Absurd off-road questions
There is a place I'd like to drive occasionally, and to be honest it isn't really what the Mirage was designed for.
Basically it is like a pasture, with a rutted trail, tall grass, and some rocks sticking out here and there. I'm about 80% sure the Mirage could make it without any problem. It's that 20% chance that I may hit something that I don't like. A scratch is acceptable, but not being able to drive home is not.
Hypothetically, if I was cruising along slowly and hit a protruding rock or solid bit of earth, I'm thinking the first thing to be damaged would be the bumper, followed by maybe the radiator? Then I might hit the oil pan?
Of course an RVR or Subaru would be more suitable, but probably not worth it for the few times/year I travel this way. As such, I'm thinking of "enhancing" the Mirage - though I expect it might also not be worth it for the limited use.
Any thoughts on what I might do to protect the sensitive bits of the Mirage? Could I put one of those push-bar/brush-bar/nerf-bars on the front, or some sort of custom bumper? Would a skid-plate save the day? Is there a cheap/easy way to raise the suspension an inch or two? Thanks for indulging my foolishness.
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View my fuel log 2014 Mirage SE 1.2 manual: 45.0 mpg (US) ... 19.1 km/L ... 5.2 L/100 km ... 54.1 mpg (Imp)