i am planning on buying a new 2005 evo 8 or the evo 8 MR. when i test drove the evo 8 the ride was very stiff, i did not test drive the MR because they did not have any at the time. i was wondering i have $1800 left over from when i will buy my new MR or the normal Evo 8. so i wanted to know is there any suspension kit like amybe tein or JIC or anything else that i can buy for that money to give me a better ride comfort? and also how is the ride in the evo MR compared to the evo 8? is it worse or better? and which car in your opinion i should get, i can afford both.

 

the MR's ride is a little softer, but you can get a set of coilovers and adjust the stiffness to make it a more comfortable ride. however, if ride comfort is a big priority, i wouldnt go with the evo IMO. its more of a race car than a luxury car. if you have the money, id say go with the MR, and it also offers the more comfortable ride.

 

Get the MR, you won't regret it! Goodluck!

 

just get some springs and dont get rid of those blistens. they're awesome.

 

You're paying a premium for MR suspension. I wouldn't change it at all.

 

You can make a rather surprising "improvement" in ride characteristics by changing the "Yokohama treaded race tires" that come on the car for a set of max performance tires from Pirelli, Bridgestone, Michelin, or Continental. These tires usually have less weight and more flexible sidewalls which help a lot in the ride department. However, be aware that you will loose some of the razor sharp steering responsiveness and ultra high mechanical grip that Mitsubishi has dialed into the car. As a bonus much of the tire whine will be gone as well. For me the trade off was well worth it and I am a reformed champion autocrosser, that is, a corner boy at heart.

Much of the perceived ride harshness has to do with the tuning of the KYB struts that Mitsubishi specified for the car. You will notice that the struts seem "over damped" at low speeds say below 55 MPH. However, as the speed picks up they seem perfect and finely tuned. As a commuter I spent 90% of my time below 60 MPH. I find the low speed jiggle annoying. Different strut tuning can greatly improve if not eliminate this behavior. Be very careful about changing to the "coilover of the month". Most come with whopping spring rates that are impossible to tame on the street. See the spring rate sticky in the suspension forum on this site. So, I would recommend the MR Bilsteins or the Ohlins R/T coilovers. Many have remarked about the improvement in street ride with these items.
Also, a set of light weight forged wheels can save several pounds of unsprung weight from each wheel resulting in some noticable ride improvement. I have already done the wheels and tires. I am still debating on the Bilsteins or Ohlins for my personal car.

 

I 2nd that

 

thanks a lot guys i think i ahve made my decision to go with the MR, will be picking it up this weekend on saturday, it will be red, cant wait will post pics when i get it.