I'm taking my thoughts out of this thread. There seems to be a pretty high amount of stupidity in this thread from a lot (not all) of RA owners. I want no part of this.

 

From some that owns Neon, granted it’s not a SRT-4 but besides that point the cars are the same platform. IMO, the cars are big piece of sh-t. If this is the type of car you want to own, buy one and find out for yourself. Wait a few years and if you get the SRT-4 (hard driving) your auto parts store will love you because you’ll see more of him then your girl friend.
Pop the hood and start looking under it, everything spells cheap, that’s how American car companies compete against the Japanese, sorry to say it but that’s the truth.
Don’t get me wrong, the Neon isn’t a bad commuter car, gets good gas mileage, not too bad in the snow but I certainly wouldn’t take one over my RA even with its turbo and good straight line speed.

 

What are you planning to do with the car when you get it. Are you going to mod the **** out of it and try to go as fast as possible and say to hell with the warranty, then go SRT-4. I looked at one they are fast and fund to drive with A LOT of dealer support. Or do you want a reasonably quick car that you plan to lightly mod get get a few more ponies out of it but keep it as a reliable daily driver. If that is the case go ralliart. I have driven both and own a ralliart the lancer is a much easier car to drive day to day. You can get one new for 16-17K or maybe cheaper if you can talk the dealer down or find an 05 on the lot. The SRT will go for at least 21K. It really comes down to what do you want to do with the car. It's your $$$.

 

SRT has more power, build quality questionable and materials used on the car, if you ever sit in a neon, feel the interior, hard cheap plastics. If you ever sit in a lancer, the interior fit and finish in my opinion is a step up from the SRT. Softer plastics and nice suede like cloth seats. plus have you ever sat in the backseat of a neon??? No room for your damn legs.......I dont know what it is about lancer but the rear seat has tons of room. If you get a few parts for your RA you will beat SRT 0 - 50 mph. ( after SRT spools up gone but still ) I've raced a few and same damn thing each time........1st and 2nd gear belong to the RA.....but shift to third and they blow by ya! I know there are gunna be a few skeptics here, and maybe some that this happens to as well. either way both are great cars and have their downfalls.

 

^^Look everyone...it's Tony Robbins!

Man this thread is such a painful read.....but I will address the QUESTION ASKED:
Should I get an SRT4 or a Ralliart? In reality.....it is all about what YOU really like, which we cannot tell you.

But, without getting into a **** fight here like the rest of you *****es, let's make a stock FACT BASED comparison:

Price:
SRT4 - starting at $21,295 (per their website)
Ralliart - starting at $14,599 (per their website)
Nod: RALLIART (not including, tax, title, license, insurance)

Engine specs:
SRT4 - 2.4L turbocharged DOHC I4. Rated at 230hp, 250 ft.lb trq
Ralliart - 2.4L MIVEC SOHC I4. Rated at 162 and 162
Nod: SRT4

Drivetrain:
SRT4 - FWD, 5 speed manual, 4 wheel disc brakes
Ralliart - FWD, 5 speed manual (automatic available), 4 wheel disc brakes
Nod: TOO CLOSE

Warranty:
SRT4 - Basic (36 or 36,000), Powertrain (84 or 70,000), anti corrosion (60 or 100,000)
Ralliart - Basic (60 or 60,000), Powertrain (120 or 100,000), anti corrosion (84 or 100,000)
Nod: RALLIART

Curb Weight:
SRT4 - 2900
Ralliart - 2922
Nod: TOO CLOSE

Gas mileage estimate:
SRT4 - 22 and 30
Ralliart - 23 and 29
Nod: TOO CLOSE

Interior and Exterior:
This point is completely arbitrary and is a personal preference. Both have "value" interiors, and there is nothing special about either as far as asthetics are concerned (although the SRT4 comes with 17" rims and the Ralliart has 16" rims).
Nod: PERSONAL PREFERENCE


In summary, in my humble opinion, it is all about personal preference between the 2 models. Dodge or Mitsubishi? Factory turbo or not? Is warranty a consideration? etc. etc.
To me, they are close (except the turbo), but a FI car and a NA car are tough to compare. Is $6700 difference in price worth that to you for about 70 more hp and 90 ft lbs of torque? If you decide to not go turbo, I think the RA is a nice choice among it's class, but you might want to compare to the Civic Si, Sentra SE-R, Golf GLS TDI.

Good luck with your decision, hope this helped a little!

 

Hello again, i think everyone forgot that the srt4 has no power rear windows. If i had a srt4 i would tell my friend ,sitting in the front passenger seat next to me, hey we gots to roll down the back windows cuz at these free way speeds we're building alot of pressure and my ears are popping. And he would say can't you just push a button to roll them down and i would be like no man this car had to have some cost cutters to keep it under 20 big ones. And he would say even my kia has power windows in the rear. So now my passenger has to climb in the back seat and roll them down and there will be a split moment when his *** is in my face.
I'll take the ralliart. By the way everyone calm down and take a chill no need to blow a gasket defending or dissing a neon. Oh and for that guy who said a boosted ralliart wouldn't beat an evo cuz of traction i got to say i seen differently.

 

i love this thread. for the person who started it; go to the dealers test drive each car a couple times then pick the one you like. you have obviously heard all our opinions. good luck, hope you make the right choice for you.

 

I woke up today needing a good laugh and a cup of coffee, now that the laugh is out of the way...

/It's all about the elephants

 

These threads always start the same and end the same, everyone gives thier opinions, then we all defend our opinions then we all say hey who asked the question in the first place, this is your burden not mine go decide for yourself. god bless these forums and the personalities that make it so interesting. Right now i'm not watching CSI cuz this is more exciting.

 

back to the origins of the evo. i believe you can trace them back to the lancer gsr ic. before 92 can't you?

 

[insert here] = straight line

1. I guess you miss the early 2004 Model ralliart that came with potenzas. Only MT tested the RA with those tires. Late 2004 ralliart came with beyond crap eagle RSA's, to cut down and vehicle cost.

2. The ralliart was brought out to compete with the mostly the civic si, but it also was an answer for the specV, rsx, svt focus. Due to it's good performance and handling, magazine and other online auto articles put it up against rsx-s and msp and the impreza 2.5rs.

3. I agree, that includes evo aswell.

4. Actually talking about the neon, the lancer looks infinte times better. I don't care if you have a lancer es. I really don't care for the rainbow wing and egg shape headlights. On looks alone...

Evo, Ralliart, Oz Rally and ES > SRT4, Neon R/T and Neon

SRT4 is a better performance value for FWD and that's sums it up. I could have bought one, but why do I want a turbo FWD car, because it's fast? So I can buy new tires after I make slicks on my stock ones? All that power and your in a cloud of smoke? Ive been in my friends 05 SRT4 numerous times and have plenty of video of it, it's fast... on the highway, but even I hear him complain about traction and how he looking at an 06 STi.

 

^^+1 you summed it up nicely. people do need to take a look at the motor trend test results with the potenzas. the ralliart is a 14sec car outta the box, it just needs better tires than those ****ing all seasons.
http://www.technogeeky.com/ralliart/...nd_potenza.jpg

 

Love the EVO"s though but i think they are overpriced but still love them

 

nice info on the RA candycain!!!!!! yeah the RA has a lot of potential. But as a buyer go ahead and test drive both and check out both options. Comes down to driver preference.............

 

To the orginal poster, SRT-4 hands down.