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Udo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6343
Registered: 4-26-2008
Location: Black Hills, SD/Ensenada/San Felipe
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Mood: TEQUILA!
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STRANGE VEHICLE SEEN IN BAJA LAST WEEK
I was heading down to BA for a couple of weeks of R&R and move some things into our new house (it was better than we could have imagined).
I am sure some of you have felt the FEELING also, but the sense of ownership and pride is the best I can describe it. It was a vevy moving experience!
But, on the way South, I saw three of these vehicles in different camping areas (one in the camp just south on Maneadero, the second in Jardines'
campground, and the third I saw just a couple of miles south of Cataviņa.
I opened the passenger window on the FJ and motioned to the driver to pull over at the next safe turn-out. He followed me and we introduced ourselves.
I immediately spoke to him in German, and you should have seen the priceless amazement look onhis face. I saw the "ALEMANIA" written on his
windshield, and recognized his German license plates.
I wanted to find out about his 4X4 van.
It turns out that it is a 4 cyl diesel MITSUBISHI van. Another perfect Baja vehicle!
BUT...
The car was a 1993 model and sold only in Europe and Africa.
I guess we all can drool a little
BTW. I originally thought that all three vehicles were the same, but neither owner, of the three, knew the other was also in Baja.
Jana, my wife, commented that he REALLY LOOKED German.
[Edited on 7-12-2013 by Udo]
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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monoloco
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6667
Registered: 7-13-2009
Location: Pescadero BCS
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A friend of mine in Todos Santos has one that he picked up in Canada, it was imported from Japan so it's righthand drive.
"The future ain't what it used to be"
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Correcamino
Junior Nomad
Posts: 78
Registered: 4-6-2013
Location: Sabre Springs, CA
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Udo
I guess we all can drool a little
[Edited on 7-12-2013 by Udo] |
Spectacular Baja cruiser! Can't help thinking that, with the addition of caterpillar tracks, you would have the most perfect Baja vehicle of all time
- the Lost in Space "Chariot":
Si sirve, sirve.
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Udo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6343
Registered: 4-26-2008
Location: Black Hills, SD/Ensenada/San Felipe
Member Is Offline
Mood: TEQUILA!
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Looks like a Martian module, and it appears that Monument Valley, Arizona, is in the background.
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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Bob H
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5867
Registered: 8-19-2003
Location: San Diego
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Great photos Udo... My wife, Audrey, who is German/American told me that German's love touring all throughout Baja. We have run into them almost
every trip down in the past 20-plus years.
The SAME boiling water that softens the potato hardens the egg. It's about what you are made of NOT the circumstance.
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akbear
Nomad
Posts: 203
Registered: 8-23-2003
Location: Buena Vista BCS
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Looks like that Martian is wearing a parka !
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Islandbuilder
Senior Nomad
Posts: 555
Registered: 11-9-2011
Location: nob
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Mood: bewildered
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A Mitsubishi Delica, they are also in Canada. I think that it's one more year before we can legally import the earliest model into the US. From what I
hear, it's worth waiting another couple of years to get one of the later years, after they worked out some bugs.
4x4, turbo diesel, 25+ mpg, and room to do a camper conversion.
There is a Delica owners club in British Columbia, and those folks are really in love with their rigs!
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SFandH
Elite Nomad
Posts: 7084
Registered: 8-5-2011
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Bob H
Great photos Udo... My wife, Audrey, who is German/American told me that German's love touring all throughout Baja. We have run into them almost
every trip down in the past 20-plus years. |
I've seen Europeans, mostly from northern Europe, where the money is I guess, drive some monster Baja cruisers. Last winter there was a couple from
Switzerland driving a huge, old, 6 wheeled, maybe 10 I forget, Swiss army knife of a truck. Looked like, and was, something out of the 1950s. A real
mechanical beast with power nothing. They were heading for South America. Way overkill and good luck finding parts. Shipping it across the Atlantic, I
think they said to Baltimore, must have cost a fortune.
On the other hand, most of the southern Europeans I've met in Baja, usually Italian, fly to and around Mexico and rent little cars.
[Edited on 7-12-2013 by SFandH]
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Whale-ista
Super Nomad
Posts: 2009
Registered: 2-18-2013
Location: San Diego
Member Is Offline
Mood: Sunny with chance of whales
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Mitsubishi four-wheel-drive van in Europe.
Agree- Looks like a very functional and well-designed vehicle. I saw one of these recently while traveling in Italy and was also intrigued.
Not only was it four-wheel-drive, but it had a higher roof. I was very curious about this small functional vehicle and took this photo in Florence.
I've seen many cars in Europe, Asia and South America that I've never seen in the US. I wonder why we don't have the same choices here.
On the other hand I often meet people who are very jealous of our small trucks and motorhomes. You'd never see anything like a gigantic Winnebago
overseas. They would be a nightmare to drive on many of the smaller streets.
[img]https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10200677089703759&l=2ab0a97287[/img]Mitsubishi
[Edited on 7-12-2013 by Whale-ista]
\"Probably the airplanes will bring week-enders from Los Angeles before long, and the beautiful poor bedraggled old town will bloom with a
Floridian ugliness.\" (John Steinbeck, 1940, discussing the future of La Paz, BCS, Mexico)
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Islandbuilder
Senior Nomad
Posts: 555
Registered: 11-9-2011
Location: nob
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Mood: bewildered
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To import a non-conforming vehicle into the US it needs to be considered an antique, for a car the official definition of "antique" is 25 years old.
Prices on the older model Delicas are pretty reasonable in Canada, but as they get closer to the age where they can be imported to the US I imagine
their prices will rise. I would also assume that a 4x4 rig that old will be more of a re-buildable core than a ready for Baja rig.
Mitsubishi sorted out a lot of new model issues after the first couple of years of production. Waiting a couple of years to get one of the sorted out
ones seems worth the wait.
I may try and trade in my old diesel Land Rover and get one of these when the time comes.
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vgabndo
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3461
Registered: 12-8-2003
Location: Mt. Shasta, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Checking-off my bucket list.
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Does anyone have a suggestion why, of all the foreign visitors to Baja, the Germans always seem to have the name of their country in big letters on
the front and rear of their vehicles?
Why can't we have such vehicles here? The fuel economy is in conflict with the bottom line of the oil companies that run our country?
Undoubtedly, there are people who cannot afford to give the anchor of sanity even the slightest tug. Sam Harris
"The situation is far too dire for pessimism."
Bill Kauth
Carl Sagan said, "We are a way for the cosmos to know itself."
PEACE, LOVE AND FISH TACOS
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TMW
Select Nomad
Posts: 10659
Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
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It's my understanding that many of the vehicles don't meet the smog standards and maybe safety standards. That was why the VW bug went away. Made
outside the US but couldn't be imported. Lots of good vehicles outside can't come in.
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paranewbi
Senior Nomad
Posts: 913
Registered: 4-15-2011
Location: San diego
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2 thoughts come to mind...
While traveling Baja and followed by a friend in a peugot, he experienced a flat tire and bent the rim severely. While traveling on his spare, we made
our usual stop in la paz on the way back where we tried to locate a rim to put a new tire on for the ride home. The lantera couldn't locate a rim the
frenchy size required for the lug nut pattern so he cut the bolt pattern center out of the damaged rim and cut another good rim the same and then
welded the peugot one into the good one! No need to travel spare-less.
On another occasion while camping in Chiapas we met a couple from Germany with one of those vehicles described by others above. The transmission was
shot and they had been there waiting 2 months already for a new one to be shipped by a relative from Germany and it was stuck in some importation
status in northern Mexico.
Just saying...something not of the regular ilk might cause problems when looking for a part to fix it with.
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Correcamino
Junior Nomad
Posts: 78
Registered: 4-6-2013
Location: Sabre Springs, CA
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| Quote: | Originally posted by vgabndo
Why can't we have such vehicles here? The fuel economy is in conflict with the bottom line of the oil companies that run our country?
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I'm disappointed that U.S. consumers have never warmed up to diesel engines. VW and Mercedes have had some success but for the most part people
consider diesel to be for trucks. I had a 1978 Diesel Rabbit that got 44 MPG at 80 mph (almost top speed!) Great car! My current vehicle is
almost perfect for Baja (2011 Xterra 4WD) - almost because it has a 6-cyl gasoline engine. A diesel 4 would make it perfect.
Si sirve, sirve.
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TMW
Select Nomad
Posts: 10659
Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
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The early diesel cars had poor acceleration habits and diesels were noisy to say the least. A lot of progress on both issues but maybe the publics
impressions haven't changed.
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mtgoat666
Select Nomad
Posts: 18145
Registered: 9-16-2006
Location: San Diego
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Mood: Hot n spicy
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Islandbuilder
A Mitsubishi Delica, they are also in Canada. I think that it's one more year before we can legally import the earliest model into the US. From what I
hear, it's worth waiting another couple of years to get one of the later years, after they worked out some bugs.
4x4, turbo diesel, 25+ mpg, and room to do a camper conversion.
There is a Delica owners club in British Columbia, and those folks are really in love with their rigs! |
VW used to sell a westfalia van 4x4 here in states, i think it was a flop that failed to sell well,... they quit selling it here, then quit selling
vans altogether,...
gringos dont buy enough small camper vans, so you only find them overseas in markets where they sell...
here is a vw 4wd crafter van, cool, eh?
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mojo_norte
Senior Nomad
Posts: 725
Registered: 2-14-2006
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Udo
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Looks pretty similar to the Toyota 4X4 Vans sold here in the US from 86-early 90's - used the pickup truck chassis and had the bombproof 22R (gas)
engine.
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Udo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6343
Registered: 4-26-2008
Location: Black Hills, SD/Ensenada/San Felipe
Member Is Offline
Mood: TEQUILA!
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| Quote: | In the mid seventies, I had a VW Rabbit diesel. I added an extra fuel tank, and made regular trips to TJ to fill up.
Diesel, back then was about a quarter a gallon in Baja.
quote]Originally posted by TW
The early diesel cars had poor acceleration habits and diesels were noisy to say the least. A lot of progress on both issues but maybe the publics
impressions haven't changed. |
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64759
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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It is really amazing how more versatile a vehicle is when powered through all four tires... 4WD for off pavement or AWD for on or off pavement. 
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Udo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6343
Registered: 4-26-2008
Location: Black Hills, SD/Ensenada/San Felipe
Member Is Offline
Mood: TEQUILA!
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If you think the WESTFALIA was a flop, even the SYNCHRO (4X4), then you need to pay a visit to www.gowesty.com
and see what those cars are selling for now days. A stock synchro can sell upwards of $60,000.00 U.S.
Many of my earlier visits to Baja were in a Westy and wished I had synchro. When my house burned down, my 89 WESTY went with it. At that time, the
Westy (nicely restored with 16" PORSCHE rims and tires, and other items, was worth almost $30K. I had many notes left on my door on offers with buy
the car.
I politely called back and said the vehicle was not for sale.
| Quote: | Originally posted by mtgoat666
| Quote: | Originally posted by Islandbuilder
A Mitsubishi Delica, they are also in Canada. I think that it's one more year before we can legally import the earliest model into the US. From what I
hear, it's worth waiting another couple of years to get one of the later years, after they worked out some bugs.
4x4, turbo diesel, 25+ mpg, and room to do a camper conversion.
There is a Delica owners club in British Columbia, and those folks are really in love with their rigs! |
VW used to sell a westfalia van 4x4 here in states, i think it was a flop that failed to sell well,... they quit selling it here, then quit selling
vans altogether,...
gringos dont buy enough small camper vans, so you only find them overseas in markets where they sell...
here is a vw 4wd crafter van, cool, eh?
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Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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