Or am I the only one shelling out serious cash for maintenance on my Evo?

Here are the details:

I bought the car last mid-June. So, I have owned it a little over 6 months. So far here is a list of everything that I fixed on it. Granted some of it IS for looks but still...The car only has 33K miles on it. I'm beginning to wonder if the car is a money pit. I love the car to death though, but it's pretty disheartening to know one used to have over 4K in the bank and now down to a little less than 500 dollars...

Used Tranny: (Dealer paid for this) I bought it unknowingly the tranny had issues. They replaced it under their warranty with another used one.

New Clutch: $400

Full Paint Job: $2,750 (put on credit card...doing monthly payments)

New Megan Racing TBE: $400 (The stock exhaust was bent and needed to be replaced)

Steering Wheel + Install: $73 (The one on it was destroyed by the sun rays)

Oil Change: $65

Rear Defroster fuse + install: $45

Transmission/Transfer Case/Rear Diff Fluids + Install: $300

Turbo Timer + Install: $175

..I wasn't expecting so many things to go wrong with a somewhat new vehicle...especially with 33K miles. It's an 05' btw. I guess I shoudn't include the paint job...I knew before I bought the vehicle it was going to need some paint work done...but I didn't think it would cost that much...I guess now I know...blah.

So far I am up to $4,200 invested into my Evo VIII. Your thoughts? Your experiences? I would love to hear about your guys spendings so I don't feel so bad

Any btw, I'm not trying to **** and moan, just want to see how everyone elses maintenance on their Evo's is doing...

Thanks,
Randy

 

Just curious, why did you get a paint job? that and the turbo timer aren't really maintenance

 

Oh and to include the paint job cost was for paint supplies only. That's why it was a little under 3K instead of it being nearly 7K for a full paint job. Thanks.

 

True and I got the paint job done because when I bought the vehicle it had this ridiculous graphics that were painted on the car. Turns out, the Mitsu painter told me it was a 3-stage paint job and since my car is pearl white which is a 3 stage paint, that means 3 times the cost of the paint supplies.

The graphics paint looked ridiculous on my pearl white evo...It extended from the headlights and became wider the farther back you went to the end of the passanger side doors. And to include there where these little butterfly mitsu symbols at the end of it...From far away it looked like flying hearts...really *ahem* if you know what I mean...lol.

 

Why did you pay $45 to install a rear defroster fuse? I don't see anything on that list that I would say is excessive. Oil changes and fluid changes are part of normal wear and tear. Learn to do the work yourself and you can save money. It sounds like you bought a car that was beat up, so you are having to spend money on it. Busted tranny, bent exhaust, needed paint, you should have known you were going to put some coin in it when you bought it. I've had my car for almost 2 years, and it has 24k miles. I've changed the oil, tranny/TC/diff fluids, and that's it. I don't count brake pads, brake lines, or anything else since the car didn't NEED it.

 

Is it just me or are you actually complaining about spending money on things you shouldnt be complaining about? Paint job, tbe, tt....are you serious?! Do you complain about putting milk in your cereal, too? It's a used car. Doesnt matter if it has 33k or 333k miles, youre not the original owner. How he/she treated the car before you absolutely determines how much the car is going to run you down.

Keep it stock and you wont have to rant about it on online forums.

 

You shouldn't have bought such a beat up car to begin with. All the mechanical/paint problems you listed could have been found out before buying the car.

 

I'm assuming you did some research on maintenance costs prior to buying the car? If so, there isn't much to complain about. If not, should have done it. Any high performance car is going to be a maintenance hog.

I agree the painting should not have been included. You could have left the car alone or not have bought the car in the first place. The graphic was there before you bought it.

 

Yeah, I take blame for the paint work...I should have actually knew more about the vehicle before hastily going out and buying it. (blames self). The next time, im out in the market to buy a vehicle, I'll have a lot more knowledge of what to look for.

 

Transmission/Transfer Case/Rear Diff Fluids + Install: $300

this you don't do every year unless u put a crap load of miles on the car, also you can change it yourself and spend half or less on good fluids.

 

nope, i spend buttloads of cash on mine. the techs at my shop LOVE me

 

Great self advice for next time. Life lesson learned.

 

these you could easily do yourself...

5+ mobil1 =~30, oil filter ~7 = total 37, you save $28, and some left over oil for the next oil change.

i belive i spent about $70 for all the fluids needed for the Transmission/Transfer Case/Rear Diff... and like 5 bucks for some 1/2" hose to attach to the funnel (for the hard to reach places)... you save ~225 bucks... the stealership FTL

 

Was it bad? If so, sure, maintenance item.

You bought an ugly car and needed it repainted. Not maintenance.

You knowingly bought a car with a bent exhaust? Not maintenance.

Not maintenance. Well, okay, sure, it might have been ugly, but DESTROYED?

25 at Walmart + ~10 fot filter = 35. You done got ripped, sir.

How much was the fuse, and how much was installing it?

Maintenance, but I'm guessing you got it done somewhere, and got ripped off.

Not maintenance.

 

hotdog is right.

OP - we are pretty much in the same boat. 05 evo. i imported mine from oregon so i paid without even a test drive. having said that, i didnt know my clutch was slipping till few weeks later of owning it. i bought a third party warrantee that the dealer offered for 1800CAD but im sure as hell thats not going to cover the clutch job.

to date, maintenance wise, i spent:

- clutch - 420 for exedy stage one, 375 install
- 30k maintenance - 384 cad labour, 160 parts and fluids
- winter tires - 375 used

i did a few mods that are DIY. some of the maintenance stuff are super easy too so that is DIY as well... i mean i wasnt going to pay the dealer $$$ to change the air filter cabin. i did it for like five minutes... :P

also, use this forum as a reference. it is heathly with helpful information especially for new evo owners...