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

Unfortunately a CVT. Probably a 5mile loop, reset the mpg gauge which was reading 17.5 mpg with 84 miles on the odometer, reset at 30 mph, cold engine.

Max speed right at 40 mph urban-city type driving. MPG at the end was around 47, very impressive and what was even more impressive was the low speed pulling power. The sales rep had to weigh 300 pounds and me at just over 200.

I'm seriously considering buying one, after getting some input from the wife.:rolleyes:
Always an adventure.

His best price was right at $12k, plus DMV fees that would add another $600 (4.05% sales tax).

regards
mech

Neat. Seriously considering the CVT or the manual? Try a manual for kicks - it's a different car.

I was prepared to hate the CVT, but it impresses me how hard it tries to save fuel: 2-speed sub-gearbox; idle-neutral; always seeking low, low engine RPM once at cruise. You can waft it along and get really good numbers from one. Just not quite as good as the lower-rated manual.

Don't forget you can rid the car of its excessive (to me, and many owners) body roll with an easy to add aftermarket rear stabilizer bar.

With the CVT increasing the price by $1285, the only option I will get is the free (yeah right) tank of gas.

But can it tow my small trailer without voiding the warranty? Not a huge issue since I have only used it (the trailer) once in 9 months. The Sentra needs a front main seal fairly soon, after that there is not much left to do and I could never justify the cost of the new vehicle based on total cost of ownership.

I could recover close to 30% of the cost by selling all the other vehicles, Sentra, GZ250 and GS500E, might even let the Honda 50 go if I could get enough money for it.

regards
mech

I think that this is a form of "spring fever" that folks get that is called "new car fever".

"Let's see, if I sell my x and y and z, I have it almost paid for."

This is why one should NEVER drive a new car!

I would expect it could pull a small trailer, although you will probably void your warranty if it is discovered that you do.

I considered a Mirage (but never test drove one) when doing research that led me to my Nissan Note. I knew in the future I would be pulling a trailer at least 50 percent of the time, and I thought having the extra hp and torque available outweighed the slight mpg benefit of the Mirage.

Regarding the trailer situation, the Note doesn't have a tow rating either, but with a manual, I'm not concerned with it hurting the car, and the hitch mounted on the car is for bicycles, obviously. ;)

You know you are a plane nut when someone says " Mirage " and the first thing you think of is this : http://cdn1.airplane-pictures.net/im.../10/166769.jpg


Mech : Regarding the car, do the rear seats fold down flat ?

Also, did you find the car to be loud, and have poor handling ?

This quote from a article on the car "A mundane interior, sloppy handling and a loud, weak engine overshadow the 2015 Mitsubishi Mirage's outstanding fuel economy, test drivers say" .

I remember Pop telling me about flying a Texan (at6 trainer) from Alabama to Virginia with a female passenger. When they landed the gal asked him how he controlled the plane. He showed her how the stick and rudder pedals worked.

She told him she never saw them move in the several hour flight.

I was impressed with how the car ran and handled-rode, but then drifting is not my style anymore. The specs show a 75 mm bore and a 90 mm stroke. Long stoke engines are better at low speed power. At the very beginning of the drive the feeling of the 3 cylinders was new for me, but the low end power was much better than I had experienced with , the only other 3 cylinder car I have driven, my Insight.

I did not check to see if the rear seat back would fold down flat, it would not in my Fiesta and I took the whole back seat out of the car, hope it does.

regards
mech

I think those kind of quotes are to be taken with a grain of salt with any economy box, especially considering the reviewer might have tested three or four luxury or sports cars previously, making it hard to review a car costing a fraction of the price and getting twice the mileage with a clean palate.

You'll find similar reviews on any other the comparable models, and some reviews that almost lean too much the other way. IMO, none of the "bad" reviews held up at all when I compared my car to my 25 year old non turbo 3/4 ton, but compared to the Park Avenue, or a friends sportier cars, the "bad" reviews weren't harsh enough. :D

Agreed. Most auto reviewers don't know how to present things in context when faced with a cheap, efficient econobox.

Also, I've read literally more that 200 reviews of this particular car. It's taken a lot of flack from some big reviewers, but it's wrong to say there's a universal take on the Mirage. So much subjectivity is presented as fact in reviews... but it's not hard to find blatant contradictions from one to the next.

What I tell people is: if you're interested in a car, just go try it. Only your opinion matters.

Why would some one with automotive experience need a new car

I'm just going to forewarn you the market will fall out very quickly on them in the used car market, not because they are bad cars they are just cheap cars and 90% of them will be trashed by 60k miles

I would rather have a used honda civic or honda fit than a new mirage, there's only so much I can sacrifice for fuel economy and to me the mirage is ugly and under powered.

I actually really enjoy my brothers 5 speed lancer gt

At 64 years I find myself rapidly loosing the urge to keep an old car running, but right now the Sentra needs a $10 (OE) front crank oil seal and 1 hour labor to basically be ready to go anywhere. Even with the leaking seal, it did 6k miles with the oil level dropping only half way down the safe range marking on the dipstick on synthetic oil. Allowing the front seal leak to continue jeopardizes the life expectancy of other underhood components.

I have a big project in the garage that must be finished. Towing the trailer with the Sentra is no problem, maybe not so with the Mirage with the 10-100 warranty that could be denied.

I can buy the Mirage with cash, insurance will be close to the same without collision, and I can forget about car repairs for a decade when I will be closing in on 75.

Some more research shows the $1250 cash applies to a 2015 while that climbs to $2000 on a left over 2014 model, and the car on their showroom was made May 2014. I also own a Suzuki motor cycle which may mean another $250. Combined I might be able to get a 2014 for $11k versus the 2015 for $12k. That's $3-4k less than the average new purchase price here of $15.6k. Best price used within 200 miles is 10k.

To rationalize the fuel savings as cost effective is ludicrous. Even if I could average twice the mpg (75mpg) it would only save me $37 of Aprils fuel cost.

Bottom line for me is making life less complicated and right now it is a very close call.
The Sentra dumps a tranny, it goes for scrap, but it could run on another 100k miles without any real major repairs.

We'll see. I paid $7k for my CRX 1.5 new in 1984, drove it 50k miles and sold it for $5k. $2k for 50 k miles ain't bad averaging 44 mpg.

regards
mech

buy x for 300 sell it for 1250
buy y for 650 sell it for 1200
buy z for 250 sell if for 1500

$2950 in my pocket, drop the bike ins to offset some depreciation.

regards
mech

Does it have a timing chain?

I swore off buying anything else new but admit to looking still. Sometimes it just makes more sense to buy new when the used versions are too close to the same price, or when they give great warranties but to only the original buyer. Dodge for a few years was doing unlimited mileage, lots of loopholes, but still, what would that be worth 10-20 years from now? With inflation probably more then the whole car cost if you are talking a base, entry level model.

A new car for $12K is amazing. That said, I would go for the 1.0L EcoBoost Fiesta over the Mirage, despite the rather significant jump in price. Gotta wonder how big the depreciation hit will be in the first year for both of these little critters.

I've spent a couple of hours in a CVT Mirage and a week in the manual Fiesta. I didn't knock out a Mirage review, but my gut says this might be a solid little car with some aftermarket tweaks.

If you can, drive the Mirage and 1.0L Fiesta back-to-back. The Kia Rio and Hyundai Accent are worth a look, as well.

The Fiesta will definitely be more entertaining to a traditional "enthusiast". The Mirage is roomier inside and will spank the Ford's MPG, without the niggling concern of turbo longevity. I haven't driven a 1.0t Fiesta, but would love to.

Depreciation: the Mirage is already confirmed as having higher than average % depreciation: http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...eap-30783.html. Good news if you like to wait & buy used cars, bad news if you buy new but don't keep your cars for a long time.

Timing chain: yes

Towing: I would. Curtis makes a receiver for it.

Bought it.

It is a timing chain, belts are getting rare and valve train wreckers even rarer (interference engines).

Total out the door was $12,871, a little higher than I wanted to pay but isn't it always.

I got complicated early, as it always does.The sales rep acted like there was no $2k factory incentive and did not mention that they were adding $810 and $489 after the price was supposed to be everything but dmv fees.

Pop bought a 65 Chrysler at the same dealership 50 years ago. After repeatedly asking them, "I need the out the door price, except for the dmv fees" they wait until the last 5 minutes after hours then load on an extra $1300 and they lost the sale.

I get on the internet and find one in Fredericksburg, listed at $10,774, so I call them and tell them I will be in town tomorrow and want to buy it, cash, no trade.

$13300. Why the added $2500, "oh it's all explained on the website". "Too much, I'll pass", my response.

The they tell me about a 2014 model left over new, that I can get for $12.871 OTD. The salesman will give me a loaner, deliver the car when they get it (2 hours each way).
I have credit union checks for $12.8 and the $71 in cash. The deal happens around lunch tomorrow, May 9th. Pop turned 94 today, he was born Mother's Day 1921.

I'll drive the identical manual tranny loaner home tomorrow, if they don't get the car tonight, which is what I would do, if I was in their shoes.

regards
mech

The Curtis hitch receiver will probably be my first mod.

I liked my Fiesta, but would prefer made in Thailand over Mexico.

I think I'm finished with bikes, since even 50 MPG average makes the 75 mpg bike not worth the injury risk potential. Number 4 in gas cars is a Mirage with all the last almost 3 decades of design improvements.

I might keep the 65 Honda 50, since it requires no insurance and at 137 pounds, I could haul it with the Mirage, when only the wife and I are riding.

3dplane has set a high bar with his 65.3 mpg Mirage.

regards
mech

Interesting!

Unfortunately that's a common story, and not limited to Mitsu dealers.

Looking forward to your reports on the car.

PS: happy birthday to Pops. :)

The ride home tomorrow will duplicate drive when I bought my Echo a few years ago. Beautiful country road divided, 4 lane with a 60 mph speed limit and beautiful coasting hills, almost devoid of traffic lights with the rest time able, last 8 miles of 120.

I got 50 mpg in the Echo on that drive, I'll know the revs per mile after that. The 75 mm bore 90 mm stroke and almost 11 to 1 compression ratio are keys to MPG. I'll have a report tomorrow if the loaner is a manual Mirage which I requested.

regards
mech

Woo, congrats on the new car. I also really liked the Mirage (cvt) when I tested it for a week. I'd throw a rear sway bar on for a bit more fun and call it good. The MPG the car knocks down is pretty ridiculous. I averaged 50 mpg in summer for the week I had it.

I saw one of these little rides parked at work yesterday. Sweet little car. Congrats!

Congrats! When they say the resale is bad for one that is based on a percentage of MSRP. So if they have $1500 or $2000 rebates that is like $6000 rebate on a new 4x4 pickup. Then even if the resale bad compared to the pickup look at the actual dollar number of the depreciation not the percent. Like you said a used one would have only saved you $1-2k and no long warranty. Guy who buys a high resale car or truck for $35k loses thousands more then you do and even more when you factor operating costs.

Meh.

Race the sentra against the mirage.

Go drive it, Metro! The 1.0L Fiesta is a hoot. Capable of remarkable MPGs if you can stay out of the boost. It's not insanely fun like the ST (most fun you can have for $21K), but it delivers a nice combo of responsiveness and efficiency. The back seat is tight, no doubt about that, but the current car seems like it might be a tiny bit better than the early models.

Here's a clip I shot with it last summer:
https://youtu.be/agJhftXqBZs

Congrats on the new ride and happy birthday to pops! Looking forward to seeing the mileage you squeeze out of it and the inevitable mods. :)

I'm not a fan of the styling either. Looks dated. I'll overlook it because at least they put some effort into factory aero: cd 0.28 is way better than average for this body style.

That's relative. 35% more power than a last gen. Metro, and barely weighs 100 lbs more. I appreciate the lengths Mitsu's engineers went to design efficiency into the whole package.

I just wish they'd made it steer and handle better out of the box. That would have avoided a lot of criticism the car has had from the typical auto reviewers, and it wouldn't have hurt MPG.

I'm not a typical auto reviewer, but my immediate impression was that the Mirage was pulled out of the oven a little too early. It just needs a bit of suspension refinement. I went looking for aftermarket springs right after driving it. At the time (shortly after the Mirage was released), there were no aftermarket springs on the market. Just saw RS-R springs on eBay.

I'd love to do an MPG-boosted SEMA build with the Mirage …

At first glance, i wondered what a Porsche Cayenne was doing at the Economy run.
At second glance, I realized it was a Mirage I was seeing.
http://i877.photobucket.com/albums/a...vs_Insight.jpg

http://carslaws.com/images/porsche-cayenne3.jpg

I watched a review of the car, and the reviewer said ( here we go again ) that the car looks this way to be "aerodynamic".
Isn't .27 pretty close to what the Mercedes A class gets ?

Congrats on the new Mirage, Mech!
May you have many, many high mileage, no trouble miles in it.

And, most important, Happy Birthday to your dad!!!

Interestingly, I just checked the Mirage prices in the Gainesville, Ga area, and they are all over $14k or $15k. If I shop, I can find a new Corolla (in Buford) for close to those prices (15 to 16K). But all the Toyo's are automatics.

Cool deal on the new car!!!

Now you can concentrate on the project. I was in the same boat and decided to buy a new car, our Scion Tc. Wanted something that I didn't have to worry about for the next 10 years other then brakes and tires.

Happy B-Day to Pops:thumbup:

If it came in a 3 door version I would understand the car a little better. It would be an eco car to get good gas mileage. Making it a 5 door is kind of like saying well its kind of an eco car but it's also kind of a sedan, neither of which I feel it excels at. Really just don't understand the need for cargo room and 2 extra doors, are they making them for vacuum salesmen or just as cheap cars. And it seems they are just making them as cheap cars

Congrats on the purchase. :)




I think it's possible you just aren't the target consumer for this car... ;)

What ^^^^ said.

If price is a major concern, offer it in a 2 door. I would guess that build cost could be dropped a few hundred dollars doing so. It may come down to the fact that the cost of designing 2 different cars offsets the cost difference.

I expect the 2016 Cruze will dethrone the Mirage as the ICE mileage champ. Maybe there are some other contenders, as well. Personally I'd rather spend $4k more to get a larger, quieter, nicer car that's equally efficient.

Rode up there today with two bank checks totalling $12.8k. The sales manager made me an offer I could not refuse.

We had agreed on $12,871 out the door including $600 in dmv fees and $810 transportation as well as their transaction fee of almost $500.

That was for a 2014 model.

"$94 more and we will sell you a 2015 that we have here on our lot today.

I said "absolutely" it will be worth a grand more if I sell it used.

I had to take a leak,in the bathroom I had a panic attack, got back to the sales manager and told him "do me one favor, tell me it isn't black", it's a dark gray metallic, one of my favorite colors.

$12,967 otd with $1900 in added fees above the window sticker of $12,995, not including the freight charge of $810. Total window sticker $13,805 plus another $1100 in dmv and dealer fees, so about $2k off list, even though the rebate was $1250, versus $2000 for a 2014.

The whole transaction was finished in 25 minutes, exponentially faster than any other dealer purchase I or my wife have made in our lives.

The dealership is Shirlie Stark in Fredericksburg Va. I met Shirlie's daughter Pattie who runs the store. In the total time I was there I think they delivered 5 newly sold cars. The longest delay was getting it washed, vacuumed and putting on the plates.

regards
mech

The Sentra would whoop the Mirages butt.

The display on the Mirage was showing 53-54 mpg for about 100 miles. Initial speed 55 mph,then alternating between 55-60 with no forced stops and numerous downhills where coasting was beneficial. Later some 65-70 on the Interstate made no real difference even though the engine was at 3500 at 70, probably some atkinsion programming on the intake cam. Sentra would have been 37-39.

5th gear 3k rpm at 60 1000 per 20 mph (VX is 1k per 30mph). Peak torque (74) at 4k, HP (74) at 6,500 redline.

It took a few miles to get the hang of it, don't need to launch at 3k when 2k will work fine. Tires were at 30psi after this fill, now at 48, sidewall 44.
Long stroke, big :thumbup:

I don't read many car rags anymore. The Mirage represents a transitional vehicle for me, more appliance where before it was that I truly loved cars.
I still love this car. Short term cash reserve still healthy.

Is the upholstery cheap. It's brand new and it ain't creaking or rattling, works for me and easy cleanup. If it was as nice as a Mercedes Benz, Benz would be out of business.

Does it handle good. LMAO ask Nicky, he's in charge of the Joey Chitwood maneuvers :eek:. It handles fine and I'm not doing anything to mess up the warranty, maybe the trailer hitch hehe.

Thanks to 3dplane for the first had reports and the fantastic fuel economy. With all the modern enhancements, but retaining a cable operated clutch (no hydraulics) but ps, pb, p-windows, locks, climate control ac, cd, p-mirrors and all the rest of the long list, for what I paid for it, I think I did great. Oh did I say I love the car.:cool:

regards
mech

The project is moving along, I'm mentally plowing through some issues. In one case I need a rear tire (passenger car) for the harley wheel (17X5) but it can't be more than 28 inches OD. If they don't start making one, I have a disc wheel that is the same tire size as the fronts but it will drop the ride height.

I told POP the problem with the car is it needs the damn drive, 5 years on the patent. 12 and a few months left.

regards
mech