1997 Mitsubishi Space Gear 4x4 B (Delica/ L400) VIN

[Swisstank]

Hello
I am a Canadian that has been living in Switzerland for a couple of years, and having lived in a mountainous region with a family of 6, I needed a vehicle that would serve us well. I have bought a 1997 Mitsubishi Space Gear 4x4 B, and love it. Now we want to move back to Canada this spring, and I'm entering the process of trying to import that vehicle to Canada. I have to find the date of manufacture, but all I find is the stamped plate under the hood, with the VIN. No actual date of manufacture. The vehicle was immatriculated (registered for the first time) here in Switzerland in September of 1997, but was obviously produced earlier. However I understand that the date of manufacture is important for customs clearance in Canada. I tried a couple of online VIN decoder services, but they all say something different, and some even say my VIN is not valid. The vehicle has been registered here since 1997, and the papers match the VIN in the vehicle, so I'm not sure why I can't decode it. Any help would be appreciated. I think the Space Gear is an awesome vehicle, and would love to take it with me. Thanks, D

[jessef]

What is the VIN#?

[FalcoColumbarius]

Hi Swisstank, welcome to Delica Canada

If you prop up the hood/bonnet, on the frame that the hood hinges from you will see the VIN. On the Japanese Space Gears the VIN should appear as PE8W- or PD8W- or PF8W-, then followed by seven numbers... like "PE8W-0002123". If you have a number like this then log onto Delica Canada, go to Delica Canada Technical/Delica FAQ Section; click onto "Useful Links"; scroll down to JDM On Line Catalogue and enter the VIN into the Mitsubishi field; click enter. Hope this helps... smiles.

Falco.

[Swisstank]

What is the VIN#?

VIN= JMBNNPD4WVA700237
on another plate on the hood it says : PD4WNLNUEL6
However, I recently got the hood replaced as the old one had a dent, and if everything went as it should, the plate should have been moved to the new hood from the old one, but one never knows. However, the plate with the VIN should be original, mounted just under the left hood hinge (looking at the front of the vehicle), on the side wall of the engine bay, above the fuse box.
Thanks

[Swisstank]

Hi Swisstank, welcome to Delica Canada

If you prop up the hood/bonnet, on the frame that the hood hinges from you will see the VIN. On the Japanese Space Gears the VIN should appear as PE8W- or PD8W- or PF8W-, then followed by seven numbers... like "PE8W-0002123". If you have a number like this then log onto Delica Canada, go to Delica Canada Technical/Delica FAQ Section; click onto "Useful Links"; scroll down to JDM On Line Catalogue and enter the VIN into the Mitsubishi field; click enter. Hope this helps... smiles.

Falco.

Hello Mr. Falco

Thank you for your help with my Mitsubishi Space Gear VIN decoding problem. I found the stamped VIN right where you told me to look, and it matches the ones on the papers and the one on the plate in the engine bay. However, no online decoder wants to accept it as valid. So finally I decided to call Mitsubishi Motors Switzerland. They traced it, and it was actually made on the 29.03.1997. It will be 15 years old at the end of this month, so I can technically import it when we return to Canada this spring/summer. I hope everything else goes well.

Thank you again

[MardyDelica]

hi, what you should do is that you need to get a letter from mitsubishi dealer where you ask for the manufacture date;
get that letter from them if need to pay for service do it. go with the vin number make sure its the same.not chassis.
as its europe they do have vin number and chassis. same as here in us and canada.
but chassis is diff then vin.
try to include both if you cna so its easy for you thru process in custom and insurance.
ask them to stamp there paper with there dealer logo.
then you will be fien presenting this docuemtn thru custom.
but make sure to put used car on BL wiht vin number on it when you send the car to canada.
you will be ok when it reach canada.
is this spacegear a new generation 2 model now.
i guess it is.
you have some pictures if you dont mind to send it will appreciate it
cheers;
mardy

[Swisstank]

hi, what you should do is that you need to get a letter from mitsubishi dealer where you ask for the manufacture date;
get that letter from them if need to pay for service do it. go with the vin number make sure its the same.not chassis.
as its europe they do have vin number and chassis. same as here in us and canada.
but chassis is diff then vin.
try to include both if you cna so its easy for you thru process in custom and insurance.
ask them to stamp there paper with there dealer logo.
then you will be fien presenting this docuemtn thru custom.
but make sure to put used car on BL wiht vin number on it when you send the car to canada.
you will be ok when it reach canada.
is this spacegear a new generation 2 model now.
i guess it is.
you have some pictures if you dont mind to send it will appreciate it
cheers;
mardy

Hi,
Thank you for your message. That's exactly what I ended up doing. I am (hopefully) getting a letter mailed to me from Mitsubishi, with all the information of that exact car, with VIN and manufacture date, etc.
We've also contacted Customs in Canada, and since the car will be 15 years old at the time of shipping, it should be no problem, they said. I hope so. I really like that vehicle.
I've tried to upload a picture, but it says my file is too large, so I'll have to try another way.
Thanks again for your help, everyone! :)

[CREGAN]

You have to shrink it. This link will explain how:

http://www.delica.ca/forum/how-to-uploa ... -9834.html

Craig

[MardyDelica]

one more thing make sure there is no mud under and inside the car.
as they could failed you for souil inspection very strict here
if possible check under the car before you ship it pay for underwash steam clean under and inside psl
then when u do this no problem at all
good luck
cheer;s
Mardy

[Swisstank]

one more thing make sure there is no mud under and inside the car.
as they could failed you for souil inspection very strict here
if possible check under the car before you ship it pay for underwash steam clean under and inside psl
then when u do this no problem at all
good luck
cheer;s
Mardy

Thank you for the tips. I will make sure the car is very clean. What about rust? It has only a very small amount starting to show where the mudflaps meet the wheelwells, right where they all start to rust. Here in Switzerland they put salt on the roads like it's going out of style, so the vehicles suffer. I try to keep it washed, but still there is some starting. I have some rust converter that I will try to apply, but I was just wondering what they will say about a slight bit of surface rust at the very edge of the wheel wells. And one other thing. Tires. The tires I have on there are getting old, and I was planning on putting on a new set. They are still street legal right now, but I was hoping to wait until I get to Canada to get a new set. Are they going to have a problem with the tires that are on there if they are worn down a bit?
Thanks, :)

[ccautos]

Check your tires and look for the `DOT` marking around the side wall. If you see that stamped anywhere on the side wall and the tire is not nearing its wear limits it will pass no problem on an inspection. Also confirm that the vehicle has left hand drive headlamps. If for any reason it has RHD lights I would change them before shipping the vehicle as they can be expensive for genuine lights here. Thanks, Glen

[jessef]

wait until you get to Canada to buy your tires. They have to be DOT approved. Most vehicles imported from Japan come with bad tires so it's not an issue.

The following will need to be done to pass the OOP (out of province inspection)

If anything is not acceptable, you may fail the inspection and have to get it re-done.

Mandatory requirement:
-Headlights changed to E-code LHD
-tires will need to be changed to DOT
-side reflectors will need to be installed
-day time running lights will need to the installed

mechanical that needs to be in good condition:
-brakes - rotors/calipers/pads
-suspension - balljoints, tie rods, swab bar links/bushings and shocks

This is a step by step guide to importing a vehicle into Canada:

http://forums.jdmvip.com/jdmvips_update ... apan-698-t

[MardyDelica]

hi, rust and tire is ok but not mud,
cheers;
Mardy

[ccautos]

The E coded headlamps that we are using here in Canada are built for the swiss market.

[Swisstank]

wait until you get to Canada to buy your tires. They have to be DOT approved. Most vehicles imported from Japan come with bad tires so it's not an issue.

The following will need to be done to pass the OOP (out of province inspection)

If anything is not acceptable, you may fail the inspection and have to get it re-done.

Mandatory requirement:
-Headlights changed to E-code LHD
-tires will need to be changed to DOT
-side reflectors will need to be installed
-day time running lights will need to the installed

mechanical that needs to be in good condition:
-brakes - rotors/calipers/pads
-suspension - balljoints, tie rods, swab bar links/bushings and shocks

This is a step by step guide to importing a vehicle into Canada:

http://forums.jdmvip.com/jdmvips_update ... apan-698-t

Thanks for all the info. The tires are DOT approved, the brakes practically new, and I'm just having a mechanic look over the suspension and generally the whole vehicle, to make sure it is in good shape.

This vehicle is Left Hand Drive, just like standart vehicles found in canada. Do I still have to deal with the headlights? (Switzerland drives on the right lane, like in Canada.)

The daytime running lights....at what age vehicle does that become mandatory? Or is that just all vehicles that are imported? (Because my 1978 Pontiac Formula, that I'm also taking with, back to Canada (it originally came from there, I took it to Switzerland with me), has no daytime running lights as well....

But I guess those are all minor mods that I can do once in Canada, I guess. Do I get to choose a shop to get the out of province inspection done on an imported vehicle? I have gotten Out of Province Inspections done on vehicles bought in BC and brought into Alberta and vice versa...I'm assuming this is the same thing. It just needs to be done in order to register and insured the vehicle in that province?

Thanks a lot for all the info.

:)