Prospective Delica Buyer

[ShaneA]

Hello all,

I'm enamored with the Delica. I'm a former VW Westfalia owner, I've had two. An '84 that had the head gaskets go, causing me to sell it because the repair costs put me in debt while I was a student. Later I had an '86 that was fantastic for me (had 5,000 km on a rebuilt engine when I bought it). My main concerns were that my kids were growing out of their car seats and the VW had no shoulder straps, and it was getting to the point where I'd be needing to put in some significant cash to keep it in top running condition. So I traded it in on a new Mazda 3.

I love the sportiness of the 3, but I really miss the functionality of the Westy. As my kids are getting older and into sports and having friends over, etc, I find the 3 is a bit tight on space. The Delica seems to be the perfect fit for me. I loved the over-the-wheel driving position in my Westy, so I'm sure I'll love the driving position of the L300. I'm hoping to get some time to meet up with Mardy soon, so I can determine if a Delica is truly the right fit.

A couple of questions for some of you, how many of you park your Delis in parkades? My building has 6'10 clearance so I think I'll be able to fit in (my Westy fit in my old building that had 6'8 clearance). The biggest issue I see is climbing over to the passenger side to fob into the security gate. Does anyone on here have to do that?

Also, I've read a number of topics regarding auto vs manual, is the auto really that much better? I've always driven manual and I just don't think I can make the switch. The Delis for sale seem to be a majority of autos, is that just because most people that import them prefer the auto, or were they built predominantly as autos?

Thanks, I hope to see you on the road soon.

Shane

[MardyDelica]

Hi, shane, i do have delica with low roof on it. very low mileage in my yard in Richmond.
you need low roof for your height clearance.
call me if you need to see it. inside is in mint condition. no rust under very good condition.
call me anytime ; 604720-6144
Cheers;
Mardy

[josh]

A couple of questions for some of you, how many of you park your Delis in parkades? My building has 6'10 clearance so I think I'll be able to fit in (my Westy fit in my old building that had 6'8 clearance). The biggest issue I see is climbing over to the passenger side to fob into the security gate. Does anyone on here have to do that?

Shane,

the width of and height of the delica usually make reaching across it rather painless (or perhaps i am to easy to please)... so i dont think to reach over to fob will be a huge deal.

Also, I've read a number of topics regarding auto vs manual, is the auto really that much better? I've always driven manual and I just don't think I can make the switch. The Delis for sale seem to be a majority of autos, is that just because most people that import them prefer the auto, or were they built predominantly as autos?

I think autos are more popular. I have owned both autos and standards, and would only ever get an auto in the diesel version. I have always driven standard before, but I find the gearing is so much better in an auto. Of course like many will protest, it all comes down to preference.

I am sure you will enjoy either... good luck in the search, and welcome aboard.

Josh

[ShaneA]

Hi, shane, i do have delica with low roof on it. very low mileage in my yard in Richmond.
you need low roof for your height clearance.
call me if you need to see it. inside is in mint condition. no rust under very good condition.
call me anytime ; 604720-6144
Cheers;
Mardy

Hi Mardy,

I've been meaning to call you, but I've gotten super busy at work.

Looking at the info I've found online, isn't the crystal roof Delica 6'6" high and the low roof around 6'2", is that correct? I know my Westfalia I had was around 6'6" and I had no problem getting into my old building parkade even with the long wheelbase of the Westy.

I'd much prefer a crystal roof if at all possible to get it in my parking. I have no plans for any roof rack or other rooftop accessories.

Thanks,
Shane

[Artacoma]

My crystal lite super exceed is about 6' 10" with no lift

[DEL BiG RiG]

Hello Shane,
I too had a westy years ago and loved it, but the truth is if I could have bought a delica then, I would have. I don't think you will be dissapointed with your decesion. I am an exporter living in Japan and also run a ski lodge here. I have all but stopped the export business and now export only on demand. I love the delica and our lifted crystal lite is our flagship vehicle for our Black Diamond Lodge here in Niseko. A good 5-speed (one that was well maintained and driven well) will give you plenty of power when you need it. The advantage of the low roof is that it sometimes comes with a sunroof option which is massive and opens all the way. If you can wait 2 months, buying direct from Japan is usually your cheapest option. We test drive and bring our vehicles in for a mechanical before we send them and have a contact in Canada if you feel uneasy about anything. At the moment, I have a 1994 crystal lite limited edition (actually not sure what makes it a limited edtion but it is) with 66,000kms in very nice condition. If you would like to see some pics, please let me know.

[ShaneA]

My crystal lite super exceed is about 6' 10" with no lift

Wow, really? I didn't think they were that high. Guess it's a low roof for me, or I park it on the street. That's too bad, I really do prefer the look of the crystal roof, but maybe if I can find one with a big sunroof that would be good.

Shane

[josh]

My crystal lite super exceed is about 6' 10" with no lift

My lowroof is over 8' (thats with the 31's, and rooftent)... am i the tallest? lol. It's a good thing I dont live in the city.

Oh and by the way, even with that height and the weight of the spare/rtt, it is remarkably stable. Just tossing that out there for anyone who is concerned with tippyness.

Josh

[ShaneA]

I've found a couple of Delicas for sale that I'm making arrangements to look at tomorrow (and hopefully see what Mardy has as well):
http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/cto/1140852654.html
http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/cto/1152444467.html

The super exceed sounds like a great deal with all the recent work that has gone into it, but I'm still very tempted by the manual transmission. The manual exceed sounds great, with (unbelievably?) low kms on it. Are the extras that come with the "Super" that much better? Both vehicles look great in the photos to me, and color doesn't really matter.

Any suggestions on specific things to look out for on the Delica, besides the usual stuff you'd look for on any used vehicle? Any suggestions on where to take one for a pre-purchase inspection in Vancouver? I've heard mention of CVI...

Opinions appreciated,
Shane

[TardisDeli]

Hi ShaneA,

My normal high roof is exactly 7 feet at its tallest spot which is about 3/4 of the way aft. No lift, but 30 inch tires (no modifications needed for 30). Smaller tires are 29 inch, so only 1 inch lower, sounds like you need a low roof.

I see you read my reply to the other posting on stability (excellent stability), in which I also commented on differences between standard and automatic, so won't repeat here.

Mardy is highly recommended by many on this site, and he has a low roof in stock, so go check him out. Mardy is very thorough in his vehicle prep, and very helpful in explaining the different models and making sure you get the best vehicle. Please beware buying from an unknown private internet seller.

Cheers, Christine.

[ShaneA]

I'm thinking I'd prefer to have the crystal lite roof and park outside rather than forcing a low roof model into my parkade.

I am starting to lean more towards the auto now, mainly because of the lack of parts that would be available for a manual transmission repair. The bigger tanks and higher final gear ratio are nice, but not that big of a deciding factor for me.

Of course I really just need to get inside of a few different Delicas so I can see what I really want. That's part of the reason I'm searching on the net for Delicas for sale. I'm not in any rush to buy one, and may end up going through Mardy to import a specific vehicle for me.

All I've decide so far is it must be a model that has the shoulder strap seat belts in the rear. Leaning towards Super Exceed and/or crystal lite roof. Still undecided upon transmission.

Shane

[josh]

Shane,

I thought you should take a look at this http://www.delica.ca/forum/delica-model ... s-857.html before you make a decision on what trim level you are stuck on. This shows what options are available with what trim packages. You can end up with a trim level "Exceed" that has many more options than a " Super Exceed".

Anyhow, have fun searching for a Delica.

Josh

[ShaneA]

Thanks Josh,

I did read that thread. It sounds like the interior quality is generally better in the super exceed. I like the chrome bull bars and the karaoke system sounds "interesting" (I do love my karaoke) if it actually works.

I'm hoping to have some time over the next week or so to get a good look at some different models. It all sounds good on paper, but I really need to see it, get inside and play around.

Shane