New Car & Driver review of '21 Mirages from yesterday

[AtomicPunk]

Weather tech's wear out through after a while eh? I honestly thought I was buying indestructible car mats. They are very expensive. I only bought the front two only, driver's and passenger. The spot where my heel is is where my mat wore out. The plush Mitsubishi carpet mats my car came with in 2014. Where the clutch work happens is where it wore out. I wonder how my clutch will be with my weathertechs?

$180 Canadian with shipping.

The spot under accelerator heel is where mine are starting to wear through after a year of use. But Ive got the 5 speed without cruise, so I'm sure I make a lot of small foot adjustments that add up. I like them, super easy to clean, just thought would be more indestructible for the price.

[Mark]

Weather tech's wear out through after a while eh? I honestly thought I was buying indestructible car mats. They are very expensive. I only bought the front two only, driver's and passenger. The spot where my heel is is where my mat wore out. The plush Mitsubishi carpet mats my car came with in 2014. Where the clutch work happens is where it wore out. I wonder how my clutch will be with my weathertechs?

$180 Canadian with shipping.

I have WeatherTech for the front only. They fit perfectly! I really them, especially during the winter. They are expensive, but they are nice.

[Mark]

Of course, you state your case over & over about how you don't value the extra goodies. We very much get it. You might not exactly stand alone, but my point is there are some who like the extra features. Just another side of the same coin, that's all. No need to go on waving that flag. It's as if you feel the need to defend it. That's cool - it's your thing. I very much understand your position and will explain why next.

Let's take a look at stripped down transportation as an example of just how much everyone likes having extra added features. Take my old Jeep CJ-7 for an example. That Jeep has no anti-lock brakes and no traction control ASC system. For safety it has no airbags, no protective hard top and no hard doors - the top and doors are vinyl coated canvas if I even have them on. It has no shoulder seatbelts - only lap belts for all four seating positions (may have been the last year for lap belts?) Beyond seating there is nothing to lean on for rest & comfort. The notion of 'needing' an armrest is laughable in comparison. The seats are black vinyl that'll scorch your tushy bottomsides on a hot summer day. Cloth seat fabric just won't do! When they wore out the original low-back front seats were replaced with high-back seats from Leon Rosser - a big step up in safety right? (I forgot - neither the original low-backs or the replacement high-back seats are buckets. There is no side bolsters to help keep anyone from sliding off. No fast cornering here. Really illustrates how much of this era I take for granted without considering it’s impact until get behind the wheel and start rolling.)

This CJ-7 came with manual steering - I switched to power steering via a local junkyard find when the manual gearbox wore out. It has a four-speed standard transmission, a step up from a three-speed. The 4.2L/258 cubic inch straight-six engine still sports a Carter BBD two-barrel carburetor (the automatic choke is problematic though - sure makes me appreciate modern fuel injection.) The manual brakes are at least hydraulic haha. Speaking of which I changed the clutch linkage to hydraulic when the mechanical bellcrank linkage wore out. It came with electronic ignition but the original distributor was worn out and wobbly so it was replaced with a newer HEI aftermarket unit of GM design. And there's not a single computer to be found on it. The HEI distributor is the most electronic thing to be found on it, and it is an electromechanical device.

And I love it even more than my Mirage. It's my forever car. The Mirage, despite all my respect and adoration for it, is not. In the summer time the Jeep is my daily driver. In the end, they're both tools to get something done.

So yeah, I get nostalgia though I suspect my range of 'features' goes a little further back. And it makes me appreciate how today's cars have progressed.

Think back to all the cars you've driven that have more features than this truly Basic Transportation and how much you appreciate having them, whether they are for safety, reliability, or ease of operation. It’s a safe bet all those cars & trucks had a roof & doors haha. What are these advancements and features worth to someone? What are they worth to you? We've come a long way, right? That's all.

Best wishes.

The Keyless Operating System (KOS) also has a slot for the transponder - fyi. Also, let's not forget that the conventional hardware key also has a transponder. It costs a lot less, that's for sure.

I apparently struck a nerve or something? I am not trying to yank your chain.

My only point - The current 2021 Mirage (all 4 trim levels) have most of the same features of as a fully loaded 2015 ES, except for push button start & steel wheels on the ES.

A Mirage key has a chip in it. There's no battery or signal being sent out from it. It's not the same thing. The remote portion of the keyless entry has a battery to send a signal to operate the power door locks. That signal is sent out whenever a lock/unlock button is pushed.

Someone can't sit next to me & get the signal to my car from a chipped key. I'm not sure the same can be said about a push button start fob. Key fobs are constantly broadcasting a signal that communicates with a specific vehicle.

Some features like push button start, auto climate controls, and auto stop & go are not appealing to me. I would pay extra to not have them. Would these features prevent me from buying a car? NO!

[dspace9]

I have WeatherTech for the front only. They fit perfectly! I really them, especially during the winter. They are expensive, but they are nice.

Nice. How long have you had your mats? Any problems with heel spots wearing the mat, like where your clutch is?

That's my only worry. Premature wear, but hopefully I get many years from my new weathertechs. Weathertech has a huge monopoly on fitted car mats. Maybe there are others out there.

[dspace9]

The spot under accelerator heel is where mine are starting to wear through after a year of use. But Ive got the 5 speed without cruise, so I'm sure I make a lot of small foot adjustments that add up. I like them, super easy to clean, just thought would be more indestructible for the price.

That's what I'm wondering, I also have a 5 speed, no cruise Mirage.

[Top_Fuel]

Weathertech has a huge monopoly on fitted car mats. Maybe there are others out there.

Weathertech is probably the best you can get for a Mirage.

If you have a different model vehicle, there are at least 2 better options available:

1. 3D MAXpider Floor Liners
2. TuxMat

[dspace9]

Yea eh, thanks Top Fuel. The TuxMat company does some Mitsubishi cars. Apparently not the Mirage, and not Lancers. I like carpet mats most, but it's like having carpet in your bathroom. Bringing in all the slush from boots. No wonder my factory carpet mat wore out so fast.

[AtomicPunk]

Yea eh, thanks Top Fuel. The TuxMat company does some Mitsubishi cars. Apparently not the Mirage, and not Lancers. I like carpet mats most, but it's like having carpet in your bathroom. Bringing in all the slush from boots. No wonder my factory carpet mat wore out so fast.

These are just as good as Weathertech, and more flexible.

https://www.autoanything.com/floor-m...A2570A0A0.aspx

[dspace9]

These are just as good as Weathertech, and more flexible.

https://www.autoanything.com/floor-m...A2570A0A0.aspx

"We're sorry, we don't ship to Canada" - they were asking $59 for two front mats for my Mirage. About 2/3 cheaper than my Weathertech's. Ah well, always more money in Canada. Well, not for everything. But a lot of stuff is more money for sure.

[Dirk Diggler]

My weather techs are solid with no wear but I do wear soft rubber crocs 90% of the time I'm driving so that might help.