ralliartblitz

Just saw you had a Ralliart. The rear differential in the Ralliart is the same as on the Lancer Evolution IX.
It's mechanical and not computer controlled, so there are no buttons and its always on.

Smike

iTrader: (8)

Take your arguments elsewhere. Answer the OPs question. Thread is now closed for clean up and infractions. GDS will be reopening tonight.

SASD209

iTrader: (1)

I'll poke my head in here. Hey, guys: stop being asshats! Please confine the conversation to the OP's topic. If you have something else you'd like to discuss, make your own topic about it but don't hijack this one. We've deleted almost 30 posts here that were argumentative and just plain not related to the original discussion. Thanks.

GearDownSon

iTrader: (11)

I asked nicely twice to keep this on topic.
Points have been issued.
If You guys continue to derail the thread it will be trashed.

Ladogaboy

iTrader: (1)

Wowswers, I didn't realize this thread was as old as it was. Here's my take:

No matter what you do, you will lose money: Cars and their modifications are depreciating assets. So, I recommend not going into this with the mindset that any one choice is somehow a more financially sound option.

1. Acknowledge that you are going to lose money
2. Determine what it is you really WANT
3. Assess what you can realistically afford.

THEN determine which is going to cost you the least in the long run. For me, I traded in a car that was, roughly, the equivalent of the RA, only a few years older. The term on my loan was ridiculously long, I still owed a bit more than the car was worth, and MANY maintenance type issues were looming on the horizon. I was able to get a good deal on the RA with 0% APR, and I had, approximately, the same payoff term as what was left on my old WRX. Basically, I paid $10k more than it would have taken to pay off my WRX in order to have a newer car. I saved $1-2k for the various maintenance that I would have had to have done since owning the RA, so that is some more savings.

Did I really come out ahead? Possibly, but more than likely, at best, I broke even. Am I happy with my decision? In someways yes, in some ways no... but overall, yes.

Now, in my opinion, modding the RA, investment wise, is a lost cause. For example, if I were to buy a Borla exhaust for my RA, and before it was shipped to me, my car was totaled, I would not be able to sell that exhaust for anywhere near what I paid for it. If I actually installed it, I would get even less of a return. Now, to further complicate the issue, say you went all out in modifying your RA. Doing so would only increase the value of the car by a fraction of what the modifications cost (again, little to no return on your investment).

Now, trading in an RA for an EVO would be a very similar decision to the one I made with my WRX, and it *could* be a very sound one. The main reason: Though cars are depreciating assets, EVOs depreciate FAR slower than the RA. However, you are paying more (a lot more) to buy AND to maintain the EVO, and that will probably negate any difference in resale value between the two. But still, you are coming out as close to even as you possibly could.

Regardless, and I will say this again, YOU WILL LOSE MONEY. So the real question here is: What would make you happier? Some people enjoy the challenge and fun of modifying a car (of course, no matter what, there will always be someone faster, better, etc.). Some people like to have a brand name. Some like to have the out-of-the-box performance... set it and forget it. At the end of the day, would you rather have a modified RA (which will, in all likelihood, outperform a stock EVO), or a bone-stock EVO (which, once it stops munching its way through your finances, would allow you even more room to grow with modifications)?

2010 Rallihead

I would think the RA would be worth more in that Ralliart closed down and is not in production any more, so in result the RA would be a rarer car, EVos are still being produced.

Taranis

iTrader: (1)

The Ralliart Performance group that makes Ralliart performance parts is shutting down, which is completely separate from the Mitsubishi Ralliart vehicle, which will still be made by Mitusbishi. The name may change eventually, but that would be it.

Think of it like an Eddie Bauer edition SUV. Eddie Bauer did not make those SUVs. Ford or whoever made the SUV and customized it to go along with what people perceive to be the "Eddie Bauer" look and feel, and slapped the Eddie Bauer logo on it.

-Taranis

Ladogaboy

iTrader: (1)

Just because the RA is rarer than the EVO doesn't make it, necessarily, more valuable. It starts at a lower price point; it is less valuable on a component-by-component basis; outside of enthusiasts, it is relatively unknown; and most enthusiasts would rather have an EVO than RA (sportback might be the one exception).

Here are the advantages of a RA as I see them:

• High value, but lower price point than EVO
• Better compromise car (softer ride, more forgiving with the wife and kids)
• Cheaper to own/maintain
• Better daily driver

That makes the RA a nice niche car, but not on par with the EVO in terms of value. At the end of the day, the EVO costs more to purchase and depreciates slower.

2010 Rallihead

ofcourse similar to other groups like Shelby, Saleen,Hennessy

2010 Rallihead

well it'll be known as an Exotic then, at least the sportback