Test drove a 2015 Mirage (update: bought it ... 5-speed manual)

[user removed]

Passed the 7k miles mark, today. I went to an auction that had a bunch of Japanese swords but some one else wanted them more than I. They paid well. Stopped by the $1.819 gas station on the way home and filled my 3@5 gallon jugs and put 4.739 gallons in the car with 290 miles on that tank. It would have been over 60mpg but I had a short fill of just over 100 miles at 47mpg so I added them together. My fuel log and the cars odometer both read 7061 when you add the current 76 mile reading on this tank, since built.

The trip was over 60 mpg with my newly installed (pipe insulation) grille block and even at 90 degrees ambient climbing a bridge at 65 mph, I had no problem.

Rear toe is 0 degrees, which compared to "as manufactured" is a considerable improvement, coasting distances are impressive with 50 psi in the tires. I even picked up an additional set of Dunlop Ensaves another owner took off their car with a little help from me. The tires measure as new, 8/32nds on all treads.

regards
mech

[user removed]

The "B" average mpg gauge is currently reading 56.3 compared to the 55.84 actual since purchased from my fuel log. It seems to be getting closer as the miles pile up. Take the current odometer reading, add the miles since last refilled and you have the current odometer total miles reading. That's every single mile since it rolled out of the factory in Thailand.

The difference in total rolling resistance is significantly better than before the rear axle "tweak". So much so that many of my normal glides have become one much longer glide compared to two and a pulse between before. Coming home I go past the 199 overpass, about a mile+ from home, I pulse to 55 (45 zone) and as long as I can hit the left turn into my neighborhood without oncoming traffic interference, I can coast over a mile total with the last .3 mile in the neighborhood included.

Every previous car I have owned would not do that, including the 94 VX on the ORIGINAL tires, and the 1gen Insight on RE92s. Only the Mirage will coast .3 mile starting at 23 mph, a huge boost for short trip mpg (it's slightly downhill).

Extra set of Ensaves sitting on a shelf waiting for the originals to wear out. The tires on the car are still over 7/32 with 8/32 being the tread depth when new. Got them for $160 and some sweat.

Most of the negative handling comments on the Mirage are due to the rear wheel misalignment, in my opinion. Running 50 psi with my driving style, I might get close to 50k out of the OE tires. plus another 50 on the spare set. Hit a cloverleaf the other day with a Miata rapidly approaching from behind. He did not close the distance in the cloverleaf.

regards
mech

[user removed]

10k miles, just did the second oil change. The filter I bought several years ago on a Mobil 1 special from Advance, when I got the oil for my 02 Insight, same filter fits the Mirage. Basically that means I can go 7500 on the oil and filter, drain and refill the oil, using only one 5 gallon jug of Mobil 1 for two oil changes in 15k miles. I fill the oil until the dipstick reads in the middle of the range allowable.

Funny thing was when I changed the oil I had driven about 40 miles so I thought the oil would be pretty hot when I unscrewed the drain plug until it fell into the drain pan. The oil was not even that hot, in spite of coming home on a 55 mph stretch of highway. I guess the EOC is allowing the oil to cool off more than I remember, along with the cooler fall weather here.

The rear axle issue with alignment is resolved for the time being. Toe is 0 so tire wear is normal. The fronts have worn 1/32nd inch and the rears are still closer to 8/32nds (new measurement) than they are to 7/32nds. I might rotate them at 6/32nds or sooner.

The only other problem is an annoying buzzing from something inside the hatch, when moving sometimes. I'll fiddle around with it and get rid of that buzzer.

regards
mech

[Miller88]

Oil temperature seems to take a while. My jeep, when the oil is up to temperature is about 18PSI at hot idle. It often takes 45 minutes for it to get up to temperature. And that's with an engine that runs at 210 degrees. Since Aluminum engines don't hold heat so well and often run cooler, I could see oil temperature being an issue.

I accidentally grabbed the oil dip stick on the Cherokee instead of the transmission dip stick - I got a bit of a burn on my finger. I haven't noticed the oil in the Focus ever get that hot.

Have you thought about applying something like Aerospace 303 to the tires or are they stored in side?

[user removed]

Tires are on top of a cabinet in the garage. Their build date is 4th week 2015 (0415), so they are still very fresh (10 months old). Should be fine at 3-4 years when I install them.

The annoying rattle was the link between the hatch latch and the outer release handle on the hatch. I took a tiny wire tie and put it around the link and the trunk latch lever, just enough tension to stop the noise without affecting the operation of the latch mechanism.

Edit, watching gas buddy, I saw an Exxon station that had regular at $1.759 and they take AmEx so that's another 3 cents. Got 22.5 gallons, next day they were 10 cents higher, Nice thing is the station is 7 miles from my house.

regards
mech

[Hockeynut]

Hey Old Mechanic..A recall for 2014 and 2015 Mirages.Looks like it affects vechicles sold on the east coast and the midwest..Why just vehicles in this region is my ???..Here is a link..

Mitsubishi recalls 25,000 vehicles for wire corrosion issue | WGN-TV

[user removed]

I haven't received any noticie, but have read about the issue, and a recall seems appropriate. Best bet would be to add a layer of electricians tape to the area in question, done carefully enough to make sure of the integrity of the barrier.

regards
mech

[cyclopathic]

Originally Posted by Old Mechanic

I haven't received any noticie, but have read about the issue, and a recall seems appropriate. Best bet would be to add a layer of electricians tape to the area in question, done carefully enough to make sure of the integrity of the barrier.

regards
mech

The canadian reviewer from Alberta complained in youtube video of the fender cut outs under the hood, which in his view would result in snow build up in winter. Wonder if that is what causing it.

[Daox]

Nah, its on the inside foot well. Here is a thread on MF about it:

Warning Keep your floor dry! (potential electrical short circuits & corrosion) - MirageForum.com)

[Fat Charlie]

Originally Posted by Hockeynut

Hey Old Mechanic..A recall for 2014 and 2015 Mirages.Looks like it affects vechicles sold on the east coast and the midwest..Why just vehicles in this region is my ???..Here is a link..

Mitsubishi recalls 25,000 vehicles for wire corrosion issue | WGN-TV

Corrosion recalls are generally salt belt specific. We had a fun recall on the long heat & AC lines to the rear of the minivans some years ago. The salt belt part number was a huge mess of pipes and hoses, while the rest of the country got a small length of hose.