Hello,

Well I wanted to give you guys some input and also get some back on an experience I had. Well I own an EVO and my friend owns an STI. My friend lets me BEAT on his STI cuz he knows I'm not gonna hurt it. Anyway I had the chance to drive both cars back to back through some pretty demanding roads and I have some interesting results.

Location:
Seven Lakes Drive, Bear Mountain NY
Distance - prolly 2 miles of really twisty roads
Outside Temp - 80 degrees

First the EVO:
Well my evo is modded to about 320whp and has the stock suspension and brakes. Starting off everything was great turn-in was crisp and the tires just bit into the turn and held on. The stock suspension is really really good and the only way I'm upgrading it is with a set of proven coil-overs. The brakes were good to start out with but starting giving out toward the end (I'll get into more detail). Since I have a greddy profec spec-b 2 my boost builds with my throttle postion + revs so at half throttle even at 6k I'm only boosting 1.0-1.2 bar. I'm not sure if this is normal but it helped modulate the throttle though turns without over boosting like I've experienced with other boost controllers. The gearing of the car was ok but I was sometimes looking for a gear between 2nd and 3rd because 3rd would be to low in the power band and 2nd would be way to high (I hope you understand what I'm saying). The road got kinda croppy and I felt the AWD sorting things out to keep me alive, it was a great feeling!! Well I was happy until my brakes starting fading and fading bad. Around the third to last turn I though I was going to bite it because the brake pedal went VERY low and it felt like it wasn't going to grab but it did. Let me tell you that its not a very comfortable moment. So I backed down and finished the run. I was impressed by the handling of the car but the brakes left me wondering how people to track days with them. Now to the STI

STI:
The STI is stock with stock tires, suspension, and well everything!! The pace with the stock STI was almost equal to my modded EVO! I mean on the 1 straight I hit 100 w/ the evo and only 90 with the STI but around the turns it hung in there. I didn't have the immediate bite-in as the evo but it sure held the hell on. I'm not sure if the tires are better or the DCCD was doing something but once it settled into a turn it didn't want to let go. The gearbox was perfect for these roads (aleast thats how I feel). I felt like a freaking rally driver because I was going through the gears so fast and the gear box is kinda rally style. Shifts between third and second were VERY entertaining and kept me smiling (made me want the 6 speed evo). Along the same choppy road the STI seemed to suck it up better but I attribute that to the softer suspension. The highlight of the STI was the brakes. They stayed consistent through the entire run and actually had a better feeling than the EVO's (gasp). I finished the run without a problem took a 5 min brake and turned around and did it again without any noticible brake fade!!! I can see doing a trake day with the STI's brakes because they seemed to hold up better.

Overall:
The EVO and the STI and mountian road eating machines. The 300hp that the STI comes with stock is enough to put a smile on anyone face and the extra power my car had would just plain scare some people. The brakes on the EVO need help (does anyone have any suggestions?). I mean I checked all fluids BEFORE and after the run and everything looked normal so I think it just the nature of the brakes.

The stock suspensions of either car are perfectly designed for a thrashing on less than perfect roads. Both had amazing grip and both handled fantastic but just in a different way. People, you really can't wrong with either car unless you plan to mod to hell out of it and in that case its mitsu all the way.

~Hooptie~

 

Brian,

when are we doing the twistie roads meet again?

 

BTW, nice write up and review Brian

 

Good balanced review. And I can tell you the brake problem exists on the JDM model as well. First mod.... upgrade your brake lines to SS. World of a difference. As for the stock suspension, they're acceptable for day-to-day driving but on track it gives the car too much body roll.

 

Yellowfever (JoeL): We have to collaborate so I can get a better turnout next time.

Crufty Dusty: I'll look into the SS brake lines and I'm differetly gonna upgrade to some nice coil-overs but you have to admit the stock suspension is pretty freaking good for a factory piece. I can't see anything like springs improving it much. Coil-overs are probably the best option over the stock suspension in my eyes.

 

Awesome write up!

nuff said.

I should be gettin an sti in a little less than 2 months, let me know if you guys wanna do something. As long as you don't mind the dark side joining for the ride

 

I've pushed my brakes very hard in the past and have not had this dramatic fade. Here in FLA it's normaly over 80 degrees and I like to get a little silly on the twisties. I've noticed break fade to some degree, but not what you are saying, and not at all in that short of a period of time. Are you sure you have adequate fluid, bleeding, etc? Not picking, just asking.

Nice write up though! Thanks for the input. I like to hear unbiased opinions for time to time. ;-)

Crufty, I thought of doing the SS line upgrade, where did you get yours? What was the cost (minus install) if you don't mind me asking?

Thanks!!

 

Well when it comes down to STI vs EVO on twisties....it all falls on the driver on how good he/she can execute the turns (heel/toe) driving. You can have a very powerful modded car but if you have an unexperiece driver.....forget it.

 

Indeed ex-honda, good call. Driver makes ALL the difference in the world.

 

For a stock Evo, the stock brakes are as good as any car's. In fact, the Evo out braked every car R&T has tested.

Once you start modding, though, it seems the extra speed/power requires a little more stopping power. Most folks I've talked to have found success with just upgrading the pads. That's something I need to do soon! I gotta find somebody around here with an STi who wants to road-test with me...

 

I barely edged out a fairly heavily modded BMW M3 at the big local autoX on Sunday for top honors in the Street Modified class (out of 25 cars in the class). I'm running my Evo with only a Vishnu Stage 1+ (3" TB, cams, cam gears, XEDE, and Walbro fuel pump -- about the same 320 WHP you reported) and aftermarket front brake rotors; otherwise the car is totally stock.

When I told the M3 driver after the event that my suspension is bone stock, he couldn't believe it.

When I told him I was going to upgrade to JIC FLT-A2 coilovers before the next event...

 

Yes, the stock brakes are good for a few 60-0 stops for testing but their staying power has something to be desired.

 

as far as brake fading goes in the evo and the sti. according to the magazine tests the evo's brakes had less fade then the sti. it might have been a factor that you are more willing to push your own car then a friends...never know

 

1.) Better brake fluid. ATE Super Blue? (higher boiling point, less vaporization at the caliper = less fade)
2.) Slotted rotors (evacuates hot gases resulting from hard braking and increased temps which reduce heat transfer to the fluid)
3.)s/s lines = improved pedal feel and modulation. (prolly little affect on fade but I've always loved the feel after installing them)

Just my $0.02

 

Did you check out your brake fluid? An upgrade in that department might help things out. That's how people track these cars w/ otherwise stock brake components.