drsrock

iTrader: (2)

This winter my son, who turned 17, and I were looking for a track car for him to start in the sport by doing some DE events. I wanted to find something that would be a good handling, solid car which was fun to drive. Since my car was going off lease, and his lack of experience the choice was between Cayman S, GTR, Evo X, M3, Miata or an older 911. I came from Porsche - all were 911's, and the last one was a 2011 GTS version. Very fast, fun, but most importantly expensive. Cost, and handling was a factor since this was his 1st track experience. After many winter months of consideration, and road testing we bought 2010 SE with 45K on the clock, mostly unmodified for $25k. I installed an SST transmission cooler, set of Ohlins, track brake pads, upper intercooler piping, cat delete, replaced the stretched timing chain, Enki PF01's 18x9.5, and tuned it to be in the middle of the safe range not to blow up the motor.


The 1st track day the car starved the turbo after 1/2 tank on hard left turns. Evolution dynamics tank went in.


2nd track day a hole the size of a dime was blown in the rubber ETS step down coupler at the turbo.


The 3rd track day reveled that the stock fuel pump was not sufficient to keep up with the demands the track, and my driving style, so the new one went in.


The 4th track day on a short road course the car overheated after hard driving for 30 min. Started sputtering, and spitting until it cooled down, and I backed off the hard driving.


At this point the car cost me 35k which is no small change for an unreliable car. So my question is - What Is Next??. I don't mind getting the car track ready, and investing money, but what I hate is not knowing if I can rely on this thing to last a day of DE.


There are a few more months left in this season. If this thing does not become solid dependable DE car then Evo is history, and Porsche is it's replacement. Late model Cayman S is as solid a track car as they come for same 35k, and no mods.


How come no one talks how unprepared Mitsubishis flagship performance car really is for even light track use?


Did any one ever have a successful Launch Control start in the Evo X? Ever?


Anyone want a slightly track used 2010 Evo X? May have it available in a month or 2. Hope not though!

MinusPrevious

iTrader: (3)

For what its worth I would have chosen the EVO 8 /9 vs the 10 (long list)

My experience of the tracking any car is that all weaknesses will be exposed. Correct those issues & you should experience much better luck

redleg225

iTrader: (14)

Probably not.

As a Rennlister and a p-car enthusiast I agree with everything you said but I doubt many people on this forum will agree with you.

Definitely go with a 981S if you can. I currently have an F82 M4 but am itching for the new GTS. It's just a bit steep considering what I can get on the 991 CPO side.

Anyway, good luck with the rest of your season and keep it safe.

Autoxevo

iTrader: (6)

Along with Minus, stock for stock the 8/9 is hand over fist better than the X at track. It takes some work to prep X's to handle track days, like you've done/seen. You've really only had 2 problems, we all learn you have to run a lot of fuel, (just so sad how they f'd the tank setup on the X's. My 8 'n 9 can run to 1/2 gal maybe less at autocross or track). And you cant blame aftermarket parts failures on Mitsu.

Remember the X is a big heavy car. Lots more heat builds up with that turbo tucked up against the firewall plus the added heat of the SST and cooler, it all adds up. That intercooler pipe over part of the eng and over the rad was a great idea, lets introduce more heat yeah!
What sst cooler did you get? The only good/well designed ones I've seen are the Titan series.
I'd do a lot of forum searching to figure out what the track ****** have done for reliabiliy and/or what has broke.

GotKT?

I bought my 2011 Evo new and had never driven a track before. By my third track day I was getting SST overheating and got the surge thing at 1/3 tank by my fifth track day. Got an SSP cooler and have had no SST issues since. Got to a point where I was getting fuel starvation at a half a tank before finally getting a surge tank. Only problem that still comes up occasionally on hot days is boiling the brakes, but that is in part because of my crappy braking. Never overheated on the track, even when track temps exceed 110. I am a little dismayed at how much I have had to spend to make this car track worthy, not to mention track ware and tare expenses. But for the price, this is an awesome track car that can also get me to work.

drsrock

iTrader: (2)

I got the SSP. Avoided trans overheating issues so far.


Forgot to mention: after track a seal blew on differential inspection window - had to re seal it. The good thing is that it reminded me to change diff fluids front and rear.


I would be interested to know what you find out on the forums.

jedibow

iTrader: (1)

I have probably close to10k track miles on my 8 and no issues what so ever other than the clutch going out... I agree should have gone with an 8 or 9...

Pure EvoIX

iTrader: (7)

to be honest. I would start your son off in a reliable track ready miata. He can learn helluva alot more in that than in any evo. I have driven both, and the evo does masks some bad habits. The miata will really teach you the fundamentals of car control, car dynamics, being smooth, carrying speed, it penalizes you for every mistake you do and you can't get back the time, etc...

You can have a track ready miata for about $8k. $3-4k NB miata, another $3-5k to make it track ready. Get ready to beat on it for days and days nonstop. Just add fuel.

Also replacements parts are plenty and cheap. If it gets damaged, it can be replaced no problem. If you wad it up...its a miata. Just get another one...You need to wreck 15 miatas to equal one of a porsche.

Balrok

iTrader: (15)

+1 to this. "Starting out" which you mentioned more then once is far better on a Miata. He'll be a better driver in the end.

Tevenor

iTrader: (9)

Your assessment is correct. The Evo X does take some work to make it "HDPE Dependable" primarily because the car is designed as a sports sedan, not a rally car. As was mentioned before, the 8's and 9's are a much better option stock for stock for a turnkey track car: lighter, better performance design, better stock suspension dynamics.

I have run my 9 at track days with BMW and Porsche clubs and my favorite track time partner is a Cayman S. It has similar handling and power characteristics as a stock Evo 9 does. The Evo 9 is maybe 20-30 hp down but puts the power down much sooner so it balances out. However, after I put some decent coilovers, brake ducts, got it tuned on higher boost on the stock IX turbo, and I was hunting them down on street tires.

As an instructor, I would agree that a better option to teach your son good fundamentals is go for a Miata. Cheap, solid, reliable and lots of fun driven at the limit which is easier to get to because of the low power but high power to weight ratio. The Evo X is a LOT of car both power wise and weight wise and although the electronics/drivetrain are pretty damn good, it also makes novices to dependent on the traction control so when they do push past the traction envelope, it's going pretty damn fast in a heavy car that is already past its point of self control. Not a good place to be for someone with no or little track experience.

TommiM

iTrader: (19)

When I first took my evo 8 out for track events, it was pretty much stock. All I did to get it ready was, good brake fluid, good brake pads, good tires. I had no issues with it for the most part. It wasnt until parts took a toll from a full season of track events and regular autox competitions in between those track days, that I started having some parts failing. Sucks to hear the evo X isnt as track ready out the box.

As what was stated above, miata is the way I would go to teach someone the basics and learn from. They are super cheap, and are reliable since they are so simple.

drsrock

iTrader: (2)

I just got done with another failed track day at NJMP. My car is definetly FOR SALE!

The transfer case has a blow off valve(much like brake bleeder valve) at the bottom of it, which did its job, and let out enough fluid to coat the cas, and get onto drive shaft causing smoke, and a low fluid light. I figured it all out after looking under the car on the lift, and calling the dealer to verify. I understand the car is designed to do this, but again - its a flagship performance car from Mitsubishi which can not keep its fluids at the right temps at a simple DE in 70 degree weather. Agin WHAT THE F???

As far as my son's expeiance - He now has many hrs on the track in both Evo, Corvette, Mustang, and our 24Hrs of Lemons car. I feel he is thru the initial learning curve and can handle Cayman S. Miata was a great choice, but since we only had one car to bring to the track, and I was driving it as well, we went with Evo. The Lemons car is a Crown Vic is on stock suspension, and without ABS, so he had to learn car controll in door to door racing really fast. He got 3 hrs behind the wheel of that car in Aug.

All said and done Evo was a great track car when it worked.

Parting it out in a week or 2. Let me know if you are interested in anythig which is in my 1st post of this thread before I list it.

mouseIX

I'm wondering if 2 drivers and double the sessions is what is killing it. How many of those sessions were back to back? Fwiw I never liked the evo X and hardly hold it at the flagship model the 8 and 9's were. I've built a few Cayman track cars for customers and holy cow what a car!!! If you are anywhere near Georgia check out Chris Smith Racing. They specialize in Cayman track cars.

Tevenor

iTrader: (9)

I'll stick to my previous statement: Evo X's are Sports Sedans. Evo IX's and VIII's are closer to being Rally cars. Your experiences are because you are beating on a near stock Evo X and expecting track reliability. We can't speak to how hard you are driving it, how much cool down time between sessions, etc. but regardless of the 'Performance approach' experience in Evo X's, you have to do a lot of work to make it dead reliable as a track day car because running 20-30 minute sessions back to back to back is hard to handle by any car unless prepped for it. Even Caymans.

I don't think the issue is with the car. I think the issue is with your expectations of the car's ability to be track-able right off the showroom floor. If you prep it correctly ( SST cooler for example mentioned above ) at stock power levels, it can be a dead solid track car. You just have to do more than an Evo IX or VIII to get it there.

delongedoug

iTrader: (20)

Buy my fully HPDE prepped 8

https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/sa...track-car.html

I have kept a complete mod and maintenance file over the years if you're interested.