Faults:

Seats tore fast

Lifters went bad at 136,000 miles.

General Comments:

I really loved this car. It was very Quick for a small engine. The summit is a very nice car to own if you don't have a large family, because the back seat is small.

Faults:

Had lost an air filter while mud bogging.

I Need a new set of tires since I burned off the tread even though it is an automatic.

General Comments:

The car is quick and nimble even though the abuse I had put it through. I had purchased the car for $900 which is a good deal since the car had high miles. The car had gone through burnouts, four wheeling and flooding and the car will still do 120mph with no problem. I had came to the conclusion that no matter what I do to the car it will never die!

Faults:

At 160000 miles I replaced the idle control motor.

At 180000 miles I replaced the alternator.

At 189000 miles I replaced the water pump.

At 198000 miles I replaced the clutch, but how much longer could I expect a clutch to last.

At 215000 miles the back bumper came off after hitting a large rock hidden in a sandy section of road. We took a running start to get through it and whacked the rock pretty hard.

All other repairs were normal maintenance such as timing belts every 70,000 miles.

General Comments:

My Summit has been a great car despite the hell I have put it through and still gets around 38 miles/gallon!

No blue smoke yet (it doesn't seem to be burning oil yet).

For the past 60,000 miles I have worked in National Parks so my car has been from the desert to the rain forest and back again. It has climbed high mountains on roads that my friends wouldn't take an SUV on. I take it slow, she takes it steady. I have even built the rock "bridges" up under the tires as my boyfriend negotiates the terrain to get where we want to go in the back country. Then there's the sandy sections of road that you have to get a running start to get through. There's always a stubborn rock hidden in the sand somewhere. My mechanics shake their heads when they look at all the scrapes and dents on the undercarriage; they keep trying to sell me a Jeep.

This car has only left me stranded once due to my own fault of not replacing a worn altinator belt.

I only paid $11,000 (including tax, tags, etc.) for this car new so after 10 years and over 200,000 miles of incredible journeys I am completely satisfied. I expect to get at least 250,000 miles out of this car and hope to get 300,000 miles (but I will probably have to retire her from off-roading soon). After all the sticky situations she has gotten me through just to see the next vista or trail head, I don't know if I will ever be able to part with her.

Faults:

The Automatic seat-belt assembly failed. This is a known issue and a Mitsubishi/Chrysler official recall/repair. The dealership took care of it at no cost to me and it hasn't given me any trouble in the years since.

General Comments:

This is the most dependable car I've ever owned.

Be sure to perform the proper maintenance and your Summit/Mirage will never fail you.

-Do not buy the cheap gasoline like a fool! Use only the higher grade quality gasoline. Don't worry about the price as you will still get better fuel economy than all of your friends.

-Change the timing belt at 50,000 miles, follow the manual's instructions for other parts, and consult your mechanic for regular preventative maintenance. (Spend a little money on your car now and you won't have to spend a lot later.)

-Change the oil every 3000 miles religiously. I use synthetic only with mine for the extra protection.

The limitations are:

-The tires and brakes could be bigger (but that's alterable)

-It would be nice to have maybe 20 more horsepower.

-I would have liked a tachometer on my model.

Why do I love my car? I love it because the engine starts immediately as soon as I turn the key, even after 10 years!

This car makes an excellent daily driver or even a great "first car".

It's incredibly dependable and very economical.