Thread: 2004 Evolution VIII (Possability)

Originally Posted by nFiniteTuning

500 more or less car payment, 300 insurance, around 500 on rent....with whatever is left for other things we need.

I would assume that you have no debts to worry about if you are already looking for a new car. For the kind of salary you are talking about, Evo seems like a rather expensive toy (toy, not tool) to look at. Although it is a rather nice sports car, one of my friends got it, it is far from being very functional.
If you are hoping to keep the car as long as you have kept your Honda, and I would expect that out of an expensive car, consider these things:
1) This car is based on Mitsu Lancer, not known for an entirely amazing reliability record. Evo's are already known to have rusting issues.
2) The levels of turbocharging required to keep this car going will surely destroy the engine before you $36,000 worth of fun have been cashed in.
3) It is a harsh daily driver, I hope you (and anyone else that comes with you) can handle that.
4) If you ever do any kind of racing and Mitsu finds out about it, your warranty is going bye-bye. Same goes for any mods done to the car.
5) It's $36k!!!!

I would recommend for a nice useful new/used car as your primary car for now (new accord, camry, whatever) and after waiting for a litle while, as hard as that can be, get either an Evo or WRX STi. As a second car, it will last you a hell of a lot longer than as a primary car. And yeah, despite loosing to Evo by a few subjective tests in some car magazines, STi is just as good, you would not know the difference. And you can get much better deals on it. One of my friends got it for 32k and another one for 28k.

So good luck with interviews and spend wisely

Jsut do it! Might be the only chance you get to buy a car like that (before kids 'n all)

BUT: those things cost a lot to run! the warranty will last about 3 years (amazing for a cartuned like that but its a mitsubishi so should last) but the servicing and rnning costs will be bloody expensive and that is were most people fall down - they can afford the car but can't afford to look after it and there is no point spending money looking after a car that you could spend on other things like your fiance, a house, nice kitchen etc.

I would say look at the running costs very closely (the 400hp version requires very frequent servicing and tyres are very expensive). YOu might be better going for a slightly less tuned model like not getting the top of the range Evo but one of the lower power models like the 280 (do they do even lower). After all, i would really love to get a Scooby WRX or WRX SL (2003 model) in 8-12 months and i know i could afford the car if i get back into University halls as a tutor - £700 a year rent, £75 a year broadband, no electricity or gas bills etc). Yeah i would love an STI but i doubt it is worth the extra money to the amount of fun it will give me. The WRX has 225bhp with a 0-60 of 5.9 seconds, i currently drive a 1.6 pug 306! You can bank on the STI consting my almost twice as much overall due to bigger brakes, higher insurance, higher fuel consumption and higher purchase price.

I like evos but prefer a scooby and now they have kind of lost some of their boy racer image over here as they have matured you can find a good condition 2003 model wih under 20k on it for £13k - and when i am looking to by that will be down another couple of grand. I look after my cars - i drive them hard but fair - i don't believe in changing gear at 2000rpm in a petrol car and if the conditions permit i have abit of fun - but i don't park up curbs, go fast over speed bumps, over-rev it etc and i really want 4wd for safety (used to race 2wd and 4wd RC cars and the same feleing of security is evident in real cars).

As long as you are sensible and don't go for the top of the line silly quick and silly impracticle model then i say do it. The slower models can also be faster on public roads as the lower boost pressure is obtained faster so the engine has a more usable power band)

Ohh yeah, one more thing....I have other car's too. I have and will be keeping the Honda Accord. I have a 87 Fiero Coupe, and my fiance has a 96 Stratus. And I'll only be driving it like 10 miles a day...To work and back.

Originally Posted by nFiniteTuning

WOAH Wait a minute there Scouse...your speaking of non USDM Models haha. The highest model Evo you can get here is the EvoMR. And the only differences from the EvoMR to the Evo8 is the MR comes with 6spd tranny, different turbo config for smoother turbo spool, tri gauge kit in the center of the dash, something on the rear roof that is supposed to be an aerodynamic mod, and it comes with BBS Wheels. The EvoRS, Evo8 and EvoMR all put out 271hp, and 280lbs of tq. The gas mileage is 18City and 25 Highway. I like WRX's too, but you really should chill in new mexico for a week...there are almost more Scooby's then Civics.

Stock USDM Evo8 Vs. Stock USDM STI, STi will give the evo8 competition but the STI is a tad slower. Here STi's run stock 13 seconds in the quarter mile, Evo8's run 12 seconds. Regular WRX's stock run 16 seconds but if you do the 12 to 15psi boost mod, it will run 15 seconds. I know all this cause my good friend has a 10 second WRX. I was with him through 16-12 seconds...then he moved and did some turbo upgrades and some fuel managment.

What some of the evo people here in town are saying, is I can add a full exhaust, and engine managment, I can run 11 seconds easily and still be a daily driver.

Not quite sure where you've been getting your numbers from. MR actually has 276hp/286lbs. Stock, it can do a "12 second qaurter" only if you do increase the boost and/or do other engine mods. It's stock numbers are 13.4 seconds, and the "regular" Evo gets it at 13.6 seconds. My friend had to modify his Evo quite heavily to get into mid 12s. He is close to 400hp now and his 0-60 times are mind blowing, but the nature of a high boost 2.0 does not let it translate into even crazier quarter mile times. WRX STi in fact has a slightly faster quarter mile time of 13.2 and the only way it "looses" to Evo is the seat of the pants experience, highly subjective so I am not arguing that part, to each their own. (all info from a respected mag known as Car & Driver)

And although New Mexico might have some nice roads and weather, hotter air definitely won't make a turbo run better there than in does in Michigan (the place where the numbers above were obtained).

Your numbers on WRX are a bit off too, they run at worst 15 second quarter and faster and the stock boost for STi is only 14.5 PSI, versus 19 PSI for Evo.

So judging by the slant of the numbers you have put here, you already made up your mind and Evo is the way you are gonna go. I won't argue with your decision, although I have other reservations about some of the technical stuff you mentioned, BUT I have one recomendation:

Have the dealership write out all they told you about warranty, how they will still honor it even if you race it or modify it. You might not have heard that, but Mitsu has been proactive in voiding warranties, they check out racing lists and then void warranties of the participants. It is a known issue and you should be aware of that. So make them write out their promise, sign it (with blood preferably) and if they give you any crap later on (and they will) show them the paper. Enjoy the ride! I might not agree with the numbers you quote, but I will still be jealous

271bhp! crap!!!! 1/4 mile times mean nothing to me! nothing at all!

All the scoobies i see lately (new models not the old ones) have old men driving them (50 up). I have no interestin modifying my car at all - i would get nailed on insurance. 225hp is enough for me (for now). i don't see the point in a cat that can win the traffic light grand prix. Our roads are too small and driving rounds bends on country lanes is so much mroe fun. I would sooner spend my money on my car PC, decent tires and decent brakes before attempting aftermarket engine tune-ups. Over here we have a 400hp evo and we will be getting a similarly equiped scooby soon when the new model comes out in a few months. The thing i love about these cars is yeah they have 0-60 times in under 6 seconds but they go round bends like they are glued to the road. JC on topgear was tail sliding the new Evo 8 with 1 finger on the wheel and then he dicked all over a lambo with a racing driver behind the wheel. Yeah it had a faster 0-60 but the lambo had more top end but it was on the bends he was all over it. 4wd lambo V 4wd Evo and the evo spanked it as it had such an incredible setup with the yaw control and centre diff etc.

If you want to beat your mates go get an Atom - only car faster on top gear was an Enzo. It has a 300hp engine and weighs 500kg. twice the power to weight ratio of any of your evos!