Not necessarily new information, but random stuff I didn't know before I got the car that might be of interest, or not.

- The angle of the rear wing is adjustable
- The IC sprayer has to be switched on, it's not on by default. So there are actually three settings - off, auto and manual.
- The large rear wing is listed as a $480 option, after all
- The official name on the sticker is "Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII"
- There is a cool sunglasses storage thing in the ceiling
- You can see wavy heat lines coming out of the hood vent when you're sitting at a stoplight. Yikes.
- The red gauges are hard to see in bright sunlight (they're great at night).. I really prefer white-on-black, I think. Maybe Ralliart can help me out, I believe they have alternate gauge cluster options.
- Mine makes a strange metallic 'clank' kind of sound when I go over bumps - possibly the reinforcing material?
- They recommend ONLY 10W-30 full syn oil, maybe 5W if you're in a colder climate.
- They recommend washer fluid for the IC sprayer!? Hmm.
- The antenna is a FUBA so you can replace it with any compatible FUBA you like, should you so wish (I replaced mine with one from an S2000)
- The break-in reqs in the manual are even stricter than what we're been told
- It's really easy to go way too fast on the freeway without even noticing - it's actually not a bad cruiser for a rally car
- You can really hear (and feel!) the turbo when it kicks in
- The wing is at a level (for me anyway) which obscures the windshields of most cars behind you, meaning that you can't see the faces of the drivers following you, not that I spend a lot of time looking at them but you know what I mean. It also obscures the grilles of cars approaching on the freeway in some situations, which is not good if you're in the habit of watching for Crown Vics coming up
- If you have the fog lights on, and you go to high beams, it switches the fogs off while you're using the high beams.
- The compartment on the left of the trunk is HUGE!
- I've used the rear wiper a lot already - very useful in the morning

That's all I can think of right now.

 

I knew it. I KNEW IT!!!!!!! Everyone thought I was smoking something when I posted this a few weeks ago. When I went to go see the evo in cypress, it looked like it could be adjusted. Thanks for confirming rollo!


That seems to be the case for all DSM's.

 

Sounds like this is your first turbo car. How do you like it so far? Getting used to turbo lag in higher gears (not a negative comment, just a fact observation).

 

I looked at the rear wing for adjustability when I was at the dealer. Where is it? They had philips heads in the pre-production pictures, but at the dealer the heads (of the 4 bolts that hold the carbon fibre to the inside of the wing) were smooth. So...how do you adjust it? Just wondering...

 

It's as safe as water but less likely to freeze in colder climates perhaps?

 

It's not my first turbo car - my wife has an A4 1.8Tq, but what I mean is, you can REALLY feel and hear the turbo kick in, if you see what I mean I've driven other hotter turbos before as well (including a SEAT Leon Cupra R at insane speeds through the English countryside ) but this is boost on a completely different level. I mean, I knew what it would be like, but to be in charge of it is really something else.

Compared to the Corrado, which is supercharged, the lag is noticeable, but it's just a different feeling. With a supercharger you just change down and the supercharger goes however fast the engine is going (well, a multiple of the engine speed obviously) and you control the boost largely with the throttle (ie literally the wider open the tbody butterfly valve is, the more boost you get). But with a turbo you have to allow for spool up and down, etc. I think if you understand what's going on under the hood and drive accordingly it's fine. I have noticed that if you keep the revs up between shifts (not hard given the very short throw and easy clutch) the boost stays on. I guess the bigger turbo takes longer to spool up, but has more inertia keeping it going between shifts.

 

It's all in the manual. Something about taking a flathead screwdriver, covering it with a cloth and wedging it in somewhere, then loosening a bolt and moving some screws. I didn't try it yet. I'll scan the page tonight if I get a chance.

 

Water in the intercooler spray would freeze in cold climates like here in Buffalo.

If it did not turn off you would probably run out in a mile or two.

Someone else said the doors lock automatically...
That really really really sucks, I can't wait to lock my keys in the car while it is warming up! (you know it will happen eventually)

My Audi fog lights were the same, I jumpered the relay so they can be used without headlights or with highbeams too.

That rear wiper will be great around here.

 

Yep, could be. Although they do warn you to drain the fluid reservoirs if you think it's gonna be really cold. I guess even washer fluid freezes at some point.

 

Yep, quite true on both counts. And the reservoir is pretty small.

That was me, I'll be rectifying that. That function is part of the aftermarket alarm (that was fitted to mine when I got there, maybe even before it hit the dealer). What's more, you can switch it off - it's quite programmable. So no worries.

 

The metallic clunking sound is your suspension breaking in.

All new cars switch the fog lights off with the high beams on.

 

if I'm not mistaken, I believe the fogs turn off because it is law in the US and Canada that you cannot have six lights working all at the same time. so when you go from low to high beam, that's four lights working at once, so the fogs turn off to be compliant. so all you guys jumpering the wires, I'de be careful, cause not only is it illegal, but you are also creating a "void warranty" condition. and you don't want to void your warranty on a turbo car, cause you never know when they MAY go "BOOM"

 

[They recommend washer fluid for the IC sprayer!? Hmm.

Washer fluid has alcohol in it so it evaps. cooler than plain water.

 

AS far as I know they cannot void a powertrain warrenty for an electrical "fix it" mod.
There would be no correlation.

 

The wing is NOT adjustable. I saw this too in the manual and if you look closely, that picture is an EVO 7 wing, not an 8. The 7 could be adjusted. After the title of that section, notice that it says "If so equipped". The 8's wing is fixed, I am sure of that.