L300 search, hitting walls. Advice wanted..!

[nvanadm]

Lacerta,

We also bought our Delica from Mardy when we were living in N.Van, BC. We now live in Ontario and it's been 1 1/2 years since our purchase. Besides routine maintenance, we haven't HAD to do any extra service to the van. We did however have the turbo rebuilt for fun before we left BC and had a block heater installed (recommended). Other than that, it's been flawless!

Point of this post though is that my wife and I will be doing an East Coast road trip this summer and if you are still undecided by July/August you are more than welcome to test drive our L300 when we roll through PEI.

Adam

[Lacerta]

Lacerta,

We also bought our Delica from Mardy when we were living in N.Van, BC. We now live in Ontario and it's been 1 1/2 years since our purchase. Besides routine maintenance, we haven't HAD to do any extra service to the van. We did however have the turbo rebuilt for fun before we left BC and had a block heater installed (recommended). Other than that, it's been flawless!

Point of this post though is that my wife and I will be doing an East Coast road trip this summer and if you are still undecided by July/August you are more than welcome to test drive our L300 when we roll through PEI.

Adam

That is a very kind and amazing offer, thank you very much .

I might actually be waiting till around that time anyways, I got all the details worked out (insurance, possible mechanics, ect) but work is a bit shaky right now so I'll have to hold out for a bit longer. Decided with the family that we are all going to fly up and grab it together, and make a family trip of it driving back. Cant wait for that..!

Certainly though, the chance to see a Delica on hand will not only help my decision between an L300 or L400, but help convince the family that it wont be a trip wasted.

Keep me posted, I would love to take you up on that offer whenever you make the trip :3.

[tinykiss]

Don't come onto the forum too much between work and kids....

I think we have been emailing already but you are welcome to come see mine and take it for a spin. Just need to work out a good time......

Oh and I have seen 1 Delica in Halifax, but haven't been able to track them down to find out where they get their work done. Could be just passing through too I guess....I found someone in Truro that has never worked on them before other than doing an oil change for me, but works on Imports...mostly VW.

TK

[Lacerta]

Yes, we have been emailing. Would be quite expensive to get a deli to Truro for repairs though. There is a few kei trucks in the area, I can find out who works on those, there is also a few specialty diesel mechanics around also that I have yet to ask. Even if I cannot find one locally, good to know I do have a fallback if I ever need it :3, basic repairs I can handle myself also.

Both you and "nvanadm" have been kind enough to offer a look at the Deli, and hopefully I will be able to take up the offer from both of you.

Still have to get the final details worked out if I decide to get one, which is really just the decision between shipping it to Moncton VIA rail or flying to BC with the family and then driving it back, when this will happen, what van I'll have on hold and such has yet to be sorted out.

Hopefully by next year I'll have enough money for the North American east coast road trip I'm planning too, excited to see some buddies down in the states with a rad Delica on hand

[Erebus]

Another possible source for a test drive is Miloki of this forum. If memory serves, she lives in Halifax. She bought a Delica from someone in Calgary. Green1 and I looked at it to give her a Delica owner's perspective on what the particular Delica was like. She then flew here, picked it up, and drove home. Good excuse for a cross-country trip!

[Lacerta]

Alright, I may look her up sometime if I don't get a chance to see any others

Plans have changed again for me though, due to the fact that my family is excessively busy this summer as well as I don't have the heart to give up my current truck at this point. Part of getting the Delica was making a family trip out of it, so it wont be happening this time, possibly as far as early next year.

Though I have been in talks with a dealer in Calgary about grabbing a Kei for this year, it will give me a chance to take a cheaper dive into the RHD community (get experience with insurance, repair, ect), have a trip of my own, and maybe get a chance to see a few Delis in Calgary. The Kei will be a summer car only and a Delica would be a replacement for my main car, so I am still cautious to replace my day to day workhorse.

Its a slow process, but I will be finding the right deli sometime in the future

Fingers crossed, and still only a wanabe

~Lac

[crushers]

you asked for advice so here goes:

no matter who you buy from allow a budget and time frame that will accept an oops on the road.
you have to remember you are buying a vehicle that is unknown to most shops in Canada so if you take the #1 home there is a LOT of space between cities and towns for huge tow bills, shops that you will be paying for them to LEARN how to work on your vehicle, motel rooms to pay for should anything happen.
i am not trying to talk you out of the drive, i have driven from Vancouver to Ontario a number of times and enjoyed it a lot. i am saying to be cautious.

so, you have roughly 10000 km to cover (give or take 1000). in a delica at 110 it will take you roughly 90 hours or 9 X 10 hour days.
you will want to eat at least 2 times a day so 20 meals at $10 each (you will be tipping right?) $200
you will go through roughly 1250 L of fuel at $1 a litre depending. $1250
unless you like to stink while you drive you will be grabing at least 5 motel rooms at $65 each $325

time off work, after all if you ship by train you can still make money working. 2 weeks at what ever your income is...

so $1775 to drive across the country plus time off work and any toll roads, break downs, flats, etc.

up to you either way, it isn't my money, time or stress.

one thing about it, you will either LOVE your delica when you get home or hate it.