Mitsubishi Space Star hits 414 520 miles (667 105 km) in six years

The Mitsubishi Space Star (sold in the US as the Mirage) is one of the cheapest models on the American market, and-given its small, city-focused design-it hardly looks like the obvious choice for huge mileage.

Even so, proving that looks can be deceptive, the Mitsubishi Space Star we’re talking about today managed to rack up 414 520 miles (667 105 km) in just six years. Bought brand new by a Minnesota couple, the Huots, it was chosen for its low fuel consumption-and purchased to replace a… Cadillac.

From Cadillac to winter-ready four-wheel drive

For the first 7000 miles (about 11 000 km), the car was used mostly by Janice Huot. However, when winter arrived in 2015 (Minnesota sees plenty of snow), she decided to buy a Mitsubishi Outlander Sport with four-wheel drive (known here as the ASX). From that point on, the little Space Star became her husband Jerry Huot’s daily work car.

Well looked after, but no pampering

Given that Jerry Huot’s job involves delivering samples from various medical practices to laboratories across the state of Minnesota and in the city of Minneapolis, it’s no surprise the small Mitsubishi Space Star started piling on miles at a rapid pace.

According to Jerry, the Japanese city car never refused a shift-and it even doubled as a hauler for stones and compost for the couple’s garden. Although it always received servicing and scheduled maintenance right on time, it would be a stretch to say the Space Star was treated with kid gloves: it didn’t even get to sleep in the garage, not even through Minnesota’s demanding winters.

Those routine services clearly paid off, because only twice did it need unscheduled repairs. The first came at around 150 000 miles (roughly 241 000 km), when a wheel bearing had to be replaced. The second was a starter motor replacement somewhere between 200 000 and 300 000 miles (between 321 000 and 482 000 km).

Best of all, because the Huots had signed up for a scheduled maintenance plan and an extended warranty, both repairs were covered.

Already replaced by another Mitsubishi Space Star

Wearing the personalised number plate “PRPL WON” (read as “Purple Won”, a clear nod to its eye-catching paintwork), the little Space Star has since been replaced by… another Space Star. The interesting part is that, judging by Jerry Huot’s words, that wasn’t even the plan.

As he tells it, the “mile-muncher” was eventually sold after Jerry took it to the dealership for routine maintenance and the owner of the business noticed the extremely high mileage.

Aware of the promotional value of a simple city car with so many miles on the clock, the dealer offered to buy the Space Star-and also made sure the Huots could drive away in a brand-new one at an especially attractive price.