Delica Review

[dere]

Hey everyone. I wrote a review of the Star Wagon. Give me your feedback on the review. I am a fan of the van and I have been on this site a few times.
I am a Japanese vehicle fan as well as a 4x4 fan.

Here is the link

http://pacificcoastjdm.com/review/mitsu ... astarwagon

[mararmeisto]

Good write-up.

Welcome to the group.

[FalcoColumbarius]

Good write-up, Dere.

Regarding feedback: I think the compression on the 4D56T is 23:1, not sure but something to look at. As to do with size ~ I measured it and the track is six inches narrower than a Chevy Z-71 4x4 pick-up. I thought it would be at least a foot but it is only six inches. I went to the transfer station and weighed my van: With me in it, tank almost empty, some painter's tools in the back and she weighed in at 2,350 kg. I have heard that they have a one tonne payload which I have not confirmed, however my van is designed to take eight people (including driver, passenger & six in the back), so there is half a tonne there to start with.

Good work and welcome to the group

Falco.

[jessef]

Welcome and nice write up.

The only comment I have is for this :

There is safety to think about being so close to the front of the vehicle but the Delica is equipped with a bush bar in the front to help with frontal impacts.

The bush bar in the front of the Delica L300's are actually very soft and do to help at all during a frontal impact.

Nice pop top !

[Green1]

The bush bar in the front of the Delica L300's are actually very soft and do to help at all during a frontal impact.

you know... people keep saying that, but all the pictures I've seen of front end damage pretty much prove the opposite...

[jessef]

The main bar is pretty solid.

It's the hollow wings that are butter soft. I pushed up against a tree and mine bent back without much difficulty.

Most of the frontal impacts I've seen on Delica's have been on the passenger side. There is no crumple zone and the only thing that is there as far as an impact point is the bull bar wing which will bend inwards (because it doesn't have any brace points) and push the hollow area (foot well in the cab) and crush it.

That's the place that I want to make imprevious to crushing (passenger cab area) as much as possible.

With a well designed steel bumper and the proper mount points, the bumper -> frame points will take the brunt of the collision as opposed to the hollow passenger footwell area.

[Todd64]

How do the L400's fair in a crash?

[jessef]

In some ways better than the L300 because of the crumple zones and air bags.

http://cartest.omega.kz/crash/mitsubishi_delica.html

More discussion :

http://www.delica.ca/forum/safety-ratin ... s-911.html

[FalcoColumbarius]

When I was at Josh's place in Smithers I was impressed at how well his old Delica stood up to a head on collision (Deli was doing 80 KPH, other vehicle was doing 60 KPH; spun around, hit another vehicle then landed in a ditch on her feet). The bambie bars frame had been compressed toward the vehicle body, I'm assuming they were supposed to do that.

I saw a Chamonix at CC Autos that looked as if she had hit a telephone pole or circular concrete support, no idea how fast she was going. The driver was safe. Had there been a passenger then perhaps a broken leg.

The only footage I have seen of a test crash was an L-300 (2WD) but not a Delica, no bambie bars.
http://www.ltsa.govt.nz/vehicles/ancap/ ... -2003.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpP06lotEuE

Here are more links to digest:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7g0uqoz_Tg
http://www.landtransport.govt.nz/cgi-bi ... +Starwagon
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/stor ... 53,00.html

Falco.

[dere]

Ｈｅｙ，　ｔｈａｎｋｓ　ｆｏｒ　ｔｈｅ　ｆｅｅｄｂａｃｋ．　Ｉ　ｗｉｌｌ　ｕｐｄａｔｅ　ｉｔ　ｗｉｔｈ　ｔｈｅ　ｉｎｆｏｒｍａｔｉｏｎ　I got.

All the stats I have are from a Japanese site that I believe to be accurate but I will double check the numbers.

Please let me know of anything else that can be added to improve it. I want to write up one on the L400 soon too so PM me if there is any info that would be nice for the L400. And to anyone who wants to know, no the Delica in the pic is not for sale but i am looking for other pics to replace it with. E-mail me if you have any. I will also need some for the L400 so once someone has one and gets some good pics I would be interested in seeing them

Thanks again and keep the comments coming.

[Erebus]

A couple of suggestions for possible correction: It appears you say that it is Front wheel drive/ 4 wheel drive. It is actually Rear wheel drive/4WD.

Also you imply that the limited slip rear diff is actually a locker, which I would take to mean something different. It is an LSD, not locker.

Other than that, nice write-up.

If you are editing, you could mention that the inside is big enough to put 4x8 sheets inside behind the front seats. It is 8'4" from the back of the front seats to the tailgate. Just fold the seats flat and in they go. Even most full size pickups nowadays can't carry 4x8s in the bed with the tailgate closed.