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Thread: Looking at buying my first new car

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    Looking at buying my first new car

    I'm Canadian. I'm graduating university this spring. I'm on a budget. I've never purchased a new vehicle. The only vehicle I ever purchased was an '01 Toyota Echo back in August 2013. I paid 3,000$ for it and it has done its duty for me.
    With these facts established, I'm looking for some help on which car I should grab next. I'm looking at subcompacts as the Lancer and equivalent cars in its class (EDIT: the Lancer's class), are outside my price range. I know this is the Mitsubishi thread and may be a tad bias, but I'm looking at the 2017 Mitsubishi Mirage hatchback. It seems that the professional reviews for this car are mostly negative, but I'm looking for an honest review from a normal consumer. I'm not looking to race people, I'm looking to save money and be comfortable. It would be mainly for commuting to and from work, and going on leisurely drives with my girlfriend.
    When compared to vehicles in its class (looking at the Kia Rio, Chevy Sonic, Nissan Mirca mainly) is it a good buy? Would you recommend it over other subcompacts?



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    It all depends on what your priorities are.

    I'm tall so I needed space and comfort, I'm not particularly rich so I needed a good asking price and economy, and I wanted reliability. Everything else had to just be good enough. The mirage is outstanding spacious on the inside, it's inexpensive to own and operate, and it has the best in class warranty. It isn't fast, and the steering is a little vague, but it certainly feels solid and safe enough. If you really care about a "fun" driving experience, this car isn't for you. That being said, I don't think most people who aren't reviewers really do a whole lot. This is the good enough car with a few exceptional points.

    I will say, I currently am having a problem with the winter fuel economy in Canada though, so if you do get it, and are able, maybe put in a block heater. Without it the fuel economy is still excellent for long drives, but kind of meh for short drives. Even without, the fuel economy is pretty good comparatively.

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    Hmm, yeah with my current car I'm not sure I've ever even experienced a "fun" ride haha. So I don't think I'm missing out on much. But thanks for your input. I got a quote the other day and I've definitely got the block heater in the quote!

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    Here are some random, odd points about the Mirage:

    I love this car (mine's a 2014): it's feels far more spacious inside of it than others in its class, and even compared with larger cars.
    It has a straightforward, minimalistic feel, which I appreciate.
    I'm averaging 48mpg (US) with 80% city driving, with no real effort.
    The long warranty along with lower costs for insurance plays into the economy factor for me, and it's a great point A-to-B car.
    I don't have to worry about someone trying to steal it!
    Though I care for it reasonably well, I stress and worry much less about it getting scratched or dinged up like I might with a far more expensive, fancy car.
    I love the 3-cylinder engine, it has the growl of a 6-cylinder.
    Much of the car is pretty easy to work on by myself too.
    The hatchback trunk with the rear seats folded down or removed gives me quite a large amount of space to haul things like furniture, etc.
    I see it as a mini-suv
    It's actually far more fun for me to operate my Mirage than it was with my other cars (including a Mustang!).
    I also have much greater traction in my Mirage in the snow compared to other cars I've operated.
    The heater is exceptional; the car doesn't need to warm up before I get heat from the heating system - this might help during cold Canadian winters.
    It has the coldest A/C of any car I've known too.
    It's sold in "third world" countries too, so I expect it to be built to handle rougher conditions.
    I love the soft handling, I don't care to experience every bump on the road (though I hear there's a firmer ride in later models)
    After 2.5 years, I don't have a single complaint about it.

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    Senior Member Mitsuko's Avatar
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    My 2017 G4 is my first new car in 17 years. Since then I have several used cars that were low milage but old nonetheless. They were all much bigger than the Mirage too, 2 Buicks and a Lincoln. Got tired of them not being gas hogs and the local mechanic recognizing my voice when I called.

    Why would I recommend a Mirage? Well, I do have to admit I have had mine just 11 days but so far I am pleased. The warranty is best in the industry and the car comes well equipped or plain and simple, whichever suits your need. Price is unbeatable. At least in USA, used cars are expensive, I have seen 4-6 year old cars priced near what a new Mirage might set you back.

    Ignore the pro car magazines; they are like snooty wine connoisseurs and will dismiss a car as "junk" because they do not like the feel of the AC controls. They hate the Mirage because it does not have "finesse" and 350 HP.

    The CVT takes a bit of getting used to and yes, it is a bit noisy, rough and harder riding, but my old cars were barges. As "Spadesheart"noted, I am not impressed with the initial MPG, maybe due to cold weather here too, the car being new and my use of it limited to very short drives (2-5 miles) is maybe a factor as was also noted.

    You sound like you want a reliable car that is comfortable with some decent equipment to make driving pleasurable. I would recommend a Mirage for sure.

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    The press reviews aren't entirely wrong. It's true that the Mirage doesn't do a lot of things well. It doesn't accelerate, brake or handle great (the 2017s are better than the 2015s). It's not the best looking car in the world. The interior is kind of cheap. It has the smallest wheels/tires in the automotive world. The base radio is marginal. It's not very popular here in the US...so the resale value here isn't going to be strong.

    On the positive side... The car is mechanically simple, well-equipped, inexpensive (if you get a deal), reliable, it has a long warranty, and it has great fuel economy potential. If these are your priorities, then the Mirage may be your car.

    Some of us were able to score great deals when the rebates were crazy. My top level 2015 5-speed was $10,000. If I had to pay anywhere near sticker price for it ($15,000), I definitely would have checked out the competition more closely. At the $10K price point, there was no competition here in the states for a comparably-equipped car.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 52.2 mpg (US) ... 22.2 km/L ... 4.5 L/100 km ... 62.6 mpg (Imp)


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    I suggest you drive a number of cars in your price range to experience the differences for yourself. The Mirage has good points, but it's not for everyone. I'd say at anything near list price, it's not worth it. I picked mine up at a 5k discount, so it was a good deal. If you're not averse to slightly used, your option open up considerably. Sedans aren't at all popular now, so discount on them, both new and used, are easy to come by. Don't rush. Drive all the cars you can and then decide.

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    You need to get around. The Mirage will do that for you and won't cost a lot either in purchase or operation. Just make sure the alignment is good. Some rear axles have had problems, and they are not adjustable. So long as it's discovered in the first year of warranty, the dealerships seem to more easily get reimbursed for repairing the defect. There's a rather long thread covering this.

    Beyond that, use the cash you don't spend on transportation for other more important things such as upgrading your speakers, putting your metal collection on a memory card and play some quality tunes through the USB port in the glovebox. Metal rules.
    Last edited by Eggman; 12-10-2016 at 01:17 PM.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 49.6 mpg (US) ... 21.1 km/L ... 4.7 L/100 km ... 59.5 mpg (Imp)


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    Quote Originally Posted by Eggman View Post
    You need to get around. The Mirage will do that for you and won't cost a lot either in purchase or operation. Just make sure the alignment is good. Some rear axles have had problems, and they are not adjustable. So long as it's discovered in the first year of warranty, the dealerships seem to more easily get reimbursed for repairing the defect. There's a rather long thread covering this.

    Beyond that, use the cash you don't spend on transportation for other more important things such as upgrading your speakers, putting your metal collection on a memory card and play some quality tunes through the USB port in the glovebox. Metal rules.
    Um I had Beethoven and Mozart playing the other morning. The modest base radio sounded pretty good

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2017 Mirage Es 1.2 manual: 38.7 mpg (US) ... 16.4 km/L ... 6.1 L/100 km ... 46.5 mpg (Imp)

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2017 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 42.0 mpg (US) ... 17.9 km/L ... 5.6 L/100 km ... 50.4 mpg (Imp)


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    the 2014 is really quiet. Quality is fine, just lackluster volume. 2015 got an upgrade



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