Daily Driven Evo
I've used mine as a DD since I bought it in June of 2005. I'm at 49,000 miles. To date, the only things I've had done are:
1) Oil changes every 5,000 miles.
2) Fluid change + drive belt replacement at 30,000 miles.
I'm still on my stock clutch (no sign of needing to be replaced any time soon), stock brake pads (perfect so far) and stock spark plugs (Al said they were fine - no knock - during the custom road tune he gave me in Sept). I just put on my third set of tires a week ago (Khumos). The stock Advans lasted me 16,000 miles and the Falkens lasted me 32,000 miles. All told, the Evo hasn't been ruinous financially. The enjoyability quotient is, in my opinion, high enough to justify the cost.
1) Oil changes every 5,000 miles.
2) Fluid change + drive belt replacement at 30,000 miles.
I'm still on my stock clutch (no sign of needing to be replaced any time soon), stock brake pads (perfect so far) and stock spark plugs (Al said they were fine - no knock - during the custom road tune he gave me in Sept). I just put on my third set of tires a week ago (Khumos). The stock Advans lasted me 16,000 miles and the Falkens lasted me 32,000 miles. All told, the Evo hasn't been ruinous financially. The enjoyability quotient is, in my opinion, high enough to justify the cost.
Very nice, thanks for posting that. One of the moderators should cut and paste that and post it somewhere, nice job.
I don't feel the EVO is a high cost car to maintain. If you beat the hell out of it and modify it the story changes but even that within reason will not add any additional cost. A BR Stage 3 car driven like you have some sense will not add to your maintainence.
I'll give you an example. My mother went to watch me race back in 1993 at Milan, Michigan. After winning the event we all went out, including my mom and we got drunk and partied. (my mom wasn't drunk, she's a saint
Anyway, I was hung over the next morning and she calls me, I was in no mood to talk. She said, "Guess what I did?!" I told her I had no idea, just tell me. She says, "I bought a new AWD Talon" I called BS on her and she said I'll be there in an hour. Sure enough an hour later she shows up with a brand new AWD Talon, tells me she wants to leave it with me and have me make it run 12's! In 1993 12's were still fast! haha I tell he bring it back when it has 1,000 miles on it and I'd do it. So, at 1100 miles it comes back, we modify it with basically a Stage 2 package. The car with a mediocre driver runs low 13's. She drives this car for the next 7-8 years, it is raced 1-2 times a year and had 140,000 miles on it. Nothing ever broke. Regular oil changes, timing belts, brake pads etc. normal stuff you will have with any car built. The guy that owns the car now has 180,000+ miles on it and it is still on the original engine/head.
The 4G63 is the shizzle.
I don't feel the EVO is a high cost car to maintain. If you beat the hell out of it and modify it the story changes but even that within reason will not add any additional cost. A BR Stage 3 car driven like you have some sense will not add to your maintainence.
I'll give you an example. My mother went to watch me race back in 1993 at Milan, Michigan. After winning the event we all went out, including my mom and we got drunk and partied. (my mom wasn't drunk, she's a saint
Anyway, I was hung over the next morning and she calls me, I was in no mood to talk. She said, "Guess what I did?!" I told her I had no idea, just tell me. She says, "I bought a new AWD Talon" I called BS on her and she said I'll be there in an hour. Sure enough an hour later she shows up with a brand new AWD Talon, tells me she wants to leave it with me and have me make it run 12's! In 1993 12's were still fast! haha I tell he bring it back when it has 1,000 miles on it and I'd do it. So, at 1100 miles it comes back, we modify it with basically a Stage 2 package. The car with a mediocre driver runs low 13's. She drives this car for the next 7-8 years, it is raced 1-2 times a year and had 140,000 miles on it. Nothing ever broke. Regular oil changes, timing belts, brake pads etc. normal stuff you will have with any car built. The guy that owns the car now has 180,000+ miles on it and it is still on the original engine/head.The 4G63 is the shizzle.
Evolved Member
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 660
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From: Fresno, CA
The only modifications I have are 1) custom road tune by Dynoflash (not mail-in) 2) K&N drop-in air filter.
I'm completely stock aside from that. As much as I'd like more power, I'm reluctant to replace the OEM exhaust. I did that with my Eclipse and the noise was irritating. I'm not very knowledgeable about modifying cars and I've been under the impression that there isn't much else I can do for noticeable gains without getting a catback/TBE, etc.
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Evolving Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 193
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From: Silver Spring
wow, thanks for all the info guys. Defiantly some really good stuff.
Couldn't you get a camber kit and fix the negative camber and I'll defiantly consider the motor mounts. I really like those Torque Dampers, they look cool and I've been told work really well.
That plan is for like Race cars,if you don't drive spireted all the time you can change stuff at a later mileage. I change things as they are needed, but i do have a full shop to my disposal to do stuff like that. I know your tires wear out verry fast, mainly because of the negative camber the evo has stock.
Basicly all the Stuff that normaly wears out on a average car wears out on an evo, only much faster.
BTW if you put a performance clutch, or even if you don't, you should change your motor mounts to the polyurathane ones. Much much better, it even minimizes wheel hop!! I didn't beleive it a first but I installed a set of 4 on a customers evo, and wow there was a huge difference, you don't even have to rip it to notice. I was just moving it out and you let the clutch out and it grabbed without doing that wobble. The stock mounts are Extremely soft to allow for little cabin vibration.
Basicly all the Stuff that normaly wears out on a average car wears out on an evo, only much faster.
BTW if you put a performance clutch, or even if you don't, you should change your motor mounts to the polyurathane ones. Much much better, it even minimizes wheel hop!! I didn't beleive it a first but I installed a set of 4 on a customers evo, and wow there was a huge difference, you don't even have to rip it to notice. I was just moving it out and you let the clutch out and it grabbed without doing that wobble. The stock mounts are Extremely soft to allow for little cabin vibration.
Couldn't you get a camber kit and fix the negative camber and I'll defiantly consider the motor mounts. I really like those Torque Dampers, they look cool and I've been told work really well.
Last edited by SkylineMyth; Dec 15, 2006 at 06:02 AM.
the camber isn't the problem it's the toe. I run -2 camber all the time and got 30k out of my Michelin PS2 (wrecked the outer edge, I was naughty). get the front and rear toe set to straight up zero and you'll have much better tire wear (and gas mileage).
Correct Greg, the largest problem is the toe adjustment on the EVO's. Also, those dumb engine shocks (engine dampers) are something you should skip. If you want to fix the problem and do it correctly install a new front engine mount, we've got them for $45.
I run 0 toe front and back. -1.5 camber up front and -1.3 I think in the back.
It definately feels better now then the first time I got it aligned.
Oh and Ill be ordering one of those front motor mounts.
Do they increase vibration at all. Since they stiffen up the motor flex
It definately feels better now then the first time I got it aligned.
Oh and Ill be ordering one of those front motor mounts.
Do they increase vibration at all. Since they stiffen up the motor flex
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 366
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From: Dubai, UAE
thanks for the settings. The alignment guys (Pirelli) here set up my car with 0.6 degrees of toe-out -- I'll have to see them about this tomorrow, and to rebalance the tires. I'm getting very light vibrations through the steering wheel at 80 mph.
+1 ... Listen to Greg K, he knows what he is talking about ... Stock clutches going bad is usually the result of a poor driver. 36K miles on the stock clutch over 100 Auto-x launches and still going strong.
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Evolving Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 193
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From: Silver Spring
Nice, that's y I'm saving up to get an Evo. It very easy to mod and if tuned right it just kills almost everything on the road. I'm also on a WRX forum cause I do like boxer engines but even they say they have to go with an aftermarket turbo to even try to keep up with stock Evos. It's also pretty funny how they also like taking the Evo's big 16G turbo and slap it on their engines.
Good info, whatever you do don't let the dealer do the maintenance unless you got 600 bucks 2 spare. I say buy all the fluids yourself and make sure you put them in the right place.