I am not basing the purchase on need for features or not needing them, my SOULD concern is reliability and if buying the 05 is going to rid me of the majority of issues or very close to then by all means I want the 05. I want to be able to own the car and not worry about fixing it all the time. So you are saying if I buy a bone stock never modded 03 or 04 if anything were to arrise I could have the warrantee take care of it? I can run a check on weather the car has warrantee restrictions by checking the vin with a dealership right? I will be modding, probobly Buschur S1 or 2 as well as some cosmetics, are the 05's significantly less prone to breaking? or having problems? That is what my main concern is, if one will most likely cost me less of a headache, significantly less possability of the typical EVO problems then I will buy accordingly, I am just really skeptical of buying an 03-04 but I do not have the fund to buy new... I can afford $20-23,000. I would love to have the colors, I'm not really a fan of white or rally red, Tarmac would be nice, BBY, Silver even. But I am going to be in college as well so I don't need a bunch of unexpected dealership trips for constant repairs. I heard the 03-04 were subject to break even under friendly driving. Plus is a 03-04 with that mileage out of warrantee?

 

Take it from me, I was just in your same position. I just got my 03 BBY with 24K for 21,000. I was worried about buying a used evo because of "problems". Honestly the main thing to listen/check for in my opinion is the tranny, especially 3rd and fifth gear.

If there are no grinds or noises you should be fine (tranny wise). I would definately change all the fluids (differential, tranny, and oil)

Other than that yes, if the car is stock dealerships will warranty things. You need to be careful once you start modding the car. They may void certain parts. Also don't consider a warranty as a garuntee; dealerships also are known not to replace things so take good care of the car.

One more thing, don't settle if this is not the evo you want or if you have a bad feeling about it don't buy it. I am a junior in college and waited for over a year for the right one to come my way. I've looked at countless evos and countless crap ones. Just do a carfax just to make sure "paper" wise it clears. I know that's not the bible but at least if it is clean on paper then the value holds. Feel free to send me a pm or something with other "first buyer" questions. Like I said I just bought mine last month.

Hope this helps.
Ray

ps these are my opinions and information that I know...other people may have different opinions/knoweledge.

 

05'rs cuz not only will you have less problems but even if you do have problem it is covered under a 10y/100k warrenty as oppoosed to the 3 year 36k wich you will go through withina month or 2 if not already out. but if you really want the blue viii than ask him when he bought it and wait till the day after the 3 year anneversery and the price will drop easly 3k because of warrnty and you can tell him that in the face.

 

no hes got 4k left unless hes out of the 36mnth period so mabe mabe not he should ask.

 

The 05's have a 10 year 100k? I would just assume I could make sure the car checks out for warrantee restrictions, carfax and a basic condition check myself and test drive and then take it into the dealer just to have it looked over completely and anything wrong fixed. Is that against warrantee rules if you buy a used car with a remaining warrantee and have it gone through with a fine tooth comb and checked over and fixed?

I'd like to get an 03 or 04 because of colors and power options also they are cheaper however it's irrelivant to me if the car is going to be significantly more problematic.

 

05 is better

 

All I am wondering, is if the 05's are significantly more reliable than the 03-04's... if so than I'd be willing to sacrafice power windows, color options, hids, etc etc to have that extra reliability... however if it is indeed not very significant than I would go with an 03-04. I am not basing this on the hotside 10.5, the LSD, ACD etc etc. I am going to be chosing based on reliability, if the 05 is only a "little bit" more reliable then I don't care which one I end up with, but significantly more reliable then ok.

 

Evo's have warranties? I did not know that.

 

I dont think 05's are significanlty more reliable then the 03-04's.

 

I agree with Blue By ray... warranties will be dictated by mods and the dealer. If you plan to mod, then you are at their mercy.. I own an 04 and it has had zero issues since I bought it with 6 miles on it. I'm at 24K miles now. I have had many mods over the past 18 months and still no issues. IMO I would purchase a newer IX just by the simple fact, its new and well proven. All points stated previously are great.... Its definitely your personal preference and usage.. IMHO

 

I would buy a IX too... if I could afford it. I want an EVO and any EVO because that is the car that does what I want it to do, if I bought a WRX... I'd mod the hell out of it just to try to get it maybe near a stock EVO, or stock STi... I just don't want to be hanging myself with the purchase. Believe me, I'd love to be able to have power everything, maybe even SSL I think they had that in 04? and a Tarmac, BBY, AS EVO... I don't like white. But I'd rather have an EVO that's running perfectly than one that's giving me problems.

 

One more thing to consider is that these are both USED cars, one could be great now and one could **** the bed later. You will never know how reliable a used car truly is. There is always going to be some doubt of whether it will be reliable or not.

The only way to garuntee no problems would be like the other guys said buy a new rs. And even then you plan to mod so modding = headaches and problems.