If the Cube got Totaled....

"Frosted" (frostedbuns) 12/11/2014 at 11:47 • Filed to: None

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Last week saw a string of aggressive drivers and oblivious drivers and oblivious drivers driving aggressively. I saw quite a few very close calls and was almost involved in one myself. It made me start thinking, what if one of these near misses ended up being a hit? What if the insurance company ended up totaling out my little toaster in the event of a crash? Well I'm assuming I'd get 10 grand if that were to happen being that my car is valued at 10 grand give or take 1-2000 dollars with the trim level. Would I just get another Cube? It seems like there aren't any other SL trims with black interiors around and that was a big factor when I bought my Cube. So finding another one would be tough. But honestly, for the kind of driving that I do 98% of the time (and here's where I put the flame suit on), I would get a Mitsubishi Mirage. Cheap to buy, cheap to insure, cheap on gas, the interior is on par with the Mazda 2. Of course I would get it with 5 speed and learn to drive stick. But in terms of power AND size, it's as close to a kei car as we'll get in the US and that leaves me with a strange attraction to it.

But my Cube is happy and healthy with a mere 33 thousand miles on the clock and I'm looking to buy new wheels for the spring, not a new car.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Frosted 12/11/2014 at 11:49

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Readers of a UK car magazine recently voted the Mirage as one of the 10 worst cars sold...

Leon711 > Frosted 12/11/2014 at 11:53

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punkgoose17 > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 12/11/2014 at 11:54

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I've read that the suspension is literally frighteningly bad, the body roll is scary, and it is harsh on small bumps and bottoms out on large bumps. The only good thing about the Mirage is the fun colors it comes in.

Leon711 > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 12/11/2014 at 11:55

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http://www.topgear.com/uk/mitsubishi/…

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Leon711 12/11/2014 at 11:56

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Yep pretty much every review I've looked at panned the thing. Seems like a very clear avoid.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Frosted 12/11/2014 at 11:56

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I can't tell you how many times I've thought "I wish this car would just get totaled." either because I was getting bored with a car, or because I regretted buying it in the first place. Lately it's just been because I can't seem to sell my Civic, I've been trying to sell it for more than 6 months now. But now I finally have the price down to a reasonable number, (the price has gone down basically as I've paid it off.

I don't "hate" my 2001 Civic, but I don't love it enough to spend any extra time or money on it, and I really want a car that I can moddify. Plus I kinda hate owning a coupe. I want a wagon/hatchback/ Subaru Baja because.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > punkgoose17 12/11/2014 at 11:57

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Yeah some of the reviews mentioned that, sounds a bit like my girlfriends old Nissan Micra, which was first released in 1992...

Leon711 > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 12/11/2014 at 11:57

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I mean a 2/10 seriously?

Frosted > Leon711 12/11/2014 at 11:59

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The Mirage is outselling the Cube and has sold 15000 units as of November sooooo the best they can do is doing surprisingly well considering most consider it a crap car and expected it to flop.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Leon711 12/11/2014 at 11:59

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What car gave it the same exact rating.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 12/11/2014 at 12:00

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but in the UK they have CHOICES for a basic small hatchback price at under 12k

Leon711 > Frosted 12/11/2014 at 12:00

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I'd recommend a base fiesta over this. or a spark TG gave it 2/10 whatcar gave it 2/10.

people bought PT Cruisers, it doesn't mean they are good.

punkgoose17 > Frosted 12/11/2014 at 12:00

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You would probably be better off with the Korean Cube the Kia Soul, you could also get a Rio, a Spark, or a Sonic.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 12/11/2014 at 12:01

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How much is a base Fiesta there?

Leon711 > Frosted 12/11/2014 at 12:03

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Also enjoy another NOT AD from Sniff Petrol.

Frosted > Leon711 12/11/2014 at 12:03

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I dislike both the Fiesta and Spark very much. If anything, the Mazda 2 would be next on the list. Followed by the Sonic sedan.

Frosted > punkgoose17 12/11/2014 at 12:08

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When originally shopping for the Cube, I checked out a used Rio with 800 miles on it. Really surprisingly nice but they get expensive fast. The one I tested was 18,000 dollars. I'd totally consider one of those or an Accent again though.

Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! > Frosted 12/11/2014 at 12:16

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I say if you like driving the cube, why not get a Versa? That's essentially what the cube is. And since Nissan is no longer bringing the cube to the states, it's probably your best option.

In lieu of that, probably a CPO Honda Fit might do you well.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Frosted 12/11/2014 at 12:23

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Why do you dislike the Fiesta? The only problem I found with it is the front of the cabin isnt as roomy as I'd like.

Frosted > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 12/11/2014 at 13:19

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I dunno really, I don't like the way it looks on the exterior and I don't care the design of the center console.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Frosted 12/11/2014 at 13:21

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That's fair, I'm not a fan of the dash design either. I'd still take one over the Mirage though.

Frosted > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 12/11/2014 at 13:28

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I just see the Mirage as A) super basic transport and B) a car with A LOT of potential for mods. Some coilovers and stiffer swaybars would help the scary suspensions and hopefully someone will come up with a turbo charger kit for that little 3 cylinder to up the power. It doesn't weigh very much so adding some extra oomph could turn it from the worst car ever to one of the most fun cars to own. Hell, I wish Mitsu would've dropped just the N/A 2.0 from the lancer into the Mirage. 140 horses in a car that weighs under 2 thousand pounds would be pretty alright.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Frosted 12/11/2014 at 13:34

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To be honest if you want a car to really get stuck into a Mirage is probably a pretty bad idea, but to each their own.

Frosted > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 12/11/2014 at 13:41

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Oh I'm sure just a test drive would turn me off of the damn thing. But man every time I see one on the roads, I'm just like "yea I wonder..." Sometimes car reviews don't cut it and you have to experience it for yourself, for me the Mirage is one of those cars.

I still look at the Mazda 2 and think I should've got one of those instead of the Cube though, so maybe that'd be the more likely route to go. It's about the same interior-wise but (according to reviews) has better suspension. And 30 more horsepower roughly.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Frosted 12/11/2014 at 13:44

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Reviews can be wrong but when a car is universally panned it's usually rubbish.

I quite like the Mazda 2 actually, I looked at one before I bought the Panda but they hold their value well and are more expensive to tax here.

Frosted > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 12/11/2014 at 13:50

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Yep, I went with the Cube for the same reason. Coupled with my father having that parental fear that it was too small and would be crushed in a car crash (I've yet to crash in my 8 years of driving soooooo I don't really look at safety too much when car shopping). Mazda in general holds value extremely well and when gas prices were nearing 4 dollars per gallon in the US, the price on these little eco warriors skyrocketed. Used ones were selling for the same price as new ones. That might've changed now that gas prices are plummeting though.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Frosted 12/11/2014 at 14:02

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One of my parents drives a car slightly smaller than mine so they didn't really comment on what car I bought. In fact I didn't tell them what I chose until I brought it home.

Fuel prices don't seem to change much here, they dropped a little recently but not enough to affect the car market.

TDogg > Frosted 12/11/2014 at 14:36

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I sat in one and I was really surprised with how roomy they are (considering their size) and the interior wasn't complete garbage. If it drove semi not horribly, I could consider recommending it.

TDogg > Frosted 12/11/2014 at 14:38

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If you were considering something that expensive, I'd suggest you test drive the Sonic with the 1.4L turbo. Quick little car and looks pretty nice too.

Frosted > TDogg 12/11/2014 at 15:02

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I want to test drive the sedan honestly. If I had known it existed when I was car shopping, I might've ended up in that. Most dealers seem to be hiding the fact that a sedan model exists.

Frosted > TDogg 12/11/2014 at 15:02

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The Mazda or the Mirage?

TDogg > Frosted 12/11/2014 at 15:09

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I wanted to like the hatch model, but that rear end just doesn't work right. I've noticed it's a lot harder to find the sedan with the turbo (and even harder with a stick) around me, but they are out there.

TDogg > Frosted 12/11/2014 at 15:09

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Sorry, the Mirage. I haven't even seen a Mazda 2 in person >.<

Dave H NZ > Frosted 12/11/2014 at 17:46

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Well I have always considered a small car (actually first car was a 1972 1200 Datsun 20 thou of head and could spin the wheels in the first 3 gears lol ) then a 1967 Wolseley 16/60 (medium sized 1600cc floor change planed head MG head a tank really but could cruise easily at 75mph all day lol) then a medium sized 1982 Mazda 626 2l limited edition last of the rear drive format with factory tach instead of clock RX7 series one mags etc. Next was 92 Subaru Legacy 2l sedan AWD (my first auto age creeping in) non turbo though Fuel Injected Japanese spec so went like stink and now 2004 Volkswagen Passat auto 2l FI Boxer wagon loves fuel around town but on the open road runs on the smell of a oily rag.

But about small cars at different times 5 cars only at over 30 years I have had loaners when work was being done and other than the Datsun I felt quite unprotected and small and I can relate only 2 weeks ago when I had Hyundai Getz for 2 days while I a Alternator replaced sure it had even more bells and whistles than my VW but around even medium sized cars (let alone large and larger SUVs)I felt unsafe. If they are town cars let only them be around town on their own ban the brutes to the open roads problem we would have to go back to 2 car per family again ;)