Should I purchase this Mirage?

[Dirk Diggler]

Looking for something practical, reliable and economical. Found this 2015 Mitsubishi Mirage de cvt with 25k miles for sale for $6k USD. It looks like it is in great condition, haven't test drove it yet, will this weekend. I was curious if that was a good deal? Should I get a Mirage? Things I need to know about the Mirage?

Things you need to know about owning a Mirage.....Well all the ladies are going to think your hung like a water buffalo so be prepared to fight them off with a 2x4. I keep one in the backseat for this reason. This is the ultimate I dont give a f#%! about what others think vehicle. Embrace it.

[01-7700]

My current car is a 2005 pt cruiser which is cheap and handles like crap, so nothing I'm not used to.

A Mirage is definitely an upgrade from a PT Cruiser.

[Top_Fuel]

A Mirage is definitely an upgrade from a PT Cruiser.

After driving a PT Cruiser, the turning radius of a Mirage is going to blow you away. A Mirage can almost do a U-turn in a driveway. Anyone who has driven a PT Cruiser knows they have a huge turning radius for a fairly small vehicle.

[Loren]

I paid $6800 for essentially the same car (2015 with 25k miles), but with manual trans. I think $6k is on the high side.

Do some research, and come up with a number you're willing to pay. $5k. $4800. Whatever. After you drive and inspect the car, tell them that's what you're willing to pay. Don't budge. Used Mirages are NOT in high demand. They will probably take your offer, or at least within a couple hundred of it.

Remember to consider used car dealer fees!

[Fummins]

I paid $6000canadian/4500 usd for my 14' se with the same mileage. Metro and wally found theirs for 1/2 of what I paid. Great deals usually pop up when I'm not looking or are way to far away to be worthwhile.

[Loren]

^^^ I left out some words above.

I paid $6800 for the same car... two years ago.

These cars depreciate rapidly. $1,000 per year easily. So, this should be a $4800-5000 car. Do some more research. See what comparable cars are selling for, what KBB says, etc. You don't have to pay what they're asking.

And if you're trading, then take the amount you're willing to pay for the car, subtract the amount you're willing to accept for your trade... and hit them with that number. "I want to be out the door for this much money after all taxes and fees." Make it a perhaps difficult, but not impossible number. They'll massage the numbers to make it work.

[Mark]

Looking for something practical, reliable and economical. Found this 2015 Mitsubishi Mirage de cvt with 25k miles for sale for $6k USD. It looks like it is in great condition, haven't test drove it yet, will this weekend. I was curious if that was a good deal? Should I get a Mirage? Things I need to know about the Mirage?

For a low mileage Mirage that is in excellent shape, that price is not out of line with other used Mirages I see listed on line in my area. It's never clear what consumers actually pay, however. Looking at the big picture of it all, it's less than half of what a new 2019 would probably cost you. A low mileage Mirage like that should have a lot of life left in it.

Personally, I would asked for their OTD price for this car prior to your visit. If they aren't including a number of dealer fees, this may or may not be a good deal? I would want to know that up front. Maybe you have done this already?

Tax, title, registration, new plates, doc. fees, unlimited mileage/lifetime powertrain warranty, etc.... came to $855 for my Mirage brand new. That's including a 5.5% Wisconsin sales tax, and Idaho is 6% maybe?

I wouldn't expect more than $400-500 added to the price of a $6000 used Mirage.

Unless you sense the car is of high interest to others, I would make them work to get you there first. You don't have to agree to that price to test drive it either.

[01-7700]

I get offers from my dealer about once a month saying "we have waiting buyers for your 2014 Mirage" - they put their offer right in the mailing - sight unseen on the car. They want to give me $2,500 and turn around and sell it for $5,000... maybe $6,800 and sell me another car for "way below MSRP". Should I take them up on this once in a lifetime deal?

[Mark]

I get offers from my dealer about once a month saying "we have waiting buyers for your 2014 Mirage" - they put their offer right in the mailing - sight unseen on the car. They want to give me $2,500 and turn around and sell it for $5,000... maybe $6,800 and sell me another car for "way below MSRP". Should I take them up on this once in a lifetime deal?

There's a lot of variables involved in everything you shared. It doesn't paint a clear picture to me, & you haven't shared anything that indicates a "lifetime" deal to me.

I paid 65.4% of window sticker for a brand new 2017 Mirage ES manual without a trade. I also paid Wisconsin sales tax on the discounted price, not the window sticker price. At the time, a brand new Mirage ES manual could be taken home for under $10,000 OTD (via White Bear Mitsubishi). Those deals no longer exist.

OTD deals for 2019 Mirage ES manuals seems closer to $12,000 OTD these days. In all fairness to this discussion, a 2019 Mirage has some added features like Bluetooth, back up camera, 6-way adjustable driver's seat, and cruise control. Thus, we are not comparing apples to apples here. Unlike the SE & GT trim levels, the base level ES has evolved. A 2020 Mirage also has auto climate controls added to the ES & LE trim levels this year.

Just doing some rough math. Let's say you get a great deal on a Mirage and buy one for $12,000 OTD. Then you sell your Mirage on your own for $5,000. We are talking about a difference of about $7,000 to get yourself into a new Mirage. I realize you may be interested in a higher priced trim level. I am just throwing numbers out there to create a discussion.

How much is a new Mirage worth to you?

Personally, I don't think there is anything better than a car that is paid off. When my Mirage reaches the age/mileage where I would drop comprehensive/collision insurance, I will embrace it even more. I view my Mirage as my beater car, however. If it's your main vehicle, you may look at it differently. I get that!

[Top_Fuel]

I get offers from my dealer about once a month saying "we have waiting buyers for your 2014 Mirage" -
Should I take them up on this once in a lifetime deal?

That's sales/marketing BS to get you into the showroom. I've been getting those mailers on every late-model car I've ever owned for the last 20 years. If you go in there, the dealer is going to make money off of you no matter what happens.

"We have a drastic need for your <fill in the blank here with whatever worthless POS you have sitting in your driveway>". Get in here now so we can pay you more than book value!

Stealing a quote from the web...

Another common tactic is the “we need your used car” letter. Dealer tells you they desperately need cars like yours for their lot. They promise to pay over KBB for it and quote a number that looks really high. The fine print notes they are basing their estimate on your 5 year old car having only 15,000 miles on it. If you actually show up their trade-in price plummets when they punch in the actual mileage. They are hoping before that happens you will have fallen in love with the new car and they can convince you “it is just a few more dollars a month”