Delica Canada | Mitsubishi Van Club

Hi,

I'm looking to buy a used 4WD vehicle primarily for winter driving here in Calgary - ski trips, the Christmas trek to Vancouver, tooling around the city. I was thinking of a lease-return Nissan X-Trail (decent little SUV that can be had for around $15k) but then realized a Delica might be the ticket. Cheaper, more room, step right from the curb to the driver's seat so avoid the slush, and huge cool points from the manga-obsessed ten-year-old daughter.

So if anyone's driven a Delica (either L300 or L400 if I've done my research right - would prefer the latter) through an Alberta winter, I'd love to hear from you. My concerns are handling on icy roads, cold-weather starts, and whether maintenance and finding parts becomes an unloved and time-consuming hobby. Also retrofitting with heated seats - once you've had them, there's no going back.

Happy to pick one up in Vancouver if need be, we have family there.

Thanks,

Scott

This is just my oppinion but if your main concern is for winter driving, get a Subaru. That's what I have, beside my L300. Living in Banff, I see more 4X4 in the ditch then any other vehicles...

Good luck!

That might be an expected result given that 4X4s seem to be the majority of vehicles in Alberta!

But yes, I did wonder if these were suited to winter roads (with proper winter tires, of course), or if an AWD station wagon or CUV would be a better bet, as they'd be a bit lower-slung.

Willing to hear other opinions, however.

Thanks,

Scott