My contention remains the same here beteen the Spec-V and the RA...put those tires on the RA and you will see AMAZING similarities between these two cars. The tires on the RA are crap and we all know it. And my problem with the room inside the spec V is the amount of room you get shoulder to shoulder from the drive and passenger. I sat in it with my buddy in the mall recently ( I am 260lbs and he is 255lbs ) and we were nearly rubbing shoulders together. There is MORE than enough room in my RA for that to not happen. The Spec-V was just too small. Other than that, I love the Spec-V. If there was no Ralliart made by Mitsu I would have probably bought that car. But I still believe I bought the right one.

 

Hmm, Im not sure about that definition of sports cars. Would a Nissan Skyline and Lancer Evolution not be considered Sports Cars? I think the Insurance companies would say otherwise. Also, I'm unfamiliar with a few of those specialty tuner variationss but I'm fairly certain that the Ralliart is by far the cheapest car of the group. The Celica is almost 10 grand more than what I paid for my Ralliart. So is that really a fair comparison? 10 Grand worth of aftermarket engine and suspension parts in a Ralliart and it would spank every one of those compeditors.

A word about the Spec V. I nearly bought one but heres why I chose the Ralliart. These are some features of the Spec V that I didnt' like so much.

1. Spec V demands high octane gas. I got a long commute and gas prices are high.

2. Z rated tires. Great for performance but bad for my area. The all weather tires on the Ralliart are better suited for my climate and cheaper to replace.

3. Torque steer was bad on the '02 model. I wasn't even redlining it and the car was lurching to the right.

4. Love the skyline inspired front end but the rear is butt-ugly. Some people like it, but I feel it lacks defining lines and interesting taillights.

5. Used Car salesman lied to me and tried to gouge me for twice the cars worth. Had an excellent experience at the Mitsubishi Dealership though.

This was just my experience. That article dosen't bother me one bit becuase I really feel like I did alot of homework and picked the car that was right for me. No disrespect for the Spec V, its a nice car. I'd never drive a ford or a dodge. The MazdaSpeed was a little pricey and my fiance hates Mazda. Everybody has a civic and coming from a Del Sol, I wanted something different. The Celica is way to expensive and I already went over the Spec V. I think If I had to do it again, I would end up picking the Ralliart over and over. Tis a sexy car.

 

shiroboi i have a spec v and ur points are logical and true, it definitly seems you made the right choice for your purpose. for example i went through 4 of the tires in 1 year because of the road conditions by me... there not cheap tires too so it adds up there like 150 each. torque steer you get used to and can live with it but for first time drivers of the car it does seem overwhelming. but sounds like your happy and made the right choice.

 

Thanks, I'm glad I didn't offend you, I think you have a nice car. I heard they fixed the torque steer in the '04 model which is good but they put that hideous piece of gray plastic in the front of the grill. Don't know why exactly because I thought it looked awsome before. BTW what is the difference between the normal spec V and the S and R tune. I'm really curious.

 

your totally right with the 04 bucktooth look i have no clue why they ruined the decent loking front, i'm happy i got the 02 with the red seats which were limited to 02's.

Just to clear what has what as far the difference between the S-tune sentra and the r-tune sentra.

NISMO S-tune Sentra SE-R Spec V:
-S-tune stainless cat back exhaust
-S-tune 23mm front sway bar
-S-tune shock and spring kit
-NISMO shift knob
-NISMO license plate frame
-NISMO floor mats
-NISMO lightweight aluminum wheels (17x7.5)
-S-tune graphics kit

NISMO R-tune Sentra SE-R Spec V:
-R-tune camshafts
-R-tune cold air intake
-R-tune off-road header (no cat)
-S-tune stainless exhaust
-S-tune 23mm front sway bar
-R-tune front strut tower brace
-S-tune shock and spring kit
-R-tune adjustable 25mm rear sway bar
-R-tune 25mm front lower tie bar
-R-tune semi-metallic front brake pads
-NISMO lightweight aluminum wheels (17x7.5)
-R-tune graphics kit

as u can see R-Tune includes all of S-Tune plus some
S-Tune doesn't void factory warrenty while R-Tune parts come with no warrenty. i have a full R-Tune kit on mine except for the graphics kit.

 

technically a true sports car is only big enough for the driver and maybe a passenger do to the fact that if it is for as it implies sporty driving...you need not have a back row of seating. Think old race cars etc....anything else is technically a sports coupe or sport sedan which we have now come to call a "sports car" don't get me wrong these cars are pretty sporty but would not really be "true" sports cars. Keep in mind they (insurance companies) still classify the eclipse as a sports car (I've had one and ridden in many so I know from experience) and it is pretty slow as ***** compared to other sportier cars. My point being, the term sports car came more or less as a car meant strictly for driving enjoyment and or racing versus these cars as you have listed which are more a modern day daily driver / sporty hybrid..thus the extra seating in the lancer evo etc....it is a damn fast and nice car but that doesn't necessarilly mean it is a true sports car in the meaning...Most people don't know what the difference is and call anything that has some power to it a sports car.

 

yeah nissan is no joke, i have a 02 Sentra SE... sick is soooooo sick, Thats why i love nissan. SR20 powered. I will never leave nissan

Love: Nissan & Mitsu
Hate: Honda, Honda, Honda... lol

 

definitly man, the SR20de is one of the greatest motors ever produced. but i thought in 02 they didn't have SE's anymore because they were replaced with SE-R non spec v's.

 

uh, technically...

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=sports%20car

sports car n. An automobile equipped for racing, especially an aerodynamically shaped one-passenger or two-passenger vehicle having a low center of gravity and steering and suspension designed for precise control at high speeds.

sports car n. a small low car with a high-powered engine; usually seats two persons [syn: sport car]

I can only think of 2 mass produced automobiles equipped for racing. Who sells an automobile with a roll cage? Maybe the Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale or the Dodge Viper GTS-R..

 

my bad, i meant o1... not o2. Cool thing thou, it came with stock alloy rims, front strutbar and white guages, DOPE... ride is smooth and i loved the horses for a stock sr20.

 

I believe that is what I stated above with a little more added to it...I think you reinforced what I said more than changed it...the lancer EVO is a fast car but 1: is not that low to the ground...the seating and placement of the passengers is not that low either, 2: is not a 2 seater....you do not need the added weight of the back seat/passenger area in a true sports car because it is meant more for racing and or fun...(leave tha Family at home car..LOL)...It is a Damn nice car and a fun car also but when I think sports car usually I think a lighter car with only 2 seats and a monster under the hood...(roadster)