Newbie in Langley

[Kent]

Hey all. Presently lusting after one of these machines. My wife and I have a 19 month old and another due in October. We currently drive a Honda Fit and like it for many reasons but obviously it'll be a bit tight with two car seats in the back. We'll wait and see what gives!

[delicat]

Hi Kent and welcome!

Go ahead, read from this forum, ask questions... and you'll never regret considering a Delica for your family. We have 2 young kids as well and these vans are awesome.

Enjoy!
David

[Kent]

Thanks! Do you have any experience using car seats and if so, do you have the captain seats in the back or the bench type? Just curious as to what other's experiences are and what to look for when we're ready to buy.

I notice in your profile that you lowered your Delica? Any chance that had to do with accommodating underground parking? Do you know how high your vehicle is? We're in that particular senerio and not sure yet how to proceed - High roof, park on the street; low roof, hope it fits!

[delicat]

I have the captain chairs and they easily fit baby seats. There's a few post on this if you search deep enough... Just search Child Seat, Baby Seat, Tether anchor... Here's one to get you started:

http://www.delica.ca/forum/baby-car-sea ... t=car+seat

One thing to keep in mind is that you only get 3 point seat belts at the back with the late model '91. Make sure to read the FAQ section, tons of useful info there.

If you have time, a bunch of us are meeting up this Sunday morning at the Tomahawk restaurant in North Van. You could talk to owners and compare models as well, best way to get acquainted with one of these beasts...

Cheers,
David

[Kent]

Thanks for the advice. Unfortunately I'm only in town on Thursdays and Fridays due to work but I appreciate the invite.

[tonydca]

Hi Kent and welcome!

Go ahead, read from this forum, ask questions... and you'll never regret considering a Delica for your family. We have 2 young kids as well and these vans are awesome.

Enjoy!
David

X2 - I traded in my Toyota Corolla "Ol' reliable" for an L400 last November, and haven't looked back. They are frickin' kid magnets. The first time my boys (9 and 5 at the time) saw one, they got in, buckled themselves in and refused to get out!!

Safety-wise, what they lack in airbags, they compensate for in sheer mass. They are a bit like a bulldog - smallish but dense. With my full clan of four, plus a full tank of fuel and no extra gear, the truck weigh scales on the #1 highway put me at exactly 5000 lbs (2270 kg).

I would have liked the bells and whistles of the high roof models, but my building parkade is 6'6" clearance. My low-roof with stock suspension and tires is around 6'4" and the narrow-ness of the body makes parking a dream.

Easy driving around town, visibility is great (some say L300 is better; there are pros and cons for both - lotsa threads on that point!), super on the rougher stuff, simple and rugged to run - the best vehicle I could have wanted.

The biggest downside difference you'll notice vs. your Fit is fuel consumption (obviously); I average a little over 12l/100kms mixed city/hwy.

Drop me a line if you plan to be near Kits and you're welcome to take mine for a spin. My work schedule is pretty flexible so I'm around home quite a bit. My parents live out near Willowbrook Mall in Langley/Cloverdale so I am sometimes in that neck of the woods too.

Tony.

[Kent]

Thanks Tony. I'll keep it in mind. I appreciate your generosity.

[fear4fun]

If you are still looking, I'm in Abbotsford and you are welcome to come drive mine as well. I also have car seats for 3 in mine!!