Mitsubishi Canters 3.5 ton 2001 what’s to know?

[Robbie260]

Hi gents been offered an older Canter as per the title. Having a think about it. Is there anything I should look out for. Run away screaming from? Etc. Have you had experience with these @James1979 ?

 

[God mode restorations]

They are good trucks. Have a couple of em and a 7.5t. Big money for parts especially brakes ect. Mitsubishi parts now getting harder to find. How many miles has it done

 

[Robbie260]

They are good trucks. Have a couple of em and a 7.5t. Big money for parts especially brakes ect. Mitsubishi parts now getting harder to find. How many miles has it done

Only 75k apparently, yeah I thought bits may be a tad on the pricey side. Stupidly low for its age but seems to check out on the mot history.

 

[God mode restorations]

Only 75k apparently, yeah I thought bits may be a tad on the pricey side. Stupidly low for its age but seems to check out on the mot history.

That's good milage. Never had anything major except from a new diesel pump that was a mortgage. Alternator fuse I had to replace. That's about it really.

 

[Erie Fred]

I had a similar Izusu NPR...."Your Kneecaps arrive first".
so I welded up a nice heavy bumper from 8" channel with 1/4" diamond plate on top.
The Dr. says my back problems are because of that truck though.

 

[Robbie260]

That's good milage. Never had anything major except from a new diesel pump that was a mortgage. Alternator fuse I had to replace. That's about it really.

Cheers dithering a bit over it been offered a mrk 7 transit 2.4 as well nearly double the price but my other vans a transit mrk 7 2.4 albeit a 330 not a 350 so I’m debating the two, transit parts are cheaper and easy to come across and it is a slightly smarter vehicle all up and they share some parts but the canter is a lot lower mileage and as I said nearly half the price probably more reliable as well.

 

[Robbie260]

Yeah it is lacking in crumple zones but then so are most commercials. The Isuzus are nice machines too.

I had a similar Izusu NPR...."Your Kneecaps arrive first".
so I welded up a nice heavy bumper from 8" channel with 1/4" diamond plate on top.
The Dr. says my back problems are because of that truck though.View attachment 402581

 

[Morris]

My brother had one when he was still in business (retired now). The only trouble he had was some rust in the cab which was easily welded.

 

[mtt.tr]

rust is probably the biggest issue,

chap on my yard welded one up for a customer, cab couldn't be tilted with the pump as the mountings and everything else was so rotten

 

[Robbie260]

Cheers for the reply’s guys.

 

[m_c]

They are good trucks. Have a couple of em and a 7.5t. Big money for parts especially brakes ect. Mitsubishi parts now getting harder to find. How many miles has it done

Canters are now produced by Fuso, which in turn is now owned by Daimler, so you can get Canter spares through Mercedes Commercial dealers.

Personally I hate the things.
We maintained a couple 7.5t ones, and it was like taking a step back in time. Drum brakes all round, and they still had grease nipples on the spring eye bushes!
Oh, and they had that stupid twin wheel stud/bolt combination.

They were generally reliable vehicles, but we had one customer get a few nationally, as I think they got a good deal and they thought they would be ideal for problem access jobs, but they didn't have tilting cabs.
We had one for a period, and the head gasket went. It was at the dealer for months, as I don't think anybody wanted to work on it. I suspect the dealer didn't even wanted to sell the things, as the last I looked the only clue was a small sign at the main doors.
Unsurprisingly, they all disappeared before the warranty expired, and I have never seen any of them since.

 

[Smallfry]

We had a 2000 model Canter at work. What a great truck. The 3.5 GVW is a real truck in minature. Not like a Transit or Renault. Proper truck chassis suspension and axles. Brakes to match. If you braked hard, it felt like you had run into a wall. Had to be careful with no load on though. Driving position was great for me.
They are a derated 5 ton truck, so you can overload them and it doesn't show. The only downsides that I can think of, is that they put smaller wheels on it to comply with regs, and this compromises speeds. It was happiest and most economical at about 55mph, and they do not have a DPF, so you have to be careful where you drive it nowadays. It may cost in clean air charges etc.
Only other thing will be its age, and as said, spares are expensive, although we never needed anything at all in seven years and120k miles, except tyres and servicing Only got rid of it because of the new then LEZ. I wanted an Isuzu to replace it, but boss man bought a Merc Sprinter to replace it. What a mistake that turned out to be. Never again.

 

[premmington]

I had a 2008 3.5ton CanterFuso spec lift recovery truck at one time - newish - very low mileage thing at the time.

3.0 engine - horrible thing - it was in the workshop more than the cars it towed in.



Exhaust brakes fail wholesale - MIL lights come on all the while (limp mode is normal) - BCM reset for lighting out fails - dash modules fail - EGR's fail - turbos fail - chains fail - HP derv pumps leak into chaincase - mine used coolant in the end.

Maybe the worst vehicle I have ever owned in my life...

 

[God mode restorations]

It's all down to personal experience. You can own a truck/tipper and have no problems with it. Or it can be a complete nightmare. There isn't really a best truck but for myself the best truck I ever had was dodge/Renault 50 series.

 

[Robbie260]

I decided to stick with transits because of my OCD and they share parts which is handy.

 

[mtt.tr]

dodge/Renault 50 series.

seemed they had issues with weak brakes? but everyone that owned them loved them

 

[mtt.tr]

always fancied an rb44

 

[Erie Fred]

I had a 2008 3.5ton CanterFuso spec lift recovery truck at one time - newish - very low mileage thing at the time.

3.0 engine - horrible thing - it was in the workshop more than the cars it towed in.



Exhaust brakes fail wholesale - MIL lights come on all the while (limp mode is normal) - BCM reset for lighting out fails - dash modules fail - EGR's fail - turbos fail - chains fail - HP derv pumps leak into chaincase - mine used coolant in the end.

Maybe the worst vehicle I have ever owned in my life...

View attachment 402828

Yabutt it's got a nice front bumper.....
Mine would only do around 60 mph with pedal on floor.
As they have the aerodynamics of a 4 x 8 sheet of OSB standing up, I got real good at drafting behind semi trailers. Too close and they would flash the brake lights, too far away, and I would loose the suction.

 

[premmington]

Yabutt it's got a nice front bumper.....
Mine would only do around 60 mph with pedal on floor.
As they have the aerodynamics of a 4 x 8 sheet of OSB standing up, I got real good at drafting behind semi trailers. Too close and they would flash the brake lights, too far away, and I would loose the suction.

Bumper full of concrete - counter weight. Real expensive trucks have water systems that pump water from load area to front bumper when extra weight needed

On paper these are the tool for the job short chassis - 7000kg train weight - 130hp - very low gears - 2500kg rear axle load - four brake calipers on front axle. Ultimate car park towing machine - low enough for multistories...

Shame they so unreliable...

 

[Tinbasherdan]

Conversely they survived a mate of mine who drives like a chimp on acid, rot finished them in the end