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Thread: Spent over $930 on my '14 Mirage, worthy investment

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    Senior Member dspace9's Avatar
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    Spent over $930 on my '14 Mirage, worthy investment

    I made a list the other day of all the upgrades and routine maintenance I have been doing on my Mirage lately, the past year or so. Totals over $900 at this point. I have a new cabin filter, new winter tires, new wipers, new battery (replacing original, now 82 month old battery), and got the "imported" weathertech mats recently for the front only.
    Next month, my 84 car payments are over!

    If I keep my yearly krown treatments going, I think my doors anyway will always be 100% rust free even when my Mirage is 20 years old. But underneath every car almost, gets a touch of rust here or there in Ontario, or way more of course.

    So I hope I can get another 5-7 years out of my car realistically, making it possible I think anyway, to get like 15 years total driving out of the Mirage, or more. Before it gets more interesting to upkeep lol like an old house almost. Can't stop the inevitable but you can slow it down a lot. I saw a 1989 LeBaron Convertible drive by the other day so. Green with tan roof.

    Also who knew if you call your insurance, winter tires end up almost paying for themselves. Mirage has gone down insurance price wise about 30% since new when I shopped around a bit. I can stretch $100 a month gas money really far with my Mirage. Cheers!


        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 42.2 mpg (US) ... 17.9 km/L ... 5.6 L/100 km ... 50.7 mpg (Imp)


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    Moderator Eggman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by dspace9 View Post
    Next month, my 84 car payments are over!
    That’s great news. There’s nothing like fully owning your own car or house or whatever without any payment or debt. Imagine if you had bought something more expensive - you’d have had bigger and/or more payments.

    Instead you get to imagine how you’ll use all that extra cash. Good for you.

        __________________________________________

        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)


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    Senior Member dspace9's Avatar
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    Yea eh, I'd rather have a lifetime supply of Haagen dasz cookies and cream vanilla chocolate ice cream bars, than an expensive car payment. Mirage seemed expensive at the time, but cars only got more expensive over the past 7 years. I have been looking at used manual tranny SUVs a bit, but only in passing. I will never beat the fuel economy numbers I get with my Mirage. Electrics also crossed my mind but who has that kind of money.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 42.2 mpg (US) ... 17.9 km/L ... 5.6 L/100 km ... 50.7 mpg (Imp)


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    Senior Member dspace9's Avatar
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    Bought 4 new Kuhmo Solus 14" all-weather tires today. Having them put on my Mirage monday morning, before by annual oil spray.

    Got tires for 25% off til tuesday at Fountain Tire. And I will need new summers by next spring anyway.

    I still plan to use my Hankook winters during the winter season. I should get more wear out of the Solus than I ever did running all seasons all year round, with dunlops (2 sets, 1 new 1 used) and bridgetones (new).

    5th set of tires in 7.5 Years driving my Mirage. I would say Mirage uses up tires pretty fast imo. I don't have a heavy foot.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 42.2 mpg (US) ... 17.9 km/L ... 5.6 L/100 km ... 50.7 mpg (Imp)


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    Quote Originally Posted by dspace9 View Post
    Bought 4 new Kuhmo Solus 14" all-weather tires today. Having them put on my Mirage monday morning, before by annual oil spray.

    Got tires for 25% off til tuesday at Fountain Tire. And I will need new summers by next spring anyway.

    I still plan to use my Hankook winters during the winter season. I should get more wear out of the Solus than I ever did running all seasons all year round, with dunlops (2 sets, 1 new 1 used) and bridgetones (new).

    5th set of tires in 7.5 Years driving my Mirage. I would say Mirage uses up tires pretty fast imo. I don't have a heavy foot.

    Sounds like you got a great deal on the Kumho tires!

    Overall, Kumho tires appear to be a good value. I've been sort of watching the prices of Kumho, Nexen, & Federal tires lately. Federal tires have gone up drastically in price this summer.

    Currently, the 165/65r14 Kumho Solus TA31 tires are about $10/tire less than the Federal, & about $15/tire less than the Nexen. Yet, the Kumho has the best warranty (60,000 miles) of the three. I am just comparing a couple tire dealers on line.

    I used up a pair of 165/65r14 Federal SS657 tires, & I have no complaints. I paid $40/tire for them, however. Now they are more like $70/tire.

    The 165/65r14 Nexen N'Priz AH5 (50,000 mile warranty) are a nice tire, but they tend to be $75+/tire.

    I haven't tried the pair of Kumho tires I have mounted on rims yet, but I suspect they are going to be a good tire for the price. I am using up my last pair of Dunlop Enasaves this summer. They are quite worn down, but I have the new pair of Kumho tires already mounted on rims ready to take their place. I also take a full size spare with me on longer trips.

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    Quote Originally Posted by dspace9 View Post
    Next month, my 84 car payments are over!
    Hey dspace9 how’s your savings now several months along without car payments? Surely buying new tires is less of a worry.

        __________________________________________

        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)


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    Senior Member dspace9's Avatar
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    Thanks guys, I am still scrimping and saving where I can, but yea, I suppose you can look at it that the lack of car payments have "paid" for my new tires.

    For these tires I paid $69.99 a piece Canadian, which is about 21% less money than USD. I always keep some US money in a savings account for when I used to go over the border. Plus our taxes are 13% here in Ontario.

    I noticed Kuhmo's have a 100,000 km's warranty. Which I am going in with a grain of salt. Maybe others as well will chime in with their real-life experiences with this brand. I'm curious also about the so-called all-weathers, like are they gonna be better tire in the rain.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 42.2 mpg (US) ... 17.9 km/L ... 5.6 L/100 km ... 50.7 mpg (Imp)


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    Quote Originally Posted by dspace9 View Post
    Thanks guys, I am still scrimping and saving where I can, but yea, I suppose you can look at it that the lack of car payments have "paid" for my new tires.

    For these tires I paid $69.99 a piece Canadian, which is about 21% less money than USD. I always keep some US money in a savings account for when I used to go over the border. Plus our taxes are 13% here in Ontario.

    I noticed Kuhmo's have a 100,000 km's warranty. Which I am going in with a grain of salt. Maybe others as well will chime in with their real-life experiences with this brand. I'm curious also about the so-called all-weathers, like are they gonna be better tire in the rain.
    If winter/snow traction is your measurement (lower to higher), it would be all-season < all-weather < winter tires.

    It's my understanding that all-weather tires are sort stuck between all-season tire & winter tires. The most common 165/65r14 all-weather tire we probably have in the States is the Vredestein Quatrac 5 sold by Tire Rack.

    There are several different type of Kumho Solus tires.

    The all-season 165/65r14 Kumho Solus TA31 has become a common listing for tire distributors.

    I haven't seen the all-weather 165/65r14 Kumho Solus HA31 listed anywhere recently. It's a directional tire, which limits how you can rotate them. That would be my only knock on them.

    Reviews for the Kumho Solus TA11 are pretty good, but I have only seen the Solus TA31 offered in the 165/65r14 tire size.

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    Senior Member dspace9's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mark View Post
    There are several different type of Kumho Solus tires.

    The all-season 165/65r14 Kumho Solus TA31 has become a common listing for tire distributors.

    I haven't seen the all-weather 165/65r14 Kumho Solus HA31 listed anywhere recently.
    Specifically, they are Kuhmo Solus HA 32 14" 165/65. All-weather.

    Then I also have 4 Hankook winters on my steelies. Stored in my carport during the summer months. I just wonder how the ride & handling will be with my new Kuhmo's.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 42.2 mpg (US) ... 17.9 km/L ... 5.6 L/100 km ... 50.7 mpg (Imp)


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    Quote Originally Posted by dspace9 View Post
    Specifically, they are Kuhmo Solus HA 32 14" 165/65. All-weather.

    Then I also have 4 Hankook winters on my steelies. Stored in my carport during the summer months. I just wonder how the ride & handling will be with my new Kuhmo's.
    I will be interested in what you think of them, too!

    My pair of 165/65r14 Nokian Nordman 7 snow tires are directional. I must admit they are holding up very well. This will be their 5th winter being used up front on my Mirage.


    Last edited by Mark; 08-07-2021 at 02:04 AM.

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