Diesel or Gas, that is the question!

A

aNakin14

New Member
Hello everyone! I'm new to this forum and new to Delicas, but let me say the Delica bug seems to have bitten me and it has bitten hard! I'm determined to buy one and I'm scouring the old USA looking for a good example (and trying to sell my wife on the fact we need to add an additional car to our stable) and I'm also scouring this forum trying to soak up all the knowledge contained herein. Anyway, the question I have is which engine choice is better for an L300, diesel or gas? I presently own two "non-Delica" cars which happen to be one diesel and one gas and I'm a big fan of both and I'm familiar with the pitfalls of each. What I'm not familiar with is the foibles of a 25 - 30 year old Delica engine and which variant is easier to work on and which is more reliable? It seems there are more diesels available than there are gas, or maybe that's just the market at the moment. Plus, I understand that given proper maintenance, a diesel engine can run a lot longer than a similar gas engine (there's the rub, given proper maintenance!).

So I ask you all, should I focus my search on one engine type over the other or are they both equally good? Thanks in advance for your guidance!!!
 
Your question will get you different answers. There are believers in both and will say each is better. Let's start with opinions and your intended use and your mechanical ability. Diesels are far more common because they frankly built more Diesel L300 and the importers import more Diesels. A Diesel will get you better gas mileage but you may suffer on highway manners. If you get a diesel, make sure the entire cooling system has been changed/upgraded. A 25-30 year old cooling system on a diesel will not make your diesel last long on US roads. Read these forums.. there are many posts of diesels over heating, blowing head gaskets and having to pussy foot up hills because the EGR temps are too high.

Take your mechanical ability into consideration. Parts availability and ease of getting parts and having shops that can do repairs you cannot do reasonably.

Let me tell you what lead to my decision to buy a Gas.

I am a fairly good "shade tree" mechanic and I can and will do most repairs without pulling a motor. The gas version L300 uses the same motor as the mid 90's Mits Van Wagon as well as many other cars, trucks from Mitsubishi and even Chrysler/Plymouth/Dodge. This makes getting parts pretty easy as well as doing your own repairs.

The Gas versions do not suffer at all with cooling issues as the gas version just runs cooler. It also has better highway manners and can go 65-70 all day long (on the flats) where a diesel may suffer. Of course, you will use more fuel, but, with a gallon of diesel being a whole dollar more in the US at this time, they trade off is negligible. With gas, you do not have glow plugs/relays, and the high pressure diesel injection pump that when it fails, costs you upwards of 1k to get fixed/rebuilt.

The diesels can last longer, so people will say, but I would say a gas engine, properly serviced will last a pretty long time. Hell, my Ford FIESTA with the 1.6 liter GAS engine (on a 2015), has 333,000 miles on it and still gets 35mpg and doesn't burn or lose any oil. Proper maintenance is the key. Checking the oil, keeping it full, and I swear by Lucas on every oil change or every vehicle I own (said fiesta, wifes solstice with 220k, 04 Expedition with 200k, and the kids cars each at 200k)

Do your research, ask your questions, determine what you are willing to do yourself and what you'll have to pay someone else to do as well as do you have a shop that will work on it and be reasonable.

I won't convince you either way, but that is why I said you will get a lot of opinion.
 
IDT the diesel gets notably better fuel economy... at best I get 19 MPG (US). And with diesel prices being ~ $2/gal higher where I live now, it's kinda painful.
 
Never north of 15mpg in my gas L300. Oh, another thing to ask yourself... is this going to be your daily driver? A lot of people daily their Delicas, but I would not recommend it. The cost of fuel being one and maintenance and down time waiting to fix or getting parts is another consideration.

Unfortunately, ALL used cars are crazy stupid expensive right now. I am shopping for a vehicle for my 17 year old son. Little 4x4's such as trackers and sidekicks are going for 4 and 5k that used to be 1500. I have a Subaru Brat that is in good shape that he drives occasionally and he drives the expedition, but 12mpg is terrible. I am thankful my Fiesta runs so good and gets such good gas mileage. I spend 50 bux and go 400 miles. Can't beat that.
 
I'm typically closer to 16mpg, but I don't typically drive anywhere where it is flat. I get the best mpg putting around town... I guess the shoebox just really prefers 30-50mph; the aerodynamics just makes going 60-70 more costly.

I wouldn't have one as my only vehicle for the same reasons you mentioned...
 
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