Wifes got a mirage again

[Mark]

This has been going on for decades. From 1950 to 1957, the Bel Air was the top Chevy model. Then the Impala came out in '58. It was the top model until it was knocked off by the Caprice in '66. By the 1960s the Bel Air was the bottom-rung, low-rent, cheapest fullsize car in Chevy's lineup. By the '80s the Impala and Caprice were also both mostly relegated to fleet sales.

Same with the Ford Fairlane. Top-of-the-line in 1955, but by 1970 it was one of the cheapest Fords you could get.

I grew up in the Chevy line up. My dad's first 5 cars were the Impala line up. I took my driving test with a 1977 Impala. Chevy added models with more features, but never flip flopped them. A 2014-15 ES is the 2017+ SE. That would be like saying the Bel Air has more features than an Impala or the Bel Air in now the Impala level & the Impala is the base model, which never happened. Yes, Bel Air was dropped eventually.

[Cobrajet]

I grew up in the Chevy line up. My dad's first 5 cars were the Impala line up. I took my driving test with a 1977 Impala. Chevy added models with more features, but never flip flopped them. A 2014-15 ES is the 2017+ SE. That would be like saying the Bel Air has more features than an Impala or the Bel Air in now the Impala level & the Impala is the base model, which never happened. Yes, Bel Air was dropped eventually.

The point I was making is that the ES...the top-of-the-line in 2015...had become the base model in 2017. Mitsubishi didn't create a new base trim name in 2017, they reused the top trim name from 2015. Mitsubishi took what was formerly an upper trim name and moved it downmarket with a corresponding reduction in features, just like Chevy and Ford did.

In 2015, there was not a trim level higher than the ES. By 2017, EVERY trim level was higher than the ES.

In 1957, there was not a trim level higher than the Bel Air. By 1975, EVERY trim level was higher than the Bel Air.

[Mark]

The point I was making is that the ES...the top-of-the-line in 2015...had become the base model in 2017.

That is simply not true. My 2017 ES doesn't have many of the features of a 2015 ES. I don't have 14" alloy wheels, cruise control, automatic climate control, backup cameras (Bluetooth wasn't standard), no 6-way adjustable driver's seat, no push-button start, etc...... The 2015 ES did not become the new 2017 ES. The 2015 ES became the 2017 SE.

Chevy adding an Impala & eventually Caprice to the Bel Air line up is not the same to me, but that's ok. Wherever I heard the name Bel Air, I think of base model. Impala is always one trim level up and likewise with the Caprice.

[Mark]

We'll be upgrading to Xenon head lights and adding those evo 8 recaros and seat heaters after all. I think we're gonna try to find the 2014 rims as they're smaller and its for sure noticeable in mpg. Same with these 175 tires. Im only getting 36 mpg city vs the 40 we use to get on the 2014.

Your wife's new Mirage looks sharp! I hope she really enjoys it. The SE manual is a nicely equipped Mirage. It's sort of shame they did continue to offer the manual option in that trim level (or one of the other upper ones).

Sounds like you may be adding 175/65r14 tires to your 14" alloy rims some day. That's a popular, easy upgrade, too. As far as the lower mpg issue in the city, that may be those extra 4 hp you have now? Weather can be a factor, too. My mpg drops a little as it gets colder.

I just wanted to say it's a nice looking car. I know 2017 SE manuals are also a bit rare. Thus, it was a good find for you. I apologize for our off the topic posts in your thread. I don't want to take away from your great new Mirage! Thanks for sharing pics, too!

[MirageRally]

Both you and your wife's hoodies match the bows! Haha, ironically I never knew they put bows on cars? I also love the other cars too, I love the look of that eclipse Congrats on the new car!

[Clessy]

Fun story she actually wouldnt finish the paperwork on the origin 2014 unless they gave her the bow with the car. Its supposed to just be for photos but she had it in the back of her car for almost a year. I found out later on working at the dealership they're like $100 bows and a pain to get made lol. Yes we're big mitsu fans. I now have 97 mirage, 06 evo, 08 eclipse and 17 mirage.

[PityOnU]

Fun story she actually wouldnt finish the paperwork on the origin 2014 unless they gave her the bow with the car. Its supposed to just be for photos but she had it in the back of her car for almost a year. I found out later on working at the dealership they're like $100 bows and a pain to get made lol. Yes we're big mitsu fans. I now have 97 mirage, 06 evo, 08 eclipse and 17 mirage.

Please post re: those Recaros if you ever end up doing it. Interested in doing a similar upgrade in mine.

The one thing that worries me is that the gen 8 Evos did not have seat airbags, as far as I'm aware. Is it worth losing that extra bit of safety? Esp. when the Recaros will set you back so much (OOO $1K).

[Cobrajet]

That is simply not true. My 2017 ES doesn't have many of the features of a 2015 ES.

Um, this is my WHOLE POINT. The ES trim designation was reused from 2015 to 2017, but the ES was de-contented and moved down to the bottom of the range.

The Bel Air was Chevy's fullsize 'halo car' in 1957 and the name was moved down the lineup until it was on bare-bones fleet cars in 1985. Put another way, the Impala was the nicest car Chevy sold in 1958, and it was also one of the cheapest cars Chevy sold in 1985. The name didn't change, but it's place in Chevy's model hierarchy did.

Maybe I am just bad at explaining this?

[Cobrajet]

Fun story she actually wouldnt finish the paperwork on the origin 2014 unless they gave her the bow with the car. Its supposed to just be for photos but she had it in the back of her car for almost a year. I found out later on working at the dealership they're like $100 bows and a pain to get made lol. Yes we're big mitsu fans. I now have 97 mirage, 06 evo, 08 eclipse and 17 mirage.

When my buddy bought his Mirage he insisted that the dealership give him a free hat. Why? Because his dad had insisted on a free hat with every new car he had ever bought...and had gotten one.

They didn't have any Mirage or Mitsubishi hats, but they did have a Lancer Evolution hat. That is what he got, and he gave it to me!

[Clessy]

Please post re: those Recaros if you ever end up doing it. Interested in doing a similar upgrade in mine.

The one thing that worries me is that the gen 8 Evos did not have seat airbags, as far as I'm aware. Is it worth losing that extra bit of safety? Esp. when the Recaros will set you back so much (OOO $1K).

We measured my evo 9 seats the other day and they're 20" wide and 35" tall. The Mirage seats are 20" wide and they're 38" tall. So they will fit. The rails look like they'll be able to be swapped over without much fuss too. We're just trying to figure out fabric. It looks like we'd have to take the fabric off the current seats and use it to upholster the recaros if we wanted anything that looked like it was oem for the car.

When my buddy bought his Mirage he insisted that the dealership give him a free hat. Why? Because his dad had insisted on a free hat with every new car he had ever bought...and had gotten one.

They didn't have any Mirage or Mitsubishi hats, but they did have a Lancer Evolution hat. That is what he got, and he gave it to me!

When we bought the 14 we both got free shirts, that bow for the car, a box of key chain things and at the time an unheard of 3 free oil changes. Now everyones giving oil changes for life it seems.