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Thread: Should I purchase this Mirage?

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    Should I purchase this Mirage?

    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?



  2. #2
    Senior Member Cobrajet's Avatar
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    Doesn't sound like a bad deal if it has a clean title. But you might be able to bargain more since there really isn't a strong demand for these cars.

    Really the only thing to be mindful of with these cars is misaligned rear wheels. Many Mirages came this way from the factory, and the only solution is a new rear axle as they are unadjustable. Pay close attention to the wear pattern on the rear tires when you go to look at it. If the rear tires look significantly newer than the front tires it might be a red flag.

    That car should still have the balance of the 5/60 factory warranty left, so a replacement axle should be covered if you buy it. But it could be used to negotiate a lower price.

    Other than that, they are AWESOME cars. Please let us know how it turns out.

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    Senior Member Wallythacker's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Cobrajet View Post
    Doesn't sound like a bad deal if it has a clean title. But you might be able to bargain more since there really isn't a strong demand for these cars.

    Really the only thing to be mindful of with these cars is misaligned rear wheels. Many Mirages came this way from the factory, and the only solution is a new rear axle as they are unadjustable. Pay close attention to the wear pattern on the rear tires when you go to look at it. If the rear tires look significantly newer than the front tires it might be a red flag.

    That car should still have the balance of the 5/60 factory warranty left, so a replacement axle should be covered if you buy it. But it could be used to negotiate a lower price.

    Other than that, they are AWESOME cars. Please let us know how it turns out.
    Don't forget buggered heater cores! In some ways that's worse than the bent axle. I know which of the two I prefer to pay to have repaired.
    Zero, 2014 ES Plus 5MT, written off but not forgotten.
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    We're driving the Beetle of the 21st century, the greatest small car now available!

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        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)


  4. #4
    Senior Member Top_Fuel's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by dhawk1973 View Post
    Looking for something practical, reliable and economical.
    You're in the right place. The Mirage excels in all of those categories.

    Google the VIN number...just to make sure this thing wasn't sitting in a salvage yard 6 months ago. If the VIN seems clean, spend the money on a Carfax or Autocheck report. The only thing worth less than a used Mirage is a used Mirage with a bad title history.


    Quote Originally Posted by Cobrajet View Post
    Pay close attention to the wear pattern on the rear tires when you go to look at it. If the rear tires look significantly newer than the front tires it might be a red flag.
    +1 If this thing still has all 4 of its original tires (Dunlop Enasave 165-65-14) on it and they are evenly worn, that is great sign that this car has zero alignment issues. If the car has mismatched tires or 2 new tires, then ask the owner why.

    When you test drive the car on a flat surface, it should go down the road straight if you let go of the wheel. If it feels like the car needs constant steering wheel correction to keep it going straight, that's a sign of alignment issues. If the *rear* alignment needs to be corrected, you want to make sure the car is still under warranty.


    That car should still have the balance of the 5/60 factory warranty left...
    Since this is a 2015, it's possible that the car has no warranty left if it was purchased more than 5 years ago. If you are serious about buying this car, I would take the VIN to a dealer and find out the "in-service" date of the car (the date it was sold to the first owner). The good news is that Mitsubishi sold a lot of 2015s all the way into early 2016. So it could have a year or more of warranty left.

        __________________________________________

        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)


  5. #5
    Bent axle is not even on the list of things I'd worry about but sure is for some lol.
    Anyways, with that low mileage there shouldn't really be anything wrong with it. Make sure it drives straight. If you haven't driven one before you might hate it, they're small cheap and don't handle that great. But they're cheap to buy and maintain, not the worst thing to drive and very reliable. Used parts are becoming less scarce so that helps when you smash it up. The only common part I see possibly wearing out would be the drivers seat, depending on who drove it. Festively plump drivers tend to destroy these seats in no time.
    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 Top_Fuel's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fummins View Post
    Bent axle is not even on the list of things I'd worry about but sure...
    I hear ya. I mention it to new buyers just in case they don't do their own repairs. If you have to pay someone, a new rear axle and a new heater core in a Mirage add up to more than $2,000 in repairs.

    In a worst-case scenario, this car could need both and might be out of warranty. So this $6000 Mirage just became an $8000 used 2015. I would run away and go buy a new 2019 for $10K-$11K at that point.

        __________________________________________

        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)


  7. #7
    don't need to do own repairs not to be ripped off. But some people insist on having dealers fix their junk I guess? I'll be sure to take mine in to pay $6000 for a new cvt when it's time
    Last edited by Fummins; 02-12-2020 at 02:03 PM. Reason: Less jerky
    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 Cobrajet View Post
    Doesn't sound like a bad deal if it has a clean title. But you might be able to bargain more since there really isn't a strong demand for these cars.

    Really the only thing to be mindful of with these cars is misaligned rear wheels. Many Mirages came this way from the factory, and the only solution is a new rear axle as they are unadjustable. Pay close attention to the wear pattern on the rear tires when you go to look at it. If the rear tires look significantly newer than the front tires it might be a red flag.

    That car should still have the balance of the 5/60 factory warranty left, so a replacement axle should be covered if you buy it. But it could be used to negotiate a lower price.

    Other than that, they are AWESOME cars. Please let us know how it turns out.
    Okay, thank you, I will make sure to check the tire wear/pattern.

    Quote Originally Posted by Wallythacker View Post
    Don't forget buggered heater cores! In some ways that's worse than the bent axle. I know which of the two I prefer to pay to have repaired.
    How can I tell if a mirage has a problem with the heater core? Does the heater just not warm up or the car takes a long time to warm up in the cold?

    Quote Originally Posted by Top_Fuel View Post
    You're in the right place. The Mirage excels in all of those categories.

    Google the VIN number...just to make sure this thing wasn't sitting in a salvage yard 6 months ago. If the VIN seems clean, spend the money on a Carfax or Autocheck report. The only thing worth less than a used Mirage is a used Mirage with a bad title history.


    +1 If this thing still has all 4 of its original tires (Dunlop Enasave 165-65-14) on it and they are evenly worn, that is great sign that this car has zero alignment issues. If the car has mismatched tires or 2 new tires, then ask the owner why.

    When you test drive the car on a flat surface, it should go down the road straight if you let go of the wheel. If it feels like the car needs constant steering wheel correction to keep it going straight, that's a sign of alignment issues. If the *rear* alignment needs to be corrected, you want to make sure the car is still under warranty.


    Since this is a 2015, it's possible that the car has no warranty left if it was purchased more than 5 years ago. If you are serious about buying this car, I would take the VIN to a dealer and find out the "in-service" date of the car (the date it was sold to the first owner). The good news is that Mitsubishi sold a lot of 2015s all the way into early 2016. So it could have a year or more of warranty left.
    Googled the VIN no salvage listings came up. Thank you on the advice for the axle. The free VIN checker I used showed the first odo record at 7/6/15 I am assuming that's when it was sold to the original owner, so I think I have until 7/6 this year.

    Quote Originally Posted by Fummins View Post
    If you haven't driven one before you might hate it, they're small cheap and don't handle that great.
    My current car is a 2005 pt cruiser which is cheap and handles like crap, so nothing I'm not used to.

  9. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to dhawk1973 For This Useful Post:

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  10. #9
    Senior Member Top_Fuel's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by dhawk1973 View Post
    How can I tell if a mirage has a problem with the heater core?
    Here's the Cliff's Notes version...

    Problem: Some Mirage heater cores have excessive flux or some other material inside them from the manufacturing process. This material is like a gel. Over time it collects on the outlet side of the heater core and causes a flow restriction...starting on the passenger side of the core. There apparently is no flushing agent that will remove it.

    Symptoms: Turn on the heat to the dash vents. If the heater core is restricted, the heat coming out of the passenger side is significantly cooler than the driver's side. Over time the condition can worsen and reduce the overall heat output to the point that you will not have adequate heat if you live in a northern climate. My own car (2015 with 80K miles) has this condition, but I don't live in an area that has extreme (sub-zero) winter temps so I can live with it.

    Solution: Replace the heater core. This requires removing the dash from the car. It can be done but is not trivial. This is an easy $1000+ repair at the dealer.

    More detailed info here

        __________________________________________

        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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  12. #10
    Senior Member Dirk Diggler's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fummins View Post
    don't need to do own repairs not to be ripped off. But some people insist on having dealers fix their junk I guess? I'll be sure to take mine in to pay $6000 for a new cvt when it's time
    Fummy did you ever figure out what the wonder part was for our 2014 CVTs and why they don't interchange? Is yours pre 04/01/14 manufacture date like mine?



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