Oak, I finally read your post!! Great write up, man.

I had a few of the same problems you did, (and some you didn't) and I'm sure my modding experiences helped convince you not to mod!

I just rolled over 65k Sunday. I'm on my 2nd windshield, 3rd clutch, 3rd set of tires (but need tires again soon) and 2nd set of brakes (need new pads and rotors soon).

Aside from the paint and creaks and rattles you mentioned, I had problems with the brakes and the infamous p0300. Pretty much gave up on the paint though. This car was meant to be driven, not wiped with a diaper on the weekends! I know exactly what you mean about all those tiny chips on the windshield. At the right angle it appears that you have glitter stuck to the glass. If it weren't for the chip I got right in my line of sight at around 59k, I would still be rolling the glitter windshield.

There are times when I wish I had kept mine stock too, but I let the mod bug bite me and I haven't looked back since. Wise, wise choice to keep yours stock! I know I'm counting the days until the next thing breaks on mine! lol

 

Well you gotta do the modding thing once... Like I said I did it on the last car and got it out of my system.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention I did get the P0300 once, dealer flashed it and it never showed up again.

 

From what it sounds like, you'd be just as happy driving a Civic. If you're getting 25-30mpg you're not driving it like it was supposed to be driven

 

My windshield did the usual "wake up one cold morning with a 6" crack" that they like to do. I called around and ended up putting a standard Lancer windshield in its place: 1.) Because it was 300 bucks less and 2.) the glass is thicker and should (and has) stood up better against rocks, etc.

I have 43k on my 03 and its been a flawless ownership experience so far. I've replaced two sets of tires and a set of brake pads...I'm sure the rotors are about due for replacement now as well. Stock clutch is fine, gearbox/t-case are golden. Oh yeah, 300+ whp since 5k miles Always warmed up and cooled down properly, oil changed about every 4500 miles.

 

Nice writeup Oak!

Wow, thats pretty impressive making that much power since 5k miles and still on stock clutch. Hopefully my clutch lasts just as long considering I'm making the same power as you lol. I take it you barely launch?

 

I pretty much only launch at the track. I also use "tire slip" more than clutch slip to come out of the hole. It doesn't make for the absolute fastest times, but a 12 sec evo regardless of where it sits in the 12's is common, so I don't care Never smelled clutch after a drag run so far.

 

so that clunking noise from the center console is common anyone know what it is i noticed it yesterday when i hit some bumps on a crappy road

 

I haven't figured it out yet... Now that I have a sound system in there, all the rattles have seemed to disappear!

About the windshields though... The stock Evo glass seems to hold up to cracks better. I've got 3 major ones, and once they do the initial cracking or whatever, they haven't moved. One is half the length of the windsheld (kind of snaking right by the rear view mirror from the top of the driver's side) and it hasn't moved in over a year. I just took another big one earlier this week that put a pretty big crack in it, and so far so good. Here's a pic of the big one I just took (you can see the other crack going by right above it). Sorry it's just from my cell phone...

 

yea i've heard of people having so many problems with these cars and what not. then finally when i bought mine, still no poblems. this is now the second year with mine and still no problems i guess you get problems because you dont treat and care for the car correctly other then that everything is great.

 

im going to start the F&F quotes up ready? You know you owe me a 10 second car right? lol

 

poor thing never even got to open its wings and fly

they say that if you love something let it go and it will come back to you

if you love that evo you'll let it lose!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Oh I let it loose don't worry. I'm just saying if you don't abuse it, take care of it, and don't do dumbass mods it'll last along time and be perfectly reliable. And by dumbass mods I mean not doing them properly...

 

You know its perfectly possible to let a car loose without really breaking it. Doing the weekend sprints down country roads won't harm the car or wear it down that much. Off course, some people define "letting loose" as flooring between stoplights, but to each his own.

 

Good to hear that your car is holding up...but I'm very curious about your brakes. I haven't done any track days (yet) and I drive somewhat agressively on the street (but not overy crazy) and have some back road fun on the weekends. At 26K miles I've already replaced a set of tires at about 18K and just put in a new set of pads. My stock pads were down to the backing plates...no way I could have gotten another 25K out of them.

I guess it just comes down to your driving style...

 

Santa - that's what I do. Mountain roads here around Golden seem like they were built for an Evo

Boost - it really does come down to driving style. From the start, I knew that clutch and brakes were two of the really bad wear items, so from day 1 I've gone easy on those. Honesly, I'm not sure how they've held up this long either. My wheels are constantly covered in brake dust, and on one mtn run I managed to cover the whole car in it. My daily drive doesn't really require a lot of hard braking either, so I'm sure that helps.