Sup everyone. So I'm Bored at work and was Just thinking out loud and I really hope the aftermarket community for this car grows. It seems to me that our choices for aftermarket parts are somewhat few and far between. I know I'm coming from a Mustang where the aftermarket is huge. Just seems that there are so many more choices for EVO X then the RA. I would like to see some more suspension components and brake kits as well as more engine upgrades. A power programmer that can hold multiple tunes would be awesome.

 

There are companies working on more parts the Ralliart. There are enough differences between it and the Evo, that most of th Evo parts don't fit, and it takes a good amount of time to create new ones or modify the Evo parts.

 

Two things: the Evo has been out longer. The Evo appeals more to a crowd that is more likely to mod. I'm sure things will come, it's a new car... There wasn't much for the X when it first released.

 

I hope to see more aftermarket as well, but not at the cost of a surge RA popularity with every swinging dick buying one.

No offence to mustang owners but they are a dime a dozen(Mustangs) and I would like the RA to retain some exclusivity.

I look at my motorbike it's one of 2000 in the world and I look at the Suzuki GSXR's and their one of 2000 in the neighborhood

 

I would hope that the RA popularity grows in leaps and bounds if that means more options for us enthusiasts. I could care less about the exclusivity part of it. Also, most people look at us as people who wanted the EVO but couldn’t afford it. I know that will cause a stir, but it’s what allot of people think.

 

I figured I would be in the minority with my opinion on popularity

 

I have a feeling the RA is going to continue to be a "niche" market for quite some time unless Mitsu really turns things around. Just too many other options out there in the relative price range and Mitsu is just starting to turn things around so not sure how much faith the mass public will have in them at this point!

But I agree it would be nice to have more options, and get some competition going to lower prices some. =)

-Taranis

 

Luckily, most Japanese car manufacturers are still putting their cars together like Legos, so even if tuners don't come out with Ralliart-specific parts, we should still have plenty of stuff for our cars. Plus, the more you are willing to customize, the more options you will have.

Personally, I do like the exclusivity. Plus, I prefer to see guys customize their cars with offerings from small tuning houses rather than with products that are pushed by major companies.

 

I do like the exclusivity.. I hate it when people think that our cars don't sell well and isn't on the streets as much cuz it's not a honda/toyota. They just assume that it isn't as nice(?) as the hondas a

 

I think the RA is one of the nicest looking cars around right now. Has great lines and good performance out of the box. Most people don't know about it yet. They think its just a regular lancer. Toyota doesn't make crap except family cars and Honda is killing the 2000 which wasn't even that nice anyway. I think Mitsu has to do a better marketing job with the RA to develop a stronger hold on its share of the market. More power and a lower price tag would do that but I know thats asking to much.

 

Give it time. When i got mine about a year ago there wasn't half as much as there is now. It is only in its second year.

 

imo, the RA is the best looking performance-oriented econo-box on the road today. its not a fast race inspired car like the viper or corvette, and not a rally monster like the evo/sti; just a great 4 door awd daily driver with some *****, and i wouldnt trade it for anything considered to be in its class.

as far as being exclusive, i think its mainly because people dont even realize the car exists. im actually getting tired of explaining to every single person who takes interest in my car that its not an evo but its not a regular lancer, because they have never seen/heard of it before. they usually just end up with blank looks on their faces by the time im done listing all the differences, cause before now, ralliart was more or less a badge added to an aesthetics upgrade on the lancer here in the US with no other good reason for actually spending the extra money for it other than when mivec first came out. those who actually pay attention to everything i say, though, usually end up leaving with a strong interest in the car, and one of them who owned a gts and wanted to know "how i got my lancer to look like an evo" actually ended up trading in his car for a ralliart the following week.

i really do hope we start seeing more aftermarket options for the car. it has only been out for a relatively short time period and already we have so much, im sure there is much more to look forward to. at least i hope so, cause one-off parts are sometimes a pain and anything commercially produced thats out there now is either marked up cause the car is new and there arent many other options, or its marked up cause its for an evo and just happens to fit so they can just continue to charge "evo prices". i know i may catch heat for that, but compare costs and you'll see that vendors know they have us and evo owners by the short hairs due to our desire for quality and craftsmanship, so prices are higher on average for parts for our cars compared to similar parts for, say, a mustang. just my very long-winded .02

 

Very well said.

a great 4 door awd daily driver with some *****, and i wouldnt trade it for anything considered to be in its class.

I 2nd that quote lol