Happy 2018! What are your Mirage-related plans/goals/resolutions this year?

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Happy new year, everybody! Do you have any Mirage-related plans for this year?

Any modifications/customizations planned??

Maybe aiming for a specific fuel economy milestone?

Planning a big trip?

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My Mirage resolution for 2018 is simple:

It's been way too long since I drove one (last time was the G4 loaner in late 2016!), so my goal is just to get behind the wheel to rekindle my appreciation for the car.

(And of course to keep watching for a killer deal on a used one near me. :D )

More MPG. It's why I bought this model car.

Wallythacker...check your private messages... :)

Woo, I like these threads.

I have quite a few plans for the Mirage this coming year. I hope I get even half of them done.

1) Consistently get 60 mpg this coming summer.

2) Design a bunch of fun mods for the Mirage for me and for others. I have tons of ideas. My current wish list is around 31 mods... Here are some on the more immediate to do list:
--- Glove box light
--- Cruise control
--- Grill block
--- Electric power steering controller
--- Alternator delete
--- Air dam
--- Rear anti-roll / sway solution
--- PTC heater disable
--- and more!

I plan to make a cargo carrier for the trailer hitch on the rear.

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Originally Posted by Daox

Woo, I like these threads.

I have quite a few plans for the Mirage this coming year. I hope I get even half of them done.

1) Consistently get 60 mpg this coming summer.

2)
--- PTC heater disable
--- and more!

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Come to think of it, I'd love a switch to disable my PTC and if possible, somehow run more voltage ->PTC to get the damn thing hotter when needed.

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Originally Posted by Daox

1) Consistently get 60 mpg this coming summer.

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This ought to be fun. Are you gonna switch to bicycle tires?

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Originally Posted by Daox

--- Glove box light

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Practically done.

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Originally Posted by Daox

--- Cruise control

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To be taken to the next level.

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Originally Posted by Daox

--- Grill block

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You gonna duplicate your Matrix design? I think that looked sharp.

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Originally Posted by Daox

--- Electric power steering controller

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Good luck and be careful here. Brakes & steering are pretty significant things to tinker with. It would be interesting to see how it works if disabled (through ETACS) and removed.

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Originally Posted by Daox

--- Alternator delete

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That's crazy. With all the electronics I wonder how they'll be affected...

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Originally Posted by Daox

--- Air dam

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Front?

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Originally Posted by Daox

--- Rear anti-roll / sway solution

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Are you going to revisit your alternative rear sway bar design?

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Originally Posted by Daox

--- PTC heater disable

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Pull them fuses. In the meantime, enjoy them for what they are. I'd be mightily impressed if you figure out how to modify ETACS to get them to turn off at another temperature.

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Originally Posted by Daox

--- and more!

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More pictures that is.

:)

The 60 mpg I don't think should be too hard to achieve. I have a fairly ideal commute. I have a bit of city 25 mph on each end, but most of my commute is 45 mph with stop lights sprinkled in here and there. It is only 7 miles, so warming up is a big deal for me, thus the 1000W block heater install.

Yeah, the Mirage will get something quite similar to the Matrix as far as a grill block goes. I have a sheet of black coroplast that I'll cut out and mount to it somehow.

Yes, I am thinking I'll install a front air dam. Not exactly sure how I'll do it yet, but I did it on my Metro and it helped a noticeable amount. However, the front of that car was miles high too. Still, MetroMPG tested the air dam on his test Mirage, and it made a noticeable difference, so the mod is still a go.

I am going to revisit the rear sway bar alternative. I'm not 100% sure which way I will go, but I definitely want to get a solution that isn't a $225 sway bar, and I think that is totally doable. Now that I have a Mirage, testing things will be immensely easier and quicker. Huge thanks to Spork for letting me test my ideas on her brand new Mirage, but she works 2nd shift, and we can only get together on weekends. This makes for a really slow development process.

I've thought about pulling the fuses or relays for the PTC heater. However, as with most of my mods, I want them to be reversible at the flick of a switch. The PTC heater mod will be done with a switch, as will the alternator delete so it can be turned on for long trips. The same goes for the electric power steering controller. It will also be disable-able in case you want to go back to stock assist at any time.

Why the PTC delete and power steering delete? Is it needed in order to be able to remove the alternator?

I wonder how this will affect the electric power steering controller, and if this will have any affect on the CANbus network.