I've been wanting a new car for a couple years, but have one of the hardest times there is making up my mind about anything. After dozens of test drives and countless hours of forum trolling, my mind always comes back to the Evo.

I've never driven an Evo, no dealers in my area have them, none of my friends have one, and the only time I've seen one at a dealer was about a year ago, for an VIII GG MR, and the asshat wanted 39k and wouldn't let me test drive it.

I have a few questions, in all my trolling here I keep hearing about expensive maintnance and the like, but there is no section for Problems and Service.

I'm wondering what kind of problems and maintnance I should be expecting, are oil changes frequent? Clutches weak? Fuel consumtion. Does the interior fall apart after a couple years? Have people complained about them randomly exploding?

Basicly I would like a condenced thread about what a new Evo owner should expect.

Thanks in advance.

 

More you play, more you pay.

Oil - 5k costs 50ish.
Clutches are fine - unless you suck at driving them - then they will break.
Fuel - I get about 20-22 mpg and drive at least 300 mi a week - you do the math.
Tires - more you drive quicker they go, and they can be $$$.
Brakes - good ones cost 200+ for all 4.

Expect you have a smile on your face in any weather.

EDIT: Should add - unless you have a super insurance carrier expect a large number.

 

Great info Smike, oil changes on the Evo are every 5k huh? Thats good news. Brakes are reasonable too, that including rotors?

On my personal car last year I only put about 4000 miles on it, I'm in my work truck otherwise, and love to have fun and enjoy driving when I'm in my car.

The high insurance is kind of surprising tho, I mean, afterall it is a 4 cylinder sedan with ABS and airbags :P

 

That is some bad advice there change oil\filter in your evo every 5k, if you drive it like it likes to be driven change at 3k. You need to look at your finances if you really want to live the Evo lifestyle Carpayment+insurance+Gas+maintenance+etc... the list goes on and not to count if you get hit by the modding bug =$$$

 

one of the reasons i bought my evo. I was going through some health problems at the time and when i test drove a evo i forgot all about em.

 

Brakes - thats just pads. Rotors are about 250 for fronts and 240 rear.

 

Excuse me? Bad advice? I have over 50k on the clock, and my 11.9x runs were done in the near 48k.

 

I disagree changing your oil\filter at 5k it should be done at 3k. CHEAP INSURANCE.

 

Going to add: we have pure 100% synthetic oil - it doesnt even start to do its job until 2000 miles. If you autox, drag, track every weekend then I req. 3000 mile changes, but if you only race here and there (like me 2-4 times a month). You are fine.

But hey, its your money, waste it if you have it.

 

Thanks for the good info guys, really appreciate it. I have practicly no bills right now, car is paid off, only a couple credit cards, have saved a little over 10k for a down payment on whatever I decide to get.

1 other problem I'm facing is I do love to mod, the Warrtalon/Buschur stage 1 seems perfect for me, but I have NO ONE around here I would trust to work on a car like the Evo.

Those are some pricey rotors btw lol.

But all is to be expected from a car like this, if I was that worried about maintnance and things, and not elegant power and prestige...I'd buy a Hyundai


Keep the info coming tho, I've been around spot compacts for a while, and help build a friends old DSM, but after trolling here, I am the first to admit I dunno sh*t about the wonderful world of Evos.

 

Ah those rotors are PowerSlot Rotors, sorry just what I am looking into. It was on the top of my head.

Packages are ok, but you could piece one together yourself, might take some more time, but there is also more pride in that. There has been much debate on flashes and who does them. All Ill say is that Mark at TurboTrix did an outstanding job for me.

I recommend searching and reading what others have said about it all.

 

Smike, I've noticed you changed your intake and BOV, from what I've seen there is much debate there, any insight?

 

Most of the debate is people that want to change the BOV on the Evo IX. It comes with the JDM MR valve and is perfectly fine. The stock valves on the VIII however would leak boost.

 

Ahh I see, also I remember from working on DSM's that there is a problem when going to an aftermarket BOV that vents into the atmosphere vs. back into the intake track as the stock one does.

Is the same true for the Evo?

 

My stock plastic DV (BOV) didnt like holding 25psi (or 22 for that matter). I changed my intake becuase I am tuned for it.

If you are staying stock (er up to about 400 hp) though a K&N drop-in is all you will need. And correct - the IX comes with the metal JDM version. That works great.

Yes, recir - VTA and Evo (unless tuned for it) do not mix well. But I like having the air flow back into my turbo inbetween shifts. Not much, but anything helps.