The temptation to start modding is hard to resist, especially with the all the knowledge on this forum, the huge aftermarket, and the resulting ability to extract a lot of power from the 4G63.

Despite this, my reasons to stay stock are straightforward:

(1) Warranty work, don't want the hassle as we all know how Mitsu dealers can be, even with the MM Act.
(2) Exhaust tone, I've heard a TBE and it's fairly loud and I don't like the attention.
(3) I already have to spend more money on maintenance items than most cars (engine oil, tranny oil, tc fluid, rear diff, etc).
(4) Approval of the CEO a.k.a. "the wife" when it comes to spending more money on a depreciating asset.
(5) In stock form the car has enough power and handling with a good set of tires and proper alignment.

A quick search shows that the last thread on this subject was started about two years ago. I'd like to get a current idea of how many Evo owners on this forum are currently running bone stock and plan to keep it that way.

 

I made it 2 months stock. I couldnt resist. I do plan on keeping the stock catback though for low noise. I have heard good things about just a DP and HFC or test pipe if that sways you to mod.

Also I spoke to a few dealers and all of them said TBE wont void the warranty and can help extract a decent amount of power.

 

Interesting thread.

My IX is bone stock, but I recently started thinking about getting tuned, so I can't say I'm one of those you plan to keep it purely stock. I like the tune/flash option because the warranty issue can be avoided by a re-flash back to stock.

 

get a BR 330 or 350(?) if you want more power and maintain a warranty

 

I'm still stock, but I don't plan on keeping it that way. But rather than turn it into a drag car, I plan on doing things to make it even more Evo-like. I'm going to try to keep near stock spool-up by going 2.3l and twin scroll 30R for the turbo. This should increase torque also. I also plan on doing suspension/brake/and wheel upgrades to make it corner/stop/and grip even better than it does now. I love the Evo for what it is. I just want to make it more Evoish.
I too, have to get ok'd through the boss, which is why I have to sell my Supra before I can do anything to the Evo. As far as warranty, the way I drive the car, they would probably find a way to deny warranty on things like transmission/clutch/ACD anyways.

 

I don't see how the BR330 can "maintain a warranty" when I've read about people getting their warranty denied for having less parts on their car.

Besides that, take a look at the official BR 330 page:

http://www.buschurracing.com/br-evo-...ifications.htm

It clearly states:

 

thats california..there are 49 other states with less restrictive rules. My local dealership (medina mitsu) sells them, well, sold them and cover them.

 

IX, over 1 year, almost 18k on the ticker. Bone stock and will not modify.

 

I wish my local dealer was like that, they are real ****** and deny your warranty with just a few mods from what other Evo owners have told me.

 

I had my first Evo for two weeks shy of a year, and that one was never modded. I've had my second Evo ('06 IX SE) for a bit over eleven months, and it is still bone stock, despite having purchased GTWorx/RCE springs in November that haven't been installed yet.

To be honest, I'd like to install the springs sometime soon and maybe look into an ECU reflash of some sort, but I'm pretty short on funds at the moment, so a stock Evo is what I'm looking at for the time being... which is still plenty of car. And as a result of being short on funds, I've decided that I'd like to utilize the warranty as necessary for as long as possible since at the moment, I'm not ready to drop $1k in powertrain repairs should something fail. Anyway, I had noticed that my car seemed out of alignment (especially compared to how my first one drove) within a few hundred miles and had it realigned under warranty, though I still had to do a tiny bit of arguing. Also, having the mods I mentioned won't really get me into any more trouble with law enforcement officers than any other stock Evo would (in terms of attracting attention or getting fix-it tickets), compared to something more obvious (i.e., intake, TBE, etc.).

It seems like what will satisfy me is the installation of the springs sitting in my garage (with an alignment, of course) and possibly an ECU reflash since both will enhance overall performance a bit for not too much money while not being obvious aftermarket mods that will automatically get my car denied for any warranty work, should any issues arise. Though whenever I get another car (probably at least four or five years from now at the earliest), I will strongly consider installing more serious mods since I'd have another car to serve as a daily driver that would need to be totally reliable. Until then, I'm staying bone stock or pretty close to it.

 

I am a proud member of this crew and have been for years.

I am a firm believer in that the Evo is very competitive right out of the box. And most of the post here prove that over half of the drivers of Evos can hardly drive them stock form. But the need to mod is till there. Other than tires and pads the only other thing that needs work on my car is that empty space between the steering wheel and driverseat

 

www.worksevo.com
WORKS matches the warranty! If you have concerns about exhaust tones, etc, I would just get the P2 Brain Flash. Your car will pull harder and maintain boost all the way to redline! The best upgrade, next to the larger throttle body, that I ever did. People claim their brain flash is "too conservative" but I notice a huge difference in power as it is. Plus, if they are going to match the warranty, they aren't going to go too crazy with it.
Also, you end up saving more gas because the stock Evo runs rich from the factory. Finally, it's very difficult for a dealer to see that you got a flash anyways, if they even attempt to check it in the first place.

WORKS has a lot of stealth upgrades anyways that the dealer won't notice such as the drop-in filter, bigger throttle body, stealth HFC and stealth exhaust. Their HFC and exhaust is the exact same as the stock one externally. They just alter the piping and the flanges internally.

 

Well said! It's amazing how much performance potential is untapped in the average driver. I will spend my money much more quickly on high performance driving education than on mods.

 

I'm partially stock. Engine, exhaust, intake, tranny are all stock. I've upgraded to a coilover suspension and slotted rotors. New wheels and tires too (RGIIs!!!). But, all the go-fast stuff is still bone stock.

 

I have 8k miles on mine but am ok with a TBE and TUNE. If I have an issue that needs dealer attention I can have the car back in stock form in less than an hour.

With two mods I now have a much more consistant 11 second daily driver. Thats the beauty of the EVO9. No need for an aftermarket LICP, O2 housing, or set of Cams.

For the record you really only need a downpipe and testpipe as the stock catback flows quite well. If you want it quiet you should try that. For having only $300 worth of mods in this car I am very happy.