Delica Canada | Mitsubishi Van Club

Hi all,
What a great online community...as someone else posted, I've been "lurking" around on this site for the past week learning more about the world of the Delica! So many knowledgable enthusiasts!

I live in the Okanagan and my wife and I are eager to get out on the road to get to more of our first love of outdoors and hiking, but am getting too old for a tent and miss having something that has 4x4...the cars are not cutting it. The price and the options look pretty good...still trying to figure out if I can make a decent bed out of the vehicle for my bad back!-I see some ideas online here. Even for a lot more money (well, under 25k) I don't see anything that I really like that has the same options.

Given I am not a very mechanical person, per se, first concern I have is over servicing/repairing Delicas...I am not sure what the options are around the Okanagan, or if I head down to California on a normal road trip and need a repair...I'm wondering if I'd be in more trouble than if I had something else given it is a rarer import? Do regular Mitsubishi Dealers work on these? I'd be grateful for any realistic thoughts on this. I'd just feel pretty worried about buying a vehicle that I have trouble maintaining on even paved road trips in North America! It is clear many of the members here are really handy (or more!)-is that kind of par for the course with owning a Delica?

I guess the other thing I need to do is see some up close, anyone have any experience with a group near by here?:
http://www.jdmparts.ca/products.php?cat=14

Other question is about the comfort of the vehicle while driving...how's the ergonomics of the driving seat? Another thing I guess I need to check out myself, but interested in others' experiences.

Last question is regarding ICBC or other insurers in BC...how do these rank compared to other vehicles for insuring? I know it will depend on one's record, where you live, and what you use it for...I pay plenty for an older car so hoping it is about the same or less.

Again, great forum...grateful for any thoughts.

cheers JC

J.C. wrote:
Last question is regarding ICBC or other insurers in BC...how do these rank compared to other vehicles for insuring? I know it will depend on one's record, where you live, and what you use it for...I pay plenty for an older car so hoping it is about the same or less.

Welcome

I can't answer many of the other questions as our delica just arrived in port and we haven't actually picked it up yet...

But as for ICBC, at the moment the fact the delica is a right hand drive does not affect insurance (I checked before we bought one). Your insurance will depend on you record, where you live, and the value of the vehicle. It's the vehicle's value which is probably the hardest for them to determine, because there are not many delicas on the road.

The best way to see if a Delica is right for you is to take one for a test drive. Take your cheque book.

They are exceptionally comfortable, and I view them as doing many of the things that make Range Rovers so attractive.

My insurance (ICBC) is reasonable, and only slightly more than the 1986 Jetta Gumdrop replaced. Same coverage: collision, comprehensive, oodles of liability, maximum discount.

...laura

Thanks all, we'll await any other insights and opinions...had a funny conversation with our local Mitsubishi service desk today to see if they even service them locally in Kelowna...didn't sound like he was much of a fan and said 'when they break, they break'-whatever that means! But the sense I got from him was that none of the folks in their shop know much about servicing them and he said they struggle to order parts.

I'll give the shop up here in Armstrong a call and get their take on things as well.


cheers,
James