New 2021 owner

[Mark]

In my case, when it comes to cars, it's more about managing everything perfectly, not so much with verifying multiple times that something was done correctly. For example, if I discover my CVT fluid was overfilled for 5,000 miles of driving, I'll worry about the potential long-term irreparable damage that may have been caused by that condition rather than obsessively checking the dipstick multiple times after the overfilled condition has been corrected.

That's why I drive a manual. I can't overfill the transmission fluid. When the case is filled to the proper level, the oil runs out the fill hole. Replace the fill plug at that point, & you are done. Simple!

I guess someone with OCD would use a level on the ground that the car is parked on while doing this job!

[Mark]

Yes, exactly, and since I added a full 1.000 gallon after the first click-off when I filled it last week, then drove nearly 100 miles without any change in the fuel gauge, it can be reasonably assumed I've burned a total of two gallons. That means that if instead of adding 1.000 full gallon after the first click-off, I'd removed a full gallon from the tank at that point, the fuel gauge would still indicate 8/8 full at that level. Just a data point for any weirdos like me who might be interested in knowing this.

I don't follow that logic exactly, but I'm glad it means something to you!

[7milesout]

Yes, exactly, and since I added a full 1.000 gallon after the first click-off when I filled it last week, then drove nearly 100 miles without any change in the fuel gauge, it can be reasonably assumed I've burned a total of two gallons. That means that if instead of adding 1.000 full gallon after the first click-off, I'd removed a full gallon from the tank at that point, the fuel gauge would still indicate 8/8 full at that level.

Agreement.

[CrazyMind2017]

That's why I drive a manual. I can't overfill the transmission fluid. When the case is filled to the proper level, the oil runs out the fill hole. Replace the fill plug at that point, & you are done. Simple!

I guess someone with OCD would use a level on the ground that the car is parked on while doing this job!

After owning a 2013 Nissan Rogue for over six years, I guess everything is relative. Some manufacturers have more trouble with their CVTs than others. My Rogue never had a CVT problem. It always hummed smoothly and it was reliable, but I agonized over worrying about it. I'm sure my level of worrying was totally disproportional to the risk of getting stuck on the side of the road and having to pay a few thousand dollars to eventually replace the entire transmission if necessary, and after a while I just grew tired of it. There were a couple other very minor issues with it and so I sold it for a combination of reasons.

I could write a lot more about it, but I'm about to walk over to the local bar for happy hour. Long story short, I'm a lot more comfortable with the Mirage CVT with a 100,000 mile warranty than I would be with a lot of other CVTs in other vehicles. I considered buying a 2021 Mirage 5-speed, but I wanted alloy wheels and I didn't want to have to go aftermarket for those. The 5-speed only comes in the ES and the ES only comes with steel wheels and those ugly covers. Plus I didn't like reading here about the high RPMs in 5th gear at highway speeds. I agree the CVT is less than ideal and I'd rather have a 4-gear vacuum controlled AT unit like in the first generation Toyota Camry (it went ECT for the second generation in 1987) but here we are nearly four decades after the Camry debuted in 1983 and I'll take what I can get. Fuel efficiency is way better with the CVT than it would be with a vacuum 4-speed AT, so there's that.

There are a ton of CVT horror stories on the internet regarding Nissan and Subaru. It's not a widespread problem for Toyota, Honda, and Mitsubishi, so I'll take my chances.

[Mark]

After owning a 2013 Nissan Rogue for over six years, I guess everything is relative. Some manufacturers have more trouble with their CVTs than others. My Rogue never had a CVT problem. It always hummed smoothly and it was reliable, but I agonized over worrying about it. I'm sure my level of worrying was totally disproportional to the risk of getting stuck on the side of the road and having to pay a few thousand dollars to eventually replace the entire transmission if necessary, and after a while I just grew tired of it. There were a couple other very minor issues with it and so I sold it for a combination of reasons.

I could write a lot more about it, but I'm about to walk over to the local bar for happy hour. Long story short, I'm a lot more comfortable with the Mirage CVT with a 100,000 mile warranty than I would be with a lot of other CVTs in other vehicles. I considered buying a 2021 Mirage 5-speed, but I wanted alloy wheels and I didn't want to have to go aftermarket for those. The 5-speed only comes in the ES and the ES only comes with steel wheels and those ugly covers. Plus I didn't like reading here about the high RPMs in 5th gear at highway speeds. I agree the CVT is less than ideal and I'd rather have a 4-gear vacuum controlled AT unit like in the first generation Toyota Camry (it went ECT for the second generation in 1987) but here we are nearly four decades after the Camry debuted in 1983 and I'll take what I can get. Fuel efficiency is way better with the CVT than it would be with a vacuum 4-speed AT, so there's that.

There are a ton of CVT horror stories on the internet regarding Nissan and Subaru. It's not a widespread problem for Toyota, Honda, and Mitsubishi, so I'll take my chances.

I bought a Mirage in 2017, because ES manuals were selling for under $10,000 OTD at some dealerships. I only buy manual vehicles. Thus, I couldn't tell you what CVT Mirages were going for back then. The 2017 SE still came with a manual (CVT was optional), however. Subcompact Culture paid $9,600 OTD for his 2017 ES manual brand new, & he added aftermarket wheels (twice I believe) to his Mirage. At that price, adding aftermarket wheels may not seem like that much of an added expense? I use different tires during the winter/summer months. I actually prefer the steel wheels. I can switch up tire combinations & just throw on the ugly wheel covers.

If I had qualified for the loyalty, VIP, & military rebates ($1,500 in extra rebates) in 2017, I could have bought a brand new ES manual for under $8,500 OTD. At those prices, a Mirage became an affordable, reliable, & economical package that was hard to beat. Today it's not hard to find a used 2017 Mirage ES manual priced higher than the new ones were sold for (& that's 4 years ago now).

A Mirage wasn't even on my radar until I sort of discovered new ones were selling for $9,000 (under $10,000 OTD) even if you didn't qualify for the extra Mitsubishi rebates!

Mirage CVTs seem to be doing well. The 414,000 mile Mirage @ White Bear Mitsubishi is a good example of that! There's nothing wrong with liking a CVT. I prefer a manual & don't like paying extra for something I don't want!

[Dirk Diggler]

Fummins fleet of Mirages, for the most part, seem to be holding up pretty good % wise, they're all CVTs. If he had a fleet of Versas I bet he would of just quit lol.

[7milesout]

Plus I didn't like reading here about the high RPMs in 5th gear at highway speeds.

Assuming a steady state 75 mph on the interstate, flat level ground, the 5 speed is turning ~3,800 rpm. I have my doubts the CVT is doing much lower than that. What, maybe 3,500 rpm? However, pull a hill and it will be turning more than 3,800 rpm, whereas the 5 speed will still be turning 3,800. Anywho, I thought 3,000+ rpm was going to get on my nerves. But this engine seems to purr really smoothly at those rpm and it doesn't bother me in the least.

[Dirk Diggler]

Assuming a steady state 75 mph on the interstate, flat level ground, the 5 speed is turning ~3,800 rpm. I have my doubts the CVT is doing much lower than that. What, maybe 3,500 rpm? However, pull a hill and it will be turning more than 3,800 rpm, whereas the 5 speed will still be turning 3,800. Anywho, I thought 3,000+ rpm was going to get on my nerves. But this engine seems to purr really smoothly at those rpm and it doesn't bother me in the least.

I agree 3k rpms sound and feel sporty in the Mirage. Heading down 75 to Atlanta doing 65 isnt an option for me, too many safety concerns with truckers not seeing me and getting bullied by much more powerful cars. I just try and go with the flow doing 70/75mph. My mpg though is bad. Could be my heavier wheels, cheap tires 175 65 r14, or engine compression. I do know in city driving I'm getting a great 37 mpg though.

[CrazyMind2017]

Different kind of question for everyone here. Do you notice the Mirage, compared to other cars, sounds like it's suffering from hard starting? When I turn the key to crank it, it sounds a bit loud and takes about a second to a second and a half longer than I would expect to start the engine. I wonder if maybe I got a bad starter motor from the factory or if this is a normal condition for this vehicle? If the air/fuel mixture is different on the Mirage than other cars and this condition is intentional, that could explain it, but that would mean all Mirages sound this way on startup.

[Dirk Diggler]

Different kind of question for everyone here. Do you notice the Mirage, compared to other cars, sounds like it's suffering from hard starting? When I turn the key to crank it, it sounds a bit loud and takes about a second to a second and a half longer than I would expect to start the engine. I wonder if maybe I got a bad starter motor from the factory or if this is a normal condition for this vehicle? If the air/fuel mixture is different on the Mirage than other cars and this condition is intentional, that could explain it, but that would mean all Mirages sound this way on startup.

I have 2 Mirages and yes its a "basic cheap engine kind of start up" especially in the cold. Sitting idle until the green engine temp light goes out is a good idea IMO. Your Mirage is fine I bet and your just not quite used to the "jankiness" of your drive train yet lol. Especially after having a Rogue.