What did you do to your Mirage today?

[Dirk Diggler]

If it's too jumpy on the throttle, you can might be able to adjust it.

I put an aftermarket cruise on my Firefly, and it had DIP switches under an access panel on the control unit. Two of the settings that could be adjusted were for "throttle reaction speed" and "variation from set speed". So it reacted more gradually / smoothly to changes in elevation.

I can do this with a Rostra unit?

[MetroMPG]

Maybe? I dunno. I did it with an aftermarket Audiovox (?) unit.

Google knows all!

[Eggman]

To say OE cruise control is a big benefit over aftermarket cruise means what? You can take more risks with it?

I like the factory cruise on my Subaru Forester, and the vehicle is a beast in bad weather. Regardless of that, I would never use cruise unless the conditions are right (day time, good visibility, dry roads, little traffic, etc...)

If it doesn't feel safe to use aftermarket cruise, I wouldn't be using factory installed cruise either. That applies to other things like driving through heavily populated deer areas, heavy traffic, construction zones, or whatever.

I don't think anyone who has added an aftermarket cruise on any vehicle needs to feel inferior about it, because it should do what it's intended to do under the right conditions.

Since 2019, can you buy a new Mitsubishi in the States without factory cruise?

You bring up an interesting point about safety. Take a moment to let me explain another way to look at this. Indulge me for this one moment. Years ago I needed to drive to the East coast but my truck at the time was on the fritz. My Dad was kind enough to loan me his car for the trip. It had cruise control among other luxury items such as air conditioning. Since I was making this trip almost every other weekend (and sometimes more) I made plans to bring his car back the following weekend and get my pickup back on the road.

Anyone who has made long-distance trips knows the importance of guarding against speeding. As a young driver I spent a lot of time looking at the speedometer & making corrections. My time and attention was split between monitoring speed, monitoring traffic & road conditions, not missing my turns (navigating), etcetera.

Not on this trip. I set the cruise control for the requisite setting. With that done, I found I could focus more on traffic and responding to surrounding conditions. Instead of controlling the throttle I could cover the brake with my right foot, or simply rest my foot if the coast was clear.

A snowstorm developed as I reached DC which brought about some challenging driving conditions. I still used the cruise control but slowed down a lot, still covering the brake and disengaging the cruise and taking manual control of the throttle as needed.

At the end of the twelve hour trip, despite the difficult weather and driving conditions I was not as tired and beat as if I had made the trip in my pickup. I would describe the trip as refreshing - not having to worry about speeding tickets, being more relaxed in heavy traffic through DC, and then the snowstorm. It was both refreshing and eye-opening. It would be several more years before I had a car with cruise control but it became a feature I eagerly looked for, an automation that had great benefits from my point of view.

Now that version of cruise control was basic - it would maintain a speed and would disengage when the brake was applied. Simple enough. Today's versions can do more with electronic controls - I would expect ASC to disengage cruise control if wheel slip is detected. I would also expect cruise control to disengage if the engine speed increases without a corresponding increase in wheel speed, but alas the Mirage doesn't do that with a standard transmission. Good to know and guard against. There's even adaptive cruise control that adjusts speed to keep from hitting the slower vehicle ahead.

But you won't get those features with an aftermarket unit that just isn't capable of such integration.

Which cruise control is safer? I hadn't even thought about that (until you brought it up.) If an individual in charge of driving feels using cruise control is safe & beneficial, then by all means use it. If the individual doesn't think it's wise to use cruise control, don't. Pretty simple. It doesn't change the fact that the OE cruise control is better integrated into the vehicle than an aftermarket unit.


I don't disagree with some of the points you make. I do disagree that I ever suggested taking more risks with OE cruise control over an aftermarket unit - that's your take on the matter. Just the OE cruise control has more beneficial features which makes it the better choice. And I heard it costs less too.

Sorry if this has made anyone feel inferior. Didn't know this would wind up being a hotbutton issue.

[Mark]

Sorry if this has made anyone feel inferior. Didn't know this would wind up being a hot button issue.

I wanted to say - I just don't like SE elites who look down on us poor ES owners. Then I remembered you are an ES owner (2024-15 had the base DE & upper ES trim level)!

Cruise control is an awesome feature! Of all the standard features added since 2017, cruise control is by far the best.

A highly discounted Mirage is a great value, & today's ES manual comes with some very nice features.

I paid $5,300 for a very basic brand new 1990 Ford Festiva (Mazda design, KIA built, Ford sold). It didn't even come with a radio, speakers, or antenna. That seems really cheap, but $5,300 in 1990 would be $10,665.45 today.

Erik (from North Carolina) recently bought a brand new yellow 2021 Mirage ES manual for $10,400 OTD, & it was delivered to his home from White Bear, Minnesota for that price. Unlike his 2018 Mirage, he doesn't have to add cruise this time.

Haven't several members like Erik (MrFixIt) gone into ETACs and somewhat added factory cruise themselves? If you know what you are doing, it's not that hard or expensive to do.

[liamthelush]

So I finally decided to do something about the backup camera that snapped off because I desperately need to take this into the car wash (where the damage initially occurred). As an engineer it pains me to see how little plastic was actually holding this thing onto the car, and with the placement of the camera jutting off the hatch so awkwardly...

I've been getting by with some body trim tape but knew that wouldn't hold up in a trip through the bubbles. Took a 3D print pen to town beefing up the bracket. Feels like it won't be going anywhere - if anything the cover will pop off first which has also happened... Awkward asking the car wash attendant to find the party to your cheap ass car that fell off.

Anyone else have this problem or is it just me?

[Dimkasnayper]

Hola amigos, a good-quality mayfun alpine vie-x007w-b got from the Japanese, they gave me alpine SBG-1244BP on the other, which in fact occupies more than half of the trunk, which, in fact, cannot be called a trunk, because there is little space, and I was tormented by the thought that that I have a buffer, but it is not yet in the car, half a year has passed since the moment it was presented to me, and the thought that the warranty for the buffer is only a year, every month intensified the desire to install it. I went to the "autolux", counted one price, took a ride in the "Tsum", there is a car audio store, named a different price, drove to the Komsomol 66, the price was arranged, I decided. I arrived, showed the characteristics of the buffer, helped with the choice of the amplifier, wires + the price of work, suited me, signed up, arrived, checked, paid, gave recommendations on how not to burn the buffer and amplifier, gave a guarantee for a year, in general, I am satisfied with the work, for such a small volume auto space, such a powerful sound! To save space, the amplifier was installed under the driver's seat, the wires were hidden, under the carpet + I think that this amplifier has a control panel, you can make the bass more powerful or weaker.
+ If, indeed, there will be a need to transport something, it will be possible to disconnect the wires, insulate, bring the buffer home, and also connect it later without any problems. It feels like any track you've heard before is even more enjoyable to listen to. I respect other people, when I enter the courtyard, I always make it quieter, because I understand that not all people will be delighted with the stool from which music can be heard in their home.
I talked to a lot of people, they advised to sell the buffer and not get involved in "auto sound", but the main thing is the result, the feeling that you get when you go with good music - and no matter where, it is important what you feel at that moment, and these sensations are more expensive than all money in the world. Very philosophical how it happened) Asta la vista.

[7milesout]

I wanted to say - I just don't like SE elites who look down on us poor ES owners.

I haven't experienced such a feeling from SE owners. If anything I feel it could be the other way around. The additional features of the other trim levels to me are not worth the cost. I also have a Lexus LS460 L, it is very close to maxed out with all the features, so much so it has a slightly different VIN # that only the top maybe 5% or so LS 460's have. In that car, those options are really nice. In a Mirage, well I guess it depends on the buyer. I wanted it to be as inexpensive as is possible.

Eggman - I've been considering those safety features with regards to the cruise control for a hundred years. I find using the cruise control super relaxing. Without using it, I was (like you said) very focused on not overspeeding, keeping an eye peeled for the heat, having to negotiate slower traffic, etc. All that with all the other activities of driving. Using the cruise, I set the speed for generally 5 mph over, and I then set back and enjoy the ride. If I see the heat, I don't even bother canceling the cruise. They're not fiddling with me at 5 over. With that thought in mind, I never even consider the heat any longer. I would say most people on the interstate are focused on going faster than those around them, so they are CONSTANTLY focused on how they're going to get past all the traffic ahead of them, that is a very frustrating way to drive. For me, that is gone. At 5 over, it is roughly the flow of traffic. Including those trying to go faster, who get bunched up and go slower than me about half the time. I ride alone on the interstate most of the time, with no stress. If anything, I catch up to the "groupies" who are all bunched up and trying to pass each other to do 15 mph over the speed limit (and failing). I have fun trying to prophesize my way through the groupies without having to cancel my cruise control. Sometimes I can, sometimes I can't. About 50-50. It's a fun way to pass the time.

My own sister is one of the worst drivers on the planet. Everywhere she goes she's in a hurry and late, and every other car on the road is in her way. One time I was talking to her on the phone and she was on the interstate. Where she never uses the cruise because she's always trying to go as fast as she can. She drives a Sorento with a V6 which is no slob, and is not particularly loud. While we were talking, I knew she was on the interstate. Next thing I know I hear her engines absolutely screaming. I asked her, "how friggin fast do you need to go?" She she, "oh I'm just trying to get around these slow butts." Guaranteed she hit 95 mph with her foot on the floor, and that is not rare. She must get about 2 mpg on average, and doesn't care. Oh well. She's the type of driver that if stopped waiting to turn right from one road to the next ... if there's a car in front of her turning right as well, the instant that car inches forward, she's on the throttle like John Force with her attention on traffic to the left. She has rammed so many cars in that situation who inched forward but didn't actually make the right turn, it is not even funny. I hate riding with her.

[Fummins]

I just mounted the kumho's I got onto the original white car wheels. New tires are so nice to mount. 3 out of 4 balanced out perfect with no weights needed and the 4th one only required a 1/4ounce(1 tiny weight, they smallest one I have). I'll throw them on the car tonight. Then mount the 175/65 winter tires onto the steel wheels I that came with black car.
I'm mostly posting this so I don't forget what I did or am supposed to do.
Attachment 20843

[Bralexander]

These will be going on tonight, if everything works out! I am amazed that they were able to ship this big box from Ireland to Florida, so quickly, for $23. I ordered on the 14th and it arrived today, the 22nd.

I unboxed everything and the quality seems to be great. I will update once it is on the car!



Update- Well these aren't going to work! I spent sometime fitting the roof rack/bars up and then when I went to put on the covers, I realized how much the mounts stick out and I think it looks HORRIBLE! I guess in the pics of others with this rack on their Mirage, I just didn't notice/couldn't tell from the angle of the pictures. Bleh

[Dirk Diggler]

Putting in new engine & cabin airfilters. Anyone got an opinion on these brands? Good or bad, don't care.