I am buying a new car and am considering a 2015 Mitsubishi Mirage, for $16k. Does anyone have any thoughts on these cars? Pro's or cons?
monaro17,
Dec 11, 8:01am
Nice little cars as long as you are not expecting too much. Just be weary that in three years it will have lost 50% of its value- like any new car, have you considered something like a 2014/15 Ford Fiesta? It is a far better car and you could pick a new one up new for 21k or one with low low kms and practically new for your budget
datoofairy,
Dec 11, 8:09am
I have looked at the Fiesta's, but they are out of my budget. $15k is all I can afford, the extra $1k for the Mirage is really pushing it. I guess I just like the thought of having a brand new car, I've never had one before. But it doesnt have to be brand new. I currently have a 2003 Toyota Corolla. I still love it but am ready for something newer. I'd be happy to have a newer one of those but unless I go for a very recent model, which is too expensive, I just seem to be going sideways. I'd be spending money to get something not much different to what I already have.
monaro17,
Dec 11, 8:43am
Yes that link reminded me if the new suzuki celerio. Have a look at that! They are getting very good reviews . I don't know what your suzuki dealer Is like in Dunedin but here in chch at Hollands suzuki you get 8 years cost free motoring.
datoofairy,
Dec 11, 8:55am
I cant say I had even considered a Suzuki. I know I definitely dont want a Swift, but I will have a look at other models when I go out on Saturday. I really love the wee Holden Barina Sparks but I suspect they are that cheap brand new for a reason and I cant help thinking I'd regret having bought it within a couple of years.
gman35,
Dec 11, 9:06am
From your #7 post you have given me faith that you may in fact realise that a cheap new car may feel a bit rubbish, which will be the case compared to your older Corolla even. I would without a doubt buy a 4ish year old car ( ford fiesta/mazda 2/toyota yaris etc ?) and appreciate the better overall quality and engineering, still with a warranty of some sort obviously, rather than know my "brand new" car at the same price is just not as good as what I could be driving (and will cost me $$ if I do sell/trade it early). Leave something new at that price range to someone that really does not know/care.
franc123,
Dec 11, 9:22am
Go drive one on the open road before agreeing to trade the Corolla.
tamarillo,
Dec 11, 9:54am
Double that. Read a very favourable review in wheels mag of this new little Suzuki, they were surprised at how good it was. Mirage is a very old piece of technology.
intrade,
Dec 11, 4:22pm
you realise 2003 is stone age technology throw a stone at the wall nothing brakes only from about 2005 onwards is where toyota started to plaster more electronics crap for meeting emission regulations on and 100 tausend airbags. due to the extra cost the wires where chopped out and less wire used and the wires are like hairs now so manufacturer can save a few kg on wires for better economy while they plaster all the electronic junk all over in the cars. So yea it wont matter if you buy a mitsubishi a holden or a brand new toyota dont worry they all will cost you tousends and tousends to fix when the problems start.
tamarillo,
Dec 11, 6:25pm
b Barina is cheap. for a reason! Old design, designed to be cheap. Replaced next year. There is anew Kia picanto which reviews well too.
tamarillo,
Dec 11, 6:29pm
Oh come on!
phillip.weston,
Dec 12, 4:59am
What on the Mirage is old technology that the Celerio isn't? The Mirage gets an all new platform and engine/transmission not yet used in anything earlier.
oemaudio,
Dec 12, 6:22am
I know you mean well but you need a degree in decryption to make sense of your posts.
datoofairy,
Dec 12, 6:44am
What is everyones thoughts on Hyundai's? I see theres quite a few Accents and i20's around in my price range. What would one of those be like for reliability, cost to maintain and cost of parts when needed etc? What about Kia's? Have they improved over the years? I looked at one about 5 years ago and wasnt very impressed at all. They seemed very cheaply made. But maybe they have gotten better?
bwg11,
Dec 12, 7:39am
But you will consider a Mirage, Barina or Picanto? Care to elaborate, as in my opinion the Swift is a much better car than these three.
datoofairy,
Dec 12, 7:59am
I think the Swifts are ugly and I wouldnt want to own one. I am not considering a Barina, although I do like the look of them. I'm asking questions because I have zero mechanical knowledge and no one to ask. I'm not going to go and buy something based only on looks, and neither am I going to buy something based solely on its mechanical pluses. This is a big purchase for me, and I'd like to buy something I actually like as well as being sensible. I'm just trying to narrow down a short list of possibilities - of cars that would be a good buy mechanically and that I like the look of. I am also Googling reviews and asking for advise. Also, I went and looked at the Mirage and I didnt like it. The plastic trim on the doors and dash looks cheap and nasty.
bwg11,
Dec 12, 8:10am
Fair enough, you will have to look at your new purchase for some years to come. I was just giving an opinion as to which I consider will drive the nicest, be the most reliable and suffer the least depreciation. Personal preference is important. Good luck with your search.
datoofairy,
Dec 12, 9:35am
Thank you bwg11, I do appreciate your opinion. I am really nervous about buying the car. It seems like for every good review or comment I read about a car, theres an equally bad one to go with it. Also, because I'm a female on my own, I dont feel like I'm going to get the most impartial advise at the car dealers. My plan is to go around everywhere tomorrow and pick the ones I like the look of. Then I'll come home and try and research if they are good buys or not. Hopefully that will get me a winner. I know its a silly female thing, but I'm really disappointed with the colour choices available. By a huge majority, almost every car out there is white or silver/grey with the occasional blue one. I love red but would be happy with yellow or orange, even an out-there lime green or something would be great. I want something fun, with a bit of personality. Its a hard road finding the perfect car.
db.price,
Dec 12, 6:07pm
I had a galant and found it to be a good car but for the year (2006) it was a bot backward in the tech. Suspect that the Mirage would be the same.
Have you considered a Fiat Punto ($17500) or a Fiat Panda ($14990)? Oh God I sound like Carstauranga!
datoofairy,
Dec 12, 7:02pm
Thanks db.price. I do like Fiats. Many years ago I had a 125. We called it Barney, as in Flintstone, because the floor was so rusty we could have put our feet through it to push it along. We lived on gravel roads so it was a bit dusty, but the car went really well. Would Fiats not be expensive to fix though, if anything went wrong, as does happen with all cars? I know all cars cost money to keep on the road but I do have to be realistic what I can afford. Theres a few Punto's here in Dunedin, and they are nice looking cars. It looks like you get quite a lot for the money too.
vtecintegra,
Dec 12, 8:46pm
The Fiats are okay in manual (if you can get past the build quality) but the autos are terrible.
Interesting that you'd consider a Mirage yet find the Swift ugly
fordcrzy,
Dec 12, 9:01pm
id buy a punto over a mirage ANY day. those mirages are pretty much retirement village cruisers. mobility scooter places usually trade them in.
I have that impression too, but when I've rented a car for a few days or more paying with my own $$$, and for 2-3 passengers with a bit of luggage, I tend to go to budget places where that's the type of car you get, sometimes with quite high mileage. I keep on being surprised how good in meeting motoring needs (rather than desires) they actually are, and that if maintained, despite cheap and cheerful build/materials, they seem to survive abuse in rental fleets extremely well.
fordcrzy,
Dec 12, 10:39pm
most f the new puntos on sale at the moment are the "easy" spec which is higher spec than the "pop" a while back the pops were 15990 now the easy's are that. 15K for a car with mags, bluetooth, navigation prking sensors is a bargain. better than the tupperware mirage
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