North American gas prices hitting multi-year highs. Will people buy more Mirages?

[Mark]

I don't think a lot of people realize how much money could be saved by driving one of these things. Not just on fuel alone but repair and maintenance over 10-15 years.

Mirage=3 liters of oil, 3 spark plugs, 14" tires and pretty reliable, will not nickle and dime you to death with broken door handles, wiper transmissions, heater resistors etc... that are often common failure points of many other run of the mill turd pails.u

What do most suv's and pickup trucks take now, 6 liters of oil, 6-16 spark plugs, 17-22" tires.

I never really sat down an looked at how much money I've blown on fuel and parts let alone the time I spend keeping random vehicles on the road. My dodge needs $1000 or so a year worth of work to keep running and I only use it to pull a trailer 6 times a year. Right now it needs a rear transmission seal(again after replacing it 5 years ago) before I can use it, and probably needs an oil change so there's 12 qts of oil... Every repair I do now I compare to what I paid for my current Mirage. Last year I spent one Mirage on tires for my truck. I'll probably spend a few Mirages on diesel this summer. I spend almost 1 Mirage on a trailer hitch for the truck and stabilizer setup for our new trailer. I'll probably blow a Mirage on beer this summer, and another one or two on diesel lol.

One of the biggest reasons I'd guess why people want suvs and trucks is just so they can see whats in front of them better and "feel safer". But if you're surrounded by other trucks and suv's there isn't really much to see anyways. Another one I hear all the time and kinda felt the same way for a while was "I need awd". We have snow plows, there's no need for awd or 4wd in a 2000lb car "around here" imo. Most of my vehicles were rwd and I didn't die. A front wheel drive is leaps and bounds better than a rwd in the snow, except maybe a rear/mid engine something but who want's to drive a fiero?

Driving a turd Mirage really forces you to change how you drive, at least for the cvt version lol. Well that and trying to limp along a questionable cvt for as long as possible is a factor too.

I'm not so hard on people driving larger vehicles. Many people tow things these days. My brother loves fishing, & he has a large enough boat to handle the waters of Green Bay & Lake Michigan. It takes good size vehicle to tow his boat. He drove his previous GMC pickup truck for 14 years, & he had the money to pay cash for his current one. He likes owning one vehicle & for him a truck makes sense. He also owns 2 trailers to haul other stuff like his ATV for ice fishing and his UTV. Actually, my dad & him share trailers.

Likewise, my dad will be 81 in a couple weeks. He tends to buy most of his firewood now. He uses his truck to get loads of firewood from a local logger. They load up his large trailer and hay wagon racks for him, & he tugs them home.

If you like camping, fishing, & other outdoor things, having a vehicle that can tow becomes more important. Most friends & relatives I know who own trucks use them in this way. They tug boats, campers, & trailers. Most people I know can justify owning a decent size truck or SUV.

[Fummins]

I agree 100%. I thought I mentioned that it doesn't make sense for some people to own 2 or more vehicles for different uses, but I guess I erased it or it's on a different thread? I dunno...

I couldn't get by with the Mirage as my one and only vehicle either. I should probably go over the cost's again one day, but I figured in the long run, it was cheaper to buy and insure the Mirage than it was to pay for the extra fuel and maintenance my old crappy dodge 1 ton requires if I were to keep using it as a daily driver. But not everyone has extra parking for 3-4 vehicles or has other reasons that make sense. I can't fit all our kids in the back seat of my Mirage(2 booster seats). But when we all do go somewhere together it's usually camping in the big truck or take the wifes sorrento.

The trailer we just bought requires at least a 3/4 ton. It's a 34' triple axle bumper pull with a 14,500lb gvw. It'l be like pulling a 12' tall brick down the highway, I can't wait!

[7milesout]

I always hear the, "I want an SUV so I can see around and over traffic." I guess that makes sense if you're the type of driver that likes to ride everyone's bumper. I stay back, way back, much more than most. I had a rear end accident on a motorcycle a long time ago, and then a near miss on the same motorcycle just months later. And said, that's it, I'm not getting up on anyone's bumper ever again.

I just lay back now and cruise, and let everyone else "rush" around, on each others bumper. I get there just as quickly as they do. Having a small car doesn't decrease my vision of the traffic ahead one bit.

[DottandDolores]

Own a truck from new paid cash and the truck has been used as a truck all its life not as a show piece commuter. I can make it appear as a show piece commuter to this day as I bust my hump keeping it up.

Don't see people buying more Mirages here's why currently know people paying 600 to 900 a month on trucks and suvs which are commuter vehicles to work or errands. These same people complain about feeling trapped in jobs or debtors prison.

Know people with low mileage leases every two- three years 3 to 5 k down 2 hundred something a month to run errands and some are so worried driving leases you think its fine China. Know a few people who pay big bucks on detailing etc.

If gas prices jump why would these people suddenly become fiscally conservative?

[MetroMPG]

"Summer driving season" is officially upon us. Demand is up, and gas prices are climbing.

Still not seeing any uptick in forum traffic. Though we might have a couple more new members than usual this month.

We'll have answers in 2 weeks when 2nd quarter Apr-June Mirage sales are released. Though the chip shortage and FUBAR pricing situation is probably messing with the numbers too.

[DottandDolores]

New mirages at the dealer selling generally slow but I did notice used Mirages selling much faster around the area. Dealer had 2 yellow hatches that remained in inventory for months honestly thought they sell quick they didn't. New inventory remains low.

[DottandDolores]

Forgot to mention saw a hatch 21 rental first 21 I saw in the wild not at the dealer. Wonder how many new will become rental units? Saw 21 G4 private owner last week in the wild.

[inuvik]

Forgot to mention saw a hatch 21 rental first 21 I saw in the wild not at the dealer. Wonder how many new will become rental units? Saw 21 G4 private owner last week in the wild.

Wow! I've only seen two G4's ever here on the Oregon Coast since 2017 and less than 10 Hatchbacks since I bought mine in 2015. But then again in 2021 the closest Mitsubishi dealer is over 225 miles each way. You don't accidentally buy a Mitsubishi if you live here, you have to really want a Mitsubishi and make the drive. In 2015 when I bought my Mirage there was a dealer in Eugene, Oregon which was a 130 mile one way trip. They closed long ago (owner retired). My Outlander Sport I drove a 900 mile round trip to pick up my OS in Kennewick, WA.

[7milesout]

...my old crappy dodge 1 ton requires...

Fummins, I finally broke down and serviced my crappy ole Dodge's A/C. I'm such a procrastinator. Over the last 5+ years, I just figured the compressor was just "tired." All I ever did was throw a can of refrigerant in it. And I figured the compressor was about to take a dump at any time. But I finally recharged it the right way (myself) and now it snows on the inside of the truck. Sure is nice to drive a 20+ year old vehicle that one can roll up the windows and survive. I'm betting your Dodge isn't as crappy as you say. Although, you do live in a salted area, so I bet it is rusted. Dodge's aren't know for the anti-rust-robustness...

[Fummins]

Fummins, I finally broke down and serviced my crappy ole Dodge's A/C. I'm such a procrastinator. Over the last 5+ years, I just figured the compressor was just "tired." All I ever did was throw a can of refrigerant in it. And I figured the compressor was about to take a dump at any time. But I finally recharged it the right way (myself) and now it snows on the inside of the truck. Sure is nice to drive a 20+ year old vehicle that one can roll up the windows and survive. I'm betting your Dodge isn't as crappy as you say. Although, you do live in a salted area, so I bet it is rusted. Dodge's aren't know for the anti-rust-robustness...

I just had to top off the ac in my 05' a few weeks ago. I just dumped one of those little cans in and it worked for now. I'll have to pick up a set of gauges one day to do it the "proper way".

Mine isn't rusted out. Yet. Just one back door has a hole in it otherwise it's really not rusty, besides the giant plastic dually fenders will hide about 15-20 years worth of wheel well rust. It's fine. It's only got 270,000kms(167,xxxmiles) on it now. I've dumped a lot into this turd. The e-brake never has worked, I'm constantly chasing wiring gremlins(because dodge), it steers like ass. You can move the wheel 4-6" and the pitman arm won't budge. Steering box is hooped, the new mopar upgraded one I bought from dodge about 2 years/10,000kms ago. Junk...I miss my fummins lol. Kinda, it was too high, kids and wife couldn't get in it and it needed lots of work that I didn't have time for until now.