Thank you Mitsubishi!

[7milesout]

I didn't find a good place to put this, so I started a new thread. Run this thread down as many paths as you care to. However, my idea for this thread is to be a positive thread. Most of the time, threads are regarding problems. But I wanted to give thanks to Mitsubishi for conceiving, designing, and manufacturing such a valuable vehicle. It is quite a tool.

Specifically I wanted to highlight some of the things this vehicle just did.

I just drove it approximately 300 miles (one way) to where my youngest son is now attending college. He was down there with a car with a catalyst going bad. Turns out, all the catalyst internals are crumbling and can be dumped out in bits. So I doubt the catalyst was functioning much at all. Anywho...

I went down there with

• A 2.6 cubic foot refrigerator new in the box, in the back with the seat folded down. A college dorm mini-fridge.
• 2 big guys. We are not MONSTERS, but we aren't horse racing jockeys either.
• The luggage required for 3 nights at a hotel for 2 people.
• A new replacement exhaust section, the length equal to the approximate width of the inside of the vehicle
• My 2 big ass boxes of tools.
• Various smaller support items.

And with all this stuff, it still hauled my son and I down there COMFORTABLY at 75 mph and got ~41 mpg (hand measured)!

My middle son joined us later, and all 4 of us rode down to Jacksonville, FL and back. All in all, I put maybe 750 miles on the car on that trip. It probably averaged out to right at 40 mpg for all of that.

And it never missed a beat! That is one helluva car.

My only requests: MITSUBISHI, don't drop the Mirage. Don't drop the manual transmission. And don't make an electric (EV) annoyance out of it. I could tolerate a hybrid (except it would probably be a CVT).

However, if you made a 1,000 cc, 2-cylinder parallel twin with 270° offset crank, turbo diesel, I'd rush out and buy one NOW! All it needs is 70 to 90 lb-ft of torque, a manual trans and I'll buy it right now.


7milesout

[Fummins]

I take for granted just how cheap the Mirage is to own and drive, except for the insurance.

[OrganicFoxes]

I didn't find a good place to put this, so I started a new thread. Run this thread down as many paths as you care to. However, my idea for this thread is to be a positive thread. Most of the time, threads are regarding problems. But I wanted to give thanks to Mitsubishi for conceiving, designing, and manufacturing such a valuable vehicle. It is quite a tool.

Specifically I wanted to highlight some of the things this vehicle just did.

I just drove it approximately 300 miles (one way) to where my youngest son is now attending college. He was down there with a car with a catalyst going bad. Turns out, all the catalyst internals are crumbling and can be dumped out in bits. So I doubt the catalyst was functioning much at all. Anywho...

I went down there with

• A 2.6 cubic foot refrigerator new in the box, in the back with the seat folded down. A college dorm mini-fridge.
• 2 big guys. We are not MONSTERS, but we aren't horse racing jockeys either.
• The luggage required for 3 nights at a hotel for 2 people.
• A new replacement exhaust section, the length equal to the approximate width of the inside of the vehicle
• My 2 big ass boxes of tools.
• Various smaller support items.

And with all this stuff, it still hauled my son and I down there COMFORTABLY at 75 mph and got ~41 mpg (hand measured)!

My middle son joined us later, and all 4 of us rode down to Jacksonville, FL and back. All in all, I put maybe 750 miles on the car on that trip. It probably averaged out to right at 40 mpg for all of that.

And it never missed a beat! That is one helluva car.

My only requests: MITSUBISHI, don't drop the Mirage. Don't drop the manual transmission. And don't make an electric (EV) annoyance out of it. I could tolerate a hybrid (except it would probably be a CVT).

However, if you made a 1,000 cc, 2-cylinder parallel twin with 270° offset crank, turbo diesel, I'd rush out and buy one NOW! All it needs is 70 to 90 lb-ft of torque, a manual trans and I'll buy it right now.


7milesout

The manual is def long gone at this point in the US, most likely 2024 is our last model for the mirage sadly. There is one thing I thought of, might be a Versa based mirage like how the outlander is now but I kinda doubt it. Also 41mpg is pretty impressive for a manual mirage, isn't that little 3 banger spinning around 3750rpm at 75?

[defensivetackle99]

The manual is def long gone at this point in the US, most likely 2024 is our last model for the mirage sadly. There is one thing I thought of, might be a Versa based mirage like how the outlander is now but I kinda doubt it. Also 41mpg is pretty impressive for a manual mirage, isn't that little 3 banger spinning around 3750rpm at 75?

99% chance Versa manual will be discontinued for model year 2024 or 25’.

[Mark]

Affordable - Given today's car market, I appreciate brand new 2017 ES manuals going for $7,500-9,500 (depending on what rebates you qualified for) more than ever! The days of brand new cars going out-the-door for under $10,000 are probably gone forever now.

Reliable - I never question the reliability of my Mirage. I am near 82,000 miles & outside of fluid changes, I have replaced wiper blades, tires, front brake pads & rotors. I haven't even changed a light bulb or the battery in the car yet. It's been 6 years of ownership this October, & I have zero complaints.

Economical - I seldom see mpg numbers below 40 mpg, unless I am going above 75 mph for an extended period of time. Even then, it may be near or above 40 mpg in some cases. My typical mpg on each tank fill up is about 45-47 mpg during the summer months & 41-43 mpg during the winter months. Not bad for cheap non-hybrid type of car.

Charm - The 3-cylinder/5-speed manual powertrain sort of grows on you over time. 78 hp may not seem like much today, but I have owned 3 small cars in the past with fewer horsepower. The power train fits the cars well. Sadly, the Mirage ended for me in 2022, because I wouldn't buy a CVT vehicle of any brand.

Dream - I would like a small wagon version of the Mirage with rear seats that fold perfectly flat, & the car would have the exact same 5-speed manual powertrain option. It would bring back the days of my first car (1978 Honda Civic wagon) in some ways - minus the carburetor & hand choke button on the dash.

Unless something changes, I don't want to buy another vehicle for another 10-15 years. I'm not going to speculate what that will be, & I may at that point in life where I go back to owning one vehicle instead of my current 2017 Mirage & 2011 Forester. My Mirage is extending the life of my Forester, which I also have zero interest in replacing any time soon.

The Mirage may not be right for everyone, but it's been a perfect fit for me!

[OrganicFoxes]

99% chance Versa manual will be discontinued for model year 2024 or 25’.

Yeah most likely, still a great car tho. I honestly like cvts oddly enough, they aren't terrible. To bad the avg person buying a Versa probably has no clue you even need to service them.

[Wallythacker]

Let's face it. Mits know tech.
The only, only reason the Zero was knocked off the top tier perch in WWII was America introducing birds with 2,400hp double wasp radials. Both the F6F and Corsair had these crazy powerplants, 18 cylinder engines of 3000 cu in. The Zero had 950 hp and with a 200hp. bump (easily done I bet) and self sealing tanks it's my opinion it would still have been the top bird in the Pacific. Japan lost their good pilots as the Zero caught fire easily and charcoal parachutes don't work.

So when Mits decided to make cars you know they would produce an incredible product. I think had they done things differently they could have been the "cool" alternate NA brand. GM tried with Asuna and other rebadged nonsense but the public figured out it's still just a Suzuki sidekick under the emblems. The cool Mits were truly unique for many reasons, and it's a shame to see them planning to exit the NA market. (You don't really think they are planning on staying here with only 2-3 SUV style vehicles to sell? I've a bridge to sell you.)

[7milesout]

Also 41mpg is pretty impressive for a manual mirage, isn't that little 3 banger spinning around 3750rpm at 75?

3,804 rpm ... or thereabouts. 41 mpg is impressive considering the amount of haulage.

[Basic]

3,804 rpm ... or thereabouts. 41 mpg is impressive considering the amount of haulage.

Easiest way I know to talk about the RPMs on the 5MT is 3000 @ 60, 3500 @ 70, & 4000 @ 80. At least on my 15 DE 5MT on 175/65R14s

[Mark]

Easiest way I know to talk about the RPMs on the 5MT is 3000 @ 60, 3500 @ 70, & 4000 @ 80. At least on my 15 DE 5MT on 175/65R14s

I would agree with those numbers, too! When you start hitting 80 mph/4,000 rpm, that's when the green "eco" light on the dash starts disappearing, too.