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Thread: Considering a Mitsu Mirage.

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    Considering a Mitsu Mirage.

    Hey everyone, not exactly an owner but I have read a bit on these forums. I'm spotting some ridiculously cheap deals on the Mirage. I see a Mirage ES near me brand new for ~10k (may be negotiable) as well as a Mirage GT for ~12k. Any idea of how I should bargain these down, other than the fact that car reviewers hate these cars, no one wants compact cars anymore, or no one buys manual cars anymore? Is the CVT an okay transmission? Should I expect the CVTs to last? I'm a traditional kind of guy so I don't really trust CVTs that aren't made by Toyota.

    Hopefully there's no offense taken to this post. I know what the Mirage is (I've even test driven one) and I don't expect it to be some luxury cruiser. I need cheap reliable transportation with good fuel economy and that's it.



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    These cars suck. Don't buy a Mirage with a CVT unless you want it to suck really bad.

    That being said, I am happy with my manual transmission Mirage. It ain't much, but at least I don't have to worry about premature CVT failure, and it is a touch faster because of the manual transmission.

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    Hello RyanGreener and welcome to the forum.

    I think you have a good sense about what these cars are, and have no illusions about it. I wouldn't put the CVTs down quite so much, there's a greater percentage of CVTs to manuals out there. That being said, there's no denying the simplicity of the manual transmission. I have one.

    I've owned my Mirage for three years now and have no problems with it and would recommend it to others, so long as there are no expectations beyond what this platform is - affordable, reliable transportation.

    Welcome from the Peanut Gallery.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 49.6 mpg (US) ... 21.1 km/L ... 4.7 L/100 km ... 59.5 mpg (Imp)


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    They aren't a luxury car but t than replacing a cvt.
    Last edited by Fummins; 02-14-2021 at 01:17 AM.
    Mirage videos:

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage SE wussie cvt edition. 1.2 automatic: 37.7 mpg (US) ... 16.0 km/L ... 6.2 L/100 km ... 45.3 mpg (Imp)


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    Quote Originally Posted by RyanGreener View Post
    ...I see a Mirage ES...brand new for ~10k
    ...a Mirage GT for ~12k.
    ...Any idea of how I should bargain these down
    Bargain them down?!? Umm...if you can buy a 2019 ES for $10K or a GT for $12K anywhere right now, those are both absolute steals!

    I'm going to go out on a limb and tell you that those prices probably aren't real. If you read the fine print the dealer may be including a bunch of stacked incentives that don't apply to you...or the destination fee of the vehicle isn't included...or the dealer has a $900 "documentation fee" that hasn't been included in the price.

    BUT...if those numbers actually are legit, then tell us where this dealer is so we can all get in line to buy one!

    Is the CVT an okay transmission? Should I expect the CVTs to last?
    I'll let someone else weigh in on that one.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 52.2 mpg (US) ... 22.2 km/L ... 4.5 L/100 km ... 62.6 mpg (Imp)


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    Quote Originally Posted by Eggman View Post
    Hello RyanGreener and welcome to the forum.

    I think you have a good sense about what these cars are, and have no illusions about it. I wouldn't put the CVTs down quite so much, there's a greater percentage of CVTs to manuals out there. That being said, there's no denying the simplicity of the manual transmission. I have one.

    I've owned my Mirage for three years now and have no problems with it and would recommend it to others, so long as there are no expectations beyond what this platform is - affordable, reliable transportation.

    Welcome from the Peanut Gallery.
    I'm not anti CVT, but a lot of Nissans/Chevys seem to have premature CVT failure. Just spooks me is all.

    Quote Originally Posted by Fummins View Post
    They aren't a luxury car but they are what they are. As with basically any vehicle ever made, there are gonna be less problems with the manual transmission.
    There have been a handful of premature cvt failures reported on this foum that were covered under warranty and I've changed a few 15's with around 300k kms that had an input bearings fail. The same jatco cvt is used on the Mirage, spark, and Versa(?) but the programming is different for all 3. The Mirage seems to be the most reliable of the 3.
    With that said, the 5spd cars are cheaper and have less things to go wrong. Mostly clutch cables and clutch disc problems which are cheaper than replacing a cvt.
    Interesting facts. Good to know. I'm guessing part of the reason the Mirage transmissions fail less is lack of torque (yes, I know the versa/spark aren't exactly powerhouses, but could be a factor too).

    I'm totally fine with how the car rides. I've driven to the race track in a car in a fully gutted interior, containment seat/harness/cage, no PS/AC, 800 lb/500lb coilovers and the world's loudest tires (not recommended, but no tow vehicle at the time). I'm okay with just about everything. Thanks for the information guys! I guess I'll just wait until I get tired of fixing my current daily

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    Quote Originally Posted by Top_Fuel View Post
    Bargain them down?!? Umm...if you can buy a 2019 ES for $10K or a GT for $12K anywhere right now, those are both absolute steals!

    I'm going to go out on a limb and tell you that those prices probably aren't real. If you read the fine print the dealer may be including a bunch of stacked incentives that don't apply to you...or the destination fee of the vehicle isn't included...or the dealer has a $900 "documentation fee" that hasn't been included in the price.

    BUT...if those numbers actually are legit, then tell us where this dealer is so we can all get in line to buy one!

    I'll let someone else weigh in on that one.
    I heard someone got a new one for 8k! Wishful thinking, maybe. These were posted up on Autotrader in my area (I live in NJ). Theres a ton of them for that price.

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    Quote Originally Posted by RyanGreener View Post
    Hey everyone, not exactly an owner but I have read a bit on these forums. I'm spotting some ridiculously cheap deals on the Mirage. I see a Mirage ES near me brand new for ~10k (may be negotiable) as well as a Mirage GT for ~12k. Any idea of how I should bargain these down, other than the fact that car reviewers hate these cars, no one wants compact cars anymore, or no one buys manual cars anymore? Is the CVT an okay transmission? Should I expect the CVTs to last? I'm a traditional kind of guy so I don't really trust CVTs that aren't made by Toyota.

    Hopefully there's no offense taken to this post. I know what the Mirage is (I've even test driven one) and I don't expect it to be some luxury cruiser. I need cheap reliable transportation with good fuel economy and that's it.
    I feel the 2019 Mirage ES (manual) is an awesome package/value.

    I would not place much value on auto critic snobs. They totally miss the point of this vehicle.

    I took stock in European reviews of this car before I bought my 2017 Mirage ES (manual). This is a long detailed one -

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVi3hYruIqU

    Owner reviews are also quite good - Cars.com & kbb.com are good places to check if you haven't done so?

    I am old school. I am not convinced a CVT is designed to last the life of any vehicle. The Mirage CVT doesn't have a horrible reputation like the Nissan models, but it does use a CVT made by the same company as Nissan. I like manuals. Service is also quite simple on them. No filters, just drain oil, & refill to the fill hole. We are talking super simple. As long as you don't ride the clutch, it should last a very long time. Steve (previous post) has 250,000+ miles on his manual Mirage without having any issues. You couldn't get me to buy a CVT Mirage at any price, but that's me. I've been buying manuals for decades.

    I normally suggest buying a 1-3 year old slightly used vehicles, but these discounted Mirages are an exception to this. If you want a small car that is affordable, reliable, and economical, the Mirage is KING in the U.S. The discounted GT is not a bad value, but I prefer manuals. The ES trim level has some really nice standard features. They have added some each year, & that has benefited the ES trim level the most. If you want fancy wheels, you can always upgrade for way less money than buying an upper trim level.

    If the Mirage is already discounted quite a bit, you may not be able to negotiate all that much. To give you a reference point, I paid 65.4% of the window sticker on my Mirage. I consider that to be an exceptional deal, & it is why I bought one. I bought mine in October, however. The next year models were already on the lots, and dealers were willing to move out the old models. I was also willing to shop around. I test drove locally (65 miles away), and a dealer from 225 miles away delivered a new Mirage to my driveway for free. We did the paperwork on my kitchen table (took 15 minutes). It's what you are comfortable doing? Sounds like you have a great deal locally, and that is awesome.

    Hope this helps some?

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    Quote Originally Posted by Mark View Post
    I feel the 2019 Mirage ES (manual) is an awesome package/value.

    I would not place much value on auto critic snobs. They totally miss the point of this vehicle.

    I took stock in European reviews of this car before I bought my 2017 Mirage ES (manual). This is a long detailed one -

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVi3hYruIqU

    Owner reviews are also quite good - Cars.com & kbb.com are good places to check if you haven't done so?

    I am old school. I am not convinced a CVT is designed to last the life of any vehicle. The Mirage CVT doesn't have a horrible reputation like the Nissan models, but it does use a CVT made by the same company as Nissan. I like manuals. Service is also quite simple on them. No filters, just drain oil, & refill to the fill hole. We are talking super simple. As long as you don't ride the clutch, it should last a very long time. Steve (previous post) has 250,000+ miles on his manual Mirage without having any issues. You couldn't get me to buy a CVT Mirage at any price, but that's me. I've been buying manuals for decades.

    I normally suggest buying a 1-3 year old slightly used vehicles, but these discounted Mirages are an exception to this. If you want a small car that is affordable, reliable, and economical, the Mirage is KING in the U.S. The discounted GT is not a bad value, but I prefer manuals. The ES trim level has some really nice standard features. They have added some each year, & that has benefited the ES trim level the most. If you want fancy wheels, you can always upgrade for way less money than buying an upper trim level.

    If the Mirage is already discounted quite a bit, you may not be able to negotiate all that much. To give you a reference point, I paid 65.4% of the window sticker on my Mirage. I consider that to be an exceptional deal, & it is why I bought one. I bought mine in October, however. The next year models were already on the lots, and dealers were willing to move out the old models. I was also willing to shop around. I test drove locally (65 miles away), and a dealer from 225 miles away delivered a new Mirage to my driveway for free. We did the paperwork on my kitchen table (took 15 minutes). It's what you are comfortable doing? Sounds like you have a great deal locally, and that is awesome.

    Hope this helps some?
    Super informative post. I don't take much stock into online car reviews, as I find their standards are strange and different than mine. I test drove one the other day and it's totally fine to me.

    Also, about the manuals, the manual cars are scarce around here. Those two deals I posted up (they have like 6-8 of them in stock though) are all CVT powered. Manual transmission ones are a bit further away.

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    Quote Originally Posted by RyanGreener View Post
    Super informative post. I don't take much stock into online car reviews, as I find their standards are strange and different than mine. I test drove one the other day and it's totally fine to me.

    Also, about the manuals, the manual cars are scarce around here. Those two deals I posted up (they have like 6-8 of them in stock though) are all CVT powered. Manual transmission ones are a bit further away.
    I test drove a 2018 Mirage ES (manual) at my local dealer (Wisconsin). They wanted about $12,500 OTD. I don't remember the exact figure on that. They were unwilling to get a discounted 2017 ES manual for me. Another dealership from Minnesota was willing to search for one. I paid $9,299 ($10,153.73 OTD), & it was delivered to my driveway for that price. Keep in mind - you are getting 5-year/60,000 miles bumper-to- bumper warranty, 10-year/100,000 mile power train warranty, & 5-year/unlimited mileage roadside assistance with a new purchase. My dealership added a lifetime/unlimited mileage power train warranty for the price I paid.

    That was almost 2 years ago now, and we are not comparing apples to apples. The 2019 Mirage ES (manual) has some nice added features that are lacking in my 2017 model. Backup camera/Bluetooth, 6-way adjustable driver's seat, & cruise have become standard equipment on all Mirages. That benefited the base model! Thus, I wouldn't hesitate to pay a little more for a Mirage today. Mine did come with Bluetooth/center arm rest added for the price I listed. That's why I gave you a percentage of the window sticker. If you get one around 70% window sticker, I think that is still a great deal!

    The warranty that comes with these cars is an added perk! If affordable, reliable, & economical are important traits to you, this car rules the road!

    I wouldn't settle for a CVT, but I don't pay extra for things I don't want either. I would find a manual to test drive. Dealers can trade vehicles. The car I bought wasn't on their lot. I called them on a Tuesday. Decided to make the deal on a Wednesday. They went & got the car from another dealership. Their salesman drove it my to driveway that Saturday (it was an 8 hour drive for him that day). I will add, they delivered a new Mirage in my first color choice. I basically bought a $9000 Mirage. It had the Bluetooth/center armrest already added. I wasn't going to bicker over $299 at that point. I believe a $10,000-11,000 Mirage is still a great deal today, because it has more on it. Cruise in particular is a nice standard feature.

    I don't bicker with car dealerships. I don't have time for that. I wouldn't visit a dealership without knowing their OTD price first. The red flags are easily seen when you do that. Customers call the shots! I never even talked to a salesman. I met him in my driveway for the first time. The manager of the dealership made the deal with me.

    Keep in mind, cars.com & autotrader.com is no reflection of what is truly out there. A good Mitsubishi general manager has access to cars we would not be aware of.

    My 2017 Mirage ES (manual) just turned over 25,000 miles last week. No regrets! If I lost it to an accident, I would buy another.


    Last edited by Mark; 06-20-2019 at 02:25 PM.

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