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Thread: Oops, I did it again! Bought another cheap Mirage "beater".

  1. #11
    Senior Member Alex1a1f's Avatar
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    Good deal and looks in decent shape. Score!


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  2. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by MetroMPG View Post
    I bought another as-is Mirage that was traded to a new car dealership.

    Attachment 18316

    Top trim 5-speed. PLUS winter tires on steelies! PLUS aftermarket hitch! PLUS factory body kit! PLUS rain deflectors. PLUS all the chromed plastic bling you could throw at it! Talk about gilding the lily.

    Regular readers will recognize this car from the cheap used Mirages thread -- it was advertised at this dealership for nearly a year. Started at $5500, eventually dropped to $3450.

    I paid $2900 + tax & licence. ($300 more than my first Mirage.) I pick it up tomorrow AM.
    Nice job, congrats! Why was it sold as an as is special? I wonder why it sat around forever other than them asking too much for it from the start.
    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)


  3. #13
    The sales guy admitted they screwed up trying to get too much for it.

    As for the as-is status, I asked the guy about that and he said it was just a case of them not wanting to gamble investing the time/money at $100 an hr (their shop rate) to maybe make $1k - 1500 on it. Easier to make $5k on a used pickup any day of the week.

    And it had a number of strikes against it:

    - high kilometers for the year
    - past collision damage which they're required by law to disclose (repaired, $1500 estimate)
    - existing cosmetic damage (scuffs/scrapes, possibly buff-out-able)
    - needs new tires (summer)
    - manual transmission

    ---

    I just got home with it. 110 km of city/freeway/country roads. It drives completely fine -- much better clutch than my first one. Better shift quality too, though that might just be the higher ambient temps - it's 31C out there. Everything works as it should: no lights, bangs, vibrations, weird smells.

    Actually, there is a bit of noise in the back right - either a wheel bearing or more likely a bad tire. The summer tires on it are done anyway.

    There might be more valvetrain noise than the last one when I rev it up (no load). Hard to say, but it's not terrible.

        __________________________________________

        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)


  4. #14
    Moderator Eggman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MetroMPG View Post
    It drives completely fine -- much better clutch than my first one.
    Sounds like a lot of highway miles, eh?

        __________________________________________

        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)


  5. #15
    I wonder. Because this one has far less sandblasting and stone chips on its snout than the last one. Could just be a matter of where it was driven, though.

        __________________________________________

        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)


  6. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by MetroMPG View Post
    I just got home with it. 110 km of city/freeway/country roads. It drives completely fine -- much better clutch than my first one. Better shift quality too, though that might just be the higher ambient temps - it's 31C out there. Everything works as it should: no lights, bangs, vibrations, weird smells.

    There's a bit of noise in the back right - either a wheel bearing or more likely a bad tire. The summer tires on it are done anyway.

    There might be more valvetrain noise than the last one when I rev it up (no load). Hard to say, but it's not terrible.
    Had you shared it's in mint condition with zero issues @ the price you paid - some forum members would be suffering from Mirage envy right now!

    Despite the minor issues - it sounds like a very nice car for the money. No matter how long you keep it, it can't depreciate more than what you paid for it. Sounds like you will be tire shopping soon!

  7. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by MetroMPG View Post
    The sales guy admitted they screwed up trying to get too much for it.

    As for the as-is status, I asked the guy about that and he said it was just a case of them not wanting to gamble investing the time/money at $100 an hr (their shop rate) to maybe make $1k - 1500 on it. Easier to make $5k on a used pickup any day of the week.

    And it had a number of strikes against it:

    - high kilometers for the year
    - past collision damage which they're required by law to disclose (repaired, less than $2k worth)
    - existing cosmetic damage (scuffs/scrapes, possibly buff-out-able)
    - needs new tires (summer)
    - manual transmission


    Definitely not a creampuff.

    ---

    I just got home with it. 110 km of city/freeway/country roads. It drives completely fine -- much better clutch than my first one. Better shift quality too, though that might just be the higher ambient temps - it's 31C out there. Everything works as it should: no lights, bangs, vibrations, weird smells.

    There's a bit of noise in the back right - either a wheel bearing or more likely a bad tire. The summer tires on it are done anyway.

    There might be more valvetrain noise than the last one when I rev it up (no load). Hard to say, but it's not terrible.
    Advertise it for sale down south, it'd be awesome to see you double your money back! There's one member who's having a hard time finding a decent Mirage out in Southern California for under $5500(usd). Smuggle yourself and the car across the border and get into the Mirage deporting business?
    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)


  8. #18

    bonus surprise!

    ^ Aw man, that'd be amazing... but I can't... THANKS COVID!

    ---

    Look what I found tucked under the hood:

    Name:  block-heater.jpg
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    OEM block heater! I will be keeping that (and the trailer hitch) for when I eventually find my "forever Mirage".

    ---

    I swapped out a suspect rear tire last night and confirmed it was the source of the noise I was hearing in the back. So, unless the rear brake shoes are down to metal, this thing should pass inspection as it sits (wearing its winter treads, that is).

    And after 6 (?) weeks of driving my crapcan Metro with its failing exhaust, rattly front end, sloppy shifter and busted clutch, what an ABSOLUTE PLEASURE it is driving this Mirage! So refined and sophisticated.

    Note to Mitsubishi on how to sell more Mirages: buy my Metro and make people test drive it first.

        __________________________________________

        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)


  9. The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to MetroMPG For This Useful Post:

    Fummins (06-19-2020),MacClyver (06-19-2020),timw4mail (08-26-2020)

  10. #19
    Senior Member MacClyver's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MetroMPG
    failing exhaust, rattly front end, sloppy shifter and busted clutch
    My rusty 97 has been sitting for two months now. Which checks 3 of those four. But sloppy shifter? I wasn't aware the shifters went bad. Both my Metros in excess of 450K km shift fine, guess I'm lucky.
    I wish the Mirage shifter had a touch more play though, I miss being able to move the shifter into first sans clutch after I turn the car off.

    That said, distances driven feel shorter when one is not constantly wondering if the next bump will be the final straw that rips a control arm off . That and driving without earplugs .

    While it has driven it's last mile I can't wait to get it's engine transferred to the sedan for the upcoming winter. I always liked that green! Also I need to look into swapping the block heater from the worn out 4 cylinder when I do that. Do they have much impact on winter MPG driving around 20 km at at a time?


  11. The Following User Says Thank You to MacClyver For This Useful Post:

    MetroMPG (06-19-2020)

  12. #20
    You keep earplugs in your Metro too?

    Block heater: the benefit depends on how powerful it is. I put a stock OEM heater on my Firefly and it helps a tiny bit, but later upgraded to a more powerful inline tank style heater.

    See https://metrompg.com/posts/block-hea...to-plug-in.htm

    Name:  graph-ebh-warmup-800w-s.gif
Views: 579
Size:  10.8 KB

    And

    https://metrompg.com/posts/block-heater.htm


        __________________________________________

        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)


  13. The Following User Says Thank You to MetroMPG For This Useful Post:

    MacClyver (06-19-2020)

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