Conventional knowledge says that the Nissan Versa is the cheapest new car in America. Starting at $18,330, it’s a tough price to beat. But that’s under normal circumstances. Under abnormal circumstances that are in play right now, you can buy a dirt-cheap hydrogen car or spend as little as $14,000 and get yourself a brand new Mitsubishi.
Those abnormal circumstances involve the dying gasps of the Mitsubishi Mirage. The 2024 model year was the last for both the hatchback and the Mirage G4 sedan. After a decade on sale, the cheap subcompact will no longer be exported to the US, though it remains in production for other markets.
Despite the Mirage’s American demise, there is still a sizable amount of stock available across the country. There are around 3,000 of these cars on sale right now. Some of them are now devastatingly cheap as dealers look to run out the last remaining examples.
For whatever reason, the cheapest examples of the Mirage G4 sedan are all found down in Florida. Performance Mitsubishi gets awfully low, with a 2024 Mirage for just $13,997, and that’s ignoring the military discount that won’t apply to most customers. Meanwhile, there’s another over at Bomnin Mitsubishi for $14,200. Miami Lakes Automall still has a 2023 model on the lot, and it’s going for just $14,769 if you prefer a slightly older one for some reason. Either way, all of these cars have a few thousand bucks in cash on the hood to try and get these cars moving off the lot.
You can get the hatchback cheap, too. Palm Beach Mitsubishi has a 2024 Mirage ES for just $12,621, a full $5,699 discount on the sticker price of $18,320. They’ve got a 1.3 star rating on Cars.com, though, so one suspects that price might be a little too good to be true. If you’d rather go somewhere else, North Miami Mitsubishi has a hatch in yellow for $13,910, while RC Hill has a white one for $14,895.
Outside of Florida, pricing is less aggressive, but there are still deals to be had. Down in Georgia, Mitsubishi of Augusta has a Mirage G4 ES for $16,495, a touch cheaper than the $19,115 MSRP. Leskovar Mitsubishi has a similar deal up in Washington, as does J&S Mitsubishi in New Jersey.
For your money, you’re getting a car with a 1.2-liter, 3-cylinder engine, good for 78 horsepower and 74 pound-feet of torque. It’s not much, but for a car that weighs 2,084 pounds, it’ll get you moving down the road. On the plus side, it’ll do 35 mpg in the city and 41 mpg on the highway, which should keep your fuel bills low like your repayments.
It’s true that the Mirage is a cheap car, hardly overburdened with comforts and equipment. Still, you’re not getting an entirely ancient vehicle. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay have been standard across the range since the 2021 model year. You’re also getting power mirrors, power windows, keyless entry, and a parking camera. The former are mostly because it’s become cheaper to go that way due to economies of scale; the latter because it was mandated by federal authorities. Regardless, it’s all in there.
Despite its age, the Mirage’s last official model year was surprisingly successful. While sales had slowed to just 13,219 units in 2023, Mitsubishi sold a full 29,766 units in 2024. Right now, though, Car Edge notes that there are 3,418 examples on sale, with just 705 sold in the last 45 days. That equals around 218 days of supply, meaning you’ll be seeing Mirages on dealer lots well into the summer unless something drastically changes.
It’s funny to think, though, that the Mirage was actually up for sale for just $14,295 as recently as 2021. That was before inflation came in and kicked over all our toys, of course. It’s nice to see that, despite the base-price increase a few years back, you can still score a new one for cheap.
If you didn’t want a Mirage last year, you probably still don’t want one now. They’re cheaper than most new cars and come with a 10 year/100,000 mile powertrain warranty, but they’re unfashionable and offer little in the way of thrills or charm. [Ed Note: I disagree about the charm. I think these cheap little econoboxes are charming as hell, and I’m not alone! -DT]. They’re still a better buy than the Toyota Mirai, which retails for around $17,000, but that’s mostly because you can drive one across the country.
Image credits: Mitsubishi, Cars.com via screenshot
I do appreciate the Manual trans on this little guy. only 4 colors, white black and two variations in between.
If I gave you 7k to wrap/paint it, what color would you pick?
A car this small, it’s challenging to me. I’d have to check out some old smaller cars for inspiration. Tempting to go bold, but I’d want it to stand the test of time.
I am fine with black. But if I could go Wrap at that price, I would probably want them to do something stupid like the old 80’s Jazz Swoosh. White with Teal and purple swoosh down each side. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jazz_%28design%29
Mr. Day, I knew a car and honestly sir, that Mitsubishi is not a car.
I looked at a mirage in ~2016 when I desperately needed a cheap car. It was $9,995 brand new with a stick. Hard to think the cheapest ones now are still 40% more
I’d rather walk than drive a Mirage. It is a rolling advertisement for used Corollas.
That’s pretty funny
I just can’t imagine why anyone would choose a Mirage over a used Corolla. Or pretty much any other used car for $14K.
Warranty and better interest rates help, especially when they were sub $10k, but at $14k that’s hard to stomach. A few years ago some of us at work joked about buying some for a single make race
Even at sub-$10K – no way. At that point the interest rate doesn’t even matter. Better to buy a car that doesn’t need a warranty. Like a Corolla. It will be dull as dishwater, but it won’t make your ears bleed on the highway. And it will retain resale value better than a jug of milk, unlike a Mirage. A factor that never seems to be considered with these ultracheap heaps.
The banks giving out the loan to a credit challenged buyer would disagree. At these price points it’s less about the car and more about what works for a particular financial situation.
Then buy a CPO Corolla with a warranty. You will be FAR better off, and it will be worth more at six years old than a Mirage will be at three. Mirages age like unpasteurized milk.
This is exactly the point. Not everyone has the money to fix something, even if it’s less likely to break in the first place
I leaned up against one in a parking lot and basically folded the front fender in. I know I am not the smallest guy, but damn.
Nasty tin boxes.
cause they break? Or just embarrassing car. Breaking is a problem for me. But I get a strange sense of enjoyment from driving around silly small cars whenever I can rent one.
Allegedly, they are very reliable. They are also an absolute penalty box to be in, having had the displeasure of riding in one – I can only imagine how horrid they are to actually drive. Insanely loud, and it’s not a nice noise, the ride is bad, and they get blown all over the road.
I like small cars – I own a Triumph Spitfire, and I owned a Fiat 500 Abarth. I even love the basic non-turbo 500s (renting one of those is why I bought an Abarth). What I can’t stand are cars that are terrible to be in or drive.
this reminds me of a last ditch effort from Suzuki, the Kizashi. I really figured they would be dog crap, but I got one a rental in Chicago and was more than a little bit surprised. Sometimes the ones you expect to be bad are not all that bad. But I believe the Mirage is a bit like the old Geo Metro. reliable enough, noisy and likely blown around pretty easily by just about any other car, but certainly the best option for a new driver on a budget that is not mechanically inclined.
The Kizashi was a rather nice car, just from a brand with no presence in the US.
A Mirage is not a nice car. It is first, foremost, and only, a CHEAP car in every possible way (that isn’t all that cheap anymore). There is no universe in which spending the same money on a used Corolla, Civic, Mazda3, or even a Spark is not a better decision. Hell, you would be better off buying a USED Mirage, the depreciation of them is rather epic.
I have a 2017 red Mirage (with nice 7 hole 15″ Mini wheels). It has about 65K miles and it’s been my daughter’s car for about a year and a half.
Zero issues with this car. It’s been a trooper. Has traveled from San Antonio all the way to Terlingua with five people aboard and their bags for a weekend trip. Has gone multiple times to Austin, Port Aransas, Corpus Christi.
It’s a great little car that is ridiculously easy to drive. And one thing many people don’t mention is that the suspension swallows potholes and irregularities like nothing. Super smooth.
I look at them in the parking lot and on the road and wondered how the little tires handled all that.
Hmm, Port A sounds like a good trip today for those of us stuck in the slushy NorthEast, although my guess is we need another month or two for it to warm up enough for my tastes.
Personally my next trip is North into the more solid snow.
Charm?
They come in color!
Even cars thrice the price don’t offer a color palette that deep.
“For whatever reason, the cheapest examples of the Mirage G4 sedan are all found down in Florida.”
Every car is “cheaper” in Florida. Pick any make, model, and year and search on Autotrader. The lowest-price example will be in Florida 90% of the time. Why? Florida has no restrictions or limits on DOC fees. I guarantee that the Mirage you found in Florida will have a similar out-the-door price as a Mirage anyplace else.
It makes no difference. As one who lives in FL and ME, the out the door price will be the same whether in FL or elsewhere. The $1000 doc fee just means they discount the car more.
Um, that’s exactly what I said.
I assume they are not selling in Florida because everyone seems to drive leased BMW’s down there.
Mirages are *everywhere* here in God’s Waiting Room, FL as Grannie’s last ride.
Honestly, if I could get a Ralliart with a manual I’d be at least test driving one. Sadly they are all CVTs…..
My grandfather recently bought a mustard yellow hatch, for 14 grand. It’s automatic and a base model. He lives in Florida so I have yet to drive it, but I’ll be interested in seeing it when he visits.
Dude, America starts at Alaska and ends in Tierra del Fuego.
Adjust your geography accordingly.
Three cylinders plus a CVT. What’s not to love? At least there’s no turbo to fail in old age. IIRC I saw an article on one of these that ran nearly 300,000 miles as a delivery vehicle and most internal parts of the engine still looked pretty good.
Mitsubishi makes crazy reliable cars these days. The oil-burning V6s of yore are a thing of the past, and anything they make that doesn’t have ‘Nissan Motor Co’ stamped on it is sure to run forever with just a bit of maintenance.
Had a mirage as a rental.
It’s a bit more relaxing to drive if you wear earplugs, as not only is the engine loud, but there is so little insulation, cars simply passing you on the freeway are pretty raucous, too.
That said, it’s the most fun I’ve had in a rental.
Huge windows, easy to park, so small it feels like you’re in the road.
It’s up there for me with the Fiesta, Polo, and Fit, but it gets points for feeling the most raw and insane.
I had a rental once and I hated it. Felt like I was driving a roller skate and everytime a truck passed me on the highway the car shook violently from the wind. Shame because I owned a Fiesta ST at the time and I was excited to try this.
I had an Uber ride an hour home from the airport in one. I don’t care how cheap or reliable they are, more than 10 minutes in one of the damned things should be against the Geneva Convention. Gross. Makes a Corolla seem like a Bentley.
I LOVE small cars – but this is a crap car.
As someone who has had substantial seat time in all the small cars people mention as alternatives to the Mirage, along with some competition (in price, if not in size), I agree with folks’ observations: the Mirage is loud, plastic, agricultural, not engaging to drive, you name it. It was/is also a small and cheap new car, and I will miss it for that reason alone, even though I’m in the fortunate position of not needing a car that checks those boxes.
I would also argue that it compares favorably to the competition:
The Fit is magic – bigger on the inside, fun, and friendly. Easily the best car of the bunch. Unfortunately, very much subject to Honda tax – for new Mirage money, you’re looking at something with >=80k miles on the clock, and that is a pretty well-loved used car.
This is also true of the Yaris – Mirage money buys you an XP130, not one of the later Mazda2 based ones, and the transmission in those is the only time I would’ve preferred a CVT. The engine is gutless and even at high revs, it’ll scream without doing much of anything in terms of acceleration. The Yaris is also comically unstable in a crosswind.
Going down in size, the Chevy Spark that died a year before the Mirage is a much more refined experience (and my current daily). It also barely has room for four people, and those four people need to not mind getting friendly with each other.
The Fiat 500, with roughly the same footprint as the Spark, has even less interior space – the back seat is only usable by double amputees. You’re also looking at a less used, but still used car with Italian reliability…
…Yeah a new Mirage is unironically a good buy. No, it doesn’t have resale value; doesn’t matter if you drive your cars until the wheels fall off. And they will not fall off sooner than off a 10-year-old Yaris.
[Lastly, and this is something that irrationally pisses me off (I think Torch can relate) – for the love of all that is holy, can we please stop pretending that, even in the automotive arms race that American highways have become, a small hatchback with 70 hp is somehow “unsafe”? It can hit highway speeds on an on-ramp (and if it doesn’t, does it matter, when the grandpa in front of you comes to a complete stop at the yield sign, despite having three times the power), and maintain them. I love high-powered cars. You do not need one to “keep up with traffic”.]
Agreed. I drove a 1990 Pontiac Sunbird with 96 HP (that figure, of course, was from when it was new 35 years ago) eight hours from western Kentucky to Detroit, Michigan last September for RADwood 2024. If I can do that, there’s no reason a Mitsubishi Mirage roughly the same horsepower but with the addition of a slew of airbags is “unsafe.”
Albeit, I rented a 2018 Mitsubishi Mirage from Enterprise for an hour drive home once and found its NVH and refinement levels remarkably similar to the aforementioned Sunbird.
Unsafe isn’t a single definition. A motorcycle with antilock brakes and traction control is a lot safer than one without, but it is still far less safe than driving a new Mirage.
Sure the Mirage is safer than just about anything from the 90s but given the massive weight of the average new vehicle it still is in the bottom of the current safety chart.
True, but I think (or at least I was) we are discussing acceleration and ability to merge onto the expressway and not get ran over (literally) by Karens in Tahoes, not really crash-worthiness.
Fair enough.
We’re all likely to die and get smashed by the gargantuan beasts that soccer moms tend to think they need to haul 1-2 kids around nowadays, unless we also get the gargantuan beasts.
You mean to say the majority of cars here in Tucson? They’re either from the ’90s or a Mirage, Versa, or Accent.
Well, at least there might be safety in the parity.
Older cars had a lot more low end torque and actual response from the throttle and transmission. These modern shit boxes (and too many non-shitboxes if qualifying shitboxitude by price) make their hp at higher rpm and have garbage bottom end torque combined with e-throttle lag and transmissions that have to leave the room to take a constipated shit before returning to engage the drive to the wheels. I had a couple of early ’80s Subarus with 73 hp and 90 lbs/ft almost off idle. On a good day, the faster manual sedan could crack off a 0-60 run in just over 13 seconds, yet they never felt unsafe because of that low end torque, throttle response that trounced that of my GR86—or any other e-throttle I’ve driven for that matter—and the one that was an automatic transferred power as soon as the TC stalled, it didn’t have to think about whether or not it should comply with the request for full throttle acceleration. I’ve been driving an Equinox with decent enough power, yet it feels almost dangerous at times because the shit transmission hates to transmit power off the line, hates downshifting, and will not hold a f’n gear if you lift even a hair. This car has a CVT and e-throttle with a weed whacker engine, so I can guess it’s even worse than the worst car I’ve ever driven: 2016 Kia Rio that had significantly more power and acceleration on paper, yet I felt less safe in it pulling out from a stop onto a busy street or into a rotary that I rather enjoyed in the GLs than I did in a rotted old Nova whose doors would fly open in turns and had a bench seat with no working seat belt because of hesitation and no low end.
Nothing wrong with a Mirage, especially now that there are incentives to push the price to a more rational 15k or so. No, a 9 year old Corolla is not necessarily a better buy. If you’re in the market for something like a Mirage, you’re just looking for dirt cheap transportation with a warranty. You’re going to be willing to overlook the lack of quality. I’ve been in this buying segment before, and I think it sucks that when the Mirage is gone, many will be stuck with the Versa as their only choice (until that’s gone too). The hatch versatility is a big deal at this price point.
But it’s a Mirage….
Spending money on this car is flushing money down the toilet. Sure you’ll have a new car with a warranty but it’ll be relatively worthless once paid off.
Eh, if it still runs and drives and hasn’t rusted out, it’s still useful to the owner. This is a car people will keep until the wheels fall off.
Agreed. My Fiat 500 has more than paid for itself. It’ll be 13 years old this year in May and everything still works as it should.
And unlike some small cars 500 Abarths have more than enough power to get away from any soccer moms in Tahoes!lol
You’re scheming on a thing that’s SABOTAGE!
Ah crap this made more sense when your comment was just “But it’s a mirage…”
True, but for many better cars they lose the full MSRP of this Mitsubishi the minute they are driven off the lot.
It’s hard to complain about something at this price point. Even with a residual value of $0 several years on it’s still a good buy for many.
who cares cars are transportation and not investment property. if a family can drive it reliably for many years because it not an ab-used car and get to work, school and the store, who cares piece of mind is worth a lot to some people.
When I’m spending my money I care. I know when I buy a car, I will only be driving it for at most 5 years. It’s residual value at that time absolutely is a factor in my purchasing calculus. If you know you will drive it into the ground, that is your choice. I don’t drive things into the ground. I get sick of cars and they go away. I can only tolerate creeks and rattles for so long. Cheap cars are cheap for a reason.
Well, that’s a personal problem. I’ve never sold a car in my life. I drive it until it goes no more, then it’s off to the scrapper or donated to a charity.
But, nobody buying one of these has automotive ADHD and the luxury to indulge it, these make perfect sense for certain people who don’t care about cars to drive without concern about what a prior owner might have done/stuff that’s worn out and with a factory warranty until one of them is dead (I only ever see old people driving them, though I parked next to a Ralliart one and was hoping to see if its owner was also an old lady as that would have been kind of awesome). Either one dies, residuals don’t matter. I wouldn’t buy one of these either, but my case is not everyone else’s.
Well, if that’s your use case and you have the money to support your need for something new that often, then great. But most people don’t have that luxury, even if they act like they do with rolling negative equity into their next loan.
We test drove a Mirage when my stepson was buying a car. I can say that the Mirage definitely does not rule. In fact I found it to be just short of scary when it was on the highway or near another car. YMMV tho, I guess.
Beyond echoing the comments below that you should avoid buying a car from within the state of Florida, the best way to look at the prices of a car such as this is the monthly payment, not the sales price.
Take an average-at-best credit rating, minimal down payment, and estimate a monthly payment. These new cars will likely be a decent amount less than a 7-year-old Honda Fit with 60k miles. Especially given the interest rate. Yes, the Honda is a much better car, but if you are just looking for the lowest $/mile, these are likely a better deal.
The one huge caveat is the interest rate the dealer is willing to give at that price.
The good news is even if the advertised price is tied to financing through the dealer, you can refinance later with a less predatory lender.
That’s a good point and true for those who have access to less predatory lenders. However, that might not be very common for cars at this price.
Yeah I would be curious to know how many cars like this are purchased by lower income folks as primary transportation vs bought by relatively affluent parents as low-risk cars for their kids to drive.
Anecdotally, I see mostly younger women driving Mirages, but I suppose they could fall into either camp.
I was going to recommend this, most manufacturer financing only requires 60-90 days before you refi (or you pay back the incentive!). Every state is different, but there’s a surge of community credit unions nationwide and hopefully most buyer can roll it over to them quickly…or if the manufacturer financing is truly a good deal, stick with that.
I agree with DT – the Mirage is charming as hell. So is the Yaris, the Mazda2, the Versa, etc.
It’s an entire class of vehicles where the decision making and compromising is on full display.
And it’s a real reminder of how much excess we purchase, for one reason or another.
I spent a good long time looking over, under, in, and all around the last Mirage I had as a press car. It’s easy to deride it – the platform is a bit on the old side, some of the features feel kind of lashed-atop the architecture, but the features ARE THERE, nonetheless.
I love that it’s a triple. Triples are charming. Yes, obviously you have to plan when you’re driving a low powered car – that’s not a flaw, it’s just a reality, and it’s no reason to ding the car.
The Mirage isn’t a ton of fun in the slow car fast sense, but I think that’s mostly down to tires and wheels. It’s pretty roomy for its footprint, and it’s very efficient. It has the obvious hallmarks of a car built for a different market and brought here to be a low cost option (and object of scorn).
Honestly, it’s a great car in what’s probably my favorite segment. I’m sure there’s going to be the critique “but will it be reliable?”
Well, it’s a new car, with a 10 year, 100K mile warranty. So that’s pretty good versus the crapshoot of used. Sometimes, people need a car they don’t have to worry as much about and this is the right choice for a variety of reasons.
There’s a massive value to having a fixed cost form of transportation. Crummy, but predictable. If you don’t have the cash on hand to deal with a used car powertrain failure, sometimes buying a cheap new car is the right choice.
It’s especially the right choice for people who have a tendency to be convinced into “segment creep”, where a cash strapped individual purchases something used that exceeds their needs over something new that meets their needs. Often under the guise of that the used, nicer car was a better value because the used car brings more features and capability for the same price. The number of people I know that refuse to drive a small economy car and instead go for a similar payment on an 8 year old SUV is staggering. And a few years later I have to hear about how their 11 year old SUV shit the bed and they can’t afford to fix it while still making payments.
Dudes who buy well-used German cars because they “look cool” and then pass out at said German cars’ repair bills would like a word.
Haha. I think we all see that a lot (and some of us experience that a lot) but that’s no surprise. I don’t think a lot of people are given the advice “dude, don’t buy a Corolla, you can get a 12 year old S5 for the same price!!!”. Or at least you wouldn’t give that advice to your mom.
I do however, see a lot of people genuinely believing that it’s a smart decision to buy a 7 year old Grand Cherokee instead of something like a Civic.
Well said. Not everyone has the overconfidence to think they will find the perfect used car. It’s interesting how so many people think that any used car they buy will be perfect and never have any problems. not everyone’s that lucky.
so so well written thanks!
After reading this I looked at inventory for the hell of it. Surprisingly (or not) one step above the base trim to LE adds rain sensing wipers and moving up to SE will add heated seats. (There are no SEs within 100 miles, or at least not hatchbacks – even I wouldn’t sink to the level of the sedan – and I’d have to go through a tunnel for the closest dealer without a BHPH vibe.) I’d probably find myself willing to spend more for something nicer or less for a trustworthy used car, but there is a place for these things.
I hope there is not a lot of hate against this car. I know some people would rather murder a busload of children than buy a new car. This is enough car for a lot of people that need reliable transportation. Many do not have the cash to buy a used car and gamble that it will be reliable and not break them by breaking down. They do not have the skill or space to repair it and still get to work. Please do not hate on people who are not gearheads who need decent transportation and are not as lucky as you are.
Oof, $12-15k buys a damn nice lightly-used Toyota or Honda. A lot nicer.
Is it still easier to get financing on a new car than a used car?
Yes. And the interest rate on a new car is lower.
and that is one reason someome may choose a new cheap small car vs a bigger used car. thanks.
Lightly used, but a decade old 🙂
These cars (like the Versa) are really for people who want a warranty, really good financing terms, and can roll negative equity into them. It’s a sad combination, but I’m also thankful it exists.
There are so many free enterprise concepts that I call “one step away from welfare” — from entry-level Walmart jobs to the Mitsubishi Mirage. I hate that they have to exist, but I don’t criticize them, either. At least someone can get their kids to school and drive to work without major breakdown fears.
Well said. I have been in those situations (but not the negative equity part) In 1999 we bought a new Hyundai accent for $10k and our cousin and husband bought a used malibu for $10k at the same time. We had it for 11 years and it was fantastic. They had nothing but trouble and expensive repairs.
Umm, no you cannot buy any lightly used Honda or Toyota for $12 to $15K – check out your local listings, at least not here is the Northeast. I have been looking for a family member, debating whether I should give her my current ride or buy/lease something newer and came away thinking the best bet was likely a new Chevy Trax, which is cheaper than most 2+ year old Hondas.
Yes, I’m talking a little older than many of you are imagining. But with used cars, condition and milage (and verifiable history) rule the day- way more than age in years. There are sooo many cream puffs out there, and loaded used cars don’t cost much more than stripper used cars, even if everything else is equal.
Taking out a loan with interest to purchase a rapidly depreciating asset is fine for those who can afford a double-whammy. The rest of us should never buy new or almost new. No wonder so many folks are upside-down.
I understand that these cars help lots of people become mobile, but I will not miss the Mitsubishi Mirage. Had one as a rental. It was the most miserable thing I’ve ever driven with a year that started with 20**.
By the time I had the misery of renting it, it had only 20k miles? In the mornings, it had valve clatter until the industrial sounding 3 banger made oil pressure. Accelerating to 70mph on the freeway was an adventure in not dying. The AC couldn’t keep the car adequately cool in the AZ Summer, so I was sweaty at all times. Oh, and it might have gotten 30mpg?
The only nice thing I could say about this steaming pile is that Carplay connected quickly.
Goodbye Mirage.
Consumer advice: Buy a Honda Fit (any year is good). Or a Yaris.
Are there actually cars for sale under 15k? Maybe they aren’t really there, perhaps it’s some kind of optical illusion. I wonder if there’s a word for that?
Opticar illusion.
You might be able to get a Volkswagen Jetta,dealers have been discounting.
Other than that, Mirage or a Nissan Versa (which is now the last man standing in the sub $20K category).
NEVER, Never, never trust the advertised price of a car from a dealer in Florida. They all lie!
Also, I would be suspicious of old stock from a dealer in Florida. I’m envisioning these cheap and unpopular models being left on the low ground while they move the more profitable ones up out of the storm surge.
NEVER, Never, never buy a flood car! You can’t replace enough bad parts to make it reliable again.
Truth. And you know that there’s some mildew (and possibly saltwater) in nooks and crannies that you’ll never get cleaned out, even if you reupholster the whole thing.
When I was much younger I had a car at the dealership for service when the town flooded. They called and said my car got a little water in it but offered to fix it up for me and since I was young and stupid I agreed. They kept the car for a couple of weeks and what I got back…smelled like it had been scrubbed and vacuumed every day of those 2 weeks but they missed the ashtray which still full of water. Within a couple of months of getting it back the radio died, the driver seat rusted in place and couldn’t be moved, the driver side door handle mechanism broke inside the door, the check engine light came on, and the transmission lost 4th gear. The dealership claimed this had nothing to do with the flood and refused to fix any of it and said none was covered by the warranty. Luckily one of the service managers heard me arguing and called me after I left and told me how to take it to an independent shop to get the warranty work done then sell it. I get the feeling she wasn’t supposed to tell me any of that.
The best way to check if a car has been flooded is to look under the seats and under the dash for rust. Lots of metal braces under there that never expect to see water so they rust quickly and are difficult to replace.
That would change the value proposition dramatically . . . from cheap car to expensive aquarium.
They 13-14k examples do exist. My grandfather, who lives in Orlando, bought one for 14 grand a little bit ago. I believe he bought it pre-hurricane season too.