show her what you can buy domestically for 6-8 grand and then take her out and show her what you can get for the same price on a Delica. There's a pretty nice L400 just went in the marketplace here for $7700.00

X 1000. The nearest competition for features for me was a 2005-ish Honda Pilot, all $26,000 of it. No comparison.

profister wrote:"Buy a Delica and get rid of whatever it is you currently have.

Tell her if she wants to drive, "It's out in the driveway." Make sure you say it like that, too. "

That's the ticket. Tell her like a boss. I'd suggest making the comment with vacuum cleaner and soap brush in hand, adding, "Oh, and give it a clean while you're at it. I know how you broads love to clean stuff..."

tonydca wrote:

William wrote:Take her out and show her what you can buy domestically for 6-8 grand and then take her out and show her what you can get for the same price on a Delica. There's a pretty nice L400 just went in the marketplace here for $7700.00

X 1000. The nearest competition for features for me was a 2005-ish Honda Pilot, all $26,000 of it. No comparison.

profister wrote:"Buy a Delica and get rid of whatever it is you currently have.

Tell her if she wants to drive, "It's out in the driveway." Make sure you say it like that, too. "

That's the ticket. Tell her like a boss. I'd suggest making the comment with vacuum cleaner and soap brush in hand, adding, "Oh, and give it a clean while you're at it. I know how you broads love to clean stuff..."

Woah! Be firm in your decision-making, not stupid!

Agree with the other poster: my wife and I bought a Delica (and then a Pajero) because most 15-yr-old imports from Japan were in better shape and cost less than most NAMPOS that weren't even 5-years-old. Better shape, better features, and a much better price.

well, guess i was lucky that my wife evenetually bought into the rhd thing (and this was from someone who didn't get her licence till 21 and din't drive highways till later b/c she was freaked out, super conservative, and goes the speed limit, now she LOVES the cruiser!). i was able to sell her on the jdm 80 series land cruiser....sold her on the strong, all wheel drive, diesel, good on mileage and very safe idea of it. somehow i just explained to her that really its not that much different, and what she needed to get used to (rear view mirror, wipers/lights,a nd left hand on the shifter). then tell her that statistically, there are no differences in accidents with rhd vs lhd in countries where both are driven (i.e. japan, australia, etc..). so really, she shouldn't worry about safety issues, imho.

if you can sell her on making left turns at the lights safe...then you're in! also easier to parallel park, especially in toronto. say the delica is shift on the fly 4x4, great for winter, steel box around to protect the kids (they always buy into that) and lot's of windows and great visibility all around! there's nothing comparing it b/c it's diesel.

which delicas have you seen in the GTA and have you taken the wife with you? if you can go to a quite area, i'm sure they could let her drive it around and get used to it...it really IS part of the sale!

cheers and g'luck with your hunt and convincing!

I'm overwhelmed at the many responses. Thanks much to you all. Wife has agreed to keeep an open mind as we go to Vaughn, ON to check one out some time this week.

What can I anticipate in gas mileage on a Delica?

Cheers,
dlibbey

dlibbey wrote:What can I anticipate in gas mileage on a Delica?

Read this thread: Expected fuel economyfor Delica Star Wagon (at least one with a 4D56 or 4D56T engine)
Short answer: ~20mpg

tell her if she's driving and she's speeding and you are in the passenger side YOU will get the ticket..... there problem solved....

g'luck on the testdrive. let us know how the rigs turn out.
cheers.

The suggestions so far have been too complicated. It it far easier to just ask forgivness than permission...now go get that Delica!