I curently drive an '03 VIII and am wondering how much better a new MR is in terms of comfort of ride and reduced interior noise. I know there are differences like clutch take up springs and different shocks and I'm sure some others as well. My wife and I love our Evo, we just want something a touch more civil. Any thoughts?

 

No reduced interior noise, but the Bilsteins are a little less harsh for daily driving without sacrificing performance. No Evo is really civil, and no Evo should be bought for the purpose of being civil (imo).

What are "clutch take up springs"?

 

The MR and the GSR have the same amount of sound absorption material and the same exhaust. Only the RS (the one without power windows, rear wing, no ABS, etc.) will be louder because it has less sound absorption material. It's that way to have the least weight.

 

I 'm not actually sure what they are called, but I'm refering to the springs on the inner hub of clutch itself. They are longer and softer on the MR to reduce driveline/tranny chatter.

 

If you want a quieter Evo then you'll have to add some sound deadening. There's some stuff called "fatmat" that's supposedly pretty good and very light. Check out this thread...

https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/sh...hlight=fat+mat

I just ordered 50ft and plan to start in on the trunk on my RS next weekend.

 

This is the first I have heard of this. Anyone back this claim up? Im almost certain the clutch on all three Evos (RS, regular, MR - I refuse to call it GSR) call for the same clutch part number...

 

A spung hub clutch is what you are referring to.

 

I've driven my friend's 05 MR and 06 MR and compared to my 06 GSR the clutch feels softer/easier to drive. I suggest going for a test drive yourself to get a feel for it.

 

I refuse to call it a GSR too.....but just for anyone interested, USDM 5speed Evos are actually japanese GT evos.

Japan's 5speed is the GT model, not GSR.

Just felt like putting in my 2 cents. Sorry.

 

On topic: I honestly think that the subtle differences between GSR and MR are amplified by your thinking...like for instance, if you mod you car to make it faster, it might not necessarily be much faster but you may THINK its much more faster because that's what you're thinking/believing...same deal

Cliff note: Not much difference, all mental

 

If you are worried about driving comfort, please do yourself a favor and do not purchase the Evo. The Subaru STI is way more "civil" than the Evo, and also has a way nicer interior, but is on par with the Evo performance wise.

 

You're right, but historically the GSR notation stood for the "standard" model up until the VII. The 5-speed started being labeled as GT when the VIII came around. So I retract my previous statement, I own a IX GT.. .

 

I disagree...ALL of the people that I have driven in my car have mentioned how smooth and quiet my car is at 80. I obviously didn't get it for the quietness of the ride, I was just surprised. I test drove a 8 at the dealership (it was modded) and I could hear the engine through the dash and my friends were asking if that was normal.

Off Topic... Clutch feel is attributed to the pressure plate's spring rate. The whole "chatter" thing is caused by the sprung clutch disk...there are pros and cons to having each(sprung/unsprung). Sprung, you're going to have more chatter but the springs take some of the stress off of the drivetrain.

 

I also don't subscribe to the sentiment that "If you dont want a harcore street legal race car, you shouldn't buy an evo!!"

There are a lot of cheap and easy things to do to improve noise and comfort without sacrificing too much performance or weight. The first, is get a set of quieter tires when the stock ones wear out. If you do some research, you will find plenty of very good tires that have much less noise. Second, as was already suggested, a little sound deadening can go a long way in key places. It just takes a bit of time to put it in. I suggest the trunk and the doors to start with, which should only add about 20 lbs to the car.

I went with products from Second Skin Audio. The basic sound deadening rubber mat material is thicker than fatmat and many other producst, plus its just cut, peel, and stick. It a little more expensive than other stuff, but its not too bad. Youl need about 20-25 sq ft for the trunk. Their "trunk kit" needs about 1 more block in it to fit the evo well, but its close enough. Im not sure about the doors since I havnt done it, but you can roughly measure.

As far as ride goes, the best thing to do is to pick up a used set of MR shocks. Its a night and day difference. Really.

 

Thanks Mercenary3 and Boostless, your input is very helpful. Some people may have missed the fact I own an '03 as they keep saying don't buy one if you can't handle it..blah...blah. My wife and I love the Evo and it is nearly a perfect car for us. It is really hard to drive anything less after having driven one for 3+ years. If it was a few decibels quiter and had a cruise I would be just perfect. I realized I wasn't buying a Cadillac when I bought it, but that doesn't mean I can't wish for something different. And, BTW, one reason we decided against an STi because the back seat room is not the same as the Evo, quite a bit smaller actually. I DO wish the interior of the Evo was of higher quality like the Subaru, though. There just isn't a car that can compare with the Evo. Maybe in a few years I will be able to afford an AWD model of the new 335i. My wife and I have a wingless Evo and think it is also a very handsome sedan too!