Hi everyone,
I just joined the boards and I am located on the Island in the Cowichan Valley.
My wife and I have been thinking about getting a Delica for about a year now and we are just about to take the plunge. We have been saving up so that we can get a top quality/low mileage model.
We are thinking of Terra2Imports as it looks like their service is very thorough and you can also ask and pay for an independent inspection in Japan on some vehicles. Has anybody here used them and have any opinion?
Also, I just read the new post today about possible legislation change for importing Japanese vehicles. How quickly would this take effect, and does anyone think that I should wait before importing or just go ahead and do it.
With regards to the Delica itself, we are humming and hawing about whehter to try and get a manual or automatic. Any preferences out there? We both prefer manual but am not sure if there is any benefit/problems of going either way.
Additionally, can someone brake down the models for me? Exceed, SUper Exceed, Chamonix etc... and the feature set available for each. The crystal lite roof looks tempting but I am wondering if its going to be more trouble than its worth. (leaks/rust)
Lots and lots of questions.... We are not really car people and its kind of scary getting into this.
Anyway, Merry Christmas to all and hopefully we will be able to get a Delica soon.
Regards,
Kuan
Importing with Terra2Imports
Moderator: mark
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Green1
- Posts: 3257
- Joined: Wed Jul 19, 2006 9:18 pm
- Member's Photo Album: http://www.delica.ca/Photos/
- Vehicle: 1994 L400 Royal Exceed PF8W
- Location: Calgary Alberta Canada
- Contact:
I personally did not go with Terra2Imports because they wouldn't even talk to me unless I paid them a deposit... didn't leave me feeling comfortable...
Instead I went with JDM wholesale, who have been absolutely excellent so far and have definitely stood behind their product. communication has been great and they have gone a long way above and beyond what I expected of them.
as for the legislation change... someone was saying it could happen as early as february, however it has been "comming soon" for years, so it's hard to say "hold off for now" when it is never likely to get better (either it will change, or it won't, either way the THREAT of it changing is not ever likely to go away) your best bet may be to ask your importer flat out "what happens if I pay for a vehicle and the rules change and I get stranded?" find out if you'll be on the hook for it, or if they have some form of a plan (other than probably going out of business!)
I would expect that it's proabably not likely to change "overnight" I would expect that if they do change the rules they will say "as of [date] vehicles imported must be over 25 years" rather than "as of today" but I certainly can't gauruntee it!
as for manual vs automatic: most people seem to think it doesn't make much difference on this vehicle, the one big thing to note is that it is very difficult to find the manual ones, most are automatic.
models... this gets complicated... Exceed and Super Exceed are trim levels, Exceed being "high end" and Super Exceed being "top of the line" (sometime later they added a Royal Exceed that would be even higher) however the name itself doesn't tell you a whole lot, there are tons of options on these vehicles, and a fully optioned up Exceed will have more "toys" than a base model Super Exceed will. the Chamonix is a specific spec, it's supposedly designed for the outdoor enthusiast and has a different seat covering material as well as different floor mats, the Chamonix is only available as an 8 seater model (2 bench seats instead of 1 bench seat and 2 captains chairs in the back as in the 7 seater)
features are many: some of the common ones are sunroofs, crystal-lite roof, cool-box (fridge/food warmer located between the front seats), dash-pod with clinometer and altimeter (and some have a third pod I believe is a thermometer?), cold weather package includes dual batteries and block heater (sometimes) as well as a larger alternator, there are electric curtains in the rear... you get the idea, LOTS to choose from
Crystal lite roof, I think it's worth it, and they don't tend to leak (leaks are more common from the sunroof (and QUITE common there!))
for myself I knew I needed the high roof model, and figured I might as well get the crystal-lite while I was at it.
Merry Christmas! and good luck in your Delica Endeavours!
Instead I went with JDM wholesale, who have been absolutely excellent so far and have definitely stood behind their product. communication has been great and they have gone a long way above and beyond what I expected of them.
as for the legislation change... someone was saying it could happen as early as february, however it has been "comming soon" for years, so it's hard to say "hold off for now" when it is never likely to get better (either it will change, or it won't, either way the THREAT of it changing is not ever likely to go away) your best bet may be to ask your importer flat out "what happens if I pay for a vehicle and the rules change and I get stranded?" find out if you'll be on the hook for it, or if they have some form of a plan (other than probably going out of business!)
I would expect that it's proabably not likely to change "overnight" I would expect that if they do change the rules they will say "as of [date] vehicles imported must be over 25 years" rather than "as of today" but I certainly can't gauruntee it!
as for manual vs automatic: most people seem to think it doesn't make much difference on this vehicle, the one big thing to note is that it is very difficult to find the manual ones, most are automatic.
models... this gets complicated... Exceed and Super Exceed are trim levels, Exceed being "high end" and Super Exceed being "top of the line" (sometime later they added a Royal Exceed that would be even higher) however the name itself doesn't tell you a whole lot, there are tons of options on these vehicles, and a fully optioned up Exceed will have more "toys" than a base model Super Exceed will. the Chamonix is a specific spec, it's supposedly designed for the outdoor enthusiast and has a different seat covering material as well as different floor mats, the Chamonix is only available as an 8 seater model (2 bench seats instead of 1 bench seat and 2 captains chairs in the back as in the 7 seater)
features are many: some of the common ones are sunroofs, crystal-lite roof, cool-box (fridge/food warmer located between the front seats), dash-pod with clinometer and altimeter (and some have a third pod I believe is a thermometer?), cold weather package includes dual batteries and block heater (sometimes) as well as a larger alternator, there are electric curtains in the rear... you get the idea, LOTS to choose from
Crystal lite roof, I think it's worth it, and they don't tend to leak (leaks are more common from the sunroof (and QUITE common there!))
for myself I knew I needed the high roof model, and figured I might as well get the crystal-lite while I was at it.
Merry Christmas! and good luck in your Delica Endeavours!
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Kuan
- Posts: 323
- Joined: Sat Dec 23, 2006 4:24 pm
- Vehicle: 94' L400 SWB
- Location: Cowichan Station
- Location: Cowichan Valley
Thanks for the Response Green1.
I just got an email back from Luxury Imports in Calgary actually. Wayne wants 12-13000$ for low roof and upto $17000 for a high roof. He is only importing the top notch models though. The ones coming in only have 25,000-40,000 kms on them and seem to be pretty well taken care of.
Its a lot of money though, and almost double what I was expecting to have to pay. Then again, I don't want to pick up a model that needs a lot of work. I just don't have the time or knowledge to have it off the road for too long. We are a one car family and we would like to keep it that way.
I will check out JDM imports in the new year and see what they can do.
A lot of people on the forums seem to be importing rather than buying landed Delicas. How much are you saving? Just curious. Its a tough call for us. I almost would prefer to buy locally, with something that has a warranty just because our lack of knowledge at this time - but it seems like to make it worth while you need to put the work and risk into importing.
Happy Hols everyone
I just got an email back from Luxury Imports in Calgary actually. Wayne wants 12-13000$ for low roof and upto $17000 for a high roof. He is only importing the top notch models though. The ones coming in only have 25,000-40,000 kms on them and seem to be pretty well taken care of.
Its a lot of money though, and almost double what I was expecting to have to pay. Then again, I don't want to pick up a model that needs a lot of work. I just don't have the time or knowledge to have it off the road for too long. We are a one car family and we would like to keep it that way.
I will check out JDM imports in the new year and see what they can do.
A lot of people on the forums seem to be importing rather than buying landed Delicas. How much are you saving? Just curious. Its a tough call for us. I almost would prefer to buy locally, with something that has a warranty just because our lack of knowledge at this time - but it seems like to make it worth while you need to put the work and risk into importing.
Happy Hols everyone
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Green1
- Posts: 3257
- Joined: Wed Jul 19, 2006 9:18 pm
- Member's Photo Album: http://www.delica.ca/Photos/
- Vehicle: 1994 L400 Royal Exceed PF8W
- Location: Calgary Alberta Canada
- Contact:
**** EDIT: removing my recomendation for Luxury imports due to their recent change in attitude slandering the entire import process, flinging baseless accusations at other importers and exporters, and admission of illegal importing ****
importing vs buying landed: if you are using an importer, the price to import is nearly identical to buying a landed vehicle, the difference is selection, there aren't usually all that many landed ones to choose from, on the other hand, there's no long wait either, and you can inspect it yourself before you buy.
the only way you save money is if you handle the import yourself, and some people on here have taken that route, I personally didn't feel comfortable doing it, however if it's something you're comfortable with you can save somewhere in the range of 2-4 thousand dollars... so it's certainly not worth dismissing out of hand, but it does require more work on your part, and there is less certainty, it is especially difficult for people who don't live near a port where it will come in (like myself in alberta).
as for warranty, ask questions, JDM Wholesale has warranted mine pretty well (it broke down on the highway home (cracked head due to clogged radiator that was missed in initial inspection), they paid to tow it back, they paid my airfare home, they are paying all repairs, and then paying to ship it back out to me, even though I specifically declined the warranty when I picked it up! it has been excellent service.) I found out later from someone who imported from luxury imports that his warranty specifically excludes the head... and other warranties specifically exclude various things, make sure you understand what you are getting.
Happy Holidays, and good luck!
importing vs buying landed: if you are using an importer, the price to import is nearly identical to buying a landed vehicle, the difference is selection, there aren't usually all that many landed ones to choose from, on the other hand, there's no long wait either, and you can inspect it yourself before you buy.
the only way you save money is if you handle the import yourself, and some people on here have taken that route, I personally didn't feel comfortable doing it, however if it's something you're comfortable with you can save somewhere in the range of 2-4 thousand dollars... so it's certainly not worth dismissing out of hand, but it does require more work on your part, and there is less certainty, it is especially difficult for people who don't live near a port where it will come in (like myself in alberta).
as for warranty, ask questions, JDM Wholesale has warranted mine pretty well (it broke down on the highway home (cracked head due to clogged radiator that was missed in initial inspection), they paid to tow it back, they paid my airfare home, they are paying all repairs, and then paying to ship it back out to me, even though I specifically declined the warranty when I picked it up! it has been excellent service.) I found out later from someone who imported from luxury imports that his warranty specifically excludes the head... and other warranties specifically exclude various things, make sure you understand what you are getting.
Happy Holidays, and good luck!
Last edited by Green1 on Thu Mar 11, 2010 2:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Breadman
- Posts: 126
- Joined: Thu Jul 20, 2006 7:50 am
- Member's Photo Album: http://www.delica.ca/Photos/
- Location: Gabriola Island, BC
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argo
- Posts: 155
- Joined: Thu Aug 24, 2006 8:08 pm
- Member's Photo Album: http://www.delica.ca/Photos/
- Location: dingleberry
JDM
Demand for these vehicles has driven the price up, especially in the last few months. You 'll not likely be able to import, inspect and register a grade 4 for much less than $ 8,000.
From what I've seen, some of the curbsiders here are buying up average/below aveage grade vehicles and scabbing lights and reflecters on them before they flip them. If there is any question about the reputation,integrity of the local used car dealer, you may be better off finding an agent in japan who can hand pick a decent one for you. Sounds like there may not be enough time for that though.
Be wary of "low mileage vehicles" with a new injection pump. On a 15 year old vehicle there's likely not much difference between 30k and 100k. Whats more important is how well the thing has been maintained, how long [and where] it's been in storage.
The manual transmissions on Delicas are prone to premature input shaft bearing failure. Apparently this issue has been adressed on more current versions of the same gearbox.
good luck and merry Christmas!
From what I've seen, some of the curbsiders here are buying up average/below aveage grade vehicles and scabbing lights and reflecters on them before they flip them. If there is any question about the reputation,integrity of the local used car dealer, you may be better off finding an agent in japan who can hand pick a decent one for you. Sounds like there may not be enough time for that though.
Be wary of "low mileage vehicles" with a new injection pump. On a 15 year old vehicle there's likely not much difference between 30k and 100k. Whats more important is how well the thing has been maintained, how long [and where] it's been in storage.
The manual transmissions on Delicas are prone to premature input shaft bearing failure. Apparently this issue has been adressed on more current versions of the same gearbox.
good luck and merry Christmas!
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Kuan
- Posts: 323
- Joined: Sat Dec 23, 2006 4:24 pm
- Vehicle: 94' L400 SWB
- Location: Cowichan Station
- Location: Cowichan Valley
Hey Guys,
Thanks for all the input and feedback of your experiences. Its extremely helpful.
The mileage question was on my mind actually. At what mileage do things start to matter? I take your point about the vehicle being stored for 15 years, and storage conditions being more important.
I guess whichever way you slice it there is going to be some degree of risk involved. Argo, you mention "Sounds like there may not be enough time for that though". Are you refering to potential change in regulation?
Anyway, I don't want to overthink these things too much and I will see how it goes. I am still considering using Terra2imports as I think their policy and flat out fee makes a lot of sense.
I will let you know how it all goes. The need for a new home rainwater collection system may divert the bulk of our funds now so perhaps we won't be getting our dream machine anytime soon - and if they change the regulations.. ever. Oh well, its just a car!
Regards
Kuan
Thanks for all the input and feedback of your experiences. Its extremely helpful.
The mileage question was on my mind actually. At what mileage do things start to matter? I take your point about the vehicle being stored for 15 years, and storage conditions being more important.
I guess whichever way you slice it there is going to be some degree of risk involved. Argo, you mention "Sounds like there may not be enough time for that though". Are you refering to potential change in regulation?
Anyway, I don't want to overthink these things too much and I will see how it goes. I am still considering using Terra2imports as I think their policy and flat out fee makes a lot of sense.
I will let you know how it all goes. The need for a new home rainwater collection system may divert the bulk of our funds now so perhaps we won't be getting our dream machine anytime soon - and if they change the regulations.. ever. Oh well, its just a car!
Regards
Kuan
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argo
- Posts: 155
- Joined: Thu Aug 24, 2006 8:08 pm
- Member's Photo Album: http://www.delica.ca/Photos/
- Location: dingleberry
importing
Yes,I was referring to the impending changes in legislation. I'm always pessimistic about my government and how petty beurocrats can f%#k things up for the people like you and me who pay the bills in this country.
Hopefully things won't happen too quickly but you never can tell.
The mileage issue is a difficult one. If regularly serviced, anything under or near 100k should serve you well. Two of the worst things you can do to an engine are lugging and idling. Some of the traffic lights in Japan are ridiculously long, so drivers either shut thier engines off or idle them.
Hopefully things won't happen too quickly but you never can tell.
The mileage issue is a difficult one. If regularly serviced, anything under or near 100k should serve you well. Two of the worst things you can do to an engine are lugging and idling. Some of the traffic lights in Japan are ridiculously long, so drivers either shut thier engines off or idle them.
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delicanuck
- Posts: 144
- Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2006 5:20 pm
- Member's Photo Album: http://www.delica.ca/Photos/
- Location: North Vancouver B.C. Canada
Full service dealer in B.C. ?
Hi Kuan,
I bought my Deli from Abbotsford Japan Auto and they just got 4 more. The owner, Shinji, is also the mechanic and is an ex-Mitsubishi factory guy. He has or can get all the parts. He has all the manuals. Really knows the cars. Can get anything else your looking for. He just put an aftermarket stainless steel exhaust system on mine for less than a piece of Midas crap. He has ordered some replacement Delica door badges for me, $20 bucks. I have an '89 manual Exceed with a low roof that I paid $9600.00 for in excellent condition (one spot on the rug) and with a one year warranty. I chose low roof because I sometimes park in underground parkades and they are almost all 6 foot 8 inches in BC. One wrong turn with a crystal roof and you'll have a very tough problem to fix. I chose manual because this car really feels like you strap it to your ass and wear it rather than get into it, so manual shiftng just seems more..mmm.. intimate? You usually have a pretty good idea of what an automatic transmission is doing but you know what a manual is doing. The warrantee made a really big difference to me figuring that the dealer has to have a lot of faith in his work if he is going to offer a warrantee, especially if he is also the actual mechanic who will be doing the work.
I bought my Deli from Abbotsford Japan Auto and they just got 4 more. The owner, Shinji, is also the mechanic and is an ex-Mitsubishi factory guy. He has or can get all the parts. He has all the manuals. Really knows the cars. Can get anything else your looking for. He just put an aftermarket stainless steel exhaust system on mine for less than a piece of Midas crap. He has ordered some replacement Delica door badges for me, $20 bucks. I have an '89 manual Exceed with a low roof that I paid $9600.00 for in excellent condition (one spot on the rug) and with a one year warranty. I chose low roof because I sometimes park in underground parkades and they are almost all 6 foot 8 inches in BC. One wrong turn with a crystal roof and you'll have a very tough problem to fix. I chose manual because this car really feels like you strap it to your ass and wear it rather than get into it, so manual shiftng just seems more..mmm.. intimate? You usually have a pretty good idea of what an automatic transmission is doing but you know what a manual is doing. The warrantee made a really big difference to me figuring that the dealer has to have a lot of faith in his work if he is going to offer a warrantee, especially if he is also the actual mechanic who will be doing the work.
Brett,
89 Exceed,
There are really only 10 kinds of people in the world;
Those who understand binary and those who don't.
89 Exceed,
There are really only 10 kinds of people in the world;
Those who understand binary and those who don't.
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ccautos
- Posts: 530
- Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 11:25 am
- Member's Photo Album: http://www.delica.ca/Photos/
- Vehicle: 92 Delica SE
- Location: Coombs , BC
- Contact:
Delicas for sale
I prepare vehicles for Five Star Autos in Parksville who have several Delicas arriving within the next few weeks . Unlike some of the `dealers` in BC no deposit is required for vehicles . They are imported prepared for sale and then once everything is ready for canadian highway use they are put up for sale at less than most dealers are demanding . Vehicles can be viewed on our website at http://www.coombscountryautos.com .