Apparently that was the case.

However - I still think that C & D sucks becuase several of those ivory tower "experts" over there were complaining about the Evo and saying its a "boy racer" car - what ever that means.

They were complaining about the quick steering, wing and ride. Heck someone give them a camery with cruise control.

The article and the article before it (review of long term evo) basically made me really mad. Its funny so see so called car "experts" complaining about Evos and at the same time prasing the plastic dash material in a pathfinder.

It was even more ridicuolous to see them complaining about the price of servicing the car - don't those buffons know how much pad for Brembo brakes cost? don't they know how much mobil one oil costs?

Reading that magazine made me realize that they are a bunch of negative, nit picking geeks who think that THEY have all the answers and know everything.

 

problems like what? the o2 sensor backing out? how on god's green earth does anything in a vishnu stage 1+ make a front o2 sensor back out?

As for knocking and going into limp mode.....this was not a vishnu tuned car, just their hardware and software, someone else tuned it. i don't see how that has anything to do with vishnu.

as for the clutch going out, last i checked, vishnu doesn't manufacture clutches and they weren't driving the car, again, how does this pertain to their parts in the least?

BOV isn't included in vishnu's stage 1+, C&D must have decided to do that.

Sounds to me like they had a hurting car, and adding the extra power magnified the cars problems.

 

You know Al ... I really, really agree with you on this ...

What's so funny about the EVO in general is I actually like the Quick Steering. It ultimately feels like a well sorted out sportbike. There are sportbikes that just slam you into a corner, and don't tell you how they will fall ... certain Yamaha's come to mind ... but when everything is setup right, if you're (the driver / rider) doing everything you need to be doing, the bike will tell you right up front what is going to happen, when.

The EVO is just like that ... you point your head down the corner, and roll the steering in place to get there. The EVO just goes .. no questions asked.

It sounds like they need to take some of their readers money in C&D and go take a real driving course. Not a pansy, how to drive an SUV coarse, but a driving coarse so intense that if you don't do what the instructors tell you, you get thrown off of a corner, and chewed out something fierce for plowing the field.

I can't believe this article got me so worked up, but I'm moving into the catagory that they lied about some of the problems they ultimately got from the Vish. Stg. 1+ kit.

Cheers,

jcnel.

 

Blinded by love. It's sweet.

The EVO is an awesome car. It's a lot of performance at a decent price.
However, it ain't perfect. THAT is what the article is pointing out.

This car is NOT for everybody. That article still praises the EVO. Read it in context and not just to pull out the bits that you want to bitC# about.
Fact is they LOVE the EVO at C&D. That article was giving an account of what it's like to live with the EVO for 40k miles, as C&D does with other cars.
Yes, the EVO is high strung. Yes, the EVO has a harsh day to day ride. Yes, the quick steering that is so sweet and loved on the track and when you first drive it, may actually become an annoyance after a few thousand miles. THAT is some of what the article addressed.
It was honest opinions and fair from what I read.

And, I still think the EVO rocks and it may be my next ride. But, it's either be the MR or the standard VIII with a better more compliant suspension, like the MR.

T

 

Actually - one of the first things I did with my Evo was stiffen up the suspension - but what do i know?

The Evo is the best car I have ever owned or driven and I have driven quite a few.

To read about some ivory tower geek complaining about the price of brake pads after they beat the crap out of a car for 40,000 miles is totally idiotioc. The dude is a staight out buffon. C & D has zero credability with me after reading that review. It boardered on fraud.

 

Guys,
Let's not get all bothered about the C&D story. Their car had problems. They stated the facts. Unfortunately, I don't believe they came to the right conclusions regarding "limp home" mode, knock problems, etc,. But they are entitled to make their editorial conclusions based upon the information they gathered from whoever they gathered it from. Some of our competitors always ***** and moan about the amount of editorial we get from all the different mags, tv shows, etc,. But what they dont realize is that everytime we put our products on the line we take these risks. The risk that we dont get a fair review on our parts. The risks that our parts done perform as they should in that particular application. The risk that **** happens.

Outside of independant magazine testing scrutiny, it is easy to hide your weaknesses, shortcomings, etc and pose as a model of unyielding perfection. LIkewise, it's easy to disregards the writings of a not-so-affectionate editor as the rantings of a lunatic. Neither response is appropriate or warranted. You learn from this stuff and try to make the next offering even better.

Best Regards,
Shiv

 

I hear you, but can't agree with you. Ive spent some time in various 911's including the GT-2 and GT-3 (been a while though). As I recall, the regular 911 had a noticeably harsher ride than the MR and the GT-2 and GT-3 are even more stiffly sprung. The Ferrari Stradale is even harsher than all of the previously mentioned cars. Don't get me wrong, I love those cars and the way they perform, but they are meant for people that can appreciate their overall race inspired performance. It's been awhile since I've driven those cars.....hmmmmmmm.....looks like test drive time....I'll test them on the weekend and see if my memory serves me correct.

You are right about these cars being in different leagues as far as cost, but in terms of on the track performance...well, a little cheap increase in power for the EVO and they will be very competitive with those cars....

Can't wait to test those cars again.

 

"However - I still think that C & D sucks becuase several of those ivory tower "experts" over there were complaining about the Evo and saying its a "boy racer" car - what ever that means."

They were referring to the styling, and yes, although both the STI and EVO offer perhaps the best bang for the buck available, they also both qualify as "boy racer". Almost every article I've read points out that the styling for these cars is "adolescent" or "juvenile". I agree. The Evo X may look repellant to some, but I see it as possibly more main stream than the current iteration. Frankly, if the EVO 8 looked more like a Camry I'd be driving one. I'd take the sleeper look over the Honda with a wing style any day. ALL the manufacturers have racing heritage. Doens't mean they put the same treatment on street versions.

 

So take the wing of the evo, and put some plain wheels on it and a different hood.

 

The cars are basically homologated rally cars. IMHO - its retarded to complain about the "boy racer" looks of a car who's principle function is ultra high performance driving.

All i can say is thank god the Evo came over here as it suits my needs 100% and i find it is the ideal car.

I have discovered after reading this article that the "critic" of cars - in this case C & D - is resonating with a target audience that has no relationship with my tastes and needs. If your a square, "normal" driver then go ahead and follow thier suggestions. If you really want the best bang for the buck car ever made - then the evo is for you.

IF I worked at a magazine - the ONLY car I would be "borrowing" to drive would be the Evo - its the most fun and the best all around car made - period.

 

Amen!!

 

..

 

If the EVO looked like a Camry, it would probably handle like a Camry. The wing is designed to improve handling at the limit. Have you seen a Group N EVO, they look pretty close to the street version.

 

I have composed a letter to C&D and plan to send it to them regarding their long-term test and Vishnu mods articles. I have been reading C&D for over 35 years, along with R&T, MT, and others. I have never written them before, but their long-term Evo story definitely triggered a rant for me.

In my opinion, C&D has been the least complimentary US car mag on the Evo. I am not saying not complimentary, I am just saying the least. They have been more critical and less enthusiastic about the car than Automobile (car of the year award and a best in category award), Motor Trend, Road and Track (called it one of 10 best cars of all time period after their 50,000 long-term test), Speed (1/4ly RT pub), Sport Compact Car, and others.

I have always enjoyed the irreverence and humor in C&D along with the fact most of their writers are engineers (as am I). But they have lost much of this "edge" in my opinion. To me, they have a huge BMW (German car in general) bias. I like German cars and respect their engineering, but I do think they are overpriced. If the Evo had a cute little blue and white propellor emblem on it's hood, C&D would have chosen it as their car of the year too.

The funniest thing about the long-term test article is that a C&D staffer actually used the words "styling of the Evo". That sums it up right there. There were few freakin stylists employed in the creation of the Evo, and they certainly didn't have any final word. The parts on that car have come pretty much directly from the WRC/Group A, N, etc. homologation shelf or other engineering based decision processes. And, no, they didn't check the rear wing for use with the rear view mirror because the wind tunnel already dictated the location, height, shape, etc......

As delivered from the factory, for performance and engineering (just research the chassis mods alone for the Evo) bang for the buck, the Evo (and STi) are in club unto themselves. The UK car mags have known and written such words of wisdom for well over a decade.

Homologation is your friend!

Cheers

 

I am glad that I am not the only one who feels this way.