Picking up my $800 Honda Fit 5-speed beater this weekend

[Mark]

Yea I was expecting the Fit to have a firm ride. I wonder how the Nissan Micra rides. Myself, I would sacrifice performance for comfort in a lot of ways.

If you're into collecting cars, a bit I would buy one of those Micra's one day. You see them fairly cheap used.

The nice thing about a base Micra was that it was relatively cheap brand new. It was a more basic car than our Mirages sold here.

[MetroMPG]

^ Yeah, the base Micra had roll-up windows on ALL FOUR DOORS! Take that, peasants!! At least the base Mirage had power windows on the front 2 doors.

Yea I was expecting the Fit to have a firm ride. I wonder how the Nissan Micra rides.

Not as firm as the Fit. Well composed, I'd say.

[MetroMPG]

Here's something that never happens to me when I'm driving the Mirage...



Pulling up to a traffic light behind the same car!

I don't think I've ever followed another Mirage in my Mirage.

But I see a good number of Fits around. There are at least 4 or 5 in my part of town.

One lady down by the river has a really nice blue 1st gen Sport model (5-speed... I looked) that she hasn't been winter driving for the past 3 or 4 years, so it has no apparent rust.

[dspace9]

$9,999 for a brand new Micra when they came out in Canada. Must have been either late 2014, or early 2015.

Then Mitsubishi matched the price on the base Mirage.

Only 6 months before that, I paid over $12,000 and more for the same car. So needless to say I was a bit peeved off about the whole thing. Then at that time, my Mirage's starter was all wonky, so it kept on like not starting for like 3 years.

I've owned 3 cars in 21 years, all economy cars, and all have stranded me at one point or another.

[MetroMPG]

Well, we got another heat wave, and I think I found out why (A) the car was traded in, and (B) why my friends sold it to me so cheap. If the car sits for any time with the windows up in the sun...

IT STINKS!!!

We're talking Eau de Barnyard Death by Chanel.

I sniffed around and narrowed it down to the area behind & between the front seats... so pulled out the driver's seat and the console...



Mouse house! No mouse bodies, but lots of poop and pee under the console, but mostly near the back by the nest. I spent an hour washing & scrubbing & shop vacuuming, and it made a huge difference.

---

In other news, someone's selling a 2008 Fit Sport near here for $3500. Same year, manual, with 30k fewer kms. And I assume working AC or they would have mentioned it.

[MetroMPG]

$9,999 for a brand new Micra ...

Then Mitsubishi matched the price on the base Mirage.

Yeah, that would irk me if I'd just bought a Mirage before the price-match to the Micra.

On the other hand, I think you got the right car.

One thing this Fit has taught me is I don't need to scratch the Micra itch. I've been watching used Micra prices as long as I've been watching Mirage prices, but there's only about 1/10th as many screaming Micra deals (even though there are 3x as many Micras out there). That's fine. I will let that go.

The Fit is a fine car, but I don't love it. I'm looking forward to getting back into the quirky & much more efficient Mirage. I will miss the Fit's suspension and steering on certain twisty roads, but that's about it.

[Mark]

Well, we got another heat wave, and I think I found out why (A) the car was traded in, and (B) why my friends sold it to me so cheap. If the car sits for any time with the windows up in the sun...

IT STINKS!!!

You may have just raised the value of your Honda Fit. When it comes time to sell it, you won't have to wait until the middle of winter (because of the warm temperature smell).

Easier fix than flood damage smell most likely!

[dspace9]

Yeah, that would irk me if I'd just bought a Mirage before the price-match to the Micra.

On the other hand, I think you got the right car.

One thing this Fit has taught me is I don't need to scratch the Micra itch. I've been watching used Micra prices as long as I've been watching Mirage prices, but there's only about 1/10th as many screaming Micra deals. That's fine. I will let that go.

The Fit is a fine car, but I don't love it. I'm looking forward to getting back into the quirky & much more efficient Mirage. I will miss the Fit's suspension and steering on certain twisty roads, but that's about it.

I love my Mirage. Cheap on fuel, and cheap on insurance.

Mirage can be a real conversation piece. People always comment about the small tires. I explain to them tiny tires helps increase fuel efficiency. Simply put, you don't see another newer car styled like the Mitsubishi Mirage.

And sorry about your Chanel no. stinky.

[Wallythacker]

$9,999 for a brand new Micra when they came out in Canada. Must have been either late 2014, or early 2015.

Then Mitsubishi matched the price on the base Mirage.

Only 6 months before that, I paid over $12,000 and more for the same car. So needless to say I was a bit peeved off about the whole thing. Then at that time, my Mirage's starter was all wonky, so it kept on like not starting for like 3 years.

I've owned 3 cars in 21 years, all economy cars, and all have stranded me at one point or another.

I see Micras all OVER the Niagara region. Where I live a scenic route to the falls has Micras in 4 or 5 driveways. It's not unusual at a light here to see two Micras. One day on Lundys Lanes there were 3 Micras stopped at the intersection. All I can think is the local Nissan dealer must have flogged a huge amount of these things @$9995. But I've noticed many that I see are top level trim with rear cams and Cv badges (?)

My buying choices in 2016 were $10k Mirage loaded, $10K Micra (I'd go $12k loaded) or a used Fit, best I could manage for $10k.
Overall I'm glad I managed to find a 10k loaded Mirage twice, in 2014 and 2017.

[MetroMPG]

Where I live a scenic route to the falls has Micras in 4 or 5 driveways.

Niagara Parkway? I have relatives who live in NOTL.

Top level trim Micras are easy to spot: alloy wheels, side skirts & rear spoiler. The base Micra had no rear spoiler (unlike the Mirage). I don't remember if the middle-trim got the spoiler or not, but I think not. And all trims got the back-up camera wart after 2018 (Mirage, too).

The badge you've seen might be "PureDrive", and I have no idea what that means. No Micras came with CVTs in Canada - 4-speed slushbox was the automatic option.