Aaron,

Great point on the additional welds!

Claudius,

Great point on the Moderator Hijacking!

 

 

It's ok - thankfully, the USDM Evo 8 gets the new Lancer front subframe, which is the reason it gained weight in the front, but also the reason it passed crash safety standards in the States. The JDM Evo VII didn't have the new one, and is not a car I would recommend hitting anybody with the front in. Especially the RS. I imagine that the Euro export Evo's also get the front subframe from the Lancer, but I'm not totally sure. I believe the JDM Evo 8 was also upgraded, but I'm not sure if the RS was.

The JDM Evo's were a bit dodgy in the past, and a journo here did go the big wrecking yard in the sky. Of course, japanese journalists are not exactly the hottest drivers in the universe, to be honest. They certainly make me look good. But because of that, it's a bit hard to get cars from ralliart these days.

Cheers,

Paul Hansen

 

Hi-
Good Questions. I had similar ones before I bought my EVO.

1) Crash tests and safety are a valid concern. I do know that the roll-over safety is nearly proven to be very good with the extra rigidity and seeing some pictures of actual damage after that type of accident. For an impartial look at how the generic Lancer did in real crash tests (with pictures), go to http://www.hwysafety.org/vehicle%5Fr.../html/0123.htm
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the Highway Loss Data Institute is a great resource for real crash tests. In this instance they rated the Lancer a "Best Pick" Overall for safety. You could probably do a side-to-side comparison of the Impreza.
2) Having traded my 99 Honda Civic Si for the EVO, engine reliability was the top concern. Granted, 19 psi is a LOT of boost for a production car - but the air-fuel mapping seems to be pretty conservative to prevent detonation, especially on low-octane or poor-quality fuel. I did buy the 5-year/100,000 mile extended warranty when I bought the EVO, just in case. My first concern is the turbo failing at around 80K miles, despite having it idle for at least a minute before shutdown. That is probably common across brands. As far as internal engine components go, the Evolution's pistons, rods, etc. are strenghened to accomodate the boost. I'm fairly confident Subaru and Mitsu are alike in this respect.
3) Mitsu dealers have had a bad rap in the past, but every dealer is different. I'm lucky to have a great dealer that seems to want to have a good relationship with the customer (no over-sticker markups on the EVO). I did meet a mechanic/technician that was genuinely excited to service the car, so I know to request him by name. I recommend to try and establish a good rapport with the dealer if you can.
4) Build quality for the EVO should be at the top of Mitsu's list. Granted, they do have problems with other models, but small problems seems to be on the list - like the upholstery on my driver's side armrest has come unglued. Furthermore, the tranny has been proven very reliable. They didn't put the 6-speed in the US cars because the 5-speed has proven itself time-and-again for rugged durability. I have had, though, to alter my shift technique to avoid grinding 2nd gear - you almost have to pause for a split second in neutral before shifting into gear. Otherwise, I have about 5000 miles with no major errors (following proper break-in).

Let me know if you have any further questions. I'd say drive both the STi and EVO and see what you think. They're both great cars. IMHO, the EVO appears to be more fun-to-drive and is a good value.

-Evo2003.5

 

Evo2003.5,

Thanks for taking the time on this. I really appreciate the objective, factual feedback!

As I get closer to making my decision (still have some time on my WRX lease) you might see some PMs from me.

Thanks again!

 

Kurichan-
Not a problem - feel free to PM if you'd like more info...

-Evo2003.5

 

Please no bashing on the S4. Just tell me why I should buy an EVO. I Like both cars, but the S4 is too much to mod and low 12's are about the best I can get out of it.

Thanks

 

s4 very nice car! sport & luxury in 1. keep it, low 12's are good. @ what trap are u runnin in the 1/4 ?

 

Well, how about you first start by saying how you drive your S4 and what type of driver you are. Also, what do you expect to get out of the Evo over the S4?

They are 2 dramatically different cars.

 

Maybe I should say I'm not geting low 12's. With all of the mods out there for the S4 others are getting low 12''s.

 

Who would bash on an S4? I actually like them alot but just a little more than what I can afford. Anyway, an EVO will for the most part, beat an S4 in most performance aspect but the S4 carries luxury that an EVO doesn't have. Also they aren't even in the same category as one another. There is lot more to say but I'm giving you short of my 2cents.

 

dont get rid of the audi, just get another car

 

I admit I drive my car hard. I do some drag racing and like to do some auto cross. Handling is pretty good but nothing to praise. I know I can get coilovers on th S4 and get much better handling however, I don't think that kind of handling should come with a $2200 price tag. I'm also looking for better reliablity.

 

If you want quality parts and proven, you will spend that much specially on a European car. I bought a $2300.00 CUSCO ZERO 2 coilover kit that change the handling on my ex-02' WRX(trade in for my EVO)dramatically. I wouldn't expect that type of handling improvement on a $200.00 lower springs.

 

The Evo is far more reliable than an Audi S4, and much lighter too.