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Thread: Hi all, not quite a Mirage Owner yet- Some questions please

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    Hi all, not quite a Mirage Owner yet- Some questions please

    Hi all- I'm leaning towards buying a Mirage, but haven't bought one yet. I'm looking at the 5 speed manual. I had some questions that maybe someone on here might know the answers to.

    I'll be putting about 1,000 miles/week on my vehicle. I just bought a used Ford Fusion. I like the car, but every time I fill the thing up, which is about every other day- and it gets about 20MPG- it stings a little. That's totally on me. I'd actually looked up the MPG on a fair amount of cars before I went and bought. The Fusion got like 23/32 city/highway mileage for a combined 26. However, I bought the all wheel drive version. I hadn't looked that up. I didn't think the AWD would be that big of a difference. I thought it might be a mile or so difference, with the benefit of having great traction in winter. DOH!!!

    I was going to buy a different used car. Somewhere I saw that the Mirage got 50MPG. Basically that's a difference of 30 gallons/week. That somehow led me to looking at a new Mirage, to see how much an older one was losing value compared to new. I did a double take (in a good way) at the price of new ones. Instead of paying $6-8,000 for something that had 80-100,000 miles on it, why not just pay an extra $5,000 or so and get one new?

    One thing that I'm wondering about is the new ones only get 40MPG. That's still pretty good, but it's not 50. That leads to my first question.

    Were people getting 50 MPG with cars that only reported 40 on Fuel Economy sites? Or was there a drop off in the mileage per gallon of newer cars? From what I can gather, it was the 2014/15 year vehicles getting the 50MPG.

    The next thing I'm wondering- and this may seem contrary to wanting great MPG, but can they handle 75MPH for 400 miles of highway driving? Part of my job is a 200 mile trip. Then 200 miles back. If I get 40MPG, that would still be great. The speed limit for most of the trip is 75, and I'd like to drive with the flow of traffic. Can the Mirage handle that ok without a drastic drop in MPG or putting too much stress on the engine?

    How is it in winter? I had an HHR (I've had the Fusion about 2 months) and I loved it. Except when it snowed. Occasionally I'd get stuck on side streets. If it's bad, that's not a deal breaker. I have a mini van that does ok in snow. I'm just curious as to what to expect.

    The last thing I was wondering is about how many miles can I expect out of the car if it's well taken care of? I'm pretty good at maintenance. I've driven over 1 million miles. Probably up towards 1.5 million. Other than a few flat tires and a starter one time- I've never had any vehicle failures on the road.

    Thanks in advance for any responses.



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    Senior Member Top_Fuel's Avatar
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    Somewhere I saw that the Mirage got 50MPG…the new ones only get 40MPG
    All Mirages from 2014-2021 are pretty much the same mechanically. They all have the potential for fuel mileage close to 50mpg (or even higher if you’re willing to do more extreme hyper-miler stuff).

    In reality the average Mirage driven under typical conditions is going to be a lot closer to a 40mpg car. The forum fuel economy log seems to confirm that. CVT Mirages have a slightly higher EPA rating than 5-speeds, but the reality is the opposite. Owners with the highest fuel economy numbers are all driving 5-speeds.


    Instead of paying $6-8,000 for something that had 80-100,000 miles on it, why not just pay an extra $5,000 or so and get one new?
    That's a good approach when considering a Mirage. Finding a well-maintained, used Mirage with a clean history will probably be a frustrating challenge. Many of these cars seem to have led hard lives and haven’t been maintained very well. And if you want a 5-speed, it’s even more difficult since something like 80% of Mirages have CVT transmissions. Some of the prices I've seen for used Mirages are insanely high.

    When decent rebates are available, you can buy a NEW base model 5-speed Mirage for between $10,000-$11,000. That gets you a car with a 10-year/100,000 mile powertrain warranty (or possibly a "lifetime" powertrain warranty depending on the dealer). A used Mirage with a shady history and 80K miles for $7,000 doesn’t make any sense at that price point. A 2021 base model Mirage still comes with power everything, AC, cruise control, a decent radio and a backup camera.

    There is a dealer in Minnesota (White Bear Mitsubishi) that probably has the lowest no-BS pricing on Mirages in the country. Just keep checking the prices they have listed on their website. Here is what they were advertising a couple of months ago when the incentives were better…

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    …can they handle 75MPH for 400 miles of highway driving?
    …Can the Mirage handle that ok without a drastic drop in MPG or putting too much stress on the engine?
    The Mirage is not a freeway flier. It’s more efficient loafing along a country road at 45-50mph. But you can drive it 75mph all day long. You are not going to get 50mpg in a 5-speed Mirage going 75mph. Again, you’re probably talking closer to 40mpg at that point assuming you aren’t running the AC. At 75mph, a 5-speed Mirage is probably going to be turning 3800 RPMs. Here are some example snapshots from 5-speed cars at various speeds...

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    How is it in winter?
    People who live in snowy climates are generally happy with how the Mirage performs in the winter. The skinny tires seem to do a pretty good job of blasting through significant snow. I’m not sure anyone has ever complained about poor winter driving. But a set of dedicated snow tires wouldn’t hurt.


    …how many miles can I expect out of the car if it's well taken care of?
    These cars are pretty close to bullet-proof when they are maintained. I think the highest mileage 5-speed car has 300,000 on the original engine. That car was taken off the road because of a transmission issue. Check this thread for the possibly the highest mileage Mirage anywhere. One other note in case you weren't aware...Mirage engines use timing chains, not belts. So that's another thing you won't have to worry about.
    Last edited by Top_Fuel; 04-30-2021 at 04:42 PM.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 52.2 mpg (US) ... 22.2 km/L ... 4.5 L/100 km ... 62.6 mpg (Imp)


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    Hi Danny, you get your best mpgs when you're going around 50 mph in a Mirage. Same with any car, just like your current Ford Fusion shows. Drive very fast is gonna drink more fuel. Also Mirage has a 9 gallon gas tank.

    But in a Mirage, you're still getting over 30 mpg's at those high speeds. Some would argue Mirage is not the optimal car for that kind of driving. So small etc.

    Mirage handles better in the winter with winter tires. I drove my first 7 years ownership with all seasons, then I decided to buy winters this past winter. Huge difference.

    I'd also get your car undersprayed by krown, or krown-like product, or else these little cars get rusty underneath quickly. Especially in Southern Ontario or Michigan and those places.

    I have driven my Mirage through Flint before, windows down, mine's a 5 speed actually.. yeah it's fast driving. Not sure why the speed limits got so fast. NY interstate was not nearly that fast. I don't think I75 is up to UP but I forget now. Cheers eh

        __________________________________________

        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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    Welcome. You can expect to get a lot of miles from a Mirage. Way more than your Fusion and a far lower cost of ownership.

    What mileage you can expect will vary on you and the traffic I guess. I'd expect you should be able to get 40mpg in 5spd doing 75mph, others will chime in... I average about 40 something mpg without really trying hard in my 14 cvt model. The drivetrain really didn't change much over the years, the 17' got a few more heresepowers otherwise most parts are the same(other than brakes and exhaust).

    As far as winter goes, we get winter Alberta. These cars do fine in the snow and ice. I had a Caravan with blizzaks one winter and it sucked compared to my Mirage with cheep china winter tires that cost $40something a piece.

    I maintain a fleet of 30 something 2015-2019's and they hold up great. I've never replaced an engine and none of them have any leaks. Some have well over 300k kms with one almost 480,000kms(replaced cvt around 300k km).

    There is a thread on here about someone that traded in a Mirage that had way more miles on it.

    Most people are pretty happy with these cars, I bought a used one a year and a half ago and recently sold it for more than I paid. And I picked up another one from a member on here a few months back with a wonky cvt . It's got 286,xxxkms on it now. All I did to it so far was front brakes and a windshield.

    Most car reviewers hate these cars. They don't drive as nice as a toyota or honda but they're cheap, won't break down, and will last many moons.

    Oddly enough the vehicle I depend on the most(the MIrage) is the cheapest one I've owned in probably 12 years. I saved a ton of money and time since I bought one of these. I used to normally buy cheaper junk(money pits) that needs a few things then find a ton more problems with it after the fact. If you don't want a money pit buy one of these. If people are asking $5k less than a new one then I guess that's a no brainer. Buy new and you'll get the full warranty. But likely won't actually need to use it.

        __________________________________________

        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)


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    Quote Originally Posted by Danny View Post
    Hi all- I'm leaning towards buying a Mirage, but haven't bought one yet. I'm looking at the 5 speed manual. I had some questions that maybe someone on here might know the answers to.

    Thanks in advance for any responses.
    Others have made some very good points about the Mirage already. I don't want to overlap that too much.

    A discounted Mitsubishi Mirage ES manual is hard to overlook, however. I really like the 3-cylinder, 5-speed manual powertrain of these cars.

    Another forum member recently bought a second Mirage ES manual for his wife. He also owns a 2018 CVT Mirage. Erik paid $10,400 OTD for his wife's 2021 ES manual in early March. I suspect Erik took advantage of White Bear's $10,999 pricing. Erik would have also qualified for the $1,000 loyalty rebate at the time, & I also suspect he qualified for the $500 military rebate. I would like to also point out that Erik lives in North Carolina, & White Bear Mitsubishi delivered his 2021 Mirage ES manual to his home for that $10,400 OTD price.

    Here is the car & his story about it -

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTKrYAVx9eQ&t=2s

    Today's discounts are not as good, but it may come back again.

    If I hadn't looked beyond my local Mitsubishi dealership that only listed their cars @ MSRP, I wouldn't have bought a Mirage. I bought a brand new Mirage in 2017, because the updated models (ES manuals) were selling for
    $9,500 @ White Bear (no negotiating necessary)
    $9,000 - If you financed $10,000 with Ally, you received $500 cash back.
    $8,500 - If you qualified for the $500 loyalty rebate.
    $8,000 - If you qualified for the $500 military rebate.
    $7,500 - If you qualified for Mitsubishi's $500 VIP rebate.

    Depending on where someone fit into that price scheme back then, a brand new 2017 Mirage was going to be somewhere between $8,400-10,500 OTD. Car critics weren't pointing this out. It seemed silly to even look at used 2014-15 Mirages at the time, & I was only interested in a manual (which are a bit harder to locate).

    Today's pricing isn't quite that good, but the 2021 ES has had a new standard feature or two (2018/Bluetooth & backup camera, 2019/cruise control & 6-way adjustable driver's seat, 2020/auto climate controls, 2021/emergency assist braking) added each each year since the 2017 update of the car. Thus, comparing a 2017 ES to a 2021 ES pricing isn't really comparing apples to apples.

    I paid 65.4% window sticker, and I didn't qualify for the loyalty, military, or VIP rebates at the time. Otherwise, I would have paid less. A Mirage delivered to my SW Wisconsin home saved me approximately $3,500 OTD compared to my local dealership.

    You have to be ok with traveling at high speeds in a small car. Personally, I wish the car didn't have power steering. I think it would handle better without electric power steering, but I don't mind it as is.

    My parents live 4 away in Wisconsin. I do that trip quite often. I seem to average 40-45 mpg during the winter months. It's more like 45-48 mpg during the summer months (mix of driving 60-80 mph to get there). When I have driven hard across Minnesota & into North Dakota (70-80 mph), it has dropped to the lower 40's (42-43 typically) depending on the wind at times. Otherwise, it's pretty much 45+ mpg during the summer months for me. I just filled up yesterday, & it was slightly over 45 mpg. That was mostly short trips to town & back, & it's been a bit colder again lately. It will do better as things warm up. Different gas blends (winter/summer) may be the reason for that, too.

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    Senior Member AtomicPunk's Avatar
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    I disagree with "not a freeway flyer". My G4 5 speed is my daily commuter on I-75. No problems keeping up with traffic, and the mivec will kick in and she'll pull smoothly up to 90mph (and more, I've heard). BUT: its loud and the handling is twitchy the faster you go. Lightweight and tiny tires are not good for that. However, running 75-85 mph, I still get over 35 MPG. And when I'm not in a hurry, 40+ mpg is the norm. It's a different kind of car, thats for sure. One of its charms.

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    Don't overlook finding a leftover base G4 with a 5 speed. There are 2020's still left in stock along with a few 2019's that I would think any dealer would be very eager to unload.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage ES 1.2 automatic: 40.5 mpg (US) ... 17.2 km/L ... 5.8 L/100 km ... 48.6 mpg (Imp)


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    Thanks all for the replies. I got my exact answers. The engines are basically similar, so the outstanding MPG was special or low speed driving. I get the question of can it go 75 was kind of odd, after asking if I could get 50MPG. If they get 40, that's fine. It's still pretty good. My driving is about 110 miles M-F. That's split pretty even city and highway. Then one day a week, I have a 400 mile trip. We get 8 hours to complete it, but it's usually done in 6 or so. The pay is the same no matter how long it takes, so on that I'd rather get it done quicker and not worry so much about the MPG. If it's the difference between 9 gallons and 10 gallons used, I'd gladly pay $3 to get done a couple of hours earlier. I more just wanted to know if the engine could handle it, and that the MPG wasn't going to drop to 25 or something. I figured it wouldn't, but I also didn't realize how much the difference the All Wheel Drive on the Fusion would impact the economy. Hence my question.

    The winter driving question was answered perfectly. I also have a Caravan as my other vehicle. I'd use that over my HHR when it snowed. Not that it's great, but it's way better than the HHR. If the Mirage is better than that, that's outstanding.

    I live just outside of Flint. Ironically I used to go to Canada all the time. Back in 2004/05 my job (Over the road driver) took me to Toronto so much that I rented a place there. That way I never had to sleep in my vehicle. Unfortunately that company got rid of their US fleet. Now I drive local in a car. Which is where the Mirage will come in. If I can save 25 gallons a week (plus it only takes about 3 quarts of oil rather than 5) and other things that don't cost so much to keep it maintained, that adds up pretty quickly. That's $3-4,000/year.

    I haven't test drove one yet. Provided it's reasonably comfortable, I'll be getting one. Thanks for the input. You folks were a huge help. Once I have it, I'll be coming back to see ideas people have for upgrades, maintenance, etc. I've already watched an oil change video, plus a few others on various things. I see the oil filter is a bit messy to replace. That's hardly a deal breaker though. Day 1 I'll have Full Synthetic in it.

    Thanks again and you all be well.

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    We own 2 Mirages in our family, a 2017 G4 and a 2014 hatch both CVT. For the money, they are a fantastic deal but don't go spending more that $15k out the door price period. If your at a dealership and it's looking like your going to paying $17 to $19k because they won't work with you on price, walk away. You got a lot more leverage with a Mitsubishi dealership than a Toyota one IMO because Toyota doesn't need your business if your spending less than $23k and they rarely offer any kind of discount in my experience. The Toyota tax is a real thing and it's BS. The Mirage can be just as reliable as a Yaris or a Fit, if properly maintained for most owners. I put a hard 30k miles doing Uber in my hatch and it handled the job just fine. I will say though, in hilly Atlanta where I live, I have to do 75 mph on average just to not cause an accident, so my mpg is low 30s. For city driving though I'm netting about 37 mpg. All in all a great car if the price is right. A few warnings though. One, Mitsubishi OEM parts are insanely expensive for our Mirages, not what you would expect for an econobox. Luckily the reliability factor will negate a lot of needing random parts that could fail. Two, Mitsu dealers are shady as hell and incompetent IMO. I haven't had a good experience with the 3 I've dealt with in the past regarding them honoring their subsequent owner's warranty. Stay away from dealers as much as possible. Coming to my last point of contention, three, if you can't wrench on a car worth a damn, like me and depend on a trusted mechanic. It can be hard for them to find aftermarket parts that they are willing to warranty the work for. This might be easier though with 2017 and up though, at least as far as rear brake drums go. All in all it's a solid $hitbox if the price is right, the AC blows cold, there is a lot of cargo volume room, 2 adult passengers can fit comfortably but snug in the back, and lastly you'd have probably the last great car forum on the web to help you out with MirageForum. Lot's of old mechanics/Dad types on here that give out sage advice and give it out quickly. Call White Bear Mitsubishi and have them ship a Mirage out to you. That is a good dealership.

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    Oh and I forgot to mention seat comfort on long road trips is subjective but IMO sucks but if you get out and stretch every 3 hours or so it ain't bad.



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