Hey everyone,

I picked up my 06 MR about a month ago. It had 8900 miles on the clock. I've owned the previous cars above (03 WRX wagon, stage 2 04 STi, and an 06 GTI). Here's my take on the car so far:


The good:

+ Bilsteins are awesome. Great ride and road feel - fantastic stuff.
+ Recaro seats - everyone from age 20 to 60 comments on the seats and how nice they are.
+ Braking - not sure if the Brembo systems are the same on the STi and the Evos, but the brakes just feel better/seem to stop quicker.
+ Handling - car handles better than any stock car I've ever driven. No doubt about it.

The bad:

- I cannot get used to the clutch and the high engagement point on the car.
- Cant seem to drive it as easily/fast as the STi (see above)
- Lack of torque (compared to the STi), but I knew that going into this.
- The AWD doesn't seem as top notch as Subaru's.
- Road noise - even after getting new all seasons on the car for winter, still pretty loud. Easily cured by the radio...


I am getting more and more familiar with the car and will look to have the clutch adjusted. I was really hoping to keep this bad boy for longer than my usual period of like a year , but right now the only thing that really bugs me is the clutch. I don't know if thats common or if I just got something weird from the factory.

Overall though, happy with purchase

 

Thats wierd, I never noticed a high engagment point on our clutches.

Anyway, nice purchase. I'm sure you'll hold on to it for a while.

 

dasmn i sure did ihave my 8 for yr and a half and i still hate the high engangemnt point it drives me crazy. it not as bad as it was when i first got it, im gettin pretty used to it. if i drove it everyday, then by now id have a feel for it , but its not my dd

 

really?? thats the first thing i noticed.. and i must say.. wasnt too fond of it.. but quickly forgot about it once i hit that throttle

 

Just adjust the clutch pedal lower... and you can fix #1 and #2

Go under the clutch pedal with a 12mm socket, loosen the bolt, tighten (ie turn counterclockwise from your perspective) with your hand while jiggling the clutch pedal. Only turn it a few turns, tighten the screw, make sure the clutch is engaging and you're off. After I installed my new clutch it was higher, then I adjusted it lower again and I'm off again.

One thing I could never get (WRX not Sti).. was how to launch that sucker well. Rev too high and I thought I'd break it, even slightly lower it would bog or jerk..

 

My evo does have a high engagment point compared to the subaru. i have a couple of buddies that own subarus and i have driven them and there engagement point is alot sooner then our evo's.

 

Well the Sti is the Superior Daily Driver, I just don't get hos you say the AWD is superior? If any thing the ACD is more performance orientated but then again the transmission in the Scooby is a better because the motor outputs straight back vs. sidways like the Evo, so that is a better design, but the Performance of the Evo AWD is better.

 

Thanks for the replies, especially rice_rocket88. The Subies you can launch pretty easily, you just have to slip the clutch at about 4-5K - but thats not something you want to do every day! The STi's have an ACD as well..

I will adjust the clutch and try to remedy the problem. Cause I really need to get that to work better, as for now I'm driving the car pretty pitifully.

 

For someone that is vertically challenged...it is an asian thing...i rather enjoy the high engagement point of the clutch..you wil get use to it.

 

Don't be hating.. I fit in my car nicely and can still touch the floor :P

Just be careful to check the clutch engagement point before you go off trouncing around. You can lower it, but there is a point where it will be too low and your clutch won't engage. I'd go with a full turn first, then drive it, then turn it another full turn to get it pretty low to the floor.

If you go for a quick ride and smell any clutch burning you know you've put it WAAY too low. Ie it's not disengaging or engaging. You really have to go crazy with the turns to get it to that point though, so don't be worried.

 

inever had a problem w/ the clutch...

 

Jealous.....shoot I love being able to swing my legs back and forth and not worry about hitting the floor. Recaro needs to make some type of booster seat for short drivers.

 

The engagement on my Evo 8 is a lot higher than the engagement on my GTi.

 

Lack of torque can be remedied somewhat by TBE and tuning.
Could you explain what you mean by evo's awd not being as "top notch" as Subaru's.
Personally, I always found my Sti to understeer into a turn followed by snap oversteer when you get on the throttle.
I attributed such behavior to not just the suspension set up but its awd system as well.

 

The AWD thing is mostly just feel so far - again, its only been 30 days or so. I am sure in reality it is just as good, if not better than the Subie AWD.