im having an issue ive been active over 15 days and have over 15 posts and its still not allowing me to comment in threads in the for sale section trying to pick up a evo but it wont let me post in the cars thread

 

Thanks for the awesome post, I have yet to purchase an evo but this has seriously helped me with my search criteria!

Kirk

 

I'm glad I didn't rush purchasing the first Evo I saw.

 

I have been looking to buy a used Evo 8/9. I have been doing the Subaru WRX thing for a while now, but I am ready to move over to the dark side.

Anyway, when shopping for used Evos, what should I be looking for in the car? It sounds like:
- the imvec in the Evo 9 is desirable.
- it seems like people favor the 5 speed over the 6. Ironically it is the opposite for Subarus: the stock 6 speed can handle in excess of 600 lbs of tq, and the 5 speed often breaks gears over 400.
- sounds like the 9 had a pretty good stock turbo to begin with.
- after that I guess there is what shape the car is in
-- what are the normal trouble areas for a used Evo?
- then I guess what modification the car

 

A lot of these questions can be answered in the "newbie" section from people asking similiar questions. Personally, I have the 6 speed and I don't have any issues with mine. Anything can break. When I was looking, I wanted the "stockest" Evo I could find with the lowest miles, and I found it. It takes patience and you may have to travel but they are out there. Have you started looking for any yet? A lot of people go for the 8's because they are a little bit more affordable than the 9's.

 

What your goal of the car? 300 whp? 500 whp? DD or track?

5 speed - for heavy mods
6 speed - for medium mods

Try to look for a stock evo. If you can't, ask them about their tuners, who installed their parts, etc.

I have a Evo 9 MR - 6 speed and its pretty modded. Its a great DD but there's a few things I personally don't like about the car. No cruise control, bad mpg, bov fluttering in highway driving, terrible turn radius, tires wear like crazy and expensive for upkeep.

 

So glad I bought a Evo

 

That seems like a pretty good strategy, finding a low milage stock one 8 or 9. 8 are getting kind of old, and I guess 9s are too for that matter, but I am sure they exist.

The other thought I had is maybe it is fine to get a heavily modded one with a newish built motor, or with the assumption that I would be pulling the motor soon to do a build.

My main goal would be to test out parts and build power. I could just use it as a DD around town, but it is mainly a project car that can take some hard driving.

For me, when I started with my WRX, my initial goal was to upgrade to big 16G and maybe get up to 300whp on my old stock 2.0l. When I got there, I spun a rod bearing shortly there after, built a stroker motor, and a few turbos later, I am mostly satisfied with where it is at. I am running a rotated setup up with a gtx3071r, and the tuner stopped at 412 whp but tuned the torque down to 360 lbs to not break my 5 speed. He said there was probably another 50-60 whp left in the turbo on pump gas, but I am "fine" with where it is now. I could do a 6-speed swap, but realistically I would be looking at another $5k for the tranny, new clutch, starter, drive shaft, axles, rear diff, DCCD computer, install, etc. I consider my car finished, so I am moving on to something else, an Evo 8/9.

I guess what I am trying to say, is that I would like to start with the best possible canvas to start with. I don't want to be $15k into a build and think, man I wish I went with the 5 speed, or too bad my motor doesn't have cam phasing, or I wish I had the better center diff. I want to try to do it right the first time from the beginning and start with the right car.

I think we will have to assume that I plan to be making at least 400 whp if you want some number, but I try not to think of my builds that way.

Hopefully some of my past experience will transfer and I won't have to try several turbo setups before becoming satisfied.

 

According to your post count you have 0 posts. Not all your posts count. There is a sticky that shows where they count such as "Evo General, Tuning, etc" They do not count in the Newbie sections, misc, etc.

 

They are getting older, but Evo's hold their value. If they were well taken care of, they are worth more in my eyes. It's hard to come by a clean Evo now a days. When I was looking I would find such haggard cars I couldn't believe people were asking what they were. I personally would never buy a highly modded car, but if that is something you were considering just look at all your options. You don't need to jump into the first one you find and I think that's where most people make their mistake. They think they find a good deal, get into the car and realize that it's more of a headache then it was worth.

 

i had this exact thing happen to a friend. i went out and spend just over 20k on a super clean and super low mileage one owner car - 34k, no crashes, two sets of wheels, etc. it had a turboback and intake, no tune. my friend went out an bought a heap from Chicago...96k, has been crashed at least once, shot brakes, needed tires, the clutch went 5k after he bought it, etc, etc, etc.

by the time he was done, after buying a 14k car, he nearly had 20k into it fixing all the crap problems. to which he was still left with a car that had just over 100k on it...no thanks.

spend the money on the RIGHT car. cheap evos are often maintained and treated poorly.

 

very helpful. which i would have found this thread sooner

 

So i will be looking to buy one coming up and test drove a new gsr in December. Is there a tool that controls fuel? A long time ago I used the APEXI SAFC NEO which i had to hardwire into the ECU to control fuel. Is there anything like this out there. Sorry for the newb question also.

 

Fantastic information! Great post/Sticky.

 

spend money on a good car and enjoy it!!