Mirage is (most likely) the Car for Me

[Mark]

Attachment 21817

So there is the detailed pricing. I mentioned it earlier Mark but you might have missed it. The $2023.19 in taxes still kills me.

So if this current deal works out I will save just under $10,000 which is pretty great.

About that deal though. So it is a middle aged guy selling the car that his mom used to drive. The reason they are selling is because she has some sort of medical reason that she can't drive anymore. So all is well with the car...however I have not received a response since yesterday at noon.Up until then we were getting back to one another every few hours or so, so I'm not sure what's up. We were going to get a hotel room and go down to Ottawa tomorrow but if I still have not received an answer by tomorrow morning I think we're going to call the trip off. He seemed like a nice enough guy so I think if the car sold he'd let me know, but right now I'm in the dark. Worst case is that he has sold the car and I move on and keep on searching. I've sent him an additional message just asking if the car is still available as we are planning the trip down if it is. Oh well I have done all I can do. I will see if there is a response when I wake up tomorrow morning.

To be continued...

*Edit Thanks for all the advice Mark I appreciate it! Forgot to mention that while I was chronicling the potential purchase of this 2017.

You're welcome! I just happened to notice that car amongst the others. It's sort of interesting that his mom would drive a stick, but the older generation also grew up with them. I hope he responds back, & it works out for you.

You'll have to keep us posted! Good luck!

[7milesout]

Cam - I have a 2020 (base) ES with a manual. My only complaint is the bs automatic climate control. It's crap. But I find every auto climate control to be crap. Including my $86k Lexus LS 460L <-- auto climate control = crap.

I think you are going to wind up with a Mirage and are going to be happy as a clam, even with a used one.

Here's what I suggest. Let your Canadian friends guide you to this, because the equipment per model is a bit different in Canadia vs the states. Find a 2019 (used) ES manual transmission, with manual climate control. A/C preferred.

If you find such a beast, seems like it won't matter if it has cruise control or not. Just these 2 things: 1) manual trans, 2) manual climate control. If you can find that, you'll save a lot of money and have one of the most pleasant to own Mirage's that exist.

My $0.02 worth. I've had this Mirage for 10 months now, and even yesterday the darn auto-climate was doing some dumb ---- that I have no idea why. I had to keep pushing buttons to get what I wanted out of it. Very annoying. I wish I had manual climate control. But other than that, I love the little Blueberry. My dad rode in the Blueberry before he passed away. He's big on having plenty of power. But even he said he expected less out of a 3 cylinder and actually liked the car too. That was a big deal.

[Mark]

Cam - I have a 2020 (base) ES with a manual. My only complaint is the bs automatic climate control. It's crap. But I find every auto climate control to be crap. Including my $86k Lexus LS 460L <-- auto climate control = crap.

I think you are going to wind up with a Mirage and are going to be happy as a clam, even with a used one.

Here's what I suggest. Let your Canadian friends guide you to this, because the equipment per model is a bit different in Canadia vs the states. Find a 2019 (used) ES manual transmission, with manual climate control. A/C preferred.

If you find such a beast, seems like it won't matter if it has cruise control or not. Just these 2 things: 1) manual trans, 2) manual climate control. If you can find that, you'll save a lot of money and have one of the most pleasant to own Mirage's that exist.

My $0.02 worth. I've had this Mirage for 10 months now, and even yesterday the darn auto-climate was doing some dumb ---- that I have no idea why. I had to keep pushing buttons to get what I wanted out of it. Very annoying. I wish I had manual climate control. But other than that, I love the little Blueberry. My dad rode in the Blueberry before he passed away. He's big on having plenty of power. But even he said he expected less out of a 3 cylinder and actually liked the car too. That was a big deal.

If you followed the entire discussion, a 2017 ES manual doesn't come with A/C in Canada. The pics of the vehicle clearly show it has manual climate controls without A/C.

The base model ES in Canada got A/C whenever auto climate controls were added to all their Mirages. Not sure when that happened in Canada (2019 or 2020) maybe? You can't really call something auto climate control without A/C I guess.

Having said all that, I don't care for auto climate controls either. In the States, all 2014-15, 2020, 2021 trim levels have auto climate controls.

2017-19 ES trim levels would have manual climate controls with A/C in the States. A/C has always been standard here for all trim levels, but not in Canada. Prior to 2020, the LE trim level in the States would also have manual climate controls with A/C, but it's never had the manual option.

2019 ES manual has factory cruise control & manual climate controls, which makes it an appealing model year to me.

Auto climate controls and push button start are two features that I would pay extra to NOT have on any vehicle!

[7milesout]

2019 ES manual has factory cruise control & manual climate controls, which makes it an appealing model year to me.

Auto climate controls and push button start are two features that I would pay extra to NOT have on any vehicle!

Agreed.

[Cam123]

Okay folks I have learned some more.

The potential 2017 purchase is unofficially called off because it has been nearly 48 hours since the last response, even with my message last night asking if it is still available.

So I called a dealership in Sudbury and the situation is similar there. No new Mirages physically there but they are on the way. The interesting fact I learned is that at least in Ontario manuals are no longer being sold as of early 2021. Huh! My dad said they're probably still being sold in Quebec and I think he's right. There's definitely a different driving culture over there - way less pickups and more subcompacts.

The guy at the Sudbury dealership is going to call me back when he finds out if there's a used one available at his dealership.

Let me know if I should start a new thread, this is fun chronicling the adventures of my first car purchase.

[Mark]

Okay folks I have learned some more.

The potential 2017 purchase is unofficially called off because it has been nearly 48 hours since the last response, even with my message last night asking if it is still available.

So I called a dealership in Sudbury and the situation is similar there. No new Mirages physically there but they are on the way. The interesting fact I learned is that at least in Ontario manuals are no longer being sold as of early 2021. Huh! My dad said they're probably still being sold in Quebec and I think he's right. There's definitely a different driving culture over there - way less pickups and more subcompacts.

The guy at the Sudbury dealership is going to call me back when he finds out if there's a used one available at his dealership.

Let me know if I should start a new thread, this is fun chronicling the adventures of my first car purchase.

I see no reason to start a new thread. It's a shame about the 2017, because it sounded good. Then again, it came with the story that it belonged to a "little old lady" maybe? Regardless, it was low mileage. I sort of question someone's older mom buying/owing a manual, but I've heard of stranger things, too!

Be careful of low mileage cars being salvage cars, too. Someone takes a smashed up Mirage that may have been sitting for years & decides to fix it back up to sell. Just make sure any car has a clear title. I am not as clear on how Canada handles all that either?

[MetroMPG]

Wowza I should really be looking in Quebec. Not sure why there are better deals over there

Supply & demand. Quebec accounts for around 50% of all Mirage sales in Canada, despite having only ~25% of the population.

So there are more used Mirages in Quebec than anywhere else.

It's a bit of stereotype that the Quebecois love entry level economy cars.... but it's true. Some people in the biz joke that the name for a base trim economy car in Canada is the "Quebec Special".

One of my 3 cheap, used Mirages was originally bought in Quebec.

Also, I don't think the crazy high used car pricing that the US is seeing has hit as hard in Canada... which is good, if you're buying.

[Cam123]

MetroMPG it sounds like I'd fit in very well in Quebec lol. Around here I see far too many pick up trucks being driven around just because they are big and manly. They are driven with only the driver onboard and NOTHING in the back of the truck. I lived at a homestead this summer and the guy there uses his truck as a truck and it was so satisfying to witness. He hauls sand, gravel, clay, manure, bales of hay, animal feed and more around in that F150. The poor thing is falling apart - rust everywhere, the plastic part on the door in the bed was torn off in the process of moving a bale of hay, and the step into the drivers side is held on with bungee cords. It made me endlessly proud though. Now THAT is a truck being used as a truck.

So we have a good update on the Mirage purchase - the 2017 is back!! He was just very busy the past few days. He has offered to meet me in the middle, but my parents said we'll go to them. Basically so on one day I can test drive an automatic Mirage at one of the dealerships as I don't know how to drive a manual yet, then the next day come and get the one I'm buying. The test drive is pretty much to confirm that I fit in there just fine and enjoy the car. I am 99% sure I am going to love it, but the test drive is the best way to confirm that I think.

One of my friends said I should haggle on the price, but I don't think I'm going to. $7880 is fantastic and I am already happy with that, so to me there is no sense in saving a couple hundred bucks at this guy's expense. I do love saving, but I prefer if it is not at someone else's expense. If this was a dealership offering an average price than I would most definitely try some negotiating, but not in this situation.

We are heading down sometime this weekend. Woohoo!

[MetroMPG]

Once you look at the car, it's worth asking if the price is negotiable.

Almost every seller expects to get somewhat less than their asking price (unless they specifically say "firm price" in the ad).

---

Related to your earlier comment, I find it suspicious that a dealer says Ontario won't be getting any more manual Mirages.

I suspect that's just a line to get you to drive one of the CVT's that's already in stock or on order. I'm going to check with Mitsubishi Canada on that.

[Cam123]

I am way too agreeable and trusting for this used car stuff. Not talking about the current deal but that I never even questioned it when the dealership guy said they weren't being sold anymore.

As far as the price I already said the current one works for me so I don't think I'll go back on that. Definitely for next time I will ask before committing. I really don't buy stuff very often so the whole negotiating aspect is a mystery to me. Me being very agreeable doesn't help matters either. I could certainly learn it though.