Well, I thought the 1g DSM was a good car as well, it just had total system meltdowns. Entire clutch system went out, not just the clutch, everything else went with it, master/slave cylinder, engine went out twice. Tranny failed twice, once the entire bell housing cracked.
I am not 100% sure about buying an evo, can you imagine what would happen if you bought a porsche and you had rod failure after 4,000 miles, like some of the guys in this post have had with their evos? Porsche would tell you that they loved you and that they would fix it. Sure you pay a hell of a lot more for a porsche, but still. I don't think a company like Toyota would do what Mitsu is doing.
For me, it's not so much that Mitsu won't stand behind rod failure, grinding trannys, it's the fact that these cars have had rod failure after so little mileage. Sounds like defective pars more than anthing else, which companies like consumer reports will find out about, and bet your resale values will drop. I don't care if my dealer will give me a new block in my car that has 5,000 miles on it. Common sense tells you that a car that has had two engines in it is worth less than a car with it's origional engine.

 

Usually sounds like that are from the springs in the sprung hub of the clutch disk rattling. At least that was the problem with the S2000s. The springs would rattle when the clutch was unloaded (coasting).

 

"A few bad apples spoil the bunch". You never hear from the guys who don't have problems. You only hear from people that have problems and over 75% of them are due to user error. I got 5k miles on my EVO and everything is great. I have the usual minor rattles like a lot of other folks here, but I kinda expected that.

The only big problem I had w/ my 1g DSM was when my balance shaft belt broke. But I got lucky and it did no timing belt damage. DSMs did have a problem w/ leaking transfer cases. The trannies are a lot weaker compared to the EVO. The 2g's did have a problem w/ crankwalk. I was one of the lucky ones not to have it though.

The EVO has made progress from DSMs. The powertrain is much better designed and is much better suited to be raced. You have to mod a DSM so much just to match the platform of the EVO.

 

I agree, of course you only hear from the people with problems. BUT a problem like throwing a rod after less than 5k miles? That's a bit worrysome....

Ha, I lost a engine to a balance shaft belt and a transfer case to leaks on my 1g. I also lost a tranny to the classic fifth gear synchro nut, anyone remember this one? It would back itself off the shaft and send it through the side of your tranny. Come to think of it, everything that was wrong with a 1g DSM, I had. Bad ISC motor? Yep. Bent axles? Oh yeah.
Kinda puts some perspective on why I would be concerned if only "Some" of the cars had problems? My DSM had everything go wrong that could go wrong, I don't think my odds of getting a perfect EVO are that great.....

 

the harder you drive these cars, the more they break. i drive mine very hard, it breaks, but i still love it. if you baby your car, it won't break. most people are babying their evos and not breaking them. good for them.

 

Mine just turned 19k miles, not a single problem yet

Evo and DSM don't belong in the same sentence.

 

turbomaestro...I have owned 2 DSMs and now an Evo. You are making it out to be that the DSM is just a flat out junk pile, and rolling the evo in with it. First off, at the time....there were almost no cars in America that could match the potential of the DSM. Dollar for dollar....nothing could, even more so when you bought a used one. Second of all, do you own an Evo....uhhm no! So quit making it sound like it's a pile of junk. You are basiclly Saying "you all should be worried cause this one or two person(people) had rod troubles". Come on man...you are the type of person that causes people to post bullcrap like this. The Evo is a very good car. I also have had zero problems with mine. With almost 16k on the clock. I also had very very few problems with both of my DSMs combined.

I agree the DSM did have some build quality issues. But again, people do make it worse off than it really is....just as this post is doing and the others like it.

All I can say is God bless the DSM!!! otherwise the Evo would be probably the first 4g63 we would have here in the states. Just look at all of the easy progress with mods people can make with the Evo due to the DSM being here.

 

Tell Buschur and every other American tuner that the next time you want quality upgrades for your ride that don't come from costly imported manufacturers.

 

Lol, i will.

I stick with imported manufacturers. Wont buy anything but the absolute best.

 

Well, the DSM might have been a good car overall, but mine was a total pile of crap, plain and simple. I don't know if it was build quality, parts quality, design, or what. All I know is I went through two engines and three trannys.
I am not saying the EVO is a pile of crap, like you pointed out, I do not own one. Ask any mechanic who knows, they will tell you regular Mitsubishi cars have been, historically, total piles of junk. I think that total engine failure is a cause for concern, again, because every defect that the DSM had, my DSM seemed to develop as well. I don't really consider 16k a lot of miles, and of course I understand you drive it hard it breaks, but let me ask you this: ever ride in a 1g 4g63 non turbo car, one that had over 50k on it? TOTAL POS, and not fast.
It seems as though people will forgive their horrible car if it is fast...... "My car smokes after 30,000 miles, BUT IT"S SO FAST!" That used to be my motto....

 

Well, let's look at some past DSM problems. When do all those parts start falling apart? At the 5-10 year marker? At +10 yrs mark? Or within 3 yrs? You have to look at the wear and tear at parts as it pushes toward 15 years marker.

Of course, I won't comment on the tranny problem blowing up after big HP gains and hard/abusive launches. I have seen enough on the track in both amateur and pro events.

As for breaking conrods for an Evo at that low mileage, I can't really explain it. DSM guys know Evo rods are better than the 1g rods.


Let's look at another angle. What about Evo quality in the UK and the rest of the pacific rim countries? Are their consumers punishing their cars worse than in the US? If not, what are the variables skewing the results? Also, why not count issues from the Evo4 through 7? That would be an interesting study. Maybe, the problem just lies in America.??????

 

The tranny problem developed at 48,000 miles, at the six year mark. The tranny did not blow up after hard launches or high HP, everything was 100% stock, and I didn't know how to launch it when I first got it, as I was 18 and new to turbo cars.
If you look at the beginning of the post, I raised this issue BECAUSE of reports out of the UK about random problems developing that seemed to be because of quality control.....
PS I'm picking up my RS this week, so I'll roll the dice.....

 

i've been around DSMs for a while and since i got my licence after DSM quit/failed/whatever i didn't own one... my parents had a few and some of my friends still own some... what i can say is that if mitsu and mitsu alone made the cars then most of the problems that they do have, wouldn't have happend... it's chrysler's ****ty 2 year quality that ruins the cars they build... i'm not saying it wouldn't have ANY problems, but come on...

 

Reread the beginning post, was it just pertaining to the Evo 7 and/or 8? I haven't heard or read issues with the Evo 4-6. Yes, I know the latter wasn't a foul proof car.

I know I can't explain the tranny blowing up at the 6 year mark. That's low mileage. I do know the synchros are bad on DSMs.

 

Honestly the Evo feels like a 2G if it were built properly, seriously. Take Everything good about a 2G and subtract all the bad = the Evo.


The Bad is only the weaker bottom end, weak flowing head, weak *** T-25, Weak *** SMIC, weak injectors, weak FP and FPR, weaker clutch, weak rubber, weak interior space, Weak BOV that leaks @ 12PSI, Weak UPIC pipe, Weak open diffs, weak crank walk, you know....