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

  1. #21
    Senior Member Cobrajet's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Go4th View Post
    I have 'bad credit'. I pretty much live paycheck to paycheck. I've struggled with money and credit my entire life. Living in Seattle for almost 10 years didn't help financially either. In part of FINALLY getting my crap together, one way of doing that was buying a sensible car. I wanted to get other, maybe more fun cars that either weren't reliable, economical, or practical. But since that is what I had done with my FIAT, and narrowly missed $$$$$ repair bills, I wasn't going to do that again. I had narrowed down to a used or CPO Yaris IA, Accent or Rio (sedans). The G4 came into my radar as a fluke. I sort of knew Mitsubishi has a reputation as a 'bad credit car' but I didn't care. But these days, it seems there are almost limitless options for people with credit challenges and low/no downpayment, which doesn't necessarily lock a person into a Mitsubishi like it may have in the past. When I first got my G4, I had a little underlying feeling of self consciousness about having my car and it being a 'bad credit/poor person's' car. Then I realized two things. 1-This is a legitimately amazing car, regardless of anything to do with a person's credit or financial standing. 2-I no longer car about what people think about me and/or my car. In fact, I now feel pretty damn great about making such a sensible purchase, one that can help me to a more positive financial place.
    The Mirage suits your needs. With professional reviewers, it is all about horsepower, handling, styling, and gizmos. They all seem to believe that every new car buyer wants the biggest, heaviest, fastest, most complex car they can possibly get for their money.



  2. #22
    Moderator Eggman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Go4th View Post
    When I first got my G4, I had a little underlying feeling of self consciousness about having my car and it being a 'bad credit/poor person's' car. Then I realized two things. 1-This is a legitimately amazing car, regardless of anything to do with a person's credit or financial standing. 2-I no longer car about what people think about me and/or my car. In fact, I now feel pretty damn great about making such a sensible purchase, one that can help me to a more positive financial place.
    Yep, once you cut loose the ego from the decision, it's a lot easier to make the purchase. Why worry about how others perceive you according to what you drive? It's not others who have to pay for it, operate it, maintain it, etc. It's a decision about how You spend Your money, not others. Now if someone wants to fund my next vehicle, we can talk!

    Blast from the past alert! See the following thread for more on the subject:

    The Mirage is a "buy with your head, not with your heart" type of car. Too bad.

        __________________________________________

        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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    Quote Originally Posted by Eggman View Post
    Yep, once you cut loose the ego from the decision, it's a lot easier to make the purchase. Why worry about how others perceive you according to what you drive? It's not others who have to pay for it, operate it, maintain it, etc. It's a decision about how You spend Your money, not others. Now if someone wants to fund my next vehicle, we can talk!

    Blast from the past alert! See the following thread for more on the subject:

    The Mirage is a "buy with your head, not with your heart" type of car. Too bad.
    None of my friends, work colleagues, or relatives drive a Mirage. Just because they aren't as smart &/or as practical as I am, I don't hold that against them!!!!

    I really don't care what others think, & I am a bit guilty of judging those who own/drive around with $40,000+ pickup trucks that never really see true pickup truck duties.

    Owning a Mirage is good for me! If someone wants to judge me for what I drive, I feel sorry for them! I have to many interests to invest huge amounts of money in vehicles. Cars are money pits, but still necessary.

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    Moderator Eggman's Avatar
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    Yep!

    The funny thing about the Mirage - once you own one, it has a tendency to lead to an emotional attachment and appreciation for what it is.

    I think that attachment contributes to the success of this here forum.

        __________________________________________

        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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    Senior Member Dirk Diggler's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Go4th View Post
    I have 'bad credit'. I pretty much live paycheck to paycheck. I've struggled with money and credit my entire life. Living in Seattle for almost 10 years didn't help financially either. In part of FINALLY getting my crap together, one way of doing that was buying a sensible car. I wanted to get other, maybe more fun cars that either weren't reliable, economical, or practical. But since that is what I had done with my FIAT, and narrowly missed $$$$$ repair bills, I wasn't going to do that again. I had narrowed down to a used or CPO Yaris IA, Accent or Rio (sedans). The G4 came into my radar as a fluke. I sort of knew Mitsubishi has a reputation as a 'bad credit car' but I didn't care. But these days, it seems there are almost limitless options for people with credit challenges and low/no downpayment, which doesn't necessarily lock a person into a Mitsubishi like it may have in the past. When I first got my G4, I had a little underlying feeling of self consciousness about having my car and it being a 'bad credit/poor person's' car. Then I realized two things. 1-This is a legitimately amazing car, regardless of anything to do with a person's credit or financial standing. 2-I no longer car about what people think about me and/or my car. In fact, I now feel pretty damn great about making such a sensible purchase, one that can help me to a more positive financial place.
    Im right there with you man! Im poor, trying to not be poor in a country where its getting more expensive to live and wages are stagnating. Mirage was a gift from God, being able to buy a used car for $7600 and under 50k miles.

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    In this part of the world, hardly nobody cares what car you have!
    To have an economical car that doesn't guzzle our planets recources away and thus puts out very little CO2, is regarded as normal behavior. Nobody wants to be considered as so selfish as to run a CO2 polluting gas guzzler, that ruins your reputation! With few exceptions, only poor people in this country have big, ugly overdimensioned gas guzzling monsters sitting outside. Nobody wants to be seen with such crude technological dinosaurs, hence its only the poor buying them because they're so cheap to get. Credit rating? Never heared of that expression in these parts. People here pay cash only! If they don't have the money, they simply will not buy anything. I don't have any credit rating at all, just like my neighbours, my friends or anyone else I know.
    Last edited by foama; 10-21-2019 at 02:06 PM.

  10. #27
    Quote Originally Posted by dspace9 View Post
    I think there is a chance it's the fuel filler itself.

    3 visits to the dealer for 1 fuel cap? Aren't those universal?
    The only filter is a screen on the bottom of the fuel pump assembly. Even if it had an inline filter it wouldn't cause a small evap leak. Ever.
    Fuel caps aren't universal. There's a few different styles. https://www.google.com/search?q=fuel...w=1280&bih=800

    If the dealer had a smoke machine it shouldn't be hard to find the leak. Could be evap canister, a hose, solenoid...... One of the most common problems is just a loose gas cap, small leaks can be a pain to find. I assume they're just following the flow chart or doing what 'Mitsubishi tech line people' tell them to try. Sounds like you may be the guinea pig.
    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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    Senior Member dspace9's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fummins View Post
    The only filter is a screen on the bottom of the fuel pump assembly. Even if it had an inline filter it wouldn't cause a small evap leak. Ever.
    Fuel caps aren't universal. There's a few different styles.
    I just don't know why it takes them 4 Friday afternoons in a row, to essentially replace a fuel cap.

    I think it might be the fuel FILLER (not FILTER) itself. But they won't just replace this part. Sorry to caps but it's hard to see filler and filter as different.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 42.2 mpg (US) ... 17.9 km/L ... 5.6 L/100 km ... 50.7 mpg (Imp)


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    Quote Originally Posted by Subcompact Culture View Post
    The Ace of Base:2019 Mitsubishi Mirage story on TheTruthAboutCars.com inspired me to write this piece: Cheap, small cars so often have this stigma behind them. You must be poor, have bad credit, or be in some "bad place" to want to buy one, such as the Mirage. I disagree, and wrote a blog post about it if you'd like to check it out.

    http://www.subcompactculture.com/201...ad-credit.html

    Anyway, I've long disliked the idea that you must have to buy a car like a Mirage. You couldn't possibly have wanted it.
    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, and your comments, Subcompact Culture, definitely helped that so thanks!

    I frequently get a lot of blank stares or comments of "you bought what, and why?" when I tell others about my Mirage, but once I talk to them about my reasoning behind it they are much more interested in learning more about the car. For me, I wanted something I could pay cash for (I've worked in financial services so I hate having debt and owing money to anyone), would be reliable, and easy to maintain with good fuel economy. Don't get me wrong, I'm a car nut and follow all the latest announcements about new vehicles and what supercar set the fastest lap time on some world famous race track, but when I see a family member who has almost $100k of vehicle loans parked in their driveway I just don't think that's the best use of my money (I'd like to retire at some point!). I also wanted something that was different, so I wasn't driving the same Camry/Accord/Subaru/Indistinguishable SUV/Truck that everyone else around me does. The Mirage checked all the boxes and so far I'm extremely happy with my purchase. And if I ever need to unleash my inner race car driver urge, then I fire up Forza or hop in my '95 Miata and carve up some back roads around RI.

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  16. #30
    Quote Originally Posted by dspace9 View Post

    I think it might be the fuel FILLER (not FILTER) itself. But they won't just replace this part.
    Reading is hard


    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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