Thoughts on the Mitsubishi Mirage?
Q. Hi I’m looking at small fuel efficient cars such as the Chevy Spark, Honda Fit and Scion iM. One car that has come to my attention is the Mitsubishi Mirage. Do you know anything about this car?
A. I recently drove the Mirage 5-door hatchback. This little car is powered by a 1.2 liter 3-cylinder engine connected to a CVT automatic transmission. The performance is, well there isn’t much; this car is about fuel economy. The EPA estimates 44 highway and 37 MPG in the city. The overall fit and finish is basic with hard plastic surfaces and simple controls. The seats are very firm but remained comfortable after 90 minutes or so. The handling is fine and long as you don’t ask too much. Our test car came in a $17,000, which starts to approach the nicer Honda Fit price range. As long as you don’t ask too much the Mirage will do the job.
Q. A recent-widow friend of mine is going to give me a 1992 Chevrolet S-10 pickup. While that sounds wonderful (and it is very kind of her), she says it has sat in their backyard for about three years. It is sitting on its flat tires. I will get over there soon and at least fill the tires and take a look. My question to you, please, is what do I have to do to safely restart and get on the road a truck that has sat for that long?
A. It depends on where the truck was stored, if it was in a garage versus outside in the weather. The more time you take to look at this truck the better. I would start with removing the spark plugs and adding some oil to the cylinders to lubricate the pistons. It is always best to try to crank the engine by hand to see if the engine has seized. A replacement battery will likely be necessary. The fuel needs to be completely drained and the fuel filter replaced. If the engine cranks over change the oil and filter. Once you get the engine running, don’t race the engine, just let it idle until it gets up to temperature and watch for overheating. Before you think about moving the truck check all the brakes and replace the brake fluid. If everything goes well: service the cooling system and replace the thermostat. If everything is still going okay up until this point it is time for a road test. The road test will exercise the brakes, cooling system, electrical system, suspension and at the same time you can listen and feel for things that just don’t aren’t right. My only other suggestion based on my experiences is don’t drive further than you care to walk, just in case there is something that goes wrong. One last tip bring a phone for emergencies.
Q. I took my Avalon for a 30,000 mile check last Monday. On Wednesday, low tire pressure warning light came on so I took it back, had the tires checked, and everything was fine. This morning the light is back on, slow leak maybe? Is there anything I should be asking the dealer before I go back in?
A. It is possible the low tire pressure warning light is doing exactly what is was designed to do and warn you that one of your car’s tires has a leak. Start with checking all of the tires with a gauge (include the spare) and setting the tires to the specification recommended by the vehicle manufacturer. The dealer may also reset the tire pressure warning system using a button located under the instrument panel. If the light still comes on then the dealer will test all of the components of the tire pressure warning system looking for a possible faulty tire sensor or TPMS receiver.
Q. I had a problem with my car; the check engine light was on. When I went to the repair shop they tested everything out and told me the battery was faulty. They replaced the battery and the check engine light is off. The problem is that battery was only a couple of years old. Did the battery actually cause the problem?
A. So many of today’s car problems are caused by faulty/undercharged batteries or poor electrical connections. It is entirely possible that the battery was faulty causing low voltage at the computer, which in turn can turn on the check engine light. Most good shops today will test a car’s battery before performing any diagnostic testing.
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