Mitsubishi Mirage for Work Commute in Melbourne? (Looking for Excellent Fuel Efficiency)

LMortgagetightass on 13/06/2019 - 10:13
Last edited 17/06/2019 - 14:11 by 1 other user

Hi All,

Moving out w/partner in our new home and my old 2010 lancer is a bit of a guzzler (9L/100km mostly freeway driving)

Looking to downsize to a hatchback and dont ever use the back seats…

I've seen the mirage is $16,500 AUD drive away for their extras model (could be cheaper with my 2010 lancer trade-in)

the Mirage claims 4.5-5L per 100km (anyone have one that can vouch who owns one?)

I drive 550km a week just for work and not including personal use

Is it worth eventually purchasing a brand new model for roughly $13,000 w/ trade in? 5-year warranty also

Feedback appreciated

• 

  cookietime on 13/06/2019 - 10:38

  +1

  My parents have a Kia Picanto, which is quite similar to Mirage. Actual fuel consumption is roughly 5.5-6L/100km.

  Not sure how set you are with the Mirage. If you want to consider a similar car, my parents chose Kia because of the 7-year warranty. They got a demo car with about 500km on the odo for about $13000 if I remember correctly.

• 

  wannagrababargain on 13/06/2019 - 10:42

  +10

  600km per week = 31200 km per year.
  Lancer 9L/100km, Lancer value now: $4000, Lancer value in 5 years: $2000
  Mirage 5L/100km, Mirage value now: $15000, Mirage value in 5 years with 150,000: $5000

  Fuel price average: $1.50 /L

  Lancer fuel cost over next 5 years: $21060, Lancer depreciation: $2000
  Mirage fuel cost over next 5 years: $12870, Mirage depreciation: $10000

  Lancer fuel+depreciation cost: $23060, Mirage fuel+depreciation cost: $21700

  Seems worth it for the amount of driving you do. Once you factor in unexpected repairs for the old Lancer, vs the warranty covered new car, the gap will widen.

  For that amount of driving I would question whether a Mirage is the best choice. These tiny city cars are built to a price. It will get you around but it won't be quietly, comfortably or quickly.

• 

  rambutann on 13/06/2019 - 10:46

  Heck yeah let's get some good fuel efficiency in our lives!

  My tight ass ways have lead me to riding a motorbike because I'm always in the Melbourne CBD so free parking + cutting traffic is worth it… but if I wasn't always in the city I would get a car…

  In terms of car recommendations, I have one main experience with a rental car that I frothed for its fuel efficiency. The Nissan Micra (Newer model)… https://www.carsales.com.au/cars/details/Nissan-Micra-2014/O…

  I also frothed the Hyundai i10, but they don't sell them in Australia…

  I havent tried a Mirage, but I think the overall experience of owning a small hatch will be similar between different brands, but the things I liked specifically about the Micra were - arm rests (cannot stress this enough, arm rests are the best) & decent boot space.. some small hatch backs have tiny boots, you cannot fit a medium sized suitcase in some of them.. for me, both the Micra and Hyundai i10 used between 5-5.5L of fuel when on the freeway driving as conservatively as possible.

  Negatives? Power - but this only really applies when you are trying to drive up any sort of hill at 100-110kph, you'll likely only be able to maintain 80kph in some occasions..

  In regards to new vs used - these cars are extremely simple, theres not a lot that can go wrong mechanically.. but in saying this, they dont depreciate much from new, so I can understand wanting to buy new…

  Good luck in your hunt!

• 

  mubd1234 on 13/06/2019 - 11:09

  +5

  Buy a car that's a couple of years old, not brand new.

  If you buy a 3 year old Kia Rio or Picanto with all its servicing up to date, you'll get basically the same fuel economy and still have 4 years warranty remaining. I personally think the Picanto is the best microcar on the market today (and its sales numbers line up with that).

  I drove a Hyundai i20 rental car once and was surprised at how well it drove on the freeway. Very low revs at 110km/h, plenty of power. If it wasn't so ugly I would have been happy to have it as a car.

  • 

    Bid Sniper on 13/06/2019 - 13:19

    This

    DIY service for maximum saving.

    • 

      mubd1234 on 13/06/2019 - 13:20

      Well, maybe not if you want to keep the warranty active…

      • 

        Bid Sniper on 13/06/2019 - 13:21

        3 or 5 year warranty on 3 year old Kias?

        • 

          mubd1234 on 13/06/2019 - 13:32

          +2

          @Bid Sniper: Pretty sure they've had 7 year warranties for quite a while now - since at least 2014?

• 

  JimB on 13/06/2019 - 11:23

  Are you being reimbursed from work for fuel/kms travelled?

• 

  dcep on 13/06/2019 - 11:29

  +2

  2010 lancer is a bit of a guzzler (9L/100km mostly freeway driving)
  This is actual

  the Mirage claims 4.5-5L per 100km (anyone have one that can vouch who owns one?)
  This is advertised

  it's gonna be closer IRL

• 

  TotalCombustion on 13/06/2019 - 13:08

  Purchased a base es manual 2014 Mirage used about 2 months ago getting around 5.4L/100km city and 4.5L/100km on longer trips with my best being ~4.0L/100km.

  I wouldn't pay $16,500 drive away, as others have said a demo would be much cheaper and will still have factory warranty. Mirages through 2014-2019 are nearly the same from what I can tell with minor cosmetic changes but otherwise the same drive-train.

• 

  [Deactivated] on 13/06/2019 - 21:09

  Get a lightly used car that is a bit nicer and a bit worse on fuel than the Mirage. The difference between 4L/100km and 5.5L/100km is really going to be a couple hundred bucks or so over a year. Don't sacrifice your comfort for that.

  You're sitting in this thing for 550km a week, probably something like 10 hours a week? Make yourself comfortable. Make yourself safe. A car as small and poorly made as the Mirage is neither of those things. You want a half decent seat, decent NVH, and an okay steering wheel. The Mirage has none of this. It might sound like I'm ragging on the Mirage, and that's because I am. Mitsubishi is atrocious for quality. They are pretty reliable, but they are absolute garbage apart from that. I say that having owned two.

  Buy a 3 year old Polo, Jazz, Corolla, Swift, anything like that in a higher trim for a cheaper than the Mirage and slightly worse fuel economy. Here's some links:

  • 2016 Suzuki Swift GL Navigator. You get a leather steering wheel, better seats, some infotainment, a quieter, better built car that will get under 5L/100km on the highway.

  • 2014 Toyota Corolla. It's a Corolla. Comfortable, reliable, nice enough. Got everything you need. 5.5L/100km on the highway.

  • 2014 Mazda 3 You're getting into Mazda 3 money here. This is going to be so much nicer to drive, much safer. Under 5L/100km on the highway.

  • 

    brendanm on 13/06/2019 - 21:58

    +1

    This. Mirage will be horrible for what you are doing.