The Mitsubishi L300 2.5 TD 4WD is our third fourwheeldrive car.It started with a longwheelbased Suzuki Samurai bought for Norwegian wintersport and (in future) a visit to Iceland.The Suzuki did well offroad and on snow but drove like a truck.
After 4 years Daihatsu introduced the Terios and after a testride we decided that this would be our new car.In wintercondtions and (not too extreme) terrain it did very well and in allday traffic it was a comfortable but rather thirsty car.
The "testride" L300
Getting a company-car gave us the chance of buying a 2 seater 4wd van. The idea was to convert it into a kind of "minicamper".After some shopping it seems the only 4wd bus that's capable of driving offroad and is more or less affordable was a Mitsubishi L300 or L400. The L300 had more space than the L400 and it was possible to have sidewindows installed without any taxproblems in Holland.After a lang testride the L300 proved to be a comfortable and fast van and so our dealer could write down the order.
To make it look not too much like a van we ordered a bullbar in front and considering the polar conditions in winter-Norway we had a Webasto diesel waterheater installed,our earlier 4wd's also had this kind of heater and were highly appreciated (stepping into a -25°C car in the morning isn't our idea of fun). To the list of extra's we added sidewindows all round,radiocassetteplayer,wind/rain shields on the front sidewindows,roof racks and adding the right frontdoorlock to the central lockingsystem
The car was delivered in may 2001and the interiourwork could begin.Starting with a flat wooden floor with a (thin) layer of insulation.For sleeping (and stowing luggage underneath) i built a second floor at 42 cm high and 190 cm long.The space underneath is attainable from the top.There was also space for a portable toilet to make it possible to camp without using campingplaces.
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This layout proved to be good in practice although it was a little difficult to reach the luggage underneath.Room was big enough for two and even indoor cooking is possible. The backrests of the frontseats folded slightly forward in combination with the motorcompartment as a seat make a comfortable chair.Ventilation is possible by the front sidewindows with the rainshieds.The only thing missing is an awning above the slidingdoor to be able to open it in the rain without getting the interior wet.
The L300 is a nice car to travel,on motorways driving ±100 km/h it's relatively quiet and overtaking is still possible.On other roads keeping up with the rest of traffic is no problem at all and because you're sitting rather high there is an excellent view.Offroad the L300 can do a lot,even in 2WD !We didn't drive extreme offroad courses but steep hills were no problem and we're confident in the offroad capabilities of the van.
In daily use the L300 is an easy to drive car exept for parking in narrow spaces because of the limited view at the back of the car and also stepping out(read:down) of the car with the doors just a little bit opened is tricky.Parkinghouses are usualy too low to enter.
Wintertime
On snow and ice there is good traction (on the standard 215R15 M+S tires) so we haven't used the expensive and hard to get snowchains (yet).The heater does a good job and keep the car warm and windows clean,however sidepanels are insulated with air foil and the back sidewindows are double glazed (acrylic panes).Switching on the Webasto diesel waterheater some 15 minutes before departure results in a troublefree starting engine,clean windows and a warm interior,also ideal during coffee stops in winter.Sleeping in the car in winter is no problem,just think of your luggage which has to be frost-proof (drinks etc) and fill the portable toilet with an antifreeze mix in stead of water.
The Adaptations
Experiences resulted in a new layout of the van and the second floor was replaced by 3 MDF cases,2 between the wheelcasings and one transverse in front of them.The 2 cases in the back were made according to the measurements of plastics foldable crates you can buy almost everywhere.Each case can hold 7 of these crates and still has some room for a backpack etc.On the side of these cases there's room for long stuff and groceries and is also covered resulting in a 190x150 cm bed !The case in front holds the portable toilet,2 Camping-gas bottles for cooking and a small gasheater and cookinggear also finds a place here and there's also room for 1,5 ltr bottles.In the back of the car we made a little "attic" for storing spare clothing.
On our last trip this proved to be a good layout,luggage is well in reach and there is sufficient space for all our luggage.The only disadvantage is the height of the crates (neccesary to be able to pile up 2 crates) ,it's not possible to sit on the cases anymore.The matrasses are kept in places by means of elastic bands
To keep out the sun and rain we mounted an Omnistor awning above the sliding door,it's mounted without drilling holes in the car on the roofracks and can easily be removed and stored for the rest of the year,the latest adaption is a rubber strip between the awning and the roof to prevent rain from dripping in the van when the sidedoor is open.The front roofrack is covered with pvc tube to prevent windnoise at higher speeds.
To be continued......