Show me your rust (where will Mirage corrosion problem areas be?)

[precisionxt]

Do any of you guys in the south with a 2014/2015 have rust on the bottoms of the doors yet?

No rust whatsoever here in TX. Granted, my 2015 only has 36k miles on the clock but we only get 3 days of winter anyhow so the roads never get salted.

[Mirageman38]

If you read the warranty, it even says rust due to salt is not covered. The warranty also doesn't mention rust of structural components.

It specifically says the corrosion warranty doesn't cover surface rust, "Corrosion other than perforation due to defect in material or workmanship that is otherwise covered by the basic coverage of the new vehicle limited-warranty". This means this other rust should be covered in the new vehicle limited-warranty that says absolutely nothing about salt. The basic coverage warranty is 5 years 60k miles and applies to everything but batteries, adjustments, air conditioner, tires, and the OTHERS/WHATS NOT COVERED (serviceable items).

If a car is rusting that bad in two years it's not the salt it's the craftsmanship. If an average vehicle on the road is 12 years I can tell you most cars are not that rusty near me at 12 years nevermind 2.

[Mark]

It specifically says the corrosion warranty doesn't cover surface rust, "Corrosion other than perforation due to defect in material or workmanship that is otherwise covered by the basic coverage of the new vehicle limited-warranty". This means this other rust should be covered in the new vehicle limited-warranty that says absolutely nothing about salt. The basic coverage warranty is 5 years 60k miles and applies to everything but batteries, adjustments, air conditioner, tires, and the OTHERS/WHATS NOT COVERED (serviceable items).

If a car is rusting that bad in two years it's not the salt it's the craftsmanship. If an average vehicle on the road is 12 years I can tell you most cars are not that rusty near me at 12 years nevermind 2.

I know someone who had a 2011 Chevy Equinox. He traded it in a couple years ago now, because it was so rusted underneath that he couldn't pick up the vehicle with a car jack. Any spot he place the jack, the underside would give in. He bought another Equinox, but only because he gets a huge discount through his GM credit card.

He was hoping to replace his 2007 Pontiac Vibe (Toyota Matrix) first, but it's still going strong.

My brother got another $3,000 off his last GMC pick up for having an GM credit card issued to him, even though he never used the card, & he had cut it half a year prior.

[Fummins]

Mine looks fine after 7 years Attachment 20737 I haven't really looked under it much though so there could be speed holes in the floor for all I know. Not too worried about it.

[Top_Fuel]

...This means this other rust should be covered in the new vehicle limited-warranty that says absolutely nothing about salt.

Well...then someone should take their rusty Mirage in and see what Mitsubishi says.

I'm not sure what you are expecting. If you think the suspension and underbody components shouldn't have surface rust in a couple of years, that's unrealistic. Put a $50,000 F-150 on a lift after 2 years of Michigan winters and it will look just like the underside of a Mirage.

I'd rather just spend a few dollars to prevent rust in the first place. No dealership is going to provide a worthwhile solution to a rust problem (in my opinion).

Here's a related article:

2021 F-150 Owners Already Facing Rust Corrosion Issues

[Fummins]

Here's a related article:

2021 F-150 Owners Already Facing Rust Corrosion Issues

Just browsed some of the comments on that article. People really think that aluminum doesn't corrode?

FORD MAN March 2, 2021 at 12:32 pm
stop with the fake content! first the trucks body is made out of aluminum so its scientifically proven to not corrode or rust. second I have owned one for a week now and no rust on the under carriage

[MetroMPG]

Related thread:
Thread: This is where your Mirage is going to rust out. (Body/chassis corrosion)


In my humble opinion (having repaired rust on countless lightly built rustbucket economy cars), rust on the rear axle is cosmetic, and I wouldn't worry about it. The car will be long gone before the rusty axle threatens to fail.

Yes, you will place poorly at the Mirage concours d'elegance. I can live with that.

The most serious future rust issue with the Mirage is the front subframe. It traps dirt & moisture in the cavity, and you won't see how bad that rust is until it perforates, and by then it's too late to prevent and you have a structural/safety issue on your hands.

I've yet to see anyone identify any critical water/dirt/rust traps in nooks/cavities in the Mirage's unibody structure itself. THAT would be something to be concerned about. Although it's probably just a matter of time before someone discovers one.

If you live where cars rust, and you plan to keep yours a long time, you get it oil-sprayed (or hire foama to protect it!) regardless of manufacturer. That's just the way it is.

It's true that some cars are better designed & protected from the factory, but I wouldn't have expected the Mirage to be one of them, considering the climate in the countries it was designed for.

[Mark]

Mine looks fine after 7 years Attachment 20737 I haven't really looked under it much though so there could be speed holes in the floor for all I know. Not too worried about it.

I'm impressed. It looks like you could eat off that engine!

Overall, the Mirage engine bay is pretty easy to keep clean. Most everything is within easy reach. At first glance the battery looks larger than the engine sometimes.

[Mark]

If you live where cars rust, and you plan to keep yours a long time, you get it oil-sprayed (or hire foama to protect it!) regardless of manufacturer. That's just the way it is.

It's true that some cars are better designed & protected from the factory, but I wouldn't have expected the Mirage to be one of them, considering the climate in the countries it was originally built for.

Well said!

If you're someone who drives 30,000+ miles a year, I wouldn't worry about it. If you don't rack up the miles & don't like buying cars, the cost of having it oil sprayed is worth it. I am planning to have mine done every other year, because the place is a distance away.

[Fummins]

That's from the white car this January. I gave it a wipe down under the hood when I first bought it just over a year ago. The brake lines and in all the spots where crap was starting to pile up. All I do now it hit it at the car wash once in a while. It's crazy how ghetto these can look if they're never washed under the hood.