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6th May 2004, Page 37
6th May 2004
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The used 3.5-tonne Mitsubishi Canter we drove sported a capacious box body and offered great productivity. And as an ex-demo

vehicle it's barely worked up a sweat. The threat of road works with a 3.5-tonne weight limit on our Used Truck Test route led us to take a break from the heavy end of the market. Instead we opted for a box-bodied van built on the 3.5-tonne ver

sion of Mitsubishi's Canter. The story of the Mitsubishi Canter's progress in Britain has been an unconven tional one, to say the least. Initially marketed by Volvo Truck and Bus, global automotive industry politics steered it into the UK's Mercedes-Benz line-up.The relationship between DaimlerChrysler and Mitsubishi's car organisation is going through a turbulent patch, but the Canter doesn't seem to be af

fected. The UK gets three Canters, 35,63 and 75; the numbers denote the GVW. The Canter 35 tested here comes on a 3,350mm wheelbase which is the longest of the three options and is shared with the crew-cab version.The other options are 2,500 and 2,950min The Canter 35 comes with just the one driveline choice, a surprisingly advanced

twin-cam,16-valve 3-litre,125hp four-cylinder engine with a five-speed gearbox.

The longest body that can be fitted to the 35 is 4,735mm but this example sports a lightweight 4,400mm box from Southfields, with GRP honeycomb panels and roller shutter, weighing in at around 500kg with a volume of 20m'.

YR52X0P has had a relatively pampered existence; it enters the used market direct from the importer's central demonstration fleet. It has not been the subject of any warranty claims so far, and has only had the one workshop visit, for its 14,000 mile oil change. Tipping the scales at 2,400kg before the

driver climbs aboard, this wouldn't be the vehicle of choice if payload was your number one priority — there's a whole world of 3.5tonne panel vans out there with half as much payload again. But that 20m3 of load volume in a relatively manageable package, just over 6m long, must have some appeal to movers of bulky but lightweight packages. Axle ratings are acceptably tolerant of diminishing loads.

Fuel consumption around our Used Truck Test route is hard to quantify as we haven't done many tiddlers like this yet, the only real reference point being 36mpg from a 2,800kg Sprinter. Suffice to say that the Canter's overall average of 27.1mpg compares respectably with figures achieved by more aerodynamic panel vans around our much less demanding Kent van route.

YR52X0P's cab is in pristine condition, inside and out — which is no great surprise after only 18,000 miles and 18 months on DaimlerChrysler's demo fleet.The only sign of any grief is a non-original windscreen.The body has not fared quite as well. Close inspection reveals some of the white paint on the front bulkhead is peeling off, and some paint on the folds of the flat-surfaced roller shutter is cracking.

Mechanically, everything seems like new, including a healthy set of Goodyear tyres.

At £13,995 (ex-VAT) the asking price is about two grand on the high side compared with Glass's retail, but the mileage is barely a third of the norm.

Compared with the £16,896 for anew chassis-cab it doesn't look too grim. The basic warranty as offered is the balance of the three-year, 45,000-mile manufacturer's cover, and this can be extended by up to three

further years under the Mercedes-Benz Approved Used Commercial scheme. On the road

The Canter 63 and 75 versions share a 143hp 4-litre engine, which is no more than adequate for the job, but the 35 gets a 3-litre 125hp unit which is above the class average at 3.5 tonnes. It doesn't feel overpowered but is very flexible; torque is a reasonable 294Nm.

Fourth gear is especially useful, both around town and on hills.The dog-leg first gear change is strongly biased in the 2-3 plane —once you get used to this the shift is easy and precise. Gearing is quite relaxed, with 70mph equating to 2,800rpm in top, which is 400rpm away from peak power.

The biggest test on our test route is Dolfor Hill, but our climb was baulked. There are exactly two buses a week from Newtown to Llandrindod Wells and guess what, we got stuck behind Tuesday's. But despite the wait for a rare overtaking opportunity we were still only four seconds behind the nimble Sprinter 211.

Part of the reason for the Canter's respectable journey times is its excellent handling, which took the twists and turns of mid-Wales in its stride.At motorway speeds it remains stable and seemingly immune to gusts of wind. The ride is generally very good too but it can be caught out by sharp bumps.

Steering is precise, and the (non-ABS) brakes are good, although the long-travel under-dash handbrake lever is an acquired taste.The Canter gets an exhaust brake as standard, but with the combination of relatively low inertia and considerable frontal area it's probably an unnecessary extravagance at 3.5 tonnes. Cab quality

One of the biggest attractions of the Mitsubishi Canter is the fact that its cab is noticeably wider than most of its far-Easterninspired contemporaries, even at 3.5 tonnes. The practical benefit of this fact is that seating for three is a realistic proposition, certainly in terms of width, although the central occupant's legs will be a tight fit. The short-throw gear lever sits on a plinth between the seats. Access to the cab is easy— in fact we found it easier to bypass the single step and get straight

up in one go.The driver's seat is well shaped with lockable and adjustable mechanical suspension. The middle section of the not-so-wellshaped dual passenger seat has a split backrest which folds down to reveal a combined worktop/clipboard and document holder. Both outer occupants get three-point seatbelts and height-adjustable head restraints, but piggy in the middle has to make do with a lap belt. The steering column is fully adjustable for tilt and height.

The large speedo and rev counter are clearly marked, but drivers used to calibrated tachographs will make slow progress until they learn to compensate for the speedo's 10% optimism. Various rocker switches on the dash control the exhaust brake, engine fast warm-up, front and rear fog lights, heated mirrors and oil level check. Noise levels are low enough for a normal conversation, even at 70mph.What noise there

is is wind derived —the mechanicals are totally unobtrusive. Visibility is generally very good, the only exception being the low top edge of the windscreen which can make seeing highmounted traffic signs and signals a pain in the neck.

There are enough ashtrays for the most dedicated smoker and a pair of pop-out cupholders. Storage comprises two goodsized gloveboxes in front of the passengers, a driver's door pocket and numerous smaller bins scattered around the dash. One of a pair of audio housings contains a Phillips radio-cassette unit. Electric window switches are on the door panels. The heater has a recirculatory function, but the feed for the face-level fresh air vents is all or nothing, controlled by a single lever. •

MITSUBISHI CANTER 35

Price: £13,995 (ex-VAT) Date of registration: 1 /1 0/0 2 Mileage: 18,250

Who is selling it? Mercedes-Benz CV dealer via MercedesBenz Approved Used CV scheme Contact: 0870 601 2020


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