The Mirage is a "buy with your head, not with your heart" type of car. Too bad.

[Mitsuman]

old mechanic - I wasn't sure the reception I might get on here posting a Datsun in a Mitsu forum - but I've gotta say, I really thought that you, old mechanic, were going to be one that would respond. And you did - and you had a 510! Awesome!

Question? Is $12,900 kind of steep for that car? I think that these cars are set to have their value start to appreciate due to their popularity and good reputation for competent value and great build quality - even though they're 50 years old. I don't have a price lined up for a A/C unit - someone on the Edmunds.com forums told me I would need an electric fan for the radiator for sure, too. I do have a friend who likes ta tinker and is really a good mechanic, though, that wants ta help me. Could get pricey - couple thousand possibly. What is your take - an A/C unit would be imperative in SW Kansas - this place gets hot!

No one's buying the little orange tadpole - I am kind of interested, though. Wouldn't offer $12,900, I know that. They state that the odometer shows 41,784 miles. And everything, including lights and speedometer and odometer work on the car. It may have turned over 100,000 miles by now, though, and the car would really have 141,784 miles on it - I could believe that one!

[cyclopathic]

As someone who restored old cars in the past I hope you are not planning to use it as a daily driver and have a garage to store it.

Finding rags stuck in the rust through holes and then bondo over with rather nice paint job which peeled in a couple years isn't what you want to be dealing with. Just saying.

[Mitsuman]

As someone who restored old cars in the past I hope you are not planning to use it as a daily driver and have a garage to store it.

Finding rags stuck in the rust through holes and then bondo over with rather nice paint job which peeled in a couple years isn't what you want to be dealing with. Just saying.

No, I am a longshot to even buy the car, actually, as a weekend project.

http://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/...d/1789276.html

Above is a link to their ad in Hemming's for the small, vintage Datsun. I'd never get this one past my wife, who doesn't at all share my love of the automobile with me. I do have a detached 3-car garage ta store the beauty in, however.

I'd have a lot better chance of buying a new Kia or Mitsubishi in another 3-4 years, when we will need one. Our '11 Kia Soul base in clear white and 5-speed stick only has 59,901 miles on it and is in great shape. This would be a hobby car and that, because of the cost, pretty much kills it in it's tracks.

[davidricardo86]

I always loved the Datsun 510, Mazda RX3 and Toyota Corolla. Something about that small coupe and sedan body style that reminds me of a muscle car for and by the Japanese. I love it. That's definitely from the heart purchase. Haha

[deleted user]

On today's roads and drivers those old cars are deathtraps. Even compared to a GEO metro the Mirage is an exponential improvement.

I used to take great pleasure buying what people thought was junk and making it as good as new. Now it just hurts too much to get involved in something like that, but i have this in my garage, if I ever get the resolve to finish it.

regards
mech