HUGE sale on the 2015 Mitsubishi Mirage

General Discussion
1

I know many people here don’t like these cars or others like them but there is a HUGE sale on them right now. I guess the 2017’s are coming out in a few weeks so they are dumping the 2015 models with a $3500 rebate at this time. It seems this news is spreading like wildfire among those who like subcompact cars and they won’t last long.

My GF had bought one and I had told the dealer to let me know when the 2017 models came in as I liked the car. The 2017 included some upgrades to the design of the engine as well as the braking and handling that I wanted to hold out for. There is no 2016 and possibly an overproduction of the 2015 model for some of the 2016 year has led to this sale. The sales of these actually beat the expectations by quite a lot so it isn’t that they aren’t selling. Anyway, the sales guy for my GF called me and told me of this sale not long after someone else had posted about it on the Geo Metro Forum. Anyway, two days later I am driving home in my new Infrared (red for everyone else) colored Mitsubishi Mirage.

No, you aren’t getting a luxury car but you are getting basic but fun and reliable transportation with a 5 year/60,000 mile bumper to bumper and 10 year/100,000 mile powertrain warranty for a tad over $10,000. I doubt a car manufacturer is going to put a warranty like this on a piece of junk. This car also has one of the better reliability and the best owner loyalty rating of cars in this class and price range. Neither the Versa or the Spark seem to have that great of a reliability score.

Both of our cars are essentially identical except for the color difference. The dealer had to get our cars all posed with us for this picture when we came in.

Anyway, the Geo Metro and Mirage Forums are blowing up with posts about this sale now. You can tell some the Geo die-hards are upset that people are going out and buying a new car but others point out that you are getting a car that is far cheaper (inflation adjusted) than the Metro and has far more to offer in terms of comfort, safety, warranty, and the like, all while getting similar gas mileage.

Our cars are the base model manual transmission ones. We prefer a manual plus they are cheaper. I think the CVT option gets better mileage on paper but the manual is doing better in real world tests if you do any in town driving. Even the base models have bluetooth and automatic climate control these days. My parents happened to rent a Versa and commented how it didn’t have power windows or locks/keyless entry. All that is included with the Mirage although I know many fans of cars like this would prefer they come without.

I test drove a CVT as some friends are interested now and was impressed. This was my first time driving one of these but you gun it and the RPMs stay the same while the speed increases. It was an odd feeling but I got used to it quite quickly. People say these take some getting used to. I felt this way the first time around driving a hybrid vehicle with the slight delay these typically have. Neither one is sluggish. Sure, they aren’t a Corvette but that isn’t what this car is trying to be. It is economical and green. They rate it as one of the greenest cars and the only one that isn’t a hybrid. The only way to get it any greener is if you pick this color! http://static2.stuff.co.nz/1355869245/331/8098331.jpg One of the reviews I read said that you either have to get a cheap car or a very expensive one to get bright colors and this one is no exception.

No, this car isn’t for everyone but it is a good deal for some. Quite a few of the Geo Metro Forum members upgraded over the weekend due to this sale.

2

I don’t mean to be a sourpuss . . .

“Even the base models have bluetooth and automatic climate control these days”

But I have an extremely hard time believing that a base model Mitsubishi Mirage has automatic climate control standard

Most Camrys are LE models, and they don’t have automatic climate control standard. In fact, to get it, you have to buy an XLE model, AFAIK. And a Camry is far more expensive than a Mirage, and is an entirely different class

I don’t doubt that bluetooth is standard, though

3

Sorry, I bought the cheapest one on the lot and it came with automatic climate control. See http://www.mitsubishicars.com/mirage/trims for confirmation. The DE is the base model. The ES and others have push button start which I don’t really like, among a mixture of features that I like and dislike. I am sure the electronic relays are more reliable than a mechanical lock cylinder and fail less often. On the other hand, I am sure fixing this and working with the anti-theft system can be a pain. The base model doesn’t have cruise control which is the one I miss the most.

As I said, these aren’t the car for everyone but they have a lot of features for a basic inexpensive car. The Versa sounds like it is about as much of a stripper as you can get these days. This isn’t the bad part. The failures and build issues are the problem with these.

4

It’s not for everyone but as long as it’s the one for you that’s all that really matters! The mirage hasn’t gotten rave reviews by the car magazines (including some of the UK ones)

5

That is true. If it is the one you like, then get it. These have the highest loyalty rating in the subcompact category so they must be doing something right.

The funny thing about cheap cars in general are the bright colors. My parents’ rental car was some color that would knock your socks off! They said they never had to worry about losing their car in a parking lot. The Mirage has a couple colors like this. There is Kiwi Green and Plasma Purple which are both memorable colors. These wouldn’t be my first choice but they definitely get the car noticed and many people comment that they like having a color different than your normal white, silver, or black. I have seen some bright Chevy Sparks in town as well. http://jalopnik.com/2014-mitsubishi-mirage-the-jalopnik-review-1472224538

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Our pastor just bought a Lime green Prius C (encouraged by her hubby) replacing her blue Mini that died, small cars should be offered in what my mom refers to as “happy colors”

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https://www.google.com/search?q=You're+killin+me+smalls&biw=1326&bih=573&tbm=isch&imgil=fIVB00IYDqFw7M%3A%3BGrw-7mD8zwqKpM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.picturequotes.com%252Fyoure-killin-me-smalls-quote-52455&source=iu&pf=m&fir=fIVB00IYDqFw7M%3A%2CGrw-7mD8zwqKpM%2C_&usg=__McPyq8KoxreIROxxGo735NRvhLY%3D&ved=0ahUKEwiu5Mzq963LAhWE1x4KHUaHB3kQyjcIKA&ei=Jh7dVq65L4Sve8aOnsgH#imgrc=fIVB00IYDqFw7M%3A

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Hm, the two Mitsubishi dealers in my neck of the woods list the 2015 Mirages from $8,197 - $10,500. Sounds “too good to be true” but based on your post @cwatkin , I guess I’ll have to go check it out. Descriptions are vague and deceptive though. Transmissions are described as “2 speed automatic” (I know that can’t be right) and “N/A - other” For that kind of money though, I’d be derelict in my cheapskate ways if I didn’t go check it out. Unfortunately, tomorrow I have a luncheon appt as well as work, hopefully I’ll be able to clear out my Tuesday or Wednesday to go have a look-see.

I’m still a little vague on what exactly is “bluetooth”? Is bluetooth those “cattle tags” you see attached to people’s ears walking around?

Is “automatic climate control” a fancy way of saying “air conditioning” or is that something more sophisticated? Bear in mind my newest vehicle is 20 years old. . .

Only thing I think I’d want that you say it doesn’t have is “cruise control”. I know what that is.

I really like the Plasma Purple, except I’d have to spend the next 15 - 20 years listening to people ask me “Is that Ravens Purple?” just like that time I bought all those bright purple t-shirts out of the $1 bin at the supermarket.

So, the question is @cwatkin , are you “retiring” your Geo Metro or are you going to keep it on the road as well?

Edit to add: Gee, I’ve kinda had my heart set on a Honda Fit, but if I could buy a brand new Mirage, out-the-door price for under $12,000 I’d be hard pressed to pass up a deal like that. The test drive would have to go very poorly indeed for me to pass up a deal like that. One dealer lists 19 in stock, the other 22, so I’m pretty sure they will still have some by Tuesday or Wednesday.

Edit again: I like the green too. By way of comparison, the base Toyota Corolla comes in White, Black, Light Grey, and Dark Grey. Wow. I’m partial to Blue as a color.

" I doubt a car manufacturer is going to put a warranty like this on a piece of junk." Well. . . unless they’re getting ready to pack up and leave the US market. . . .

"Sorry, I bought the cheapest one on the lot. . . " As the late great Tom Magliozzi might say, “You’re a man after my own heart!”

9

“But I have an extremely hard time believing that a base model Mitsubishi Mirage has automatic climate control standard.”

It’s actually true. Consumer Reports stated that some high-tech accessories have been loaded onto the car in an attempt to distract potential buyers from the lousy handling, extremely limited power, weak brakes, very high interior noise levels, and a score of “Poor” in IIHS’s crash testing.

10

@cwatkin

The funny thing about cheap cars in general are the bright colors.

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No kidding, right?!

:wink:

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Very bright/loud colors don’t look good on large vehicles, so both the “cheap and cheerful” cars and the smallish supercars tend to get the most outrageous paint colors.

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Yup. Been that way for decades. Remember the CRX in Barbados Yellow and Tahitian Green?

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Loud colors CAN look good on large cars IF the cars are designed to look racy to begin with. Remember the late-'60s/early-'70s Chargers and Challengers? I’ve even seen a yellow late-'60s Impala 2-dr that looks good.

14

Yep, the article http://jalopnik.com/2014-mitsubishi-mirage-the-jalopnik-review-1472224538 mentions you either need to get a cheap car or a very expensive one to get the vibrant colors. The purple seems to be the one people really hate of love. They are replacing it with a much nicer color called “wine red” or “red wine” in the next model year.

It got 4 and 5 star crash test ratings so that doesn’t seem too bad, especially for a small car. One guy on the forum TOTALED out his brand new Mirage on the same day he purchased it. He walked away without a scratch and ended up buying another one just like it. I am not saying this is as safe as a fullsize car but definitely better than econo cars of the past. The handling and braking isn’t bad considering I am used to driving pickup trucks and Geo Metros. This must be something that was a concern though as the manufacturer is improving both in the new model year.

I plan to sell one of the Geos and keep the other. I have too many vehicles as it is so one needs to go. Paying insurance, taxes, etc. on all of them doesn’t make a lot of sense. The main concern is that I don’t put enough miles on some of them. You go out and the battery is dead or they run crappy because the gas is starting to get stale. I try to make sure a fresh tank of gas is run through each at least every 3 months. Either way, I don’t need another car sitting around. Then there is the issue of mice. This isn’t nearly as bad since the two outdoor cats arrived but I used to have many issues.

The 2017’s promise to have many improvements that buyers of most US car buyers will appreciate. These include stiffer suspension for better handling, larger front disc and rear drum brakes for better braking, and improvements to the valvetrain for increased power, longer life, and better economy. The engine improvements are what I really like but for this amount off, it wouldn’t have made sense to pay more for this.

15

Yes, I have seen colors on certain cars and they look great but that same exact color on another vehicle looks terrible. It is interesting how that works. Bright orange looks great on a Dodge Charger but wouldn’t go on a Grand Caravan.

16

I have to admit that it’s good to see some colors coming back. For years it seemed like the only colors being offered on the overwhelming majority of new cars were silver, grey, black or white. Mostly silver and grey. The early '70s were bad years for cars mechanically, but the colors were cool.

17

Don’t forget champagne beige!

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The early '70s were bad years for cars mechanically, but the colors were cool.

A big fan of "Avocado green" and "field mouse brown," I take it? Can't say the 70's fashions have aged well, be they cars, clothes, or shag carpeting.

19

You don’t suppose this fire sale might be because Mitsubishi’s pullout of the U.S. market is eminent do you?

20

It seems they are making a big deal about the upcoming 2017 model Mirage in the US market. Why would they bother taking this to all the auto shows if they were about to pull out? Their sales numbers are not high but have been increasing each each since the bottom out. If they were completely going to leave, why would they even try? This sale is only through the end of March and then I guess the new model year gets released.

As for the CVT, it is a CVT mated to a two speed auto. I guess the CVT only has a certain range of ratios so the 2 speed auto accounts for high and low ranges. This seems like extra complexity and there is a torque converter too but I guess that is how they are doing this.

I personally think the computer controlled DDCT transmissions would be great if they can work out the bugs. This would basically be an automatic “manual transmission” in a sense without a parasitic torque converter. These may look great to me on paper but haven’t done well in real world use. There have been many problems and failures in cars that have them so would avoid until the bugs are all worked out.

As for the CVTs, I am not an expert but understand it costs more to rebuild them than to just replace. I guess they are made to be easily replaced on the Mirage. If they go out under the 10 year/100,000 mile powertrain warranty, this is great. If they go out later, odds are this dooms the car to the crusher, especially on a car this cheap.