question for evo drivers
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Joined: Jan 2006
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From: cape coral florida
question for evo drivers
i have a question and would like some opinions please.
i work at a mitsu dealer and have worked on mitsu's for about 13 years, and have owned many of them over the years. (list below) anyway i have given serious thought to buying an evo, but i want serious and honest opinions about how you all like driving these cars EVERYDAY........what i mean is how are they when you are stuck in traffic, how are long trips, that type of thing. i know they are fun to drive, but i have never driven one to its full potentail out of repspect of the owners and future owners.........anyway sorry for long post, please help if you can
also i am looking at an 06 mustang GT....please no mustang bashing it is all what you like.......thanks
keith
the list....haha
90 Galant LS- went to bone yard at 227,000
92 Expo...no laughing
94 Galant GS- ok but needed a 5 speed
92 Diamante LS- was still nice at 188,000 miles
04 Galant- Present daily driver-nice car but no fun to drive-haha
05 Endeavor- wifes car
looking at an 06 Blue evo or a 06 white MR
i work at a mitsu dealer and have worked on mitsu's for about 13 years, and have owned many of them over the years. (list below) anyway i have given serious thought to buying an evo, but i want serious and honest opinions about how you all like driving these cars EVERYDAY........what i mean is how are they when you are stuck in traffic, how are long trips, that type of thing. i know they are fun to drive, but i have never driven one to its full potentail out of repspect of the owners and future owners.........anyway sorry for long post, please help if you can
also i am looking at an 06 mustang GT....please no mustang bashing it is all what you like.......thanks
keith
the list....haha
90 Galant LS- went to bone yard at 227,000
92 Expo...no laughing
94 Galant GS- ok but needed a 5 speed
92 Diamante LS- was still nice at 188,000 miles
04 Galant- Present daily driver-nice car but no fun to drive-haha
05 Endeavor- wifes car
looking at an 06 Blue evo or a 06 white MR
Last edited by mitsitech; Jul 29, 2006 at 08:35 AM.
Drive about 25 miles per day (at least) on highway and city streets and is as very streetable. On long highway trips the only downfall is the lack of cruise. For gas mileage the car is decent getting over 20 MPG both street and highway.
It's just a regular car when it comes to daily driving - it's no big deal. You can drive it hard or drive it soft, and it's fine either way. I have been driving mine daily to work for 2 years and 20k miles while racing the living dog mess out of it on weekends. The only thing in your list of questions that I cannot say is good is long trips. I get very uncomfortable in my seat after a while, especially with no cruise control to relieve the right foot. I have yet to drive my car a full tank of gas on the highway, so that gives you an idea of the distances I can (or can't) withstand.
On the highway the car is a dream. It moves through traffic with ease and (on a stock exhaust) it's very quiet. I have never taken the car on long road trips about 12 hours or more but I do want some feedback from people who have. The most I have ever driven the car is 3-4 hours and it does stink that there is no cruise control and your butt falls asleep after awhile because those Recaro's don't have a whole lot of cushion in them.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: cape coral florida
this helps alot......anyone else? the more the better. also when i say long trips i only mean 2-3 hours. any longer than that we have her endeavor
thanks
keith
thanks
keith
Last edited by mitsitech; Jul 29, 2006 at 08:41 AM.
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Well it really depends on what you're looking for in a car. I like how the Evo just explodes fowards after hitting the boost, the feel and feedback of the steering, the stopping power, handling and grip. Down side is the stiff ride and a heavy clutch that could tire your legs out in traffic.
Honestly if you're looking for fun to drive you should stay away from the mustang. From what I can gather from various car mags, the steering is vauge, understeers like a pig, has soft and weak brakes. The Evo is a more focused sports car while the mustang is a more comfortable touring car
Honestly if you're looking for fun to drive you should stay away from the mustang. From what I can gather from various car mags, the steering is vauge, understeers like a pig, has soft and weak brakes. The Evo is a more focused sports car while the mustang is a more comfortable touring car
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Joined: Dec 2004
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From: Fresno, CA
I've had mine for a little over a year (38K miles). I commute 125 miles/day to work and back. I love driving it and have yet to experience anything close to boredom.
Some things to consider (as some have mentioned already)
1. Long commutes/daily drives can get expensive. $3.45/gal for premium and 23-24 mpg is costly. If you can afford it, it's worth it.
2. Stiff suspension makes long distance drives a little more of a chore. However, I'm used to it. I've driven on several long trips (hundreds of miles without stopping except to fill up) and it's been fine. I've grown accustomed to the sharp response of the steering, the absence of body roll, etc. Until you get used to it, you may not enjoy a long road trip. At this point, though, I wouldn't want to drive anything else. If you asked me today to choose between driving my Evo across the country or driving a brand new Honda Accord or Buick, etc. I would choose the former without hesitating.
3. No cruise control is annoying. Again, though, I'm used to it.
4. The seats are not the most comfortable. I remedy that by getting out and stretching every so often during long drives.
That being said, it's a matter of personal choice. I'm sure that a lot of people would be loathe to use an Evo as a DD. Others, like myself, prefer it over anything else.
Some things to consider (as some have mentioned already)
1. Long commutes/daily drives can get expensive. $3.45/gal for premium and 23-24 mpg is costly. If you can afford it, it's worth it.
2. Stiff suspension makes long distance drives a little more of a chore. However, I'm used to it. I've driven on several long trips (hundreds of miles without stopping except to fill up) and it's been fine. I've grown accustomed to the sharp response of the steering, the absence of body roll, etc. Until you get used to it, you may not enjoy a long road trip. At this point, though, I wouldn't want to drive anything else. If you asked me today to choose between driving my Evo across the country or driving a brand new Honda Accord or Buick, etc. I would choose the former without hesitating.
3. No cruise control is annoying. Again, though, I'm used to it.
4. The seats are not the most comfortable. I remedy that by getting out and stretching every so often during long drives.
That being said, it's a matter of personal choice. I'm sure that a lot of people would be loathe to use an Evo as a DD. Others, like myself, prefer it over anything else.
I have driven my Evo from Missouri to Arizonia. I was a pretty comfortable ride but I am a smaller person and I a little small for the seats. I did not like the no cruise. Any manual you buy is a pain in moderate to heavy traffic. All in all for ever day use it is a good car.
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Joined: Apr 2006
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From: New York
It depends on what YOU consider the answer for your questions. Not us. Just as some people think some afterkmarket exhausts might be quiet in their opinion, when in reality they are loud enough for you to get meatballed at the local road course.
I daily commute in mine 25 miles each way on local parkway. For the most part it's 65 to 80 mph travelling with the flow and every once in awhile it's stop and go and for each theres no issues for me personally. I only have 1,500 miles on it so far and I already manage between 20 to 24 mpg of mixed commuting and trips on twisty roads. I would also have no problem on a longer road trip BUT my wife on the other hand loves luxury and amenities. I took her on a road trip in 2001 in my completely stock ITR from Hartford to Tennessee through Atlanta and on to Miami. She got sick of it all before be got to the bottom of Jersey.
You will Never be able to unleash the EVO's 10/10th's potential legally on a public road. But if you're able to accept the consequences and or have no problem with driving it sanely for the most part then that's not a huge issue either. But a strong suggestion is to at least Autocross it once to see what it and you are capable of.
I considered many cars before I chose the EVO:
G35 coupe
350 CompCoupe
Acura TL
Honda Accord Coupe V6 6 spd
Honda S2000
Mazda Miata
Subaru STI
05-06 Mustang GT
Used Audi S4
Used mid 90's Porsche Carerra4
Used Late BMW M3
Used C5 Corvette Z06
I wanted a daily driver that was fun and had alot of performance out of the box as well as alot of tuning potential. I also wanted something that would get me better gas mileage than The GMC Yukon I was daily driving which was also a completely boring and numb driving experience. I live in NY and am required to be at work when the weather is bad or we have snow so at minimum I needed FWD and maximum I wanted 4WD. So my list got limited easily. Then I sat in all of the above cars at various auto shows or track events to get a feel. Then I either test drove the cars or rode in them on track at about 8 to 9/10th's of their capability. The EVO was always a strong contender since I rode in a buddy's 8 a few years back at Watkin's Glen and was completely impressed.
I wouldn't say don't buy it if you don't plan to autocross and track it. What I'd say is that you're missing out on quite a bit if you did buy it and you never drove it in an autocross or road course. To each his own and that's jut IMHO.
Is it plush? No but my MR's suspension feels to soak up bumps better than my stock ITR does. And if I need to take a road trip I have my wifes maxed out Trailblazer to float around in.
If you are considering the Mustang GT Vs. the EVO alone they are 2 very different animals. Maybe test drive both back to back to get a better opinion. I almost fell in love with the Rustang but the RWD alone was an issue for me. Now if I move south 4WD is not a neccessity so my list can change again. But by that time there will be other candidates I'm sure.
I had one thing that made me decide for certain. I took my R for a drive to work one morning this spring and said to myself if I could only have as much performance and fun and be able to drive it in all sorts of weather. Bingo! the list suddenly shortened to just the EVO and STI and rest is history.
Just FYI though I never intend to sell my R. Although it is not as fast as the EVO is in stock form it's just so friggen raw in comparison, and I keep it for track duty it's bought and paid for and safe to wad up into a wall if that unfortunately happens.
Best of luck
I daily commute in mine 25 miles each way on local parkway. For the most part it's 65 to 80 mph travelling with the flow and every once in awhile it's stop and go and for each theres no issues for me personally. I only have 1,500 miles on it so far and I already manage between 20 to 24 mpg of mixed commuting and trips on twisty roads. I would also have no problem on a longer road trip BUT my wife on the other hand loves luxury and amenities. I took her on a road trip in 2001 in my completely stock ITR from Hartford to Tennessee through Atlanta and on to Miami. She got sick of it all before be got to the bottom of Jersey.
You will Never be able to unleash the EVO's 10/10th's potential legally on a public road. But if you're able to accept the consequences and or have no problem with driving it sanely for the most part then that's not a huge issue either. But a strong suggestion is to at least Autocross it once to see what it and you are capable of.
I considered many cars before I chose the EVO:
G35 coupe
350 CompCoupe
Acura TL
Honda Accord Coupe V6 6 spd
Honda S2000
Mazda Miata
Subaru STI
05-06 Mustang GT
Used Audi S4
Used mid 90's Porsche Carerra4
Used Late BMW M3
Used C5 Corvette Z06
I wanted a daily driver that was fun and had alot of performance out of the box as well as alot of tuning potential. I also wanted something that would get me better gas mileage than The GMC Yukon I was daily driving which was also a completely boring and numb driving experience. I live in NY and am required to be at work when the weather is bad or we have snow so at minimum I needed FWD and maximum I wanted 4WD. So my list got limited easily. Then I sat in all of the above cars at various auto shows or track events to get a feel. Then I either test drove the cars or rode in them on track at about 8 to 9/10th's of their capability. The EVO was always a strong contender since I rode in a buddy's 8 a few years back at Watkin's Glen and was completely impressed.
I wouldn't say don't buy it if you don't plan to autocross and track it. What I'd say is that you're missing out on quite a bit if you did buy it and you never drove it in an autocross or road course. To each his own and that's jut IMHO.
Is it plush? No but my MR's suspension feels to soak up bumps better than my stock ITR does. And if I need to take a road trip I have my wifes maxed out Trailblazer to float around in.
If you are considering the Mustang GT Vs. the EVO alone they are 2 very different animals. Maybe test drive both back to back to get a better opinion. I almost fell in love with the Rustang but the RWD alone was an issue for me. Now if I move south 4WD is not a neccessity so my list can change again. But by that time there will be other candidates I'm sure.
I had one thing that made me decide for certain. I took my R for a drive to work one morning this spring and said to myself if I could only have as much performance and fun and be able to drive it in all sorts of weather. Bingo! the list suddenly shortened to just the EVO and STI and rest is history.
Just FYI though I never intend to sell my R. Although it is not as fast as the EVO is in stock form it's just so friggen raw in comparison, and I keep it for track duty it's bought and paid for and safe to wad up into a wall if that unfortunately happens.
Best of luck
everywhere i have to go is within a 5 mile radius from my house. but somehow i manange to drive about 200 miles every 3 days. I make excuses to this car. after driving my evo, i hate driving any other car
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 38
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From: cape coral florida
if i buy either car i do plan on doing some autocross if time permits, i am doing alot of comparing of the 2, i know they are alot different, and i know it is all what i like.....but all the repsonses are great.....thanks!!!