“Something else for the cheapskates… I don’t know if this was mentioned but this car REQUIRES synthetic oil of the 0W20 weight.”
I consider myself very cheap quite thrifty, but I have to say, anybody who decides not to buy a car based on the fact that it requires 3 quarts of Synthetic oil at oil changes is too much of a cheapskate to be buying a car, or practically anything with a motor.
CSA
After considering this thread, and the fact that (after a month) OP really isn’t any closer to buying either car, I think what we’ve got is the old “paralysis by analysis.”
(Now, I like BSing about cars, so that’s not a complaint, just an observation.)
I agree with CSA on the synthetic oil. There are people who will complain about this. I run synthetic in everything, even engines that don’t require it.
One of the reasons that economy cars have such poor resale value is it is quite common for the owners to neglect them by skipping oil changes, etc. I know of one guy who never changes his oil, just adds oil from time to time. He gets about 60k out of his cars on average before the engine starts to really go to crap.
Truthfully, what frightens me is the story @“the same mountainbike” has told on various threads about the time he had to dispose of a new car he had just bought due to the seats hurting his back so much. I have back issues. As a cheapskate, I am horrified by the prospect of finding myself in this situation, although I have no doubt I’d do the same thing he did if I found myself in this very horrible situation. Back pain isn’t something to take lightly. I’m just so afraid of making a mistake. . . Although I’d say the Mirage seats are nicer than than my worn out Festiva seat. . .
My best friend keeps telling me, buy the car that feels best for your back, but you really cannot tell from a test drive. I’d have to take it on a 400 mile Saturday drive cross-state to really know for sure, and NO dealer is ever going to let me do THAT. And yes, I understand that is a very unreasonable demand, a 400 mile test drive
Doesn’t most every car nowadays require synthetic? I know Hondas are notorious for requiring special fluids.
When I was younger, I always bought cars from the Pennysaver, or cars that were sitting in front of gas stations with a “For Sale” sign on them. I’ve never spent more than $4,900 purchasing a vehicle, and I’m talking on-the-road price, too. To me, even $11,500 is an incredible amount of money to spend on a car.
Only a day and a half remaining on the $3,500 factory rebate for the 2015 Mirage.
My local dealer has a 2017 Mirage in stock, if you wait until 2018 perhaps you can get a discount on one.
@“Ed Frugal”, go for a long test ride in a Mirage and see how your back feels. Maybe you can rent one for the weekend.
There’s a difference between “frugal” and “cheap”.
" Maybe you can rent one for the weekend. "
I seriously doubt if any mainstream car rental company has any Mitsu Mirages in their fleet.
Perhaps Rent-a-Wreck?
I’m sorry!
The Devil made me write that…
@Ed Frugal
"I’ve never spent more than $4,900 purchasing a vehicle, and I’m talking on-the-road price, too. To me, even $11,500 is an incredible amount of money to spend on a car."
Don’t buy a new car. They’re clearly not for you.
I’ve written checks for over 20 grand for a car and not lost any sleep and I’m cheap thrifty.
Please, do us all a favor. Tell us you’ve decided to buy a nice, comfortable used car and call it good. I didn’t pay much (pocket change) for that nice, low-mileage, absolutely rust-free Grand Prix (pictured), roomy, quiet, needed nothing, comfortable and quiet. I enjoy the hexx out of it. I’ll probably run it 10 years. I wasn’t even looking for another car when I saw it on Craig’s List.
I too haven’t bought a new car for a number of years. I’ve gained nothing by it and they don’t float my boat any more than new ones. Used cars are like stars in the universe, literally millions of them out there. Get a good one.
CSA
I’m talking on-the-road price, too. To me, even $11,500 is an incredible amount of money to spend on a car."
You would likely have mild coronary if I took you car shopping with me 
I plan on buying a new Mustang in about two weeks time. To get one equipped the way I want it, I’m pretty sure the out the door price (tax,doc fee,etc.) is going to be around $40k.
If it would humor the forum, when it’s done. I’ll make a post describing how it went down.
@EdFrugal It’s all relative. When In was a student, I had a $125 car and a $325 car and made do because I had more important things to spend the little money I had on.
Then much later my wife and I spent 3 1/2 weeks in Great Britain and spent $15,000 with nothing material to show for it than our pictures.
We are a frugal family, but if I had back problems I would not buy a cheap car with bad seats. Our 1971 Mercury Comet had horrible seats I would nor with on my worst enemy.
You buy a car to meet your needs, sometimes that has to be a 4 years old used car with the features you need.
@FoDaddy
"If it would humor the forum, when it’s done. I’ll make a post describing how it went down."
That’s a “Yes” from me. I know *nothing about Mustangs, but they appeal to me. I could see getting one some day.
*I did spend a lot of time during and following High School riding in a friend’s 66 Mustang 289 Hi-Po, 4-speed, fastback (solid lifters/trumpet exhaust tips). It was a nice little car and we had fun in that thing. I just met up with the guy in Florida (he lives in Clearwater) and the Mustang came up in talking about old times.
CSA
One nice thing about the Mirage if you do buy it with this discount is that next year, you might not take much of a loss on it. Or wait until gas prices shoot up for some reason and then dump it. All the people with the Escalades and such will want to park them and but an economy car. This isn’t to say it takes a lot of gas to make up the difference paid for an economy car but that is how people are.
One of my friends bought an Expedition when gas prices got up to like $5/gallon. I said, “Why would you buy a gas guzzler when gas prices are high?” He basically told me it was used and getting dumped because of this and that he could drive it for 10 years at $5/gallon and still not cost as much as a new small car with what he paid for it. I thought this was funny.
TOMORROW IS THE LAST DAY ON THE 2015 MIRAGE SALE! The time to act is now if you want one!
Honestly, odds are that any of the leftovers will still have a huge discount next month but you never know.
wait until gas prices shoot up for some reason and then dump it. All the people with the Escalades and such will want to park them and but an economy car.
People with incomes to buy luxury SUVs are more likely to replace their vehicles with new mid sized or large sedans than to chose a odd sub compact when fuel prices rise. There will be a greater interest in economy cars but not from the luxury car crowd.
Mitsubishi likely had modest expectations for the US, and met them, but they have a bigger problem worldwide where there sales are very poor. They’d love to sell a few more here, even at modest profit. If they don’t sell something, anything, there won’t be a Mitsubishi Motors. I have rarely seen a car company design such uninspiring products year after year. The Mirage is OK if your expectations are very modest and your biggest priority is keeping costs down. Then it only has to compete with the two or three other ultra-cheap models. The problem is the considerably nicer cars for a bit more money, but not so much they are unaffordable. I’d take a Rio or Accent any day over a Mirage, Spark, or Versa. They’re roomier, drive better, and the interiors are nicer.
I am sure their expectations were quite modest. At least they are outselling them by quite a bit. It seems Mitsubishi also makes lots of electronics and industrial equipment much like GE too so cars are probably just a small part.
I thought the Rio was a nice car too but the dealer was a pain.
...Mitsubishi also makes lots of electronics and industrial equipment ...
And, of course, were known for their aircraft:
Yes, the Nagasaki bomb target was actually a set of Mitsubishi plants which were missed by a mile but still destroyed.
BMW also made aircraft engines and such for the war.
One of my friends used to always say how he would never own a VW because it was started by Hitler. He was a rally guy and always loved the Subarus and Mitsubishis. I had to remind him of the past role Mitsubishi served. It was the Japanese that got us involved in that war after all. This isn’t to say we wouldn’t have become involved some other way. It was just a matter of time.
Not buying a car for these reasons is kinda like punishing a person or a company because their ancestors owned slaves. I really don’t think two or more generations of people down the line are going to share those beliefs.
“HUGE sale on the 2015 Mitsubishi Mirage”
“TOMORROW IS THE LAST DAY ON THE 2015 MIRAGE SALE!”
That’s a shame, but good to know this discussion will conclude by midnight, tonight.
I never dreamt in my wildest dreams that there’d be so much to say about a little, cheap, car that’s acceptable to so few. It’s been the gift that keeps on giving, but all good things must come to an end. 
(Cue the final curtain and applause.)
CSA