Nick1994
$100 site donor 2024
I wonder if a car payment for a Versa would be cheaper than the repairs on the Jetta? A 5 year loan would be around $200 a month. I'm not a Nissan fan, but if a car is $10,000 and is a stick shift, how bad could it be?
Drove a 14 Mitsubishi Mirage
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Yep, you are not far behind my thoughts.
My truck is getting about 19mpg. Maybe 18 now, year round, now that I have the camper shell / topper, and run snows in the winter. Then again--I put 3kmiles onto this winter. No joke, between end of Nov and just the other weekend, I kept my miles that low. [I sometimes wonder why I keep it...] Ditch the Jetta and drive that to the tune of 30k/year? It won't take much in gas price spike to pay for an econobox.
I suppose I could get a CUV that splits the diff in towing and comfort and mpg... but, I paid $22k for the truck and a $10k econobox gets me to a $30k CUV which territory... doesn't do any one thing as well as these two separate vehicles do. See how I justify this?
Anyhow, I did like the Versa, imperfect as it was, just not sure I wanted to put my thoughts here about it, being a Mirage review and all. I will say it suffered from the same Mirage problem: 3k rpm at 60mph will not let you forget that you are a cheap person. But otherwise I thought it accelerated really well, and did what I wanted in a car. Although the clutch was weird: it worked fine, but had like a half inch of total travel. Weird. No USB but this model did have BT and an aux input so no loss there. I did think the Versa did better on the highway, less wander, noise, etc. Maybe if one were to drive it at 60 or less, in order to keep that mill from spinning at ridiculous speed, it would beat that 36mpg rating. I did like the mpg readout, which is something that my beloved Toyotas lack.
Oh, and I don't recall seeing an outdoor temp in either. The shame!
My truck is getting about 19mpg. Maybe 18 now, year round, now that I have the camper shell / topper, and run snows in the winter. Then again--I put 3kmiles onto this winter. No joke, between end of Nov and just the other weekend, I kept my miles that low. [I sometimes wonder why I keep it...] Ditch the Jetta and drive that to the tune of 30k/year? It won't take much in gas price spike to pay for an econobox.
I suppose I could get a CUV that splits the diff in towing and comfort and mpg... but, I paid $22k for the truck and a $10k econobox gets me to a $30k CUV which territory... doesn't do any one thing as well as these two separate vehicles do. See how I justify this?
Anyhow, I did like the Versa, imperfect as it was, just not sure I wanted to put my thoughts here about it, being a Mirage review and all. I will say it suffered from the same Mirage problem: 3k rpm at 60mph will not let you forget that you are a cheap person. But otherwise I thought it accelerated really well, and did what I wanted in a car. Although the clutch was weird: it worked fine, but had like a half inch of total travel. Weird. No USB but this model did have BT and an aux input so no loss there. I did think the Versa did better on the highway, less wander, noise, etc. Maybe if one were to drive it at 60 or less, in order to keep that mill from spinning at ridiculous speed, it would beat that 36mpg rating. I did like the mpg readout, which is something that my beloved Toyotas lack.
Oh, and I don't recall seeing an outdoor temp in either. The shame!
Nick1994
$100 site donor 2024
30,000 miles a year at 18 mpg and $3.00 a gallon is $5,000 a year.
30,000 miles a year at 40 mpg and $3.00 a gallon is $2,250 a year.
If the car payment was $200 a month, that's $2,400 a year so just in gas and no VW repairs it pays for itself! Plus it keeps the miles and rust off your truck. I sometimes wonder why I'm in the VW world... Oh well. It's getting a passenger side axle right now and I'm doing the tie rods within the next week. I just checked the cam out and it looks good, but the EGR valve was caked with carbon. Intake manifold looked clean though. Maybe that's my mpg loss?
30,000 miles a year at 40 mpg and $3.00 a gallon is $2,250 a year.
If the car payment was $200 a month, that's $2,400 a year so just in gas and no VW repairs it pays for itself! Plus it keeps the miles and rust off your truck. I sometimes wonder why I'm in the VW world... Oh well. It's getting a passenger side axle right now and I'm doing the tie rods within the next week. I just checked the cam out and it looks good, but the EGR valve was caked with carbon. Intake manifold looked clean though. Maybe that's my mpg loss?
Originally Posted By: rjundi
A versa and mirage are not made to be a 30k/yr car unless you like to suffer.
It will get old.....
No doubt. Which is why I would only put 20k per year on it. Truck for weekend duty, car for getting torn up on the highway. Lets face it, after a year or two the nicest car one can buy will have scratches in the windshield from the ice scraper, pits in the windshield and pits in the paint from "sand". And rust up where the sun does not shine. Why not use a disposable car for that? Drive for five, and when the hatred is too much, move on. Or decide to soldier on.
My first new car was a Saturn SL, and I did 25k plus a year on it. Didn't die.
I get the point of having a fun to drive car that you like. But I have that already, it is wearing out, and what is similar to it to replace it with?
A versa and mirage are not made to be a 30k/yr car unless you like to suffer.
It will get old.....
No doubt. Which is why I would only put 20k per year on it. Truck for weekend duty, car for getting torn up on the highway. Lets face it, after a year or two the nicest car one can buy will have scratches in the windshield from the ice scraper, pits in the windshield and pits in the paint from "sand". And rust up where the sun does not shine. Why not use a disposable car for that? Drive for five, and when the hatred is too much, move on. Or decide to soldier on.
My first new car was a Saturn SL, and I did 25k plus a year on it. Didn't die.
I get the point of having a fun to drive car that you like. But I have that already, it is wearing out, and what is similar to it to replace it with?
Nick1994
$100 site donor 2024
Originally Posted By: rjundi
A versa and mirage are not made to be a 30k/yr car unless you like to suffer.
I rented Versa to go from NH to NYC area it was somewhat miserable. Okay the first 45 mins then went fully downhill.
It will get old.....
If I lived in the rust belt I'd rather have a $10k penalty box rust away in 5 years than a $30k nice car rust away in 5 years. The $20k lost will be more painful than the uncomfortable ride.
A versa and mirage are not made to be a 30k/yr car unless you like to suffer.
I rented Versa to go from NH to NYC area it was somewhat miserable. Okay the first 45 mins then went fully downhill.
It will get old.....
If I lived in the rust belt I'd rather have a $10k penalty box rust away in 5 years than a $30k nice car rust away in 5 years. The $20k lost will be more painful than the uncomfortable ride.
Quote:
so just in gas and no VW repairs it pays for itself!
What world is that? j/k.
I've Sunday shopped the Mirage twice. There is a huge psychological hurdle in 'not buying' a Yaris given the amazing reliability and durability of my !echo! The 100K Mirage warranty, lack of DI and 3cyl economy is attractive.
People panned the echo as having a rubbermaid interior, blown easily on the highway, and cartoonish appearance. All are true, but the car has turned out to be a real trooper.
Given the same 'types' of complaints about the Mirage, it might be a similarly valued car.
so just in gas and no VW repairs it pays for itself!
What world is that? j/k.
I've Sunday shopped the Mirage twice. There is a huge psychological hurdle in 'not buying' a Yaris given the amazing reliability and durability of my !echo! The 100K Mirage warranty, lack of DI and 3cyl economy is attractive.
People panned the echo as having a rubbermaid interior, blown easily on the highway, and cartoonish appearance. All are true, but the car has turned out to be a real trooper.
Given the same 'types' of complaints about the Mirage, it might be a similarly valued car.
Originally Posted By: supton
Anyhow, I did like the Versa, imperfect as it was, just not sure I wanted to put my thoughts here about it, being a Mirage review and all. I will say it suffered from the same Mirage problem: 3k rpm at 60mph will not let you forget that you are a cheap person. But otherwise I thought it accelerated really well, and did what I wanted in a car. Although the clutch was weird: it worked fine, but had like a half inch of total travel. Weird. No USB but this model did have BT and an aux input so no loss there. I did think the Versa did better on the highway, less wander, noise, etc. Maybe if one were to drive it at 60 or less, in order to keep that mill from spinning at ridiculous speed, it would beat that 36mpg rating. I did like the mpg readout, which is something that my beloved Toyotas lack.
Oh, and I don't recall seeing an outdoor temp in either. The shame!
They are geared short for a few reasons, I think. They are more "peppy" around the city - which is where most of these cars reside and people won't complain about lack of power with them being so shortly geared.
I like it, though. The clutch should last forever. Unlike the Focus where it is like starting out in 3rd gear all the time.
Originally Posted By: supton
Well, I drove both it and a Versa. I feel like the Mirage is out of its league, or mind. All the bells and whistles,that is nice--but how will that automatic climate control work six years from now? What corner got cut to obtain power locks, windows, mirrors? Ten year warranty, great; need a repair away from home and... I think there are three dealers in this state.
The 3 pot has power, but was I was left thinking it had a miss at idle, and it just felt wrong under power. Ok at cruise, but no missing the noise when being worked. I also got the feeling of easy to wander on the highway, despite better steering feel relative to the Versa--probably from a different wheelbase?
I can see why it is liked, and want to like it, but I think I have to give it a pass. Maybe as a non highway car. But the Versa was better I thought, despite far less equipment.
Definitely feels funny at idle. And when you lug it down it feels like the engine is going to jump out of the engine bay. I suspect most of the switchgear, electornic HVAC is just pulled from other models to save money. The windows switches, interior door handles, electronic HVAC controls on my Focus are all interchangeable with various other Ford models.
Originally Posted By: rjundi
A versa and mirage are not made to be a 30k/yr car unless you like to suffer.
I rented Versa to go from NH to NYC area it was somewhat miserable. Okay the first 45 mins then went fully downhill.
It will get old.....
I have rented a few. Only real complains I had were the defective CVT that was installed in it. It would randomly race the engine at 5000RPM cruising at 55 ... for no reason.
I'll save money and deal with uncomfortableness.
Anyhow, I did like the Versa, imperfect as it was, just not sure I wanted to put my thoughts here about it, being a Mirage review and all. I will say it suffered from the same Mirage problem: 3k rpm at 60mph will not let you forget that you are a cheap person. But otherwise I thought it accelerated really well, and did what I wanted in a car. Although the clutch was weird: it worked fine, but had like a half inch of total travel. Weird. No USB but this model did have BT and an aux input so no loss there. I did think the Versa did better on the highway, less wander, noise, etc. Maybe if one were to drive it at 60 or less, in order to keep that mill from spinning at ridiculous speed, it would beat that 36mpg rating. I did like the mpg readout, which is something that my beloved Toyotas lack.
Oh, and I don't recall seeing an outdoor temp in either. The shame!
They are geared short for a few reasons, I think. They are more "peppy" around the city - which is where most of these cars reside and people won't complain about lack of power with them being so shortly geared.
I like it, though. The clutch should last forever. Unlike the Focus where it is like starting out in 3rd gear all the time.
Originally Posted By: supton
Well, I drove both it and a Versa. I feel like the Mirage is out of its league, or mind. All the bells and whistles,that is nice--but how will that automatic climate control work six years from now? What corner got cut to obtain power locks, windows, mirrors? Ten year warranty, great; need a repair away from home and... I think there are three dealers in this state.
The 3 pot has power, but was I was left thinking it had a miss at idle, and it just felt wrong under power. Ok at cruise, but no missing the noise when being worked. I also got the feeling of easy to wander on the highway, despite better steering feel relative to the Versa--probably from a different wheelbase?
I can see why it is liked, and want to like it, but I think I have to give it a pass. Maybe as a non highway car. But the Versa was better I thought, despite far less equipment.
Definitely feels funny at idle. And when you lug it down it feels like the engine is going to jump out of the engine bay. I suspect most of the switchgear, electornic HVAC is just pulled from other models to save money. The windows switches, interior door handles, electronic HVAC controls on my Focus are all interchangeable with various other Ford models.
Originally Posted By: rjundi
A versa and mirage are not made to be a 30k/yr car unless you like to suffer.
I rented Versa to go from NH to NYC area it was somewhat miserable. Okay the first 45 mins then went fully downhill.
It will get old.....
I have rented a few. Only real complains I had were the defective CVT that was installed in it. It would randomly race the engine at 5000RPM cruising at 55 ... for no reason.
I'll save money and deal with uncomfortableness.
I'd have to drive them again. Lack of power locks, and I think lack of cruise, might be major items for me. I mean, if my plan were to pull high mpg on the highway, hitting CC at 60 and livin' in the right lane might only be tolerable if the car did the bit of holding speed for me. The power locks, well, that is just from years of having that. I can easily get by without keyless, but power locks...
I put together a spreadsheet with these and Yaris, Prius c. Versus just driving my 19mpg truck. Would you believe there is no savings over five years? Ins+reg takes a bite, then the steep depreciation takes its toll. Now extending to ten years, and assuming ten year lifespan on all my vehicles changes it. I do not mind driving for ten usually, but something strikes me as amiss in this calculation.
Even at $4 a gallon I am hard pressed to see the savings. It is there, but will we see four bucks a gallon soon?
*
I did find that changing spark plugs on this Versa is not straightforward. They may be 105k rated, but a lot of stuff comes off. 5k OCI, although I suspect 10k once out of warranty would make sense. Have not looked at the schedule for the three pot though.
I put together a spreadsheet with these and Yaris, Prius c. Versus just driving my 19mpg truck. Would you believe there is no savings over five years? Ins+reg takes a bite, then the steep depreciation takes its toll. Now extending to ten years, and assuming ten year lifespan on all my vehicles changes it. I do not mind driving for ten usually, but something strikes me as amiss in this calculation.
Even at $4 a gallon I am hard pressed to see the savings. It is there, but will we see four bucks a gallon soon?
*
I did find that changing spark plugs on this Versa is not straightforward. They may be 105k rated, but a lot of stuff comes off. 5k OCI, although I suspect 10k once out of warranty would make sense. Have not looked at the schedule for the three pot though.
Having to pull the intake manifold to change the spark plugs was a bit of a deterrent for me too. I could definitely live without power windows and RKE. I could see myself adding power locks to a Versa - there's a few guides on it floating around the Internet.
We will be seeing $4/gal gas before too long.
We will be seeing $4/gal gas before too long.
Originally Posted By: supton
I put together a spreadsheet with these and Yaris, Prius c. Versus just driving my 19mpg truck. Would you believe there is no savings over five years? Ins+reg takes a bite, then the steep depreciation takes its toll. Now extending to ten years, and assuming ten year lifespan on all my vehicles changes it. I do not mind driving for ten usually, but something strikes me as amiss in this calculation.
I was there a few years ago, and did the spreadsheets. Ask your insurance company if your truck insurance goes down when it moves to low mileage status. Mine did.
Don't count depreciation as an out of pocket expense. Go ahead and track it separately if you like, but count only what comes out of your pocket. Besides, if you buy the econobox you'll have an asset you won't have if you just stick to using your truck.
If your truck is older, consider that you'll have repairs on the truck but not the new/newish car under warranty.
I put together a spreadsheet with these and Yaris, Prius c. Versus just driving my 19mpg truck. Would you believe there is no savings over five years? Ins+reg takes a bite, then the steep depreciation takes its toll. Now extending to ten years, and assuming ten year lifespan on all my vehicles changes it. I do not mind driving for ten usually, but something strikes me as amiss in this calculation.
I was there a few years ago, and did the spreadsheets. Ask your insurance company if your truck insurance goes down when it moves to low mileage status. Mine did.
Don't count depreciation as an out of pocket expense. Go ahead and track it separately if you like, but count only what comes out of your pocket. Besides, if you buy the econobox you'll have an asset you won't have if you just stick to using your truck.
If your truck is older, consider that you'll have repairs on the truck but not the new/newish car under warranty.
I guess the one thing is that your tundra won't depreciate all that much, especially if the miles are kept low. I was at a dealer a couple days ago that had an 05 4x4 ext cab, with 300k km and some rust starting here and there, and they were asking $10k.
300k km makes almost anything that isn't a Toyota truck nearly worthless up here.
300k km makes almost anything that isn't a Toyota truck nearly worthless up here.
Good point. Ins was set low on the truck as it was never to be my daily driver. I'll quiz my ins agent about these two cars, vs just the truck. I asked a couple years ago about the diff between Yaris and Corolla, but he said it was pretty trivial. Better double check on that I guess.
Insurance on my Jeep, not daily driver, for liability is something like $16 a month.
It is high on my truck, but it is still under loan, and with a decent value. Which is part of the reason for not putting 30k a year onto it, if I ever had to get rid of it, I would have cash left over after paying it off. Like 75 or so. Not sure, wife pays the bills.
My Jetta is like 33/month, but at 20kmiles per year, that probably drives it higher than yours. That and the typical VW driver (non)ability.
My Jetta is like 33/month, but at 20kmiles per year, that probably drives it higher than yours. That and the typical VW driver (non)ability.
Originally Posted By: dblshock
I had a 1st gen 1992 brand new called a Eagle Summit ES..great car back in the day, Civic killer...was real good looking
http://www.edmunds.com/eagle/summit/1992/
Civic killer and good looking? It must have had some more options than mine! I had the same car back in 1991. It was a 1989 Dodge Colt 2dr hatchback. I bought it private sale for $5K. 4spd manual, vinyl interior, no power steering or a/c. It had 30K miles on it when I bought it. It's funny how it seemed great to me for the time period and my age! The only issue I had with it early on was the head gasket was leaking coolant externally. I had it replaced at my local Dodge dealer. I don't recall what it cost me at the time, or if it was warranty covered or not. Thinking about it now, I'd drive this car today. LOL.
Just like this one. Same color even:
I had a 1st gen 1992 brand new called a Eagle Summit ES..great car back in the day, Civic killer...was real good looking
http://www.edmunds.com/eagle/summit/1992/
Civic killer and good looking? It must have had some more options than mine! I had the same car back in 1991. It was a 1989 Dodge Colt 2dr hatchback. I bought it private sale for $5K. 4spd manual, vinyl interior, no power steering or a/c. It had 30K miles on it when I bought it. It's funny how it seemed great to me for the time period and my age! The only issue I had with it early on was the head gasket was leaking coolant externally. I had it replaced at my local Dodge dealer. I don't recall what it cost me at the time, or if it was warranty covered or not. Thinking about it now, I'd drive this car today. LOL.
Just like this one. Same color even:
Supton, Is it too far for you to head north and go try a Nissan Micra here in Canada (not sold in the US)?
With the exchange rate now, it will be a steal for you to get one: Base model is 9.995 CAD.
With the exchange rate now, it will be a steal for you to get one: Base model is 9.995 CAD.
Originally Posted By: Pesca
Supton, Is it too far for you to head north and go try a Nissan Micra here in Canada (not sold in the US)?
Who wants to jump through hoops getting this thing homologated so that it can be registered here and then finding a Nissan dealer who would want to work on it and honor the warranty?
Supton, Is it too far for you to head north and go try a Nissan Micra here in Canada (not sold in the US)?
Who wants to jump through hoops getting this thing homologated so that it can be registered here and then finding a Nissan dealer who would want to work on it and honor the warranty?
When currencies were on par, a lot of canadians did it as it was worth it at the end.
Some manufacturers even allows it and transfer warranty work, if any, in the other country.
If that is the only way to get the car/configuration of car you want, why not?
If you do not want to do it yourselves, they are courtiers (spelling ??) who can do the paperworks for you.
Some manufacturers even allows it and transfer warranty work, if any, in the other country.
If that is the only way to get the car/configuration of car you want, why not?
If you do not want to do it yourselves, they are courtiers (spelling ??) who can do the paperworks for you.
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