I love my EVO but....
You might have noticed that in what I wrote above I kept getting surprised by cars. I hated cars I thought I would love, and loved cars I thought I would hate. At the time I consumed lots of automotive journalism and thought I knew about cars, but when I started getting the opportunity to drive cars I learned that a lot of what makes a car appealing to people is very personal. Which makes a lot of internet arguing about what's "best" kind of pointless.
Car A gives me the room I need for my kids, while Car B has better braking, and car C has a better residual since I'm going to be financing in over my nose. But, the Evo gives me the nervous butterfly feeling in my stomach that no other car does, and I love it...so I'm going to drive it while I can.
i had an s2000. then i went to an evo x. then i came to an evo viii.
when you own an evo, you do miss the s2000.
when you own an s2000, you wish you own an evo MORE. WAY MORE.
dont let this sudden "crave," "wondering mind" lets you forsake your evo.
evo > s2000/cayman.
when you own an evo, you do miss the s2000.
when you own an s2000, you wish you own an evo MORE. WAY MORE.
dont let this sudden "crave," "wondering mind" lets you forsake your evo.
evo > s2000/cayman.
The cayman is just a boxster with a hard top long story short. If you want a proper porsche Buy a 911, and for the money you can't go wrong with a 996 turbo even tho its AWD. My evo X is my daily with the other toys at home and is my 3rd AWD car. I know exactly what you mean about missing the RWD fun
I had an AP1 S2k as well that I built and thats a fantastic car I want another one, also had an E46 M3 which for the price their at now you can't beat it. Also have a MK4 Supra single turbo. But if you are on a budget you can't go wrong with the older M3's inline 6! If you want a brand new RWD car then go buy a BRZ used for low mid 20's!
I had an AP1 S2k as well that I built and thats a fantastic car I want another one, also had an E46 M3 which for the price their at now you can't beat it. Also have a MK4 Supra single turbo. But if you are on a budget you can't go wrong with the older M3's inline 6! If you want a brand new RWD car then go buy a BRZ used for low mid 20's!
I've owned an SR20DET swapped 1989 Nissan 240sx coupe. Very fun to drive. Occasional drifting was also cool. Breaking traction was easy. Too easy. One time fish tailed in snow and ended up spinning out and smashing a solid curb head on. Snapped a tie rod in half. My X is just amazing though. Absolutely invigorating. Only reasonable car I would trade for is a gtr. Although I occasionally have the sudden urge to by another 240 and swap and RB25DET in it. RWD is nice. AWD is better.
There are def better cars out there than an Evo, BUT what it comes down to is functionality and how much it would cost you to make a certain car faster or handle better. Evo is that car which can outprform expensive ones for very cheap. I recently purchased an e46 325xi with 5spd and sport package, and being that its my first BMW i am shocked how much BETTER it handles then my Evo. Yes its not as fast in a straight line BUT it can def move. No matter what kind of Porsche you choose to drive, a Porsche is always going to be fun, those cars are designed to handle PERIOD.
There are def better cars out there than an Evo, BUT what it comes down to is functionality and how much it would cost you to make a certain car faster or handle better. Evo is that car which can outprform expensive ones for very cheap. I recently purchased an e46 325xi with 5spd and sport package, and being that its my first BMW i am shocked how much BETTER it handles then my Evo. Yes its not as fast in a straight line BUT it can def move. No matter what kind of Porsche you choose to drive, a Porsche is always going to be fun, those cars are designed to handle PERIOD.
The skidpad and slalom numbers are actually very similar. But my experience in BMWs is that, because they are so much better balanced and so much easier to "catch" when you screw something up, you end up getting more from the car because you just feel safer doing so. That could be what you're experiencing. The Evo X just needs to be driven with more of a DILYSI attitude than an E46. For many people - whether they admit it or not - that is asking a lot.
The skidpad and slalom numbers are actually very similar. But my experience in BMWs is that, because they are so much better balanced and so much easier to "catch" when you screw something up, you end up getting more from the car because you just feel safer doing so. That could be what you're experiencing. The Evo X just needs to be driven with more of a DILYSI attitude than an E46. For many people - whether they admit it or not - that is asking a lot.
Most people on here, probably at least 90%, cant drive their car to anywhere near its potential.
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Joined: Feb 2012
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From: NJ/Venezuela/Taiwan
There are def better cars out there than an Evo, BUT what it comes down to is functionality and how much it would cost you to make a certain car faster or handle better. Evo is that car which can outprform expensive ones for very cheap. I recently purchased an e46 325xi with 5spd and sport package, and being that its my first BMW i am shocked how much BETTER it handles then my Evo. Yes its not as fast in a straight line BUT it can def move. No matter what kind of Porsche you choose to drive, a Porsche is always going to be fun, those cars are designed to handle PERIOD.
When i went to the track last time in my EVO X, where was a 325i keeping right on my *** ! we both only tracked a few times i would speed away in the straight but in the twisties his car really balance well
In my evo at the stop light taking off , I have to "work for it" and let the car spool and make the car exhaust loud so i wont lose to a toyota ...
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Joined: Jan 2006
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I've owned almost all of the cars in this discussion (cayman, 996 and 997 turbo, e46/e90/e92 m3's, EVO X, s2k). Here is my take on it:
If you are spending about $35k on the car, you can not and will not beat the experience you will get from a 996 turbo 911. Don't waste your time with a Cayman (they are glorified boxsters). I wouldn't so much as spit on a BMW again, I've owned several and the only one I would buy ever again is an e36 m3. None of the cars on this list, unless you spend over $40k in mods will keep up with a 996tt with $10k into it. Not straightline, not on a twisty track.
I would take the EVO X over any BMW that is still not in warranty and more than likely, even those that are still in warranty. I hated the constant electrical issues, the horrible dealer service, the constant fear of something breaking out of warranty and the fact that here in the DC area there are 20 3 series for every other car you see. The SMG system in the m5 was GARBAGE and the dct in the m3 was laughable compared to my GT-R and the EVO X.
As for the other 2 Porsches: They are great cars, there is no denying that- however, for price/performance- you just have to go with the 996tt. I loved the Cayman, but it was SLOW compared to my other cars. After a while, it just looked like a Boxster- but reliability was ROCK SOLID and it was very competitive at the track. I think the new Boxster and the new Cayman are absolutely beautiful cars, but you won't touch them for $35kish.
My choice after the 996tt and EVO would be the s2k. I put those cars thru hell and they took it like a champ. They were extremely competitive at the track, and since the "formula" has been cracked- with about $5k into a turbo system, you are looking at a viper killer with those little beasts. They look beautiful and are so reliable that I would often forget that you didn't just put gas in these things. In addition, I would get almost as many questions about the s2k as I did for the GT-R's.
I only ever miss 4 cars that I have owned in the past: s2k, GT-R, 996tt, 997tt (fixed for "Iowa999's" sanity)
Summary:
Stay away from garbage BMW's. Buy the 996tt followed by the s2k or keep the X.
If you are spending about $35k on the car, you can not and will not beat the experience you will get from a 996 turbo 911. Don't waste your time with a Cayman (they are glorified boxsters). I wouldn't so much as spit on a BMW again, I've owned several and the only one I would buy ever again is an e36 m3. None of the cars on this list, unless you spend over $40k in mods will keep up with a 996tt with $10k into it. Not straightline, not on a twisty track.
I would take the EVO X over any BMW that is still not in warranty and more than likely, even those that are still in warranty. I hated the constant electrical issues, the horrible dealer service, the constant fear of something breaking out of warranty and the fact that here in the DC area there are 20 3 series for every other car you see. The SMG system in the m5 was GARBAGE and the dct in the m3 was laughable compared to my GT-R and the EVO X.
As for the other 2 Porsches: They are great cars, there is no denying that- however, for price/performance- you just have to go with the 996tt. I loved the Cayman, but it was SLOW compared to my other cars. After a while, it just looked like a Boxster- but reliability was ROCK SOLID and it was very competitive at the track. I think the new Boxster and the new Cayman are absolutely beautiful cars, but you won't touch them for $35kish.
My choice after the 996tt and EVO would be the s2k. I put those cars thru hell and they took it like a champ. They were extremely competitive at the track, and since the "formula" has been cracked- with about $5k into a turbo system, you are looking at a viper killer with those little beasts. They look beautiful and are so reliable that I would often forget that you didn't just put gas in these things. In addition, I would get almost as many questions about the s2k as I did for the GT-R's.
I only ever miss 4 cars that I have owned in the past: s2k, GT-R, 996tt, 997tt (fixed for "Iowa999's" sanity)
Summary:
Stay away from garbage BMW's. Buy the 996tt followed by the s2k or keep the X.
Last edited by itsmeek; Jan 3, 2013 at 10:08 AM.