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Thread: What other car(s) did you seriously consider before getting your Mirage?

  1. #1

    What other car(s) did you seriously consider before getting your Mirage?

    Before I got the Mirage, I had been casually looking for a winter beater since the summer. The "winter beater radius" rule was in effect: I wouldn't travel more than 50 km / 30 miles away to see it.

    These are the 3 cars I actually looked at:

    1) 2004 Toyota Prius, $1200 asking price

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    ^ Actual car. It had high kms (354,000 = 220k mi) and so much rust on it you could have dug a hole through the rear floor by hand. You can see rust in the rear rocker area in that pic. I had a Prius winter beater a few years ago that I fixed the rockers on, but its floors were fine.

    It was probably fixable, but I didn't even bother test-driving it. I didn't want another big rust repair project (like I had to fix the floors in the Miata).

    When I explained to the seller why I was taking a pass on the car, he actually said to me: "Aw, come on - make me a low-ball offer!" I have never had a seller say that before! Probably could have got it for 500 bucks.


    2) 2008 Honda Fit 5-speed, $800

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    ^ Actual car. 210k km = 130k miles.

    It had a CEL and a stumble under light load (seller said it was the crank position sensor). Oh, and it had a custom HVAC mod (rear glass AWOL)! I test drove it and we agreed on $800, pending a quick inspection by my mechanic the next day. But without even seeing it, my mechanic said: DO NOT BUY THAT CAR. He knew the owner and said he whipped it like a rented mule and didn't maintain it. Sadness.

    3) 2007 Toyota Echo 5-speed $1700

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    ^ Actual car. 210k km = 130k miles.Owned by a small equipment mechanic - regular oil changes, mechanically perfect. Summer & winter tires, 1 year old. Drove great. Echos/Yarises are solid, well-made cars.

    But I once owned a 2004 Echo, so I know this car's Achille's heel: They can suffer from terminal rust in the rocker area where the rear axle mounts to the unibody. Left unchecked, it can send these cars to the junkyard prematurely.

    Unfortunately, the owner hadn't ever rust-proofed the car or looked carefully at the underbody. It was going to need cutting/welding work to make it last, and just didn't want the project at that price, despite it being in great shape otherwise.

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    ^ Oh and it had the cleanest interior of any used car I've ever seen! Cleaner than most 1 year-old cars.

    ====

    Anyway, I'm glad none of these candidates worked out, because I wouldn't have gone to Toronto to get the Fancy Metro when it came up.


        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 63.2 mpg (US) ... 26.9 km/L ... 3.7 L/100 km ... 75.9 mpg (Imp)


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    Fummins (12-10-2019),MacClyver (12-10-2019)

  3. #2
    Senior Member MacClyver's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MetroMPG
    I wonder if the G4 took design inspiration from the Echo sedan, seems to be some resemblance.



    In an alternate timeline somewhere I'm enjoying a 2012 I-Miev as my winter car.

    Saw one in listed Chicago for $4000 a few months back.

    If I hadn't spent a bunch on a like new Mirage this spring I would've gone for it. But I could in no way justify car #5.

    I wouldn't have bought back my good friends green metro then either and I'd happily be sitting with a collector metro and a electric daily.

    But instead I got 2 cars I can't bear to see salt, a 97 that's begging to be retired, and a lethargic 15 second 0-20 sedan which may decide it doesn't want to go for a drive if it's damp. Why was I trying to sell the sedan... I wish I would have engine swapped it now, instead of praying for my rustbucket not to lose a wheel in a pothole.


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    Senior Member Wallythacker's Avatar
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    Long term your Mirage will cost a fraction of the other cars for maintenance.
    Zero, 2014 ES Plus 5MT, written off but not forgotten.
    Zero II, 2014 SE, 5MT, climate She's HOME now!
    Shelby AKA "Cute", 2017 ES 5MT, A/C.

    Mirage owners look at the world differently than everyone else, but in a better way
    We're driving the Beetle of the 21st century, the greatest small car now available!

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2017 Mirage ES PLus 1.2 manual: 39.0 mpg (US) ... 16.6 km/L ... 6.0 L/100 km ... 46.8 mpg (Imp)


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    Moderator Eggman's Avatar
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    I'm not certain i-Miev replacement batteries are available.

    I checked. There was one for sale near me just a couple months ago. They got battery problems.

        __________________________________________

        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 Dodge Aries K's Avatar
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    I almost bought an i-Miev as well. Called up the Mitsu dealer to ask how much for a new battery. Guy messes with the computer for a few minutes and exclaims "Holy Sh-t!" I ask him at that point if I shouldn't buy the sub 6 grand i-Miev and he says no.

    A new battery was $14,000!!!!!
    -Karl B. No Mirages currently...

  8. #6
    I almost bought a 2011' Chrysler 300S Awd with a v8. Thankfully the owner was a dickhead and the car had no coolant in it so I didn't buy it. That was one of the very few vehicles I looked at and didn't drive away in.
    The only little car I considered buying was a Mirage for obvious reasons. I've seen how they hold up and know, for the most part what will or can go wrong with them.
    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)


  9. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by Wallythacker View Post
    Long term your Mirage will cost a fraction of the other cars for maintenance.
    True! But I never keep my winter beaters very long.

    I buy 'em cheap (as-is), do the needed repairs, and drive them for a winter or 2, then tidy them up and sell them. I usually break even or make a few bucks.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 63.2 mpg (US) ... 26.9 km/L ... 3.7 L/100 km ... 75.9 mpg (Imp)


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    Senior Member Subcompact Culture's Avatar
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    I considered the Chevrolet Spark (new), and also considered a used Toyota Yaris hatchback (I already have an '07 that's been highly modified and has been great), as well as a used Fiat 500 Abarth. I absolutely love the Abarths, but I think they're a bit like illicit drugs. They're really exciting when you first get them, and then there are tons of problems, and suddenly all of your money is gone.

    We got the Mirage.

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  12. #9
    Senior Member 01-7700's Avatar
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    I would have bought a Yaris if I could have found one with manual shift. The day I bought the Mirage I was on the lot to look at a Yaris that was incorrectly advertised as manual. It was a few years old with 60k for $2k less than the Mirage brand new. Looking at them side by side they looked like twins. I had never heard of the Mirage until that day and then I owned one.
    Skills: Cage fighting, computer chatting, making sweet moula

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage 1.2 manual: 38.0 mpg (US) ... 16.1 km/L ... 6.2 L/100 km ... 45.6 mpg (Imp)


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    Senior Member Subcompact Culture's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 01-7700 View Post
    I would have bought a Yaris if I could have found one with manual shift. The day I bought the Mirage I was on the lot to look at a Yaris that was incorrectly advertised as manual. It was a few years old with 60k for $2k less than the Mirage brand new. Looking at them side by side they looked like twins. I had never heard of the Mirage until that day and then I owned one.
    Well, here was the other thing: A new Yaris was a terrible deal compared to a Mirage. Plus, in my region, they didn't offer the manual, or if they did, it was on the L trim level. I really wanted an SE, but wasn't about to pay $19K for one. I could've bought a used low-mileage Yaris with a 5MT, but I would've had to go out of state to get it, and it would've been the price of a new Mirage if not more.



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