first post, got some questions about the mirage (hatch vs sedan)?

[7milesout]

It got bad mileage the last few fill ups cause it was cold when I drove it last.

Fummins, don't you run an engine heater on your black beauty Mirage? Not that it would necessarily help with mpgs, but the engine would come up to operating temp sooner. Maybe it would help mpg, if you were the kind of person to let it idle and warm up. However, seems I remember you just crank and go (easy) even when it is real cold, no idle warm up.

[fabchef]

7 mmile... i guess a block heater might help, but i think starting it up, idle for a minute max, then just drive easy until engine comes to temp.

Is there a temp gauge/indicator on the dash?

Fab

[7milesout]

No gauge. Just a little green (I think it is) light that stays on until the engine coolant reaches some programmed temp. Once the green light goes out, it is engine-safe to UNLEASH THE BEAST, but hold on for dear life!

[Fummins]

Fummins, don't you run an engine heater on your black beauty Mirage? Not that it would necessarily help with mpgs, but the engine would come up to operating temp sooner. Maybe it would help mpg, if you were the kind of person to let it idle and warm up. However, seems I remember you just crank and go (easy) even when it is real cold, no idle warm up.

No, I have a heated garage but always have the thermostat set at 7c/44F. At work I park my junk on the street so I'm hooped there. I could rig up a webasto type heater like I have in my truck that burns diesel and is plumbed into the heater hose circuit. It's got a timer in it so you can set a weekly schedule/timer. But that sounds like work and they cost more than what I have invested in my entire car.
Using a block heater would help a lot in the cold though!

Fabchef, these don't have a temp gauge. They have a little green temp(thermometer) light that turns on when the engine is cold(how cold, I have no idea), and a red warning light that comes on if it's overheated.