reassurances and/or reality checks for a potential owner
Posted: Mon May 10, 2010 1:33 am
After so many hours researching these vehicles and telling myself I am just gonna go ahead and get one, I am still not 100% convinced.
I am well aware that as a 15 year old diesel vehicle, they are gonna need some TLC and regular maintenance. I am pretty handy, but far from a mechanic, so I imagine I will be able to handle some things, be capable of learning a few new things, but will still have to get a real mechanic to sort out more significant issues.(hopefully over the years though, I could become much more self sufficient in that area)
One of my concerns in that department is that I am in Sask, and likely I should talk to some of the Sask owners on here about their experiences/recommendation on worthy mechanics in SK to see how big of a concern that really is...It would seem parts could be sourced via a few different means, most likely via shipping from BC.
This leads me to another concern--if I need to have parts shipped, that will likely mean that my ride would be sitting for periods of time. I would like to use this as my sole vehicle so that would be far from ideal.
If I do take the plunge, would likely be contacting Mardy or one of the other highly recommended dealers to make my Delica dreams come true. In researching this forum, I have compiled a bit of a list of all the common things that seem to need repair/replacing. How many extra $ would one be likely lookin at spending to have a really thorough servicing done on an L400?(pre-emptive replacements of likely future issues and the like)..
If one was to spend that money and get one from Mardy or comparable, would it be reasonable to expect that I had a "reliable" ride and could get by with regular maintenance and the odd minor issue that wouldnt likely result in neccessitating the vehicle being unusable for periods of time? Or would the possibility of it still being a "lemon" or a "money pit" still exist?
Or put another way, would it be any more likely to leave me "vehicle-less" while needing repairs than any other older used vehicle?
Theoretically, this vehicle should be a no-brainer, but I have made impulsive decisions in the past that have bit me in the ass, and I would not like to make one that could possibly be much more financially painful. (I do realise the problems with these vans are amplified in a forum of this nature---just looking for some reassurance or reality checks as to my interpretation of Delica ownership) (further note: "impulsive" might not be the appropriate word to use above, as after the countless hours i have spent on these deli sites, i should have no further questions!)
Thanks for your input, appreciated.
S
I am well aware that as a 15 year old diesel vehicle, they are gonna need some TLC and regular maintenance. I am pretty handy, but far from a mechanic, so I imagine I will be able to handle some things, be capable of learning a few new things, but will still have to get a real mechanic to sort out more significant issues.(hopefully over the years though, I could become much more self sufficient in that area)
One of my concerns in that department is that I am in Sask, and likely I should talk to some of the Sask owners on here about their experiences/recommendation on worthy mechanics in SK to see how big of a concern that really is...It would seem parts could be sourced via a few different means, most likely via shipping from BC.
This leads me to another concern--if I need to have parts shipped, that will likely mean that my ride would be sitting for periods of time. I would like to use this as my sole vehicle so that would be far from ideal.
If I do take the plunge, would likely be contacting Mardy or one of the other highly recommended dealers to make my Delica dreams come true. In researching this forum, I have compiled a bit of a list of all the common things that seem to need repair/replacing. How many extra $ would one be likely lookin at spending to have a really thorough servicing done on an L400?(pre-emptive replacements of likely future issues and the like)..
If one was to spend that money and get one from Mardy or comparable, would it be reasonable to expect that I had a "reliable" ride and could get by with regular maintenance and the odd minor issue that wouldnt likely result in neccessitating the vehicle being unusable for periods of time? Or would the possibility of it still being a "lemon" or a "money pit" still exist?
Or put another way, would it be any more likely to leave me "vehicle-less" while needing repairs than any other older used vehicle?
Theoretically, this vehicle should be a no-brainer, but I have made impulsive decisions in the past that have bit me in the ass, and I would not like to make one that could possibly be much more financially painful. (I do realise the problems with these vans are amplified in a forum of this nature---just looking for some reassurance or reality checks as to my interpretation of Delica ownership) (further note: "impulsive" might not be the appropriate word to use above, as after the countless hours i have spent on these deli sites, i should have no further questions!)
Thanks for your input, appreciated.
S