Feed Back on Mitsubishi DELICA

**nicolodeon** · June 15th, 2005 10:05 AM

I've been a Delica owner for the past couple of months. So far, I've no complaints. Except for that accident where a truck plowed through my left side (I was waiting for it to pass so I can go inside my driveway), I've not been involved in an accident. I always practice safe and defensive driving. I also have my common sense hat firmly placed on top of my head everytime, not to mention my "haba ng pasensya" jacket.

I always believe that half of the safety factor of driving a vehicle depends on the driver and his/her driving style. Even if the vehicle being driven is full of safety gear, a dumb-ass driver can involve it in an accident sometime in the future.

It always pays to know the capacities and limitations of a vehicle. It would be stupid to drive a vehicle that has a high center of gravity (as with the Delica) like a car. Take the taubin tag for example. Sometime back, we were three cars behind a Delica that had skidded on its side. This happened when he tried to negotiate the turn above the Ortigas flyover. From my estimates, the driver took the turn going down at around 55-60kph. Since the Deli has a high center of gravity, his sudden turning move at that speed would really turn the van on it's side. IMO, any van, SUV or AUV that has a high center of gravity that takes that turn at that speed would have a pending accident at hand. Even a car (unless it's slung low like a true sports car) would have the tendency to fishtail while negotiating a turn at high speeds. For skeptics, go ahead and try it: hit that Ortigas flyover turn at 60kph, and when you “feel” you might hit the side railing, swerve the vehicle in the appropriate direction. See what would happen. When I drive along the freeway, I often see Delicas zip by me at high speeds and see them zigging and zagging. Tsk. Bad driving habit. One mistake, the van won’t forgive them.

Now as for being a "bane of the roads", well that's really a good debatable topic - considering that a lot of motorists and a lot of the commuting public think that motorcycles and SUVs (that have sirens and boss their way around the highways) are the bane of the roads. Much like most car owner think that tricycles, pedicabs, jeepneys, buses, trucks and what have you are “the bane of the roads”. Keep in mind that a vehicle is as only as safe/unsafe, good/bad as the person who drives it. So, with this said, it is the unsafe and “uneducated” driver that is “the bane of the roads”, not the vehicle. One might ask: “Okay then, how about those dilapidated vehicles or those vehicles that have serious mechanical problems but still are on the roads, aren’t they the bane of the roads?” My answer would be NO: it is the owner and/or the driver of the vehicle that should be the “bane of the roads”. Alam na nilang may serious structural and mechanical problems yung sasakya eh pinabyahe pa nila. Sa ganitong sitwasyon, hindi sasakyan yung may diprensya: yung may-ari o kaya yung drayber nung sasakyan. BTW, bane is "salot" in Tagalog.

As for the price (local vs. converted), well it depends. If the would-be van owner would have extra money to spare after some time, then yes, he/she should get a local van. This has always been my position on this topic. However, a "few thousand difference" would have different meanings to different people, in different domestic/financial situations. For people who are always operating on a tight budget, this “few thousand difference” could mean a lot. For example, family of six can use the "few thousand" for, say, added budget to their vacation, which could be the main reason why they are in the market for a van that would fit their budget. Remember the saying: different strokes for different folks.

Yes, the left-side sliding door is a safety problem. There's no way around that except probably to always remind the passenger(s) to look from left to right before going down. As for myself, I always make it a point to go down first and see my passengers off so I can somehow see to it that they would be safe.

So, to the could-be Delica owner: if you would have money to spare within a few months time, then I recommend that you wait it out and get a local van, not a converted one. Always keep in mind that a local van is much better than a converted unit. However, if you're not foreseeing any additional source of funds to buy a local van, then go ahead and buy the van if your choice, whether it’s a Delica, a Vanette, an Escapade or a Grace. Just familiarize yourself with what you are buying: the capabilities and the limitations, as well as being familiar with its conversion history (what conversions were made, reliability of the conversion, etc. - this topic is for another thread). Your decision on what vehicle you should buy should be based on the reputation of the vehicle (which should always be based on solid research and good leg-work that yourself should make), your financial capacity, as well as your needs and personal tastes. Don’t mind us here - we’re just throwing ideas in the pot. You’re the one whose gonna have to make a decision, not us.

A Delica is a farm horse, not a thoroughbred. Don't expect a farm horse to run like a thoroughbred. It would be dumb to drive fast on the road and perform left-to-right swerves on that vehicle. If you do, you would be in trouble. The van won't forgive you. Come to think of it, it is dumb to drive fast and do left-to-right swerves in any vehicle. Know the capacities and limitations of the vehicle so you would have ideas on how the vehicle would perform. Always practice safe and defensive driving.

Lastly, always wear that common sense hat when you hit the streets.

Happy motoring.

**voltscastillo** · June 15th, 2005 12:55 PM

Originally Posted by nicolodeon

A Delica is a farm horse, not a thoroughbred. Don't expect a farm horse to run like a thoroughbred. It would be dumb to drive fast on the road and perform left-to-right swerves on that vehicle. If you do, you would be in trouble. The van won't forgive you. Come to think of it, it is dumb to drive fast and do left-to-right swerves in any vehicle. Know the capacities and limitations of the vehicle so you would have ideas on how the vehicle would perform. Always practice safe and defensive driving.

Lastly, always wear that common sense hat when you hit the streets.

Happy motoring.

hehe, well said.

**bilog** · June 15th, 2005 01:19 PM

lf you want a delica take good care of the van so it will take care of you...

Do not try to race it for it is not a sports car.(taubin nga kasi because of high center of gravity)

**nikko m** · June 15th, 2005 01:35 PM

we also heve delica vans in our prov. and it served as well,especially when we need to transport people on rough roads (not our personal cars),matibay naman and 4x4 na,but we do our own conversion,and its in the prov.so medyo ok lang,but in the city,i would still recommend a local unit.

**antonmace** · June 15th, 2005 01:44 PM

nicolodeon is rigth, nsa driver yan. basta ingat lng s pagmamaneho.

**samson** · June 15th, 2005 09:52 PM

Mga Bro,
Ano po ba yong sinasabi nyong delicado pag-converted ang isang sasakyan?? Ano po ba ang ma-aaring mang-yari sa isang sasakyan habang natakbo at mag-karoon ng trouble???

**pitbullz** · June 16th, 2005 12:22 AM

sirain daw transmission...

ok lang naman converted so long as kit ang ginamit at di improvised

**pitbullz** · June 16th, 2005 12:24 AM

suzuki APV ka na lang

**rhops** · June 16th, 2005 08:51 AM

* nickolodeon ditto on your thoughts

I have a Deli fo over a year now so far it has served me well. Up to a 100 kph lang top speed na naabot ko on a straight line and talagang nakakatakot na (kasi nga mataas) oks sya cruising at 70 to 80 pero making turns talaga menor ka dapat. Kung sa passenger side naman meron ako nakitang Deli before na 2 door (passenger) yung tipong pang delivery, kaya lang very plain ang loob. Anyway just my honest input, ikaw na bahala mag process kung ano talaga bagay sa iyo and ur family

**pajerokid** · June 16th, 2005 10:25 AM

Very well put nicolodeon. Honestly I've never been a fan of converted vehicles. But yes, our opinions serve only as opinions. The would-be van owner, after all, has a better picture of the overall situation and the final say on the matter. Be it that I may not like converted cars, i dont hate them. And as far as safety is concerned, it's the responsibility of the owner to make sure that the conversion is done well. Do this and I believe you'll get a pretty satisfactory car!