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

[user removed]

I got the recall notice, no hurry here, I keep it clean and dry.

So far I have:

Warm Air Intake
Grille block
Block heater
Rear axle toe reducer tension rod turnbuckle.

14k miles on the odometer this month.


regards
mech

[Baltothewolf]

Hi mech, I have a few questions.

Now that you have had the car for a while, maybe you can give me a little insight, how would you rate reliability? Can you recommend this car at all?



Do they make a turbo version of the mirage?

The MPG you get, do you get that at 55? What MPG can you achieve at 70mph?

[user removed]

As far as reliability I see nothing to cause concern at 14k miles. No measurable oil consumption.

I would buy another one in a heartbeat, possible used if I could get a big enough discount.

No turbo just the 74 hp standard, 4 hp bump on the 2017 model. I wish top gear overall gearing was about 20% taller.

It will do 55 at 55, not sure about 70, the only time I have done that is on the Interstate here, mostly in heavier traffic. I can get 55, but without the traffic helping me along at 70 it would probably drop into the mid forties.

regards
mech

[Baltothewolf]

Originally Posted by Old Mechanic

As far as reliability I see nothing to cause concern at 14k miles. No measurable oil consumption.

I would buy another one in a heartbeat, possible used if I could get a big enough discount.

No turbo just the 74 hp standard, 4 hp bump on the 2017 model. I wish top ger overall gearing was about 20% taller.

It will do 55 at 55, not sure about 70, the only time I have done that is on the Interstate here, mostly in heavier traffic. I can get 55, but without the traffic helping me along at 70 it would probably drop into the mid forties.

regards
mech

Thanks! I have been looking at either one of these or a new gen civic (turbo), but I think I'll wait until the manual version of the turbo civic comes out and make a decision then.

[user removed]

Took Mom and Pop to a life celebration for my cousin who passed at 73 from lung cancer (smoked his whole life). Drove the Mirage and left the wife's 25k Sorento home as well as Mom's CTS coupe and Pop's Eldorado. Only complaints were the rough roads, with tires at just under 50 psi, that didn't help. Even then and driving through many lights, traffic and the rest, still managed just under 55 mpg indicated (factory instrumentation).

Mom and Pop's 70th wedding anniversary is Feb 17.

regards
mech

[roosterk0031]

Do you think with your driving style you could actualy do better with a CVT due to the gearing advantage?

I consistantly average 45 mph, 120 miles a day never over 55 mph. My next car will most likely be a mirage, question is manual or CVT.

[user removed]

I averaged 67 mpg in a 1st gen Insight with a CVT for close to 35k miles. I chose the manual and love it but the CVT appeals to me more every day. would depend on the deal
since my wife could drive a CVT much easier than a manual. Last manual for her was a1973 VW.

regards
mech

[user removed]

January 9th to Feb 9th.
22.5 gallons
1190 miles
$1.349@ gal
52.89mpg
$30.35

Less than $400 a year for fuel, about the additional cost of owning a leaf (taxes and ins) compared to the Mirage.

About what the insurance costs.

At 14 k I rotated the wheels, same side front to rear. All tread depths the same acrosss each tire. Fronts were 6.5/32nd rears over 7.5/32nds.

regards
mech

Air filter clean, need to check the cabin filter but no hurry. 3rd oil change at 17.5 k then 7.5 k (miles) thereafter.

[user removed]

Temp here this morning was AM 8 degrees F, slightly less than -8 C. May be the coldest day of this season. Last night we went to dinner without the block heater connected prior to the 6 mile round trip. MPG reading was 42 when I got home.

This car has a supplemental electric heater for weather like this. Nice warm air out of the vents almost immediately. Really great for those who live in much colder climates that I.

The green light (cold temp indicator-no gauge) will stay on for more than 1.2 miles in these temperatures, with a 2 hour block heater pre warming that distance is less than .3 mile. On the same 6 mile round trip with a 1 hour interval at the destination, with the block heater the mpg would have been right at 30% higher. It would be close to 60 mpg had it not been for the time sitting outside while we ate dinner.

Really neat things about this car.

EOC does NOT turn off the:
Radio
Headlights
Power windows
Brake lights (if you ever use the brakes in EOC)
This is while you have the ignition turned off for a second or two to shut it down.

There may be other things I don't remember.

I do condemn Mitsubishi for their atrocious handling of the rear axle issue, which required me to spend time and my own money to get my tire wear to be what it would be if the axle had been built TO THEIR SPECIFICATIONS.

Would I buy again KNOWING the axle issue before I made the purchase, I would do it again, but that does not mean Mitsubishi should not be sued by owners with serious rear axle alignment issues. Mine is out of specs, theirs is DANGEROUS.

If you decide to buy one make the sale CONTINGENT on the alignment being within specs.

If they try to tell me my "adjustment period" has expired they will see me in court.

It's not adjustable.

regards
mech

[user removed]

50 degrees today, block heater on 3 hours. 40 mpg .3 mile from the garage at the end of the neighborhood. I went to the credit union to deposit some funds, low speed with a lot of EOC opportunities.

Hit 60 mpg in 3 miles.

Grille block
Block heater
WAI
50 psi tires
Rear toe tweaked to 0

I peaked at 68 mpg, got home at 65mpg.

After lunch youngest brother called, left to meet him at the rifle range to sight in my repaired Lyman Super Target Spot 10x scope on my 1931 date Winchester Model 52 target .22 rimfire rifle. 20 rounds later I'm plucking quarter sized chips of skeet off the backstop.

I managed to keep the mpg above 60 (61.2) when I got home, the second leg is higher speeds with much lower EOC opportunities. Looks like the mods have me about where I was last summer when it was much warmer than today, on winter gas.

With the WAI even leaving the engine on when coasting at higher speeds you can get impressive mpg just neutral coasting with the engine idling on hot air off the exhaust manifold you get a kind of lean burn with less dense intake air.

regards
mech