Topic: Test Drive: 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage ES

[Fobroader]

I do as good or better of a job of swapping wheels at home than any shop.  Why?  Because it's MY car and I care about doing the best job possible.  I take time to inspect the brakes and suspension, carefully torque the wheel nuts, and set the inflation pressures precisely.

  My car isnt just another work order number.....

[dkaz]

Lol I offered to help a buddy change over his winter tires, I have a hydraulic jack, torque wrench, everything, in and out in half an hour, I'll do it for a beer. He declined saying his wife was terrified of having anyone other than a trained technician do the job.

I've had way too many complaints about techs overtorquing wheel lug nuts and even the oil drain bolt.

[dirtyjeffer]

What's the point of using a torque wrench if these guys torque the lug nuts on at 200 lb-ft with their air guns?

the lug nuts aren't put all the way on...they are simply spun on to about 95%...the final amount is torqued...seen them do it many times.

[PJ]

What's the point of using a torque wrench if these guys torque the lug nuts on at 200 lb-ft with their air guns?

the lug nuts aren't put all the way on...they are simply spun on to about 95%...the final amount is torqued...seen them do it many times.

If they bother to do it right.  Seen them crank them on with just the air gun more often then not.

[rrocket]

If they bother to do it right.  Seen them crank them on with just the air gun more often then not.

Most of them have torque sticks on their guns.

Most torque sticks don't work properly.

So you have over tight lugs.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

I do my own changeovers. Snug the bolts up with the breaker bar, then go around again with the torque wrench. A couple of days later check them with the torque wrench again. Never had a wheel fall off, never missed a lugnut.

If I was on the road, and Lady O had a garage change the winters over, I'd check them when I got home. On one occasion, a lug nut had been missed, and was at best finger tight.

[rrocket]

I do my own changeovers. Snug the bolts up with the breaker bar, then go around and with the torque wrench. A couple of days later check them with the torque wrench again. Never had a wheel fall off, never missed a lugnut.

If I was on the road, and Lady O had a garage change the winters over, I'd check them when I got home. On one occasion, a lug nut had been missed, and was at best finger tight.

Can you please tell us the story of your adventure in getting wheels for the Outback again....

Man...that was a good story!

[Sir Osis of Liver]

I do my own changeovers. Snug the bolts up with the breaker bar, then go around and with the torque wrench. A couple of days later check them with the torque wrench again. Never had a wheel fall off, never missed a lugnut.

If I was on the road, and Lady O had a garage change the winters over, I'd check them when I got home. On one occasion, a lug nut had been missed, and was at best finger tight.

Can you please tell us the story of your adventure in getting wheels for the Outback again....

Man...that was a good story!

NO! 

Wheels, tires, studding all went fine this year. 

[rrocket]

NO! 

Wheels, tires, studding all went fine this year. 

My amusement FTL.   

[Bubba]

I sat in a Mirage today and found it wasn't the little penalty box I feared it would be.  Seat seemed comfy enough, I was able to get positioned well to hold the steering wheel and shifter.  I fear the shiny finish on the radio/hvac surround would reflect the sun in your eyes.  With the driver's seat set for me, I had plenty of leg room in the rear, however, my hair touched the roof.

The hatch area appeared to have as much room as my '82 Civic had which means I should be able to fit my mountain bike in the back.

Everything seemed put together well.  Lots of room under the hood, not surprisingly.

Hopefully, I can take one for a spin.

[conwelpic]

Canadian video review of this vehicle

http://youtu.be/MmODzB_yMRc

[dirtyjeffer]

Canadian video review of this vehicle

http://youtu.be/MmODzB_yMRc

i've read a few other reviews saying similar things...i didn't bother mentioning it since we aren't allowed to be critical of this car for some reason.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

So Zack wants a car with the power and space of a compact. Why even look at a subcompact then? The fact that he doesn't even mention fuel economy pretty much proves that he doesn't get this car at all.

[PJ]

So Zack wants a car with the power and space of a compact. Why even look at a subcompact then? The fact that he doesn't even mention fuel economy pretty much proves that he doesn't get this car at all.

I figure anyone who wants an automatic and other frills doesn't get this car either.  It's a basic car that gets you almost Prius fuel economy for half the price.  That's all.

I won't be surprised to see the Mirage discounted to the magic $9999 in a year or so.

[dirtyjeffer]

So Zack wants a car with the power and space of a compact. Why even look at a subcompact then? The fact that he doesn't even mention fuel economy pretty much proves that he doesn't get this car at all.

perhaps his drive didn't net fuel economy that was worth mentioning, or perhaps his drive wasn't long enough to really determine what the fuel economy was...he compared several other cars like Rio5, Versa and Fit and said they were much better cars and that anyone looking at the Mirage would be wise to check some of the competition out, even if it is slightly more money...there are a few other reviews from other sites whose comments are similar.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Car reviewer syndrome. Like many, he spends a fair bit of time in higher ends stuff. He tosses out the "it's only a grand more, might as well spring for it." pretty easily.

Reviewers hated the 48hp Sprint/Firefly too, but they sold well to people who had fuel economy as their number one imperative. They could have dropped another grand or two to get something bigger and more powerful too, but they didn't.

Why bother with a $23k Rio SX UVO with nav, if you can get a $25k Mazda6 auto for only two grand more, for only a little worse fuel economy? Maybe because they don't want to spend the extra bucks? Have no use for the extra space?

[dirtyjeffer]

Car reviewer syndrome. Like many, he spends a fair bit of time in higher ends stuff. He tosses out the "it's only a grand more, might as well spring for it." pretty easily.

i don't think it is that...he recently reviewed the new MB CLA and CLA AMG and actually preferred the standard CLA calling it the better "all rounder".

Reviewers hated the 48hp Sprint/Firefly too, but they sold well to people who had fuel economy as their number one imperative. They could have dropped another grand or two to get something bigger and more powerful too, but they didn't.

my mother bought one of those in 1987...not because it was good on gas, but because it was cheap...it was good on gas, but sadly didn't age well (to be fair, most cars in that era didn't).

Why bother with a $23k Rio SX UVO with nav, if you can get a $25k Mazda6 auto for only two grand more, for only a little worse fuel economy? Maybe because they don't want to spend the extra bucks? Have no use for the extra space?

if you want all the toys in the Mazda6, it isn't $25k, it is $34k...i know what you are saying though, as i did that very same thing when i bought my car...i was looking at cars that were mid $30s because that's often what you had to buy to get a fully loaded car...now, many smaller cars are available "fully loaded", and that's a good thing...not everyone needs the extra space.

[ChaosphereIX]

the very definition of a penalty box, yuck.

Yes it is cheap, so is McDonalds. Yes, it might get ok fuel economy, but it has absolutely no power. You need power to be safe on Canadian roads - at least 100hp. That way you can get out of a situation if you need to, or pass a truck, etc.

Save money for a few more months, and afford a real car.

[WRX_Pilot]

Car reviewer syndrome.

Haha. I like that term.  See it way too much.  I think some of them definitely lose perspective...

[Sir Osis of Liver]

the very definition of a penalty box, yuck.

Yes it is cheap, so is McDonalds. Yes, it might get ok fuel economy, but it has absolutely no power. You need power to be safe on Canadian roads - at least 100hp. That way you can get out of a situation if you need to, or pass a truck, etc.

Save money for a few more months, and afford a real car.

Right. That's why the accident rate for smart drivers is so high. Oh wait, it isn't.

I drove an 80hp Tercel for 10 years without incident, and my sister drove a 55hp Rabbit diesel, also without incident.