The Small Car Stereotype: You're poor, have bad credit, or in a bad place

[MacClyver]

Need a car you can back into someone that's about to shoot you: guess what, that techno-omission might just let you save your life.

?????

Too many action thriller movies?

Maybe, but by its very nature that is a once in a lifetime situation.

[Fummins]

Maybe, but by its very nature that is a once in a lifetime situation.

Why stop at one?

[MetroMPG]

Just finished reading your post, Andy - well put, as usual. (Says member of choir, responding to preacher. )

I'm a frequent reader of TTAC, and as soon as I saw this post I was curious to see what comments would be posted by the readers. This time around was a lot tamer than previous similar posts

I'm a fairly regular reader too, and my first reaction was an inward groan when I scrolled to the Mirage/Ace of Base post. I assumed the worst (or should I say "the usual"). But like you, I was pleasantly surprised when the post and subsequent comments didn't go off the rails, and then downright delighted when I saw subcompactculture's contributions.

[Mark]

I looked up the article - "Ace of Base: 2019 Mitsubishi Mirage" - October 17, 2019

https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/20...ubishi-mirage/

Overall, the article isn't that terrible. In all honesty, the MSRP of the Mirage deserves some criticism. Those who write about the Mirage tend to overlook what people are actually paying for one. In my opinion, the value of the Mirage is a bit lost in how the car is priced.

I see a very common theme when reading posts/comments about the Mirage. Owners of the Mirage are quite happy, or they see the value of the car. Those who don't own the car tend to hang on to their ignorance & make comments about something they know very little about.

Non-Mirage owners like Darin are the exception!

Personally, I don't care what others drive. For some, owning a pickup truck is necessary. If your hobbies are things like camping or fishing & you enjoy hauling an camper/fishing boat/etc, owning a vehicle to do all that is understandable. For some, owning an extra vehicle is a luxury. Taking the truck to work may be cheaper than owning a second vehicle to do that.

Most of my friends, relatives, & work colleagues have very little interest in small economy cars. I don't see the need to change that, nor do I see the need to justify owning a Mirage. Driving a cheap, reliable, economical car like the Mirage makes sense to me. I don't worry about what others think about it, & they probably don't care what I think about their vehicles either.

[MetroMPG]

non-mirage owners like darin are the exception!

Rub it in, why dontcha!!

[Fummins]

I might be in the market sooner than I thought. I pissed off the wife and she might be trading(or selling) her car I've been driving in sooner than expected. I don't want to pay for her negative equity from the past, that didn't go over so well lol.
So I'll be looking for a puddle jumper of some kind.

[Eggman]

I might be in the market sooner than I thought. I pissed off the wife and she might be trading(or selling) her car I've been driving in sooner than expected. I don't want to pay for her negative equity from the past, that didn't go over so well lol.
So I'll be looking for a puddle jumper of some kind.

Switching to an economy car can be a big adjustment for some. But if you look at the numbers, from the standpoint of dollars and cents, it's hard to justify anything else.

Good luck in your search for another car.

[tytotheler92]

I bought mine because of a couple reasons.

A: New cars suck. If you're an enthusiast and want reliable A to B transportation so you can invest your time and money into cooler, older vehicles that you don't want to see daily use or salt/snow.

B: Dealers suck. These cars never go back to the dealers. My 2016 Tacoma and 2013 Regal both loved to visit dealers.

C: Modability: The ECU/BCM is open, the suspension has tons of room for improvements, the parts interchangeability is great. I could see keeping this stupid car on the road for 20 years, easy.

D: Fuel Economy: It's nuts.

And that's why I bought one. And Love it. And my sister. And my friend. And another friend. And another.

I think they're great, and the last of their kind. Honest to goodness cheap transportation that is reliable, easy to fix, and cheap to maintain.

Oh and my credit is great. I own a house and 3 other cars. Those people can go be dumb somewhere else.

[Marklovski]

I bought mine because I needed a hatchback and better mileage. I saved so much money driving it only to college first. I thought I might get rid of it after I graduated and got a career in my field, but I really fell in love with it because I realized I don't really need anything else. I really wanted an Evo X or an Eclipse but I just can't justify them anymore. I wouldn't really use the extra power anyway.

[Fummins]

I justify getting one cause I've spent way more just in parts over the last 9 years for my pos polaris sxs than what I'm paying for an entire car that seats 5, has a heater, a roof and windshield that weren't optional and you can drive on the road with a warranty.