S4 or RS4, nothing will give you the driving experience that an evo can....

 

a good friend of mine has a tastefully modded B8 S4. I love driving that thing. The thing I like about it so much the S4 is the luxury end of it. When I get back in the evo, it just feels too cheap. Don't get me wrong, I love my X, but i'm 31 years old and almost feel like the Evo is mistaken for just another rice burner whereas the Audi gets a lot more attention.

 

Totally agreed...People normally say "wow nice audi."
Or "wow you put some work on your lancer eh?"

Most of the time the attention is from adolescent boys....

 

Thats the point of the thread really IMO.

If this kind of thing matters to you, then clearly the EVO is *not* a good way to go.

It goes without saying that the Audi is going to carry more "prestige points" or whatever.

Although I can tell you that if you start down that path, get an AMG Benz. IMO Audi is an upgraded Volkswagen the way Infiniti and Lexus are Nissans and Toyotas.

If you're in it for the status, you might as well accept that the folks who you are trying to impress 90% of the time consider *all* of those marques below Benz, BMW, Porsche and even Jaguar.

Now I do have to say that I have a hard time believing anyone on earth would actually say "wow, you put some work on your Lancer!"

What I have found is that 99% of normal people have *no clue* WTF a Lancer or Mitsubishi is. The folks that do either *own* Lancers or are the few remaining Mitsu fans. Those folks *know* what the EVO is.

Also, maybe this is a NE thing, but I have *never* heard "nice Audi" or "nice BMW" and I have put 1000s of hours of seat time both in the many that I've owned and the many that friends have owned over the past 3 decades or so

Most of these "issues" are in peoples own heads honestly. Doesnt make them less important if they *are* important to you, but in general, people who are focused on this stuff *do* tend to project a very exaggerated sense of how much other people actually give a crap about what they're driving.

The only cars I've owned that I can say *genuinely* attracted *massive* interest and attention in a *real* way were my aerokit 911, my (very) heavily modified NSX and the 03 NSX when I had bought it new (stock, but was showroom new)

Every other car Ive owned from Benzes to BMWs to Vettes to Rovers were all just normal cars from a "perception" standpoint, IMO.

So I guess what Im saying is yes, an Audi absolutely carries more prestige than any Mitsu ever could, but that said... In all honesty no one is really very impressed by an Audi unless its an R8 (sorry to say it, but its true) nor are they impressed with the 11 zillion 3 series BMWs on the road (contrary to what every newly minted 3 series owner seems to want to believe)

 

I have to agree with the above post. The same person that doesn't know the difference between a Lancer and Evo is the same person that doesn't know the RS4 from an S4 to an A4.

At the end of the day, get what you want. I briefly thought about a 335 because I liked the torque curve. That being said, I would not have been happy with it. I like german cars (my DD is a GTI) because they have a much more plush, solid, feel.

But like some have mentioned, I love my evo. I feel every bump in the road, whether it is from the seat or steering wheel. It rattles and its loud. Even if the exhaust weren't loud, the wind noise, tire noise, or dash rattles are loud.

It also depends where you live. In IL where I grew up, a luxury car was no big deal. Out here near Milwaukee, they are rare. But why get something for status? Just get what you like.

 

answer to your question, no.

 

I come from an extensive background of Audis, having worked for them as well as owned briefly a B7 S4, as well as an 2.0T A3.

The maintenance on the RS4 is absolutely absurd. That being said, I'll echo the others sentiments that obviously the Audi brand carries a lot more "prestige" in most peoples eyes and the creature comforts are definitely there. I came from heated seats, auto leveling bi-xenons, and a sweet full panoramic glass sliding roof to the Evo X...and I'd do it again in a heartbeat!

Do I miss some of those features? Sure. But they weren't something that I couldn't get in another car (even another Audi) down the line. The Evo on the other hand represents a dying breed of performance cars. I had to at least at some point in life experience the ownership of one of these cars were like and I'm glad I got in before "Eco mode" became standard.

If you are the type that is looking for a status, brand image, luxury and amenities stick with the Audi. If you are looking for one of the best performance cars for under $40K take the leap, you won't regret it. In all honesty the Evo makes driving an actual hobby, vs just getting from point a to point b.


- Jason

 

RS4 would be the only car at the moment I'd sell my evo for lol

 

this exactly.


You want prestige? Start thinking SL Black. Audis and BMWs are so numerous around here you might as well be driving a Corolla. Personally, I think EVOs hold more look points because nobody knows wtf it is.

 

Here's my previous B7..



Here's my current ride..

 

After those pics I think the cool kids would say ...EVO FTW !

 

I seriously think you shouldn't buy a car for the Brand just to please your neighbor or what anyone else thinks of you...

While I care less about what any brand junkie thinks of my Evo, I know FOR A FACT that the true car enthusiasts knows and respects what a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution is, and the younglings simply drool over it for its racer looks and what they know from the racing games...

I recently took my car to an auto shop where they do mostly expensive brands (Bentleys, Maseratis, Audis, Porsches, etc...) and about 5 of the repair guys came over and started asking me numerous questions about my car... with a bunch of "luxury/expensive brand" owners right around us not getting any attention

So yeah... I look at Audi's on the road and say "meh" and the a4 and TTs I've driven were also very "meh" lol... except when I see a very good looking S5 sitting on some good wheels, or an RS8 ... or in this case, elusiveGSR's old B7 which was simply a gorgeous setup


My neighbor has an 09 GT-R premium and an 08 Phantom Black... and he drives the PB 5 days a week and swears to me he rather drive his Evo all day lol

 

I hope performance isn't the reason. The Evo X goes around the nurburgring faster than the 4.2 R8, so in no way is it anywhere near the performance of an rs4 lol.


Elusive, I remember you from AZ! lol

 

Reliability can't be the reason, either. Google RS4 and carbon deposits.

 

Yup, all FSI engines have crazy carbon build up issues, especially the 4.2's
It loses so much power from it.