10-Year Owner of L300 Van Shares Mitsubishi Stories
The car ownership experience is like a love affair - you choose a vehicle
that matches your needs and personality. And when tender loving care
becomes mutual, the vehicle chooses to give you years of service and
reliability.
This is what Dr. Ronald Anthony Fernandez, an L300 Versa Van owner for 10
years, has experienced with his reliable family ride. "I own a 1997
Mitsubishi L300 Versa Van gas variant which we bought in 2011," shares the
51-year old dentist. "We didn't plan to buy a van but my patient offered it
to me at a very good price so we decided to acquire it because we needed
the space for family outings. We were using the Mitsubishi Space Wagon at
that time and my family outgrew the MPV."
Despite the need for a more versatile van for his family, Doc Ronald kept
his sights on Mitsubishi to have the right vehicle for his needs. "My first
impression about Mitsubishi was when I was 9-years old," recalls Doc
Ronald. "My father bought a Celeste and me and my brothers fell in love
with it! This is the reason I chose a Mitsubishi Lancer Box Type GSR when I
bought my first car. And that is why we also have a Montero Sport now,
because we believe that it is still a brand we can rely on!"
As an avid Mitsubishi owner, Doc Ronald has seen how the brand has
progressed in providing its customers the vehicles that fit their
lifestyles. "The thing I like the most about Mitsubishi is it always makes
a vehicle that caters to the needs of the consumer! They bend edges to give
us the best," explains the father of two. And true enough, the Mitsubishi
L300 has become a staple in the good dentist's garage.
"My main considerations in choosing a vehicle to buy are 1) Parts
availability; 2) Reliability; 3) Price; and 4) Comfort," shares Doc Ronald.
And over the years, his L300 has been a shining example of all these
attributes. "Mitsubishis are reliable work horses! Until now, this fact is
still very much proven by my 1997 L300 Versa Van," adds the driver of 30
years.
While the iconic L300 Versa Van has already been supplanted by the more
utilitarian and updated EURO IV-compliant L300 Cab and Chassis, the
nameplate's iconic status remains to be its main appeal to pragmatists.
Everything that Doc Ronald appreciated from his trusty L300 van has been
thoroughly upgraded in the current L300.
A new 16-Valve 2.2L Turbocharged Diesel engine now sits under the driver.
Producing 40% more torque than the early generation motor at 200N, and more
power at 99 PS, the new L300 is ready to carry up to 1,215 kilograms of
people and cargo further and faster than ever before. Moreover, the Common
Rail Diesel engine is now Euro 4 Compliant, making it friendlier to the
environment as it goes on with its dedicated service to entrepreneurs and
businesses around the country.
The cab now sits higher, owing to the space needed to accommodate the new
engine. And creature comforts such as an updated head unit, dual
air-conditioning and larger rear combination lamps all add up to a safer
and more modern platform that rolls with the times.
In today's configuration, the Mitsubishi L300 now benefits from more
structural rigidity. And while its looks have not changed much over the
decades, it's phenomenal sales figures to this day is a testament to the
enduring qualities of reliability and dependability that Mitsubishi has
endowed it with. Something Doc Ronald and his family know all too well.
Seldom do we find a vehicle that ticks the right boxes for us. But when we
do, it is difficult to fathom ever letting go. For Doc Ronald and his
family, owning a Mitsubishi is an experience worth reliving for generations
to come.
