Mitsubishi Delica D5 - The most UNDERRATED people mover?

It looks like it's something that you'd find in the discount bin at your local kitchen warehouse. Now I know Adam loves these, but I don't and I'll tell you why. It's because they're not on a proper four-wheel drive chassis. It's not a progero underneath like the old Delicas. This thing is on an Outlander subframe. It's a sheep in sheep's clothing. And mechanically, they can have some issues. Unlike so many other people movers in this category, I'm not feeling any sense of depression driving it. Now look, before we get into this, we've got some massive news. You've been asking for it. We're finally doing it. We're having our very first Cars and Coffee. It's going to be on Sunday, December 7th at Shannon's in Artarmen in Sydney. This is a completely free event. Everybody in the general public can come along and we've already got a bunch of amazing cars already lined up. It's going to be awesome. Yeah, and later that night, also at Shannon's in Artarmen, we're having our very first live ticketed event with our good mate and auto expert, John Cadogan. That's right. We're going to be talking new cars, used cars, the car industry, some behind-the-scenes stories. There's also going to be a whole Q&A section so we can answer your burning questions. Now tickets are limited and selling fast, so click the link below and get yours now. Don't miss out. Okay, could this be the ultimate Swiss army knife of cars? The best jack-of-all-trades vehicle that money can buy? Or is it just a quirky grey import from Japan that isn't worth the hassle? Well, that's what we are here to find out and that means digging through the pros and cons. And how about we start with one of the biggest cons first? You guessed it. It's the CVT. Now, look, not all Delacar in Australia come with a CVT. The 2.3 litre turbo diesel models come with a more traditional automatic transmission, but the majority on the used market are going to be petrol-powered and four-wheel drive and that means they have one of these bloody things. Now, Jim, our resident mechanic, will expand on all of the mechanical issues these things can suffer from in a second, but if you're buying one or even if you own one, feel for any sense of juddering or vibration or clunkiness as it changes gears or any weird sounds. If it does any of those things, not a good sign. Also, I've got a question for you and it's a question that one of our members had. Is it pronounced Delica or Delica? I've never been able to decide. I think I've always called them Delicas. Maybe I should just call it a D5 from now on. Look, anyway, another thing to check is select four-wheel drive and hear and feel how it selects. It should be nice and smooth and pretty much silent. If it's clunky and horrible, again, not a good sign. These don't use the same super selective four-wheel drive system as you'll find in the previous Pajero-based models. This system can still select between two-wheel drive, four-wheel drive and it has centre diff lock controls, but there's no low-range transfer case or rear lockers as standard. Actually, another one of our members, Ezzaleo, wanted to know how off-road capable are these just in standard trim? Well, you know what? They're actually pretty bloody good. There are plenty of YouTube videos out there showing what these can do off-road. It's just important to remember that they're not as mechanically hardcore as even the previous generation Delica and hopefully the previous owners have recognised that because, look, you don't want to become the victim of their off-roading abuse. Actually, one of the best ways to see if a car has been mistreated is to climb underneath and look for any signs of damage. A few little scratches here and there are to be expected, but any giant hits or signs of abuse, yeah, not good. Also, while you're under here, look for any signs of rust or corrosion. Chances are it's going to be fine, but if a D5 has spent any time as a, let's say, a shuttle bus for a hotel in a Japanese ski resort, rust and corrosion can be an issue. Also, the headlights. Owners have complained that some of the lower spec and earlier models, they just have halogens fitted as standard and they do a crap job. There are aftermarket LED kits available, or you can just swap them out for a later model or higher spec headlight that should give you more light. Although this opens up another potential can of worms and that is just getting parts for these. See, being a grey import, if you need any D5 specific parts like these headlights or body panels, anything like that, you can't exactly just pop down to your local Mitsubishi dealership to get some spare parts. Even when it comes to simple repairs or maintenance or even servicing, plenty of owners have complained that their local repair joints and mechanic's workshops won't even look at these. However, do your homework because under this big boxy cabin lies pretty much the same platform and running gear and mechanicals as the locally delivered Mitsubishi Outlander. So plenty of the mechanical components are shared with Aussie local models and therefore should be affordable and readily available. Plus, there are some awesome importers out there that will help you source D5 specific parts. We've worked with Colton Classic and GoGarage and they're both awesome. Actually, we have made a full import guide video. The link for that is down below. It should answer most of your questions. But if you are looking at importing one of these, speak to the experts first. We know of Delicas that have been stuck in compliance for months due to illegal accessories being fitted from Japan or the kilometers not being in the specific range that they need to be. Even the seating configuration not being legal for its specific region. Plus, unless you speak and read Japanese fluently or are maybe at expert levels on Google Translate, depending on the trim spec and the iteration, the infotainment systems, they might be a bit of a pain point too. Now look, for some models, sorting this is as simple as just popping the screen out and fitting a new aftermarket screen and you're sorted. However, some other models, they can incorporate things like the power folding mirrors and the cameras and a whole host of other things into the infotainment system. So it can be a bigger faff around to replace it. And also, for some of the more recent updated models, their infotainment systems, they can be converted to English via the native interface. But the problem is, even when they're at their best, they still suck. The interface itself isn't intuitive and the whole thing just feels generations old already. Actually, you know what? No matter what iteration of the standard infotainment systems, the touchscreens can be completely unresponsive to use. They can have Bluetooth and phone connectivity dropouts. The whole thing just feels slow and laggy. Honestly, they're just ----. You know what? Just do what plenty of owners recommend and budget for an entire new infotainment system. Okay, it might cost you a thousand dollars or more, but trust us, it is totally worth it. Also, some examples will come with a premium Rockford Fosgate sound system and they can sound bloody good. Although in saying that, if you just upgraded the speakers and maybe fitted an amp as well, that system will blow the Rockford Fosgate system out of the water. And like the import guide video, we've also made a full video on infotainment and sound system stuff. To check that out, the link is down below. We're sure to answer most of your questions. And also to work out which bits and pieces of this sort of stuff will fit your car, not to mention suspension parts, engine parts, all sorts of accessories, simply type in your Rego into the Automotive Superstore site and it will display what is going to be best suited to your car. And they're mates of ours. Check them out. The link's down below. Also, something else that's important to know, even though the D5 looks pretty much identical from 2007 to about 2018, during that time, a bunch of important stuff actually changed. Firstly, the diesel-powered models were added to the range from 2013 and equipment and tech was updated for 2015. But the biggest change came in 2019, where the engineers revised and improved some aspects of the front subframe and suspension, and they improved the safety and tech. But when it came to the designers putting their two cents in, it seems like they just were hell-bent on seeing how much chrome plastic ---- they could glue onto the front of these things. They turned it from what was an awesome and tough-looking little people mover into something that seems to prioritise slicing cheese or having the ability to grate a huge number of carrots. Seriously, I mean, what the hell is going on there? I totally understand that they had to kind of fit the aesthetic into, you know, Mitsubishi's Dynamic Shield corporate identity design, that whole thing. But honestly, it looks like it's something that you'd find in the discount bin at your local kitchen warehouse. Luckily though, at least the interior design improved for the 2019 update examples, because some of these earlier cars, as you can see here, can be covered in gloss black plastic, and owners have reported that this stuff scratches really easily. No surprise, bloody gloss black plastic. Why do they keep doing this? Plus, some of the harder plastics in here, they can become brittle over time, and that means a bit of a rattly interior. Although in saying that, these things are nowhere near as rattly as some of their commercial van-based alternatives. Basically, these tend to be rattle-free. Also, post-2019, you'll find substantial improvements to the materials used. More soft touch surfaces, softer synthetics, and just a more contemporary design. Although, plenty of owners have complimented just how resilient these interiors are, and that does include the earlier iterations and lower spec models. But I guess that's a trade-off only you can decide on. If you're going to give one of these interiors absolute hell, maybe go for an earlier lower spec model. But if you want a sense of premium luxury, well, go for a more recent higher spec model. But this is a pre-update car, and I love this interior. The seats are so comfortable. There's actually a really good amount of adjustment as well. You never kind of... It doesn't feel like you're driving a bus like some of the other cars in this class can. The materials used. This is clearly not leather. It's like a synthetic, but it's great. It's still nice and soft, and it's going to wipe clean. The kind of little carbon fiber trim bits here are a little bit tasty. It's not real carbon fiber. Gloss black plastic. We've already discussed that. This is nice and soft, and it's nice to lean your arm on. Overall ergonomics are spot on. And also, just the vibe in here. The space is perfect. And the vibe is exactly what you want for kind of a tough people mover. I like it. But isn't it funny that even though this shares so much with an Outlander, when it comes to cubby holes and places for all your crap, this absolutely destroys the Outlander. You ready? Here we go. Here's the storage. You've got a cubby bin up here, which is huge. You've got an excellent size glove box there. You've got an awesome little pull-out cup holder there, which has got little grippy things that'll hold a small potentious coffee, which is great. You've got a spot here, I think. Is that going to hold your phone? Kind of, not really. Got another cubby bin down here. Another one under here. That's quite large as well. Two cup holders here. Got a glossy little flat platform just there. More storage under here. Another two cup holders here. You've got a net on this side, which is actually a really good size, and that will hold your phone quite well. Down here, you've got a bottle holder. And you do have some door bins here, but they're near impossible to get to when the door is closed. There's even more storage here. Will that hold a phone? Yep, that'll also hold a phone. This will fill up with life's crap in no time. There's no sunglasses holder there, but there are on some models. Anything else in the doors? No, that's it. Nothing else under there. Look, there is so much practicality and storage in this thing. Excellent. Also, typical for a JDM car, these things have been available in a host of different trim specs over the years. And what equipment and features you're going to get, and how the interior feels, is going to depend on the trim spec, how it was specced from the factory, and even down to which dealership sold it in Japan in the first place. But some of the higher trim spec examples can have heated seats, multi-zone climate control, 360-degree cameras. And when it comes to safety, even the early base models come with multiple airbags for the entire cabin, active stability control, and traction control. And later and higher spec models can include adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, and the full suite of active safety tech. Also, some models came with dusk-sensing headlights and rain-sensing wipers. But just make sure they actually work. Chances are they will. Reports of electrical gremlins on these are very few and far between. Oh, and also, like with so many other cars, don't go falling for the trap of paying way too much for the OEM replacements. And some of the cheap aftermarket ones are just ----. Instead, get yourself a set of Wipertech blades. These are the ones we use, and we use them because they are simply some of the best blades in the business. Plus, when you order a set via the link below, you're going to get 15% off and free express shipping. It's bloody awesome. Although, don't do any of that if you're going to do what Jollo has done and lend us your car to feature, because in that case, we're going to give you a set for free as a thank-you present. If you've got a cool car that you'd like to see us feature, email me. My link's down below. Now, here's a question for you. Is the D5 the Robert Irwin of the Delica family? What I mean by that is, obviously, the previous generation is the Steve Irwin, and it's all tough and rugged. But the D5, it still gets the job done, but it just does it in a slightly more polished way, and it's a little bit easier on the eyes. Coincidentally, I'm exactly the same height as Robert Irwin. This is in my driving position, and have a go at this. The amount of footroom and legroom is outstanding. These seats are so comfortable, and you've got armrests on both sides. Windows are huge. That's also height adjustable. That's about... that's a good height. Windows are huge, so it feels nice and airy and spacious. There's no sense of being claustrophobic in here at all. And then, then we come to the features of what you can do back here. Basically, look, these interiors are sort of like a... kind of like a choose-your-own-adventure story in terms of seating layouts. You can get five and seven and eight seat configurations, depending on trim spec and model, all that sort of stuff. But you can make the seats into beds, or you can slide them kind of all out of the way. We don't have time to show you all of the functionality of this interior. Cal's going to throw up a little bit of an image now, so you can get an idea of what these can do. But in terms of features and practicality in the back of this one, you've got enormous pockets on the backs of the seats. You could maybe steal these two cup holders, but that's going to start an argument. There are cup holders back here anyway. Air vents and lighting. This one has a full DVD entertainment system as well. And look, okay, it might not be as luxurious as like a Toyota Vellfire or Alphard, but again, this is an off-roading people mover, and I feel like the vibe back here, it suits it. And then in the third row, this is positioned as far back as it can possibly go. And again, so much footroom, heaps of legroom. The seats are pretty comfy as well for a third row, but then these can slide a bit further forward, like so. So you've got more boot space, we'll get to that in a second. Again, really good back here. Plus you've got cup holders on either side. I think that's it for practicality, but for a third row, I am, I'm seriously impressed. Also, just getting in and out of the third row, unlike so many seven-seat SUVs, is a breeze. It doesn't require that many gymnastics. Now, as far as space in the boot goes, when the third row is in place and positioned all the way back, you've got about enough space for two sheets of paper. When this is slid forward, Bart, you've got way more space than what you'll find in any seven-seat SUV. But then with the third row stowed away, you have obviously way more space, but then when you slide the second row forward, you basically end up with all the practicality of a van, but in something the size of an SUV. Brilliant. But a warning. If you're planning on ripping all of these seats out and turning this into some sort of van life conversion, because it's not based on a commercial vehicle, the floor isn't perfectly flat. You've got plastic ducting running everywhere for the air conditioning and these rails and a bunch of other stuff. Turning this into like the full camper van van life kind of thing is going to be way more challenging than you're expecting. Plus you might run into some weight restriction issues. The load capacity for these things are 450 kilograms, and that includes all of your passengers. Plus if you're thinking of loading stuff on the roof, the weight limit for these is somewhere between 50 and 75 kilos. There's some conflicting reports and documents on what this actually is. But the general consensus is you shouldn't load more than 25 kilos on any one roof bar at the one time. And as we've said in plenty of our videos, if you need to tow something, a CVT is not the transmission for you. And even from the owners that have owned the diesel models, apparently anything over about one and a half tons and they can struggle a bit as well. Look, when it comes to towing or loading the vehicle up, it's just so important that you know all your figures, like the GVM, GCM, all that sort of stuff. Because I tell you what, if the worst were to happen and you were overloaded, my God, that can be a world of hurt. You can void your insurance. It's a nightmare. Don't let that happen to you. But look, okay, being based on an Outlander, that might not be all that good for towing. But I tell you what, it is fantastic for its driving characteristics. Look, there are very few other people movers out there that have genuine off-roading chops, that feel anything like this to drive. You've got the four-wheel drive Toyota HiAce, the Volkswagen Crafter, the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. But the thing is, they are all commercial vehicles that have been modified into being people movers. And they feel it. They feel like commercial vehicles to drive. And that means they can jiggle all over the place, like within the body itself. They can feel super sketchy on loose or damp surfaces, let alone if a truck drives past you or get hit by a crosswind. They can be a nightmare. And okay, the Nissan Elgrand, it's another non-commercial vehicle-based people mover that has four-wheel drive. But for it to have off-roading ability, it requires modifications. That one, as standard, it's a bit more road-focused. This though, it can honestly, it can do it all. It actually feels like driving a car. No, it feels like, unsurprisingly, driving a really well-sorted SUV. It's just, it's so enjoyable. But best of all, unlike so many other people movers in this category, I'm not feeling any sense of depression driving it. I mean, as sensible as a Kia Carnival or a Toyota Alphard or even a Mercedes-Benz V-Class might be, people movers do kind of give you the sense that you've given up on your own hopes and dreams to become just a taxi service for your family and your friends and your kids. The D5, it can do all that sensible stuff, but it does it with a sense of fun. And it kind of gives you this feeling that you've still got a bit of a spark inside, like you've still got the will to live. Plus, compared to a lot of newer people movers that are now so big, they feel like they need their own postcode, this is a little bit smaller and the vision out is fantastic. So dealing with traffic like this and trying to fit into a tight parking spot, it's a breeze. Okay, these are a bit underpowered. I mean, overtaking or pulling into traffic, into a headwind does require some bravery. And the CVT, it's easy enough to use, but it doesn't exactly inspire to drive as such. And the fuel consumption is fine, I guess. Most owners are seeing anywhere from eight to 12 litres per 100 Ks. It's not too bad. Look, in terms of driving characteristics, what these are supposed to do, they still absolutely nail it. Well, they do until something mechanically goes wrong. What's the story there? I can't elaborate on that because I'm not a qualified mechanic. Luckily, Jim certainly is. Let's start with the most popular one on the market, the 2.4 litre petrol. It can have some drive belt complications. The belt tensioner can fail. They can just snap off. Or sometimes the pivot wears and the whole thing runs on an angle. And typically that leads to premature belt wear. And sometimes the bearing can fail and the tensioner as well. So pays to keep a really good eye on that. They can have some timing chain complications, not what you'd call a common problem. And it's usually only high mileage or poorly serviced vehicles. But yeah, something to look out for and listen to from a cold start. See if you can hear it rattling. If you can hear it rattling and that rattling goes for more than a few seconds, yeah, just walk away. Now, oil leaks are a pretty common problem on these. The valve cover is the worst. They can also have some rear main issues, but that's less common. The valve cover leaks externally and that's pretty messy, but it also leaks internally down into the spark plug tubes. The problem here is the spark plug tubes, once they get full of oil, they can cause a cylinder misfire. And sometimes that can cause the coil to fail. So yeah, pretty common problem on these. And those coils can actually just fail with old age as well. But the oil definitely does not help. And now the diesel look. This is pretty much the same as a lot of modern diesels. Just has your typical list of modern day diesel issues. Occasionally they have EGR complications and usually it's the electronic actuator that fails there. And sometimes the EGR pipe that goes to the EGR valve can crack as well, causing an exhaust leak. Sometimes you can actually hear that, but most people smell it first. The injector seals are known to leak. Keep an ear on them and watch out for accumulation of black death around the top of the engine. We see that from about 150,000 Ks onwards. Now the DPF can have some issues here and some self-regeneration complications. Now, typically on these, what we find is it's not the DPF problem. It's usually an associated issue like a DPF pressure sensor or a clogged map sensor or a leaking boost pipe of some kind. Another cause of DPF issues on these is servicing. If you use the wrong oil or it's way overdue for an oil change, or if after the service, the service interval reset and the oil saturation tables are not reset properly, that can cause DPF issues too. Now, if you own one of these, it's important to remember that you have to drive it occasionally in such a way that facilitates a DPF regen. That means a long drive, you know, 20 minutes, half an hour at above 80 Ks. Otherwise it just won't do a DPF regen. If you're just driving around town all the time, it will sooner or later just clog up. The other problem we see occasionally is the vacuum pump. It can leak oil, a pretty common problem there. And sometimes it just stops vacuuming, you know, like your girlfriend after you marry her. These two can have some timing chain complications, but again, it's like the petrols, more so if they've been neglected or very high mileage. Now the CVT transmission that's in the petrol, as Adam alluded to, yeah, these can have some problems. A lot of owners complaining about slipping and shuddering and noisy operation. They can have issues with solenoids and valve bodies, you know, that can cost up to a couple of grand. If they have complications with the chain or the drive pulleys, you can pretty much double that. And if you don't catch these problems in time and it has a complete failure, well, you can probably triple that. Now, a lot of people opt for a secondhand option, which is probably the cheapest option, but it's, you know, there are issues with buying a secondhand transmission. You just don't know what you're getting, basically. And that can ultimately just put you right back where you started. I'd say the number one cause here of CVT issues is just poor maintenance. You really have to just bloody change the oil at least every 50,000 Ks. That won't guarantee you're not going to have any problems, but it will definitely help. And another pro tip is don't tow anything ever with a CVT. Now, the auto that's in the diesel, it's an ASN transmission. Now, if they've been well serviced, they are usually pretty good. Having said that, when it comes to servicing, the filter inside, it is impossible to get at and is absolutely not designed to be changed as part of a regular servicing item. But even just changing the oil just does make a huge difference on these. Yeah, absolutely a must. They can have some issues with valve bodies and solenoids, but overall, not what you'd call a common problem. When it comes to CVT versus the auto, the auto, you've got to get the auto. But if you're still keen, how much are they asking at the moment? Well, the very cheapest examples kick off from a smidge under $10,000. But be careful because they're also probably going to come with a hell of a bill for a replacement CVT. Ones that we'd actually consider buying that are OK, they kick off from about $16,000. Really good ones kick off from around about $25,000. And post-update mint condition examples top out at about $60,000, which I know seems like a lot of money for something like this, but you've got to also remember it has no direct competition. There's nothing else that can kind of do what these can do. Plus, in the higher pricing spectrum, you're going to be looking at the diesel models. And it's the diesels that we think you should be steering towards. The petrol CVT, look, it can be a good thing, but it does require a seriously fastidious maintenance history. And being an import, often it can be hard to confirm that that has happened at all. Whereas the diesel, it seems to avoid quite a few of the reliability concerns. It has more torque, and it's just a proven power plant. And look, yes, the diesels ask a premium. Their pricing kicks off from a little under $30,000, but we think they are totally worth it. Plus, you'll end up with a people mover that doesn't shout soccer mum or dad going through a midlife crisis or parents that have just given up on their own hopes and dreams. Actually, you know what? I'll go as far as saying that regardless of the category of car, these things are easily one of the coolest vehicles we've ever had on Rear Driven. I mean, just look at it. It's so damn cool. But before you dive in, there's also a another very underrated people mover you should check out first. It's one of these. Well, the very cheapest is that. How much are they asking at the moment? Well, the very cheapest examples, mate, no more. How much are they asking? Well, at the moment, every time I started, it's there. Gotta be careful. It's Australia. Everything can kill you. OK, here we go.