I didn't intend on getting a 2015 Mirage

[ComputerAbuser]

I test drove a 2015 Mirage a few weeks ago and wrote about my experience here...
http://mirageforum.com/forum/showthr...-2016-Spark-LS

I also test drove a 2016 Spark. I think the Spark was a nicer drive, but it has a shorter warranty and I'm not a Chevy fan.

I intended on waiting for a 2017 Mirage since it seems to address the handling concerns and I really liked the Sunset Orange colour...

Some background:
My first new car was a 2008 Toyota Yaris Sedan (5 speed manual). Prior to that I only owned old crappy used cars.
I loved my Yaris. At the time, it had the best fuel economy of any new gasoline only Sedan. I routinely got over 40 MPG with it (mostly city). I even got a government rebate (ECO Auto rebate) because of it's fuel economy status. It was comfortable and the trunk was huge (we took it camping often). In 3.5 years we had put over 100 000 km on it.

It was written off July 2011 (rear ended).

We used the insurance money to buy a 2009 Toyota Corolla (CVT). I hated that car. My wife doesn't like stick, so we went automatic. It wasn't just the transmission that I hated. It felt huge, it was (relatively) bad on gas and it was not fun to drive (CVT). Plus the trunk was somehow smaller (we could no longer fit our cooler and it fit way less camping gear).

Dec 2012 we traded the Corolla in for a 2003 Mazda MPV minivan. Now that thing was BAD on gas, but we routinely needed to transport more than 5 people. It was also nice for camping.

Oct 2014 we purchased a new 2014 Lancer Limited Edition (having just one vehicle wasn't working for us). CVT again at my wife's insistence. I like the Lancer, but it's hard to get good mileage. Any stop & go traffic just kills it (~8L-9L/100km). I can get it down to around 6L/100km on the highway and I can get it below 7L/100km city with minimal traffic. We average 7.6L/100km with my wife driving it half the time.

Two weeks ago my son got his license and purchased his first car (2005 Chevy Cavalier Coupe). That meant we could sell the van and pick up a small car for me.

***

In Canada you can get 3 cars for $10K. The 2015 Nissan Micra, 2016 Chevy Spark, 2015 Mitsubishi Mirage.
- The Micra has horrible mileage for a sub-compact.
- The Spark is mostly OK.
- The Mirage is just about perfect for my needs.

The 2017 had already been announced when I started looking at getting a car, so I was going to wait for it.

When I test drove the 2015, all of the fun colours were already gone. Just the usual silver, grey, white & black remained. The $3500 rebate was already in effect, but just on the base ES. I was expecting Mitsubishi to continue to sell the 2017 base ES for $10K, meaning it would only be $1000 more to get a 2017 instead of a 2015.

On Thursday March 31st I called my local dealership and asked if they had 2017's in stock yet. I was told they expected them Monday, but that they were selling the last 2015's at cost to clear them out. They only had 3 SE's left, all manual transmission. Before PDI, they were selling the SE's for $12000 Canadian (after $3500 rebate). That's $4000 below MSRP.

I was also told that they didn't expect Mitsubishi to discount the base 2017 ES, although I think they would be crazy to sell the 2017 for $12600 when the Micra & Spark are still $10000.

Long story short (yah, too late), I drove home with a Pearl White 2015 Mirage that night. Even if Mitsubishi sells the Base ES 2017 for $10000 Canadian, they normally don't discount higher trims. It was just too good of a deal.

***

Up until now, that old 2008 Yaris was my favourite, but after driving the Mirage around for 2 days, I suspect that's about to change.

[deleted user]

Close to a year and 16k miles on mine and I love the car. Even my 94 year old POP likes it an he drives a 2001 Eldorado.

regards
mech

[Mitsuman]

Up until now, that old 2008 Yaris was my favourite, but after driving the Mirage around for 2 days, I suspect that's about to change.

Man, ComputerAbuser, that's really interesting to me because in the first half of 2006 living in SE Idaho the Toyota dealer in Pocatello had a red 4-door Toyota Yaris sedan in stick shift form. At the time I had a 2001 Kia Sportage 4X4 that was a tight rig, I just was looking for better ghastly mileage. I would stop and peek in at it but never even test drove the car - but I loved it's body design and projected ghastly mileage.

I ended up trading that Sportage 4X4 in on March 21, 2007, for a 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS. I always got similar ghastly mileage in my Lancer GTS that I get now in my Soul. About 24mpg city 31mpg highway. Really similar to each other.

Congrats on your new ride - the '17 Mirage and G4 remain interesting new rigs to take a look at - but, you scored yourself such a great deal that I wouldn't sweat the '17's even a bit, man. Ya done good.

BTW - I love the '15 Mirage in that bright white - sweet!

[cyclopathic]

BTW - I love the '15 Mirage in that bright white - sweet!

I love white too but OP is in Canada, and they've got snow... White isn't the best for snowbelt. Though he is in Victoria and I don't think it snows much there.

[ComputerAbuser]

No, it rarely ever snows here. I think in the last 3 years it has maybe snowed twice and each time it would have been gone in a day or two.

[cyclopathic]

No, it rarely ever snows here. I think in the last 3 years it has maybe snowed twice and each time it would have been gone in a day or two.

White is usually popular in hot locations like Florida, Arizona or SoCal as it doesn't absorbs heat as much.

[Mitsuman]

ComputerAbuser - Victoria, B.C.? Wow - I grew up just north of Seattle in Edmonds, WA. I have taken the BlackBall Transport ship over to Victoria from Port Angeles, WA, before. That was fun. Victoria is a really clean city, man, couldn't believe it. Not even many cigarette packages on the ground or anything.

[ComputerAbuser]

ComputerAbuser - Victoria, B.C.? Wow - I grew up just north of Seattle in Edmonds, WA. I have taken the BlackBall Transport ship over to Victoria from Port Angeles, WA, before. That was fun. Victoria is a really clean city, man, couldn't believe it. Not even many cigarette packages on the ground or anything.

Ya, we're pretty luck here.

[ComputerAbuser]

Maybe the thing I am disappointed with is that I didn't get to choose the color.

I didn't get to chose the color of my Toyota Yaris, since the dealership/salesman here was incredibly difficult to deal with.

We didn't get to pick the color of our Lancer since we bought a 2014 after the 2015's were already out and stock was limited.

Finally, I didn't get to pick the color or my Mirage. At least I didn't have to go with silver/grey. I probably would have gone for green. I just hope I can keep the white clean without too much effort.

Maybe next time I will get to pick the color.

[cyclopathic]

White is much easier to keep clean, black is the worst. White is cool in summer and is also very noticeable in all conditions except the snow