Some constructive advice needed
i have owned an eclipse gt for about 3 years now, have headers, intake, high flow cat, exhaust and had it tuned with the SAFC. like that the car made 198 whp. i upgraded the suspension with eibach springs too. i thought the car handling was incredible and the power was great. then came the evo, so i said let me see what all the hype is about. the first day i went to a dealer near my house and checked the car, the outside and stuff, one of the sales man said i could take it for a test drive but i said i just wanted to look at it. the next day i said what the hell let go and take for a drive. a drive around the block and i was sold, i bought the car the same day and instanty the eclipse felt like a boat with all the body roll (which i never noticed before driving the evo) then the power delivery in the evo was just something i have never experienced before, the eclipse was a fine car but compared to the evo it is just a slow, no handling car. i am not bashing on the eclipse or nothing (i still have it) it's just that the evo is light years ahead, best car i have ever own.
test drive one and you will know what i am talking about, if you decide to get one you won't regret it and even if you do (which i doubt) the resale value is great.
good luck with your decision.
test drive one and you will know what i am talking about, if you decide to get one you won't regret it and even if you do (which i doubt) the resale value is great.
good luck with your decision.
seems like everyone named the pros.
cons for me are,
maintenance is very expensive. stealership quoted me $1000+ for a brake job. so, what i did was.....
buy aftermarket pads for less than 200$, go to a local shop and have them cut rotors and install pads for 100$
Problem now is, dealership will probably want to void my warranty for not getting serviced there with OE parts.
mitsubishi is horrible with warranty.
these are the issues you may also run into.
but please don't get me wrong, i love my car. i don't regret getting my car. i just wish mitsubishi would be a bit better with warranty.
cons for me are,
maintenance is very expensive. stealership quoted me $1000+ for a brake job. so, what i did was.....
buy aftermarket pads for less than 200$, go to a local shop and have them cut rotors and install pads for 100$
Problem now is, dealership will probably want to void my warranty for not getting serviced there with OE parts.
mitsubishi is horrible with warranty.
these are the issues you may also run into.
but please don't get me wrong, i love my car. i don't regret getting my car. i just wish mitsubishi would be a bit better with warranty.
Evolved Member
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 697
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From: Nothern CA
I am astonished. As a mathematics teacher myself I find it intriguing that you ask this question. I Went to My Mitsu Dealer with my Wife's Diamonte back in the summer of "00". While waiting for her oil to be changed (I do not touch her car) I took a look a the 3G GT 5spd sun/sound and fell in love. It was such a pretty car. I was sure that the abysmal tires were the casue of all of its brakeing and handling woes.
Well I bought it, then reality hit. Poor acceleration, weak brakes. lots of body roll and even thought the tires were changed out which did help, the handling remained terrible for a sport coupe. My wife hated it because she could not see out of it. After waiting for three years for an aftermarket to develop so I could address some of the short commings with modifications, I ran out of patience.
I read an ad for the Evo and could not believe what was in print. I had a prefered cusomer pass which enabled me to test drive any car I wanted. I went down and they had a rally red Evo. I could not get the deal cut fast enough. It cost me my depreciation but I would do it again in a heart beat. The Eclipse is a girl's car, all looks and no go. Now ladies I know some of you, my wife included, are into hot cars but I am speaking in general here. Most Eclipse buyers are female a lady bought mine. Although very practical and beautiful it is a dog. TEvo is a fantastic car. In total, I have four and a half years of experience between the two cars. Just drive one, steer side to side as if to make a squiggle on the road, wind it out in second then hit third hard getting onto a freeway, push down on the brakes like you mean it just once, then see if you can keep your Eclipse.. hey give it to your wife or daughter.
Well I bought it, then reality hit. Poor acceleration, weak brakes. lots of body roll and even thought the tires were changed out which did help, the handling remained terrible for a sport coupe. My wife hated it because she could not see out of it. After waiting for three years for an aftermarket to develop so I could address some of the short commings with modifications, I ran out of patience.
I read an ad for the Evo and could not believe what was in print. I had a prefered cusomer pass which enabled me to test drive any car I wanted. I went down and they had a rally red Evo. I could not get the deal cut fast enough. It cost me my depreciation but I would do it again in a heart beat. The Eclipse is a girl's car, all looks and no go. Now ladies I know some of you, my wife included, are into hot cars but I am speaking in general here. Most Eclipse buyers are female a lady bought mine. Although very practical and beautiful it is a dog. TEvo is a fantastic car. In total, I have four and a half years of experience between the two cars. Just drive one, steer side to side as if to make a squiggle on the road, wind it out in second then hit third hard getting onto a freeway, push down on the brakes like you mean it just once, then see if you can keep your Eclipse.. hey give it to your wife or daughter.
Last edited by WildRice; Dec 30, 2004 at 04:23 PM.
not to start a flame war, but here is my .02
i wouldnt be caught dead in an eclipse, and i love the hell out of my evo. take that for what it is worth. good luck with the new car, but dont drive it unless you are ready to buy, otherwise it will affect your whole life. you will end up being fired from your job because you cant crunch numbers while dreaming about your car all day.
i wouldnt be caught dead in an eclipse, and i love the hell out of my evo. take that for what it is worth. good luck with the new car, but dont drive it unless you are ready to buy, otherwise it will affect your whole life. you will end up being fired from your job because you cant crunch numbers while dreaming about your car all day.
Newbie
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 88
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From: Nipples, FL
EVoVIII
I happen to see a BBY EVolution out front of the Mitsubishi dealer and decided to go look at it, walked around, looked at the seats, then a salesman walked up to me, said we do not allow testdrives on this car. 
I told him, just wanted to sit inside and another salesman ran out, asked me, do you wanna drive it? 
After the testdrive that was all I needed to make a decision, ordered my 03' WW/no sunroof, have been smiling ever since. 
I told him, just wanted to sit inside and another salesman ran out, asked me, do you wanna drive it? After the testdrive that was all I needed to make a decision, ordered my 03' WW/no sunroof, have been smiling ever since.
Eclipse GT, GTS is a grand touring vehicle more bias toward ride & comfort.
Evo 8 is a sport car sacrificing comfort for performance & speed.
So it depends on what you're looking for, if you appreciate power/speed and razor sharp handling the Evo is it.
Evo 8 is a sport car sacrificing comfort for performance & speed.
So it depends on what you're looking for, if you appreciate power/speed and razor sharp handling the Evo is it.
if you're talking about racing, or going fast in a dedicated manner, forget it, don't drive one. the evo is a better car. the eclipse is good, very good, i mean dsms have been doing well for a long time and i've been following them but there is more to an evo than just awd and an lsd.
first of all... it doesn't even have an lsd in front, so it'll be similar to your gst in that respect. secondly it's not about needing awd it would be about using it and the extra handling and traction you get from it plus the characteristics of handling that come with it.
it's also the fact that the evo is purpose built, many have offered the "feels like an extension of your body," that is because the chassis is well sorted, the steering feel is remarkably better than almost any other car, the brakes are very good even in stock form and the tires are very well r compound grade.
all this adds up to a car that a gst will never be and that a gsx would only hope to be had it been in its prime and with a whole lot of money invested.
the evo gives you a starting point that is beyond anything an eclipse could offer, mainly because it's newer and is well sorted for going fast. eclipses chassis are only getting softer, and their purpose was not the raw sacrifice all the luxuries for raw performance. you can actually make a u turn in an eclipse... man i three point empty parking lots!
i will however qualify this semi haughty post i've made by saying, if you wanna build an eclipse... do it right. get a 1g gsx and go nuts, the parts are cheap now that evos are around and you can pick up lots of second hand goodies from "the rich evo owners" to build yourself a poorboy's usevo.
first of all... it doesn't even have an lsd in front, so it'll be similar to your gst in that respect. secondly it's not about needing awd it would be about using it and the extra handling and traction you get from it plus the characteristics of handling that come with it.
it's also the fact that the evo is purpose built, many have offered the "feels like an extension of your body," that is because the chassis is well sorted, the steering feel is remarkably better than almost any other car, the brakes are very good even in stock form and the tires are very well r compound grade.
all this adds up to a car that a gst will never be and that a gsx would only hope to be had it been in its prime and with a whole lot of money invested.
the evo gives you a starting point that is beyond anything an eclipse could offer, mainly because it's newer and is well sorted for going fast. eclipses chassis are only getting softer, and their purpose was not the raw sacrifice all the luxuries for raw performance. you can actually make a u turn in an eclipse... man i three point empty parking lots!
i will however qualify this semi haughty post i've made by saying, if you wanna build an eclipse... do it right. get a 1g gsx and go nuts, the parts are cheap now that evos are around and you can pick up lots of second hand goodies from "the rich evo owners" to build yourself a poorboy's usevo.
Last edited by trinydex; Dec 30, 2004 at 10:39 PM.
Newbie
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 97
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From: Mckinney, Tx
Ahh..love. How many times have we men seen a beautiful form, and been instantly smitten. Everyone on this board knows exactly how you feel. Most of us were in love with the EVO years before it came to our shores. Go for a drive, but be sure to have your old car cleaned out because you will be going home with an EVO. If it means anything, I'm 42, so don't feel like your too old to get one. Good Luck!
Evolved Member
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 554
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From: Durham, NC
I had an Eclipse GT (2001) and became bored / disappointed with it very quickly. I did everything in my power to talk myself out of the EVO and, in the end, was unable to. I haven't looked back since.
The Eclipse is a comfortable car that is good as a touring car. The EVO is a driver's car that is all about performance. Keep this in mind when you make your decision, as the EVO is not for everyone.
Cabo
The Eclipse is a comfortable car that is good as a touring car. The EVO is a driver's car that is all about performance. Keep this in mind when you make your decision, as the EVO is not for everyone.
Cabo
Evolved Member
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 554
Likes: 0
From: Durham, NC
Originally Posted by trinydex
if you're talking about racing, or going fast in a dedicated manner, forget it, don't drive one. the evo is a better car. the eclipse is good, very good, i mean dsms have been doing well for a long time and i've been following them but there is more to an evo than just awd and an lsd.
first of all... it doesn't even have an lsd in front, so it'll be similar to your gst in that respect. secondly it's not about needing awd it would be about using it and the extra handling and traction you get from it plus the characteristics of handling that come with it.
it's also the fact that the evo is purpose built, many have offered the "feels like an extension of your body," that is because the chassis is well sorted, the steering feel is remarkably better than almost any other car, the brakes are very good even in stock form and the tires are very well r compound grade.
all this adds up to a car that a gst will never be and that a gsx would only hope to be had it been in its prime and with a whole lot of money invested.
the evo gives you a starting point that is beyond anything an eclipse could offer, mainly because it's newer and is well sorted for going fast. eclipses chassis are only getting softer, and their purpose was not the raw sacrifice all the luxuries for raw performance. you can actually make a u turn in an eclipse... man i three point empty parking lots!
i will however qualify this semi haughty post i've made by saying, if you wanna build an eclipse... do it right. get a 1g gsx and go nuts, the parts are cheap now that evos are around and you can pick up lots of second hand goodies from "the rich evo owners" to build yourself a poorboy's usevo.
first of all... it doesn't even have an lsd in front, so it'll be similar to your gst in that respect. secondly it's not about needing awd it would be about using it and the extra handling and traction you get from it plus the characteristics of handling that come with it.
it's also the fact that the evo is purpose built, many have offered the "feels like an extension of your body," that is because the chassis is well sorted, the steering feel is remarkably better than almost any other car, the brakes are very good even in stock form and the tires are very well r compound grade.
all this adds up to a car that a gst will never be and that a gsx would only hope to be had it been in its prime and with a whole lot of money invested.
the evo gives you a starting point that is beyond anything an eclipse could offer, mainly because it's newer and is well sorted for going fast. eclipses chassis are only getting softer, and their purpose was not the raw sacrifice all the luxuries for raw performance. you can actually make a u turn in an eclipse... man i three point empty parking lots!
i will however qualify this semi haughty post i've made by saying, if you wanna build an eclipse... do it right. get a 1g gsx and go nuts, the parts are cheap now that evos are around and you can pick up lots of second hand goodies from "the rich evo owners" to build yourself a poorboy's usevo.
He asked for constructive and coherent advice. 1G and 2G Eclipses are not an option here. Maybe you'd like to re-read the original post?
Cabo
Evolving Member
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 167
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From: OH
All 2005's come with front LSD standard now...
Originally Posted by trinydex
first of all... it doesn't even have an lsd in front, so it'll be similar to your gst in that respect. secondly it's not about needing awd it would be about using it and the extra handling and traction you get from it plus the characteristics of handling that come with it.