'3' is the Magic Number

We've a whole load of phrases to back up our offerings this Winter- Three is the magic number, third time's the charm, good things happen in threes. Thankfully, we have some incredible offers available- at least enough to make up for the cheesy analogies. 

We have a vast range of offers available for individuals considering purchasing a new Mitsubishi in the next couple of months, which give customers complete peace of mind. The all-new Mirage, versatile crossover- the ASX and technologically-advanced and economical Outlander are all now available with 3 years free Servicing, 3 years Warranty and 3 years free Breakdown Cover. 

We also register a free, 7 day, Mitsubishi insurance note when our customers collect the latest addition to their households- so they can breathe easy that they are covered in the unlikely event the worst happens and can arrange cover at leisure. 

The Mirage is a truly super super-mini- 68mpg, no road tax, the smallest turning circle in its class for easy maneuverability and packed full of additional extras and safety equipment. 

If it had a middle name it would be 'versatile'- the ASX is available with a variety of engines, in Petrol, Diesel, Manual or Automatic and a selection of trim levels ranging from the entry level '2' to the range topping '4', two-wheel drive or four; but always offering a raised driving position and stunning good looks- this is a truly adaptable crossover. 

As anyone who has ever driven one will know, the Outlander requires little introduction. A 7 seat, four-wheel drive which offers over 52mpg; it is spacious, efficient and remarkably intelligent- technology on offer ranges from adaptive cruise control to forward collision mitigation and lane departure warning systems. A premium machine. 

Our offers are constantly being renewed so please check our homepage banners for the latest prices and finance options or, of course, feel free to email, call us or pop in. 



 

Mitsubishi: Fastest Growing Car Brand of 2013

Figures released last week by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders have shown that Mitsubishi are having a very good year indeed.



Mitsubishi Shogun

While we are still two months shy of the end of the year, there is no denying the statistics: sales increased by a phenomenal 86.71% in September alone and year on year sales were up by a huge 49.61%. These percentages place the manufacturer firmly in the enviable position of 'fastest growing car brand of 2013'.


While the new products in the range- Mirage and Outlander- have got off to a flying start, it appears to be the existing vehicles- L200, ASX and Shogun which have helped secure these figures. The crossover- ASX- sales increased significantly, the £5,000 price reduction on the Shogun transformed the sales performance on this vehicle and the L200? Up again this year.

 

A high specification L200 Barbarian Black

The pick-up remains, yet again, retail pickup market leader with 23.4% market share among its peers. In September it went one step further and achieved 26% of the retail market!

And the good news for people looking to buy a new vehicle? Mitsubishi are determined to keep their place on top so have released incredible offers to sustain their momentum. Thinking about a change? Why not take a test drive to see why so many people are buying Mitsubishi!

Drop in for a chat and coffee, call 01271 342600 or email sales@devonshire-motors.co.uk.

The Great Petrol/Diesel Debate

Should you choose Petrol or Diesel for your new car? First things first, you should probably opt for whatever fuel your vehicle takes, but that's another story. All joking aside, it's a long running debate and here are a few of the factors worth considering:

The 'Science Bit'

Conventional Diesel and Petrol are both produced from mineral oil, using different refining methods. According to the European Automobile Manufacturers Association, Diesel contains roughly 15% more energy than Petrol (by volume) and this, combined with a more efficient combustion process, ensures higher fuel efficiency and lower CO2 emissions. 

The Price Point

Diesel vehicles do, as a general rule, tend to cost more to purchase initially whether buying new or used. For example; the Mitsubishi ASX crossover vehicles "List Price" (before any of our special offers etc.) £16,750 for a Petrol ASX, the same vehicle in Diesel would be £18,750. Having said that, Diesel vehicles do tend to depreciate in value slower so they'll likely hold their value. 

Fuel Savings

Diesel is currently still more expensive to buy than Petrol but vehicles that run on the former tend to be more fuel efficient. Recent developments in Petrol engines are narrowing the gap though- the Mitsubishi Mirage is not made in a Diesel version as it can already achieve 68mpg from its 3 cylinder, 1.2 litre Petrol engine. 

Generally speaking, if you are a low mileage motorist (say 7,000 miles a year) and keep your car for 3 years or less, it is unlikely you'll see the fuel savings. In fact, the AA recommend that, if you're planning on using your vehicle for mainly town or stop/start driving, it would be wise to avoid buying a Diesel vehicle with a Diesel Particulate Filter (which most Diesels manufactured after 2009 have). This is because, while filters in the exhaust reduce soot emissions by 80%, the collected particles have to be burnt off and this process needs to be completed during sustained periods of driving at speed. 

Day to Day Running 

Car insurance can be more expensive for Diesel than Petrol vehicles as Diesels have higher average accident repair costs and are more costly, in general, to replace in the event of a write-off, so this is well-worth looking into before making a purchase. 

Road tax wise, the cost of this is based solely on the CO2 emissions created by a vehicle so Diesel vehicles usually win out on this point. You can easily establish road tax costs before buying a vehicle online if you have the registration: https://www.taxdisc.direct.gov.uk and select 'Vehicle Look Up'.  

Another factor to consider would be servicing- Petrol vehicles usually have to be serviced more frequently than Diesels but the cost is often less when sticking to the manufacturers schedule as Diesel filters can be costly. However, if your vehicle is out of warranty and you no longer have to operate within the schedule for servicing, this price difference may be avoidable, our 'All Makes' Value Service, for example, is £99.99 whether Diesel or Petrol. 

Overall

The above are all elements worth considering when you are looking into purchasing a new vehicle but the differences will vary depending on the vehicle itself and, of course, each individuals preference. If you're looking into buying a new Mitsubishi, or any make or model of used vehicle, come and speak to one of our Sales Advisors who can help guide you through the decision. 

Have something to add? Join the debate! Facebook or Tweet us, we'd love to hear what you have to say on the matter. 



 

 

Looking For a Reliable Car? Try Japanese!

Japanese vehicle manufacturers have long been associated with high build quality and overall reliability and, recent statistics reveal that, these assumptions are very well founded.

Warranty Direct have assembled an extensive reliability index- gleaned from data compiled on over 50,000 cars- based on a variety of areas from average cost of repair, time the car is off the road to the average age of the car and the mileage.

We stock, or can source, Lancers (similar to the above)

The Mitsubishi Lancer took equal 1st place by being both the most reliable car on the road and also the cheapest to repair in the unlikely event anything does go wrong (with an average repair bill of a mere £95.43!). An outstanding achievement for a manufacturer when you consider that Mitsubishi holds less than 1% of the market share in the UK.

And it isn't only the Lancer praised for its reliability- the Reliability Index top 10 features no fewer than eight vehicles that are built by, or in conjunction with, Japanese manufacturers. Honda boasts two vehicles in the top 10- the Jazz sits squarely at number 6 along with the HR-V in equal 9th place.

Just one of the ultra reliable Honda Jazz' we have in
stock at the time of writing.

The index also, rather helpfully, makes suggestions as to what is most likely to go wrong with the vehicles in the top 10. The Vauxhall Agila (essentially a re-badged Suzuki Wagon R) has been known to have fuel system issues, Suzuki Alto (5th most reliable) and Toyota Aygo (joint 7th) owners should watch for heater problems and those with Mazda MX-5's, the only convertible in the top 10, should be wary of air conditioning issues.

A resounding theme stands out in the research- the less the car has, the less can go wrong with it and- in the event any issues do crop up- simplicity also eases repair costs. Reliability has, and likely always will be, a key concern of consumers when looking to buy a vehicle. It goes without saying that most people have neither the time nor money to spend at a garage unnecessarily and, while regular servicing and routine maintenance go a very long way, buying a reliable vehicle in the first place should be of paramount importance.

With all this in mind, there really is only one conclusion you can draw: if you are looking for a reliable vehicle- whether new or used- Japanese might well be the way forward.

One More Good Reason to Buy a Mitsubishi Mirage

Euro NCAP has released the results of its latest crash test campaign and it's very good news for drivers of the latest addition to the Mitsubishi range.

The Mitsubishi Mirage achieved a very high 4-star rating, comparable to much larger vehicles and- perhaps more importantly- better than those gained by many of it's closest competitors.

The Mirage was engineered to offer a high level of safety within its compact dimensions, with a whole host of built-in safety features. The base point was Mitsubishi Motor's patented "RISE" (Reinforced Impact Safety Evolution) active structure, meant to efficiently absorb an impact from all directions and to disperse it, and was built up from there- adding straight and large section cross-members and a reinforced cabin to ensure improved energy-management in the case of a front end crash.



Mirage being put through its paces

And the advancements aren't just evident on the outside- Mitsubishi applies the same attention to safety detail on the interior too: the front seats have double pre-tensioner and force limiter seatbelts as well as a built-in whiplash injury reduction design.

The Mitsubishi Mirage is available with 6 airbags as standard (including side and curtain), ABS, Active Stability Control, Traction Control, Brake Assist and an Emergency Stop System. The automatic- CVT- version of the popular new super-mini also comes with revolutionary Hill Start Assist.

Choose to buy the Mirage? You'll get the peace of mind of knowing that you and your passengers are in one of the safest vehicles amongst its peers, and who can put a price on that?

40% of Motorists Admit to Driving Without an MOT- We Want to Help!

Shocking new findings show that a third of motorists in the UK- 10 million vehicle owners- have driven with no MOT and this figure soars to over 40%, the highest of any region of the country, in the South West!

The survey was conducted by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) and also found that, of those who had driven without a valid MOT, 24% admitted driving for up to a month and a small- yet alarming- 7% for up to six months.

We are delighted to announce that we will be among the first to team up with the industry 'Minute or Two' initiative (in partnership with Motor Codes)- which encourages motorists to carry out 10 simple visual checks of their vehicle prior to the MOT test.

We completely appreciate the busy lives many people live and are offering a stress-free MOT experience for customers, carrying out the 10 point pre-inspection on your behalf- for free- before the annual test to help the vehicle avoid failing due to simple-to-fix issues.

We'll also- for the month of October and November- be offering MOT's for a reduced price of just £35 (including a free re-test). Just ring and quote 'Minute or Two'.

The full 'Minute or Two' checklist includes everything from lights, tyres, windscreen wipers and fluid levels and, as with all Service and MOT work, will be carried out by manufacturer-trained technicians with (we wouldn't dare tell you how many!) years of experience using fully-approved parts appropriate to each specific vehicle.


We look forward to welcoming customers- both old and new- to our showroom to take advantage of these fantastic offers. Call us on 01271 342600 or email service@devonshire-motors.co.uk.

Win a Mirage!

We are giving away a brand new Mitsubishi Mirage for a whole year and it really couldn't be any simpler to win.

To be in with a chance to head home in the fantastic new super-mini, all you have to do is take one for a test drive and you'll be entered into the prize draw. (What could be) your Mirage is ready and waiting on our forecourt and one of the people who drives a Mirage with us between now and the 30th November is guaranteed to win the use of this car for a year!

Just waiting for it's new driver!
 

The all-new Mirage combines great styling, excellent fuel economy and real-life practicality- and with low emissions it's the most environmentally-friendly car in it's class.

The little car has only been in showrooms for a matter of months but has already proved very popular- and it's not hard to understand why: chic styling, exceptional comfort, low running costs, incredible fuel economy across the range of between 65.7 and 68.9mpg and no road tax payable on any vehicle in the range (thanks to it's low Co2 emission levels).

And now for the formal bit: Entrants must be 21 years old, hold a full, clean driving licence and be a UK resident. Full terms and conditions are available at www.mitsubishi-cars.co.uk. We will announce the lucky winner in December and the vehicle will be delivered in January- what a way to start the New Year!

To arrange a test drive in a new Mirage contact us on 01271 342600 or pop into the showroom on the Pottington Industrial Estate, Barnstaple, EX31 1LQ.