If the Mirage production stopped tomorrow... what parts would you horde?

[Grumpy Bear]

I'm giving thought to a crate motor and CVT. LOL

[2024mirage]

I don't believe it will ever be an issue. I am planning on buying parts from Thailand or Malaysia.

MUCH MUCH CHEAPER, and very very VERY abundant, and the aftermarket mods are there as well.. not ever really going to "go extinct" or have shortage for the next 2-3 generations surely.....

[Mark]

I don't believe it will ever be an issue. I am planning on buying parts from Thailand or Malaysia.

MUCH MUCH CHEAPER, and very very VERY abundant, and the aftermarket mods are there as well.. not ever really going to "go extinct" or have shortage for the next 2-3 generations surely.....

I just buy my Mirage parts from my local Auto Zone or order them through rockauto.com. Items like brake pads & rotors are usually in stock @ Auto Zone or they can get them the same day.

It's not as popular as a Honda Civic, but Mirage parts aren't that hard to find.

[Eggman]

The junk yard gambit would be a nice future-proof solution if only they didn't crush unprofitable cars for scrap.

Refer to this post:

Here's a short clip of my old stomping grounds. It looks nothing like it did a year ago. There were 3-4000 cars here last summer. When I worked there we had the two small fields in the very back(where the gravel piles are now) packed with vehicles too. That blue early 80's Fiesta that I posted pics of a last year is still there.....I'll try to get more pics of it next week if it's not crushed by then:/
Everything is gonna be gone in the next few months...

[inuvik]

Since I have a CVT Mirage there isn't really anything I can think of except and this may sound strange but a windshield. Glass for discontinued cars become really tough to source and in a decade who's going to be manufacturing windshields for these cars? Especially a low volume seller like the Mirage. Even if you could get one from Asia or Europe I'd shudder to think what the shipping costs would be to North America.

If I had a manual transmission Mirage I'd keep a few extra clutch cables and a complete clutch kit. That should get you to at least 500,000 miles / 804,000 kilometers with the transmission. Especially the clutch cable, they tend to snap without warning and if you had a extra in the vehicle you could replace it roadside and not be stranded.

[Fummins]

Alright, i'm going to sound like a kook... but my question was, What replacement parts would be needed to keep a car (A late model Mirage in this case) running, for an additional 5 plus years... if you could not get parts.

We will take an example, and this was not my thoughts when I started the thread... but had to come up with this because everybody is fighting and saying... oh there is 10 years of parts no problem. So, what if China took over Thailand (I know the current situation is Taiwan) but just go with it... and they prevent exporting anything to the United Stated... no cars, no parts.

This is just an exercise to get a list of parts people have replaced, or needed, that's all this is.

Okay, so if you want to know all the parts I replaced on these things over the last 10 years I'll give it a try and atempt to weed out the universal stuff like tires, wiper blades and oil filters.

-tie rods. Inner and outer. I'm pretty sure they're the same right and left.
-Ball joints. I've replaced these before with variying success. I'd prefer to change the entire control arm next go around.
-Struts, I've changed a handful. Usually on cars with 400k kms or more they start to leak.
-Rear shocks, I haven't actually seen the oem ones leak but the lower bushings wear out causing a clunk. Monore replacements suck and leak after 6 months.
-Wheel bearings, front and rear. Usually last 300k kms or so give or take.
-Wiper transmission, I've only replaced one. Not sure why it was so worn out cause the car didn't have many miles.
-Wheel cylinders. Around 500k kms I've had a couple leak. Your mileage may vary.
-belt
-Starter. I went through a handful a few years ago all around the same time. Have no idea why. Never changed one since and now I just jinxed it...
-Alternator, only replaced one due to random battery light coming on. Never had one not charge or have bearing noise yet.
-Ac compressor. I haven't had one fail but others have had compressor or ac clutch failures.
-Radiator. I've had a few cars take rocks to the rad. The Cvt cars have the rad stick out a bit past the condensor leaving it exposed.
-Transmission. It's only a matter of time....Cvt or 5spd both wear out eventually. If 5spd then grab some clutches and cables(alredy mentioned before).
-Sway bar end links. They eventually rust away unless you live somewhere that doesn't get snow.
-Windshield was also mentioned. That's a good one. My suppplier stocks up when he can as stock is hit or miss. The newer ones with the holder for the fancy sensors are especially hard to get and expensive.
-Washer nozzles. They eventually wear out for some reason.
-Heater motor, pretty uncommon to wear. I haven't had one fail completely but have had a few start getting a little buzzy.
-Seat(s). They wear.
-Seat belts. They wear too.
-Exhaust gaskets/donut.
-Engine. Why not. These can be hit or miss. Might hit 400k miles, might start getting clacky at 200k miles.
-Valve cover. If you live somewhere rusty then the bolts holding the coils on might rust in place. Then spin the insert inside the valve cover. Easiest fix is replace the valve cover then use anti-seize on the bolts...
-Purge valve. I've only replaced a few but 1 is more than none so better have one on hand.
-wheels. If you want to keep the skinny 4.5" wheels oem is the only way to go.
-sunvisor, I've repalced a few drivers ones. Usually because people hang so much crap onto them and don't leave them clipped in place so they bounce around and wear out the pivots.
-Air cleaner housing and bushings.
-Hose clamps for air cleaner/throttle body rust belt dependant.
-maybe a spare passenger seat occupancy sensor. Poop happens, you might spill a coffee or go scuba diving in your car one day...
-crash parts. This could be a long list....I try to keep a spare rad support, fenders and bumper covers on hand at a minimum. Should have a few hoods too. I'm almost out of tail lights. They fit any year if you include the pigtail that unplugs from the car.
-if you have a 14-15 the license plate light bracket rusts out.
-e-brake cables.
-Heater core. I've never replaced one but others have had the passenger side clog up.
-carpet. If they get salty they look like azz
-heater controls, I've never had one screw up. Manual and automagic both seem trouble free.
-water pump. I've never had one leak but the one engine I tore down had a waterpump with a noisy bearing that I didn't know about.
-abs sensors. I used to pull the sensors from the spindle when replacing front wheel bearings. Most of these are old and crusty enough that they are rusted in place now. Now I either destroy the sensor and replace it or unplug it from the car and work around the sensor.
-That's all I got for now.
If used parts dry up then you're gonna want to have spare glass around for all the other windows. Hell, might as well just buy a complete car to use for parts. It'd probably take up less space and you'd have spare bolts for everything.

[BigMW]

That is an exhaustive list @Fummins

I'm heading out to buy me a spare mirage. Oh wait, they don't make manuals anymore :-(

[defensivetackle99]

Okay, so if you want to know all the parts I replaced on these things over the last 10 years I'll give it a try and atempt to weed out the universal stuff like tires, wiper blades and oil filters.

-tie rods. Inner and outer. I'm pretty sure they're the same right and left.
-Ball joints. I've replaced these before with variying success. I'd prefer to change the entire control arm next go around.
-Struts, I've changed a handful. Usually on cars with 400k kms or more they start to leak.
-Rear shocks, I haven't actually seen the oem ones leak but the lower bushings wear out causing a clunk. Monore replacements suck and leak after 6 months.
-Wheel bearings, front and rear. Usually last 300k kms or so give or take.
-Wiper transmission, I've only replaced one. Not sure why it was so worn out cause the car didn't have many miles.
-Wheel cylinders. Around 500k kms I've had a couple leak. Your mileage may vary.
-belt
-Starter. I went through a handful a few years ago all around the same time. Have no idea why. Never changed one since and now I just jinxed it...
-Alternator, only replaced one due to random battery light coming on. Never had one not charge or have bearing noise yet.
-Ac compressor. I haven't had one fail but others have had compressor or ac clutch failures.
-Radiator. I've had a few cars take rocks to the rad. The Cvt cars have the rad stick out a bit past the condensor leaving it exposed.
-Transmission. It's only a matter of time....Cvt or 5spd both wear out eventually. If 5spd then grab some clutches and cables(alredy mentioned before).
-Sway bar end links. They eventually rust away unless you live somewhere that doesn't get snow.
-Windshield was also mentioned. That's a good one. My suppplier stocks up when he can as stock is hit or miss. The newer ones with the holder for the fancy sensors are especially hard to get and expensive.
-Washer nozzles. They eventually wear out for some reason.
-Heater motor, pretty uncommon to wear. I haven't had one fail completely but have had a few start getting a little buzzy.
-Seat(s). They wear.
-Seat belts. They wear too.
-Exhaust gaskets/donut.
-Engine. Why not. These can be hit or miss. Might hit 400k miles, might start getting clacky at 200k miles.
-Valve cover. If you live somewhere rusty then the bolts holding the coils on might rust in place. Then spin the insert inside the valve cover. Easiest fix is replace the valve cover then use anti-seize on the bolts...
-Purge valve. I've only replaced a few but 1 is more than none so better have one on hand.
-wheels. If you want to keep the skinny 4.5" wheels oem is the only way to go.
-sunvisor, I've repalced a few drivers ones. Usually because people hang so much crap onto them and don't leave them clipped in place so they bounce around and wear out the pivots.
-Air cleaner housing and bushings.
-Hose clamps for air cleaner/throttle body rust belt dependant.
-maybe a spare passenger seat occupancy sensor. Poop happens, you might spill a coffee or go scuba diving in your car one day...
-crash parts. This could be a long list....I try to keep a spare rad support, fenders and bumper covers on hand at a minimum. Should have a few hoods too. I'm almost out of tail lights. They fit any year if you include the pigtail that unplugs from the car.
-if you have a 14-15 the license plate light bracket rusts out.
-e-brake cables.
-Heater core. I've never replaced one but others have had the passenger side clog up.
-carpet. If they get salty they look like azz
-heater controls, I've never had one screw up. Manual and automagic both seem trouble free.
-water pump. I've never had one leak but the one engine I tore down had a waterpump with a noisy bearing that I didn't know about.
-abs sensors. I used to pull the sensors from the spindle when replacing front wheel bearings. Most of these are old and crusty enough that they are rusted in place now. Now I either destroy the sensor and replace it or unplug it from the car and work around the sensor.
-That's all I got for now.
If used parts dry up then you're gonna want to have spare glass around for all the other windows. Hell, might as well just buy a complete car to use for parts. It'd probably take up less space and you'd have spare bolts for everything.

Geez. Talk about endless expenses just to “last forever”. To each their owns.

[Fummins]

I forgot drums, rotors, pads and shoes. Rear brake hardware.
The only stuff I'd consider hoarding would be have a set of tie rods, control arms, brakes and wheel bearings. Winshields are over-rated. Rear and side windows can be rebuilt with duct tape or saranwrap. Maybe keep a spare wheel incase I damage one that a bfh can't fix. But in reality, I'd hoard nothing, I need an excuse to get something else anyways.

[7milesout]

Currently, my work place is very close to home. I've actually walked it, for some damn reason. It's easily bikeable for non-lardasses, that leaves me out. I could ride my golf cart.

However, I think I might stock a horse. It would have to be a Clydesdale in order to have sufficient GCWR to handle my Shrek ass. I'd just have to get my workplace to build a barn where I could park my horse (I'll name him Clyde) out of the sun and provide him water. We do have a picnic area that's covered that the smokers stink up. I guess I could park my horse there and let him contribute to the stink...

As for the Mirage, I stock no spare parts. Could be a mistake. We shall see.