New '09 Lancer GTS owner saying hello!
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From: Dubuque, Iowa
New '09 Lancer GTS owner saying hello!
Hello everyone,
Just picked up my new Lancer the other night. I was looking for a 2009 es-sport with a 5-speed in it and none of the dealerships in the area had any on their lots. A few of them said they could get one for me and had located some and we were in the price negotiation stage. Then my plans all changed when one of the salesmen I ended up contacting by phone told me that they actually had a used 2009 Lancer GTS w/ sun & sound package and 5-speed sitting on their lot for sale. I drove down to the dealership, which was about a 70 mile drive to a neighboring town and took a look at the car. The thing was still in perfect condition and had 2,100 miles on it. The story I got from them is that an older gentlemen bought the car looking for a small and sporty 5-speed and after owning it for a couple months and into the first snow of the season decided that he didn't like the manual tranny anymore and traded up for an automatic car. Got the car for $15,998 and drove it back home yesterday. I thought that was a pretty darn good deal considering it was the next model up from the ones I was actually looking to purchase brand new and for a much cheaper price.
One thing I quickly found out about the GTS as opposed to the GS-sport in the last day and a half though. The thing has almost ZERO traction at all on snow with those damn tires that come stock on it! :-[ It happened to start snowing nice and hard while I was at the dealership and by the time I left there we had about 2-3 inches of snow on the ground. I managed to make the 70 mile drive back home being extremely careful every inch of the way. Then when I went to leave for work later that day I couldn't get back up our residential street to get to the main street (only 2 ways out and both ways are fairly steep inclines with S-turns right in the middle of them). Ended up having to get a ride from a relative to get to work and left the car in the driveway of the house. Then this morning I finally got the car up the hill after 3 tries and a bunch of spinning. I had to work in Monroe, WI today and that was about a 60 mile drive. The roads were fairly clear most of the way with just very light snow cover in places and the car handled like absolute crap. I probably shouldn't have even attempted that drive with how bad these tires do in snow but I made it safe and sound. Took me an extra half hour to make the drive because I was driving so far under the speed limit to be extra careful.
After making the drive back home from work this afternoon I knew this car wasn't gonna work out as is for winter, especially with more snow in the forcast for tonight / tomorrow. I stopped a local tire shop I normally deal with and they have a set of 4 winter tires on the way. Should be here Thursday and I'll get them installed the same day on the stock 18 inch wheels. I ended up going with a set of 215-45 / R18 Bridgestone Blizzaks and then I'll probably get some new aftermarket wheels / TPMS sensors / tires around April for late spring-->early fall use. I had a set of Blizzaks on my 2003 SRT-4 and loved them for winter driving so I wanted to stick with a tire I already knew would be great.
Anyway... that's my little story of the last couple of days events and glad to be a part of these forums!
Just picked up my new Lancer the other night. I was looking for a 2009 es-sport with a 5-speed in it and none of the dealerships in the area had any on their lots. A few of them said they could get one for me and had located some and we were in the price negotiation stage. Then my plans all changed when one of the salesmen I ended up contacting by phone told me that they actually had a used 2009 Lancer GTS w/ sun & sound package and 5-speed sitting on their lot for sale. I drove down to the dealership, which was about a 70 mile drive to a neighboring town and took a look at the car. The thing was still in perfect condition and had 2,100 miles on it. The story I got from them is that an older gentlemen bought the car looking for a small and sporty 5-speed and after owning it for a couple months and into the first snow of the season decided that he didn't like the manual tranny anymore and traded up for an automatic car. Got the car for $15,998 and drove it back home yesterday. I thought that was a pretty darn good deal considering it was the next model up from the ones I was actually looking to purchase brand new and for a much cheaper price.
One thing I quickly found out about the GTS as opposed to the GS-sport in the last day and a half though. The thing has almost ZERO traction at all on snow with those damn tires that come stock on it! :-[ It happened to start snowing nice and hard while I was at the dealership and by the time I left there we had about 2-3 inches of snow on the ground. I managed to make the 70 mile drive back home being extremely careful every inch of the way. Then when I went to leave for work later that day I couldn't get back up our residential street to get to the main street (only 2 ways out and both ways are fairly steep inclines with S-turns right in the middle of them). Ended up having to get a ride from a relative to get to work and left the car in the driveway of the house. Then this morning I finally got the car up the hill after 3 tries and a bunch of spinning. I had to work in Monroe, WI today and that was about a 60 mile drive. The roads were fairly clear most of the way with just very light snow cover in places and the car handled like absolute crap. I probably shouldn't have even attempted that drive with how bad these tires do in snow but I made it safe and sound. Took me an extra half hour to make the drive because I was driving so far under the speed limit to be extra careful.
After making the drive back home from work this afternoon I knew this car wasn't gonna work out as is for winter, especially with more snow in the forcast for tonight / tomorrow. I stopped a local tire shop I normally deal with and they have a set of 4 winter tires on the way. Should be here Thursday and I'll get them installed the same day on the stock 18 inch wheels. I ended up going with a set of 215-45 / R18 Bridgestone Blizzaks and then I'll probably get some new aftermarket wheels / TPMS sensors / tires around April for late spring-->early fall use. I had a set of Blizzaks on my 2003 SRT-4 and loved them for winter driving so I wanted to stick with a tire I already knew would be great.
Anyway... that's my little story of the last couple of days events and glad to be a part of these forums!
yea, welcome man, the stock tires suck, but when u get a new set on ull be fine. I drive my lancer every day in all this ****ty boston snow and ice, it is perfect with the tires i have. Way better then my last car. Wait till the spring, summer, then u will really love ur car 
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