Delica Canada | Mitsubishi Van Club

Any South Islanders recommend a good mech for basic work in town?

This really is the eternal question.

So far I have only used Glen in Coombs for the major Deli overhaul rad, hoses , frontend etc. Rode away happy. Drove to Oregon happy and back happy.

But I would be interested in know who has work done in Victoria and where as a thread. (Not to Hijack but perhaps start discussion)

I did have some of my certification work done at Townside, (Clutch ignition kill switch device thingy as I have a standard) These folks also did the certification of my ride. They seemed like decent folk and was going to ask them about minor work but have not had the need yet. Probably will as I am going to need an alignment soon.

Any Meckaniks around in town driving the Deli?
Anyone have some minor stuff done without the mechanic shooing you off the lot with a pitchfork?

well, steering clear of Marigold service is a good idea given the stories I've heard.

I'm sure Noel would know.

enviroimports.com He's an honest guy and has been dealing with JDM's for a long time based out of Vic.

We're in Duncan and service lots of Delicas and other JDMs - it's about a 50 to 60 minute drive from Victoria. Then there's Coomb Country in Parksville/Coombs - about a 2 hour drive from Victoria. I don't know who is servicing RHDs in the Victoria area, but there has to be someone there who's doing a good job at it.

I'll try to provide some insight into this, coming from our end of things:

It seems as though there are lots of shops that just outright refuse to work on JDMs (at least locally) - it's not very profitable for many service shops since sourcing parts typically takes much longer and costs far more (ties up shop/lift space, cost of parts is higher, there are no warranty programs for many parts and all of the service [warranty programs are often subsidized by the large chain parts stores], delivery costs are not included as with other major parts stores etc...), and there's far less margin placed on most items in an attempt to keep pricing fair for the end user (margin is also used to provide for warranty of failed parts and re-doing the labour [which is typically rare, but it does happen and cost small shops heavily when it does happen]).

Also there's the learning curve when figuring out the idiosyncrasies of each model and frequently a lack of reliable repair manuals and a total absence of labour guide information. Also, in performing repair services, there's a lot of database information that simply does not exist which makes repairing many JDMs a fair bit more difficult when things get unusual or challenging. Add to that, a lot of shops find small diesels a pain in the butt to work on since there's a much smaller knowledge/experience base, and they often need a handful of (expensive) special tools.

So, what can you do?

- Ask around, and be patient when you find a shop that is going to be helpful with your vehicle.

- Be an informed buyer when you purchase any vehicle - & - always, always, always get an independent inspection of the vehicle before you buy.

- Get your maintenance done on time - before bad things happen and it costs you more after-the-fact...

- Realize that regular maintenance costs far less than a breakdown repair.

- Ensure that you're getting a complete job done when you get things like your timing belt replaced (which should include both belts, both tensioners, seals, water pump, hoses, thermostat, accessory belts etc..). If you're unsure, ask!! (Our rule of thumb is 5 years or 100,000 kms - whichever comes first !!)

- Get your oil changed at your service shop and not the local oil change place... it will cost a little more, but it *is* worth it, since it's your opportunity for them to keep an eye on the health of your vehicle and try to prevent major breakdowns later on.

- Be supportive of your local JDM-willing shop, and try to be understanding when things don't get done quite as quickly as you would like (often the shop is working pretty hard go get things out on time, their survival depends on a certain productivity level - which gets hard to meet when you're not used to working on things that are different).


hth, and ymmv

~John

well, steering clear of Marigold service is a good idea given the stories I've heard.

Agreed. Take the drive north and experience more of what our Island has to offer. If you check out John and E4, take your mountain bike and ride Prevost or Tzuhalem while your ride gets pimped. Or, you could go to Coombs, check out the shops, eat a fat sandwich, check out some goats, and have an all around good time. I would be leary of anyone who says they are a quality JDM mechanic in Victoria.

quadzilla wrote:Agreed. Take the drive north and experience more of what our Island has to offer. If you check out John and E4, take your mountain bike and ride Prevost or Tzuhalem while your ride gets pimped. Or, you could go to Coombs, check out the shops, eat a fat sandwich, check out some goats, and have an all around good time. I would be leary of anyone who says they are a quality JDM mechanic in Victo

Yep. Though I would add that there are also some good Mt. bike trails around ccautos, so don't forget your bike if your end up there. I've whiled away a couple of hours peddling around and sniffing out trails while the lads were wrenching on Hazel

It's pretty cold out right now for riding up Mt. Tzouhalem... though the air is really fresh at this time of year. Bring snow tires for your mtn bike!

Oh, and one more post from me...

Why to *we* work on JDMs?

Parly because it's different and interesting.
We drive them and enjoy them.
And the owners are just more interesting, friendly, and "involved" (hard to explain "involved" but it has a lot do with their connection to things around them, and life in general).


~John
(waiting for the snow and ice to disappear so I can ride the Tzou)

Touring the island, Well That would be a grand thing. Were I free as the wind with the resources of a good tax base I would do nothing else.

Jessie Thanks for the Tip, will give Noel a call.

Everyone likes their weekends off and granted working the same hours that the mechanic keep has its disadvantages.

Thus taking a day off for the tour costs another couple hundred dollars or perhaps worse, a vacation day on top of any repair that would be on the table.

Don't get me wrong I love Glen, I have been camping with him and he is a great guy, for engine work or major overhaul he would be my number one choice. I got my new deli refit done in Coombs and am the happier camper because of it

John have yet to meet you but looking forward to it one of these days. If you know you are going to be in the shop one day one the weekend, I would make a point of driving up to cow town to say hi.

Dropping off the wheels in the morning and picking it up at the end of the day is always desirable in a customer mechanic relationand if available should be sought out thus the questions posed here. The alternate right now for some is to go up one weekend drop of the bus and pick it up the next, while finding another driver and car to ferry you. Not having the Van for the week I can live with. Getting the ferry captain can be a little more difficult to convince.

Some things in life unfortunately are purely about economics.

So...Not to lose thread of original post (nor hijack) with the amount of Delis rolling around Vic the possibilities of a mechanic who is local is not beyond the realm of comprehension. If it is of course there is not so much to do about it other than form a up island VanPool collective.

However it is not wrong to keep asking question.

PS,(edit) Its actually pretty interesting doing a search on "Marigold" on the forums and scanning the results. Looks like Noels passed posts refered to Marigold. Do the search and see for yourselves. I have no other comments on the Marigold thing, other than there was good and bad said in the forum. For the true story I would suspect we would need to ask other members.

I was "recommended" to marigold when I first got my van but wouldn't do the same to anyone, there had been a couple posts that they worked on JDMs not to sure how positive they where, shortly after the "work" was done on my van I posted the bad results and others started to do the same, I think people where being polite, lucked out, or didn't know enough to notice the shoddy work. But to each their own, buyer beware.

electrik_jester wrote:Touring the island, Well That would be a grand thing. Were I free as the wind with the resources of a good tax base I would do nothing else.

Jessie Thanks for the Tip, will give Noel a call.

Everyone likes their weekends off and granted working the same hours that the mechanic keep has its disadvantages.

Thus taking a day off for the tour costs another couple hundred dollars or perhaps worse, a vacation day on top of any repair that would be on the table.

Don't get me wrong I love Glen, I have been camping with him and he is a great guy, for engine work or major overhaul he would be my number one choice. I got my new deli refit done in Coombs and am the happier camper because of it

John have yet to meet you but looking forward to it one of these days. If you know you are going to be in the shop one day one the weekend, I would make a point of driving up to cow town to say hi.

Dropping off the wheels in the morning and picking it up at the end of the day is always desirable in a customer mechanic relationand if available should be sought out thus the questions posed here. The alternate right now for some is to go up one weekend drop of the bus and pick it up the next, while finding another driver and car to ferry you. Not having the Van for the week I can live with. Getting the ferry captain can be a little more difficult to convince.

Some things in life unfortunately are purely about economics.

So...Not to lose thread of original post (nor hijack) with the amount of Delis rolling around Vic the possibilities of a mechanic who is local is not beyond the realm of comprehension. If it is of course there is not so much to do about it other than form a up island VanPool collective.

However it is not wrong to keep asking question.

PS,(edit) Its actually pretty interesting doing a search on "Marigold" on the forums and scanning the results. Looks like Noels passed posts refered to Marigold. Do the search and see for yourselves. I have no other comments on the Marigold thing, other than there was good and bad said in the forum. For the true story I would suspect we would need to ask other members.

I have to agree about asking that Noel guy, a year ago he was recomending going to where to have Delica service done, but as the seasons change.... as far as Marigold, I do recomend them for getting your inspection done here in town.
but there are alternatives for getting work done, its not like there are only 3 places on the whole island, Its more like only 3 places are comonly on line here, and talked about. I know that as more places get past the whole issue for chaning the oil or doing a timing belt, we all know that it oil changes have to be done with specialy flown in tools and oil that has to come direct from japan, or some sort of secret code must be used, because your butt sits 20 inches to the right than the left, after all , if the steering wheel is on the right as oposed to the left, well, then the brakes must be made from rice paper and special Widgets must be created to adjust an alternator belt.
Sorry folks, thats all CRAP, a rad flush is a rad flush, a brake job is a brake job, 90% of the parts are available localy now that the cross refrencing has been done. and when it comes to the engine, well you DO have to get a Mechanic experienced with DIESELS to work on it, not some half wit that is getting his grade 12 work exp credit by working at Cambodian....
Sure its a bit of a rant, but Im anoyed that a customer phoned me from North van needing a battery and was told that the Cambodain ._ _ _ _ wanted NOTHING to do with him becuase he had a right hand drive, like that matters in the least when you go in and ask for a roughly 1000CCa battery and the size of it doesent matter..... SIGH....... I know lots of people love glen and Im told he does great work, but you really dont need to go all the way up there from Vic to get an oil change, Glow plugs , and many other relativly easy, easily accesable and light duty work, Just get someone who is experienced with DIESELS, I have sent a few people to the VW place in behind the car wash on bay/bridge, I cant think of the name they are used to diesels in cramped engine bays, so for now I have personally had a good experience and heard that from others....., for Wheel Alignment , go to Simoes on alfa st , maybe beta st, but its in there, ask for Jason. Tell him that kooky guy Noel sent you so he knows who to blame for all the Delicas going in there lol... If you have questions, feel free to call anytime and I am happy to make recomendations, no I dont recieve any kickback or discount for recomending any one shop,


and I for one would LOVE to see John up at Mt Tzu, for that I will bring my helmet cam and my A-line, picts of you getting some air would be awsome.

But back to that kooky Noel guy, I hear he Loves a great rack
ya its a shameless plug for roof racks, but im ok with that. lol

EnviroImports.com wrote: the VW place in behind the car wash on bay/bridge, I cant think of the name they are used to diesels in cramped engine bays, so for now I have personally had a good experience and heard that from others....

Beetle Auto Haus? If it's the same guys as when I was motoring in my old VW bus I recall that they were real fussy and thorough. Top-shelf. If it's the same guys - Near Douglas and Hillside?

ya, beetle is good, ive had work done there, but i was thinking of that other one right below the carwash on bay st, it really doesent matter but the point is, you dont have to think that only a privlaged few can do the work on the Delicas, there are more and more here every month, and the shops around town are doing work on them so its not like it was a year or two ago where only one shop would work on them.......

EnviroImports.com wrote:
and I for one would LOVE to see John up at Mt Tzu, for that I will bring my helmet cam and my A-line, picts of you getting some air would be awsome.

But back to that kooky Noel guy, I hear he Loves a great rack
ya its a shameless plug for roof racks, but im ok with that. lol

Off topic....

I ride an all-mountain/XC bike, and don't do the big air... but I'll watch!

On topic...

It's fine with me that other shops are petrified of right hand drives, I appreciate the work and my clients are some of the nicest people around!

off topic again...

We all like a nice rack, Noel. I'd ask you to show us what you've got, but I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea.

~John