Originally Posted by rodman

Oh boy, what a day, I'm actually still in shock. Some of you may have read my prev post on my new purchase of a IX RS with 23k and new tires. Today I went over to pick up the car around 4:30pm. I took a final look over of the car and another test drive to make sure the new tires were balanced well and to make sure the car had a good solid feel. Everything seemed good, rode smooth as glass, no funny noises, paint was in good shape, clean engine bay with no noticable mods and a flawless interior.

I did notice a a 'aftermarket hose going from the bov to the hard press line that runs along the side of the valve cover to the intake mani. The one thing I noticed wile driving was after you went into boost and let off the car would buck (kinda like you feel when one first learns to drive stick, only in reverse) as if the bov was not releasing the air properly. It sounded alot like a HKS type becouse it would make a fluttering woosh instead of a smooth stock woosh. Though looking at it, the bov was still venting back in the intake. Still, it didn't look stock and the area looked uncluttered, but as I remember (had a new IX MR a year ago) getting ahold of the valve cover vent hose that connects to the intake snorkel was not easy, yet on this car it was visible. The fins on the rad ect were untouched without a single bend in the fins and at most the car may have had a aftermarket intake along with this bov. Based on my knowledge the bov is not the stocker but I may be wronge.

Anyway, about 20 miles into my way home I heard a strange like raspy wine that went into a high pitch (almost whistle) then what sounded like a constent light knocking as if the wheel spokes were rubbing on a plastic/metal body part. All this was coming from the drivers side right where the tranny area is. This went on for about 2 miles then went away.

Ok now things get interesting. About 15 miles after the above I got into it about half throttle and the tranny popped out of 5th gear. I shoved it back in and at this point knew something was up that was not going to go away. All the wile I'm getting pissed since I just payed 27k for a car that is giving me problems only 30 miles into me owning it.

5 miles later I get to my exit ramp. I slow down and grab 4th, then take it out of gear to coast to a stop at the end. I go to grab 2nd to creep up to a stop and then all of a sudden at about 10mph, the ****er just ****s the bed. It made all kinds of tranny noises (the awful clunking and clanging) and the car seized in place and it was as if I had the E-brake on. THEN, with the car out of gear, I went to realease the clutch and it engaged just as if it was in gear. It started to smoke and smell funney and at this point I just shut her down......

WTF, is all I could muster and was so pissed I invisioned my self strangling every freaken one of the associates at the dealership. Now this dealership is not a mitsu one or any 'brand name dealer', they are just a mid sized used car place that does sell a crap load of Evos/STIs ect..

I call them up and they quickly call the owner and get him on the phone with me. I wanted to ask him how he could sell me a 27K car (of which I payed too much for as it was) that could not even make it home before blowing the tranny and then go on to tell him all the other awfull things I had on my mind but kept my cool to see what what he was going to do.

He sent out a wrecker to get the car and told me plain and simple that I could either have the car fixed or give the car back, get my trade and go. I really didn't think he was going to give me those options (even a free rental if I opt to keep it and get it fixed) and at this point will prob give the car back. For a Evo to have a shot tranny at 20k tells me the car was beat, yet the car looked and drove well maintained. Though i guess it could have been a freak mech problem, I really have no way of knowing for sure.

So that was my Evo buying exp One side of me says just get it fixed, not to mention it has a factory warranty for another 40k or 3 years so if it breaks just give it to the dealer to fix. Though the 'bov mod' worrys me as far as warrany issues go so i would have this dealer fix that issue and the bucking along with whatever happened to the tranny/clutch. Infact I would insist on a new OEM clutch wile they get the tranny done. Also, no matter where you get a used Evo, one never really knows how it was driven so i could get another one down the road and wind up with the same problem or worse. A 'new' tranny would give me peace of mind and one less thing to worry about as far as past abuse as well.

The other side of me says to just give it back and move on... What does every one else think I should do and or demand