Worth buying an Evo IX in 2020?
The RS has 58K miles on it & its all stock except for the bolts-ons (cams, HTA71 turbo & supporting E85 fuel mods). I tracked it for 4 years w/my local track day group. DynoJet no.s are 460whp & 402 ft lbs
No major issues & luckily its mainly wash & drive
No major issues & luckily its mainly wash & drive
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Joined: Apr 2020
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From: Holt
Wowza! Very nice very nice. Those are the numbers i'd like to shoot for as well. Very well put together balanced build. Hope mine wont have any issues and go along the lines of wash and drive too.
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Joined: Mar 2003
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From: Southern California
thanks for the link! Yeah i've read through it before haha but i've read specific comments like "the 6 speed is better For DD" but i've also read comments like "at 60-80mph im at 3000rpms-3500" but that's coming from BOTH 5 speed AND 6 speed owners so im unsure if there is really any benefit to having the "overdrive" gear if it's only gonna get you around 5mph more in the same rev range as a 5 speed you know what i mean? Cause at that point i think i'd be better off with the durability of the 5 speed and being 100-200rpms higher than a MR.
here's where i got my info https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/ev...g-freeway.html
What rpms are you at at highway speeds?
here's where i got my info https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/ev...g-freeway.html
What rpms are you at at highway speeds?
Assuming your question at the end was about the five-speed, 70 mph is at around 3200 rpm, 75 mph is at around 3500 rpm and 80 mph is at around 3800 rpm. Numerically it seems kind of high (and it is), but the car can take it. Yes, the six-speed in the MR has those speeds at a little lower rpm (I don't remember exactly but I think it's something around 200-300 rpm lower in its sixth gear compared to the others' fifth gear), but it's actually rated at slightly lower fuel economy (but only by 1), so you likely won't see the expected benefits of reduced cruising rpms. Personally, it's never bugged me, and it's not a bad thing to be at highway speeds and not need to downshift a gear if you want to pass a car.
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From: Holt
Welcome to the forums. Long-termer here... I've owned and daily-driven my Evo IX SE since I bought it new in February 2007, so I know the car really well.
Assuming your question at the end was about the five-speed, 70 mph is at around 3200 rpm, 75 mph is at around 3500 rpm and 80 mph is at around 3800 rpm. Numerically it seems kind of high (and it is), but the car can take it. Yes, the six-speed in the MR has those speeds at a little lower rpm (I don't remember exactly but I think it's something around 200-300 rpm lower in its sixth gear compared to the others' fifth gear), but it's actually rated at slightly lower fuel economy (but only by 1), so you likely won't see the expected benefits of reduced cruising rpms. Personally, it's never bugged me, and it's not a bad thing to be at highway speeds and not need to downshift a gear if you want to pass a car.
Assuming your question at the end was about the five-speed, 70 mph is at around 3200 rpm, 75 mph is at around 3500 rpm and 80 mph is at around 3800 rpm. Numerically it seems kind of high (and it is), but the car can take it. Yes, the six-speed in the MR has those speeds at a little lower rpm (I don't remember exactly but I think it's something around 200-300 rpm lower in its sixth gear compared to the others' fifth gear), but it's actually rated at slightly lower fuel economy (but only by 1), so you likely won't see the expected benefits of reduced cruising rpms. Personally, it's never bugged me, and it's not a bad thing to be at highway speeds and not need to downshift a gear if you want to pass a car.
Evolved Member
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 2,080
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From: Southern California
Thank you! I feel really welcome here haha i really appreciate that, and I really appreciate you investing your time and effort into the thread and contributing your information! But ah, i see. I'll probably most likely go for an SE or GSR then, thanks for clarifying for me, your info helped a ton!
Some of the posters will cite the whole "wait for the right car" rhetoric and talk about how they waited and found what they wanted, but a lot of those were under different circumstances and from years and years ago. Remember that you're looking at a 14+ year-old car. And when it's a platform that has huge performance potential not just in stock form but when modified (which is what a lot of people have done), contrasting to some people buying certain cars just to own them and take them out on weekends but not necessarily for track duty (such as the classic Mustangs), the supply of them dwindles at a faster rate. So if you find one that might not be your ideal Evo but it's not too far off, you can wait for a better deal to pop up, but don't expect one to.
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From: Holt
The SE is generally the fan-favorite since it combines a lot of the preferred features between the two models (the sturdier five-speed of the GSR and the HIDs, aluminum roof and BBS wheels of the MR), but there were fewer of them made and are going to be harder to track down. And at the same time, your ideal Evo may exist, but its availability and pricing may not be exactly what you want. Or maybe it's not out there, or not for sale. These cars are only getting rarer and older, and while people's preferences may vary in terms of color, year or model, everyone looking for one will always have the same request for a good-condition model with low miles and being as close to bone stock as possible.
Some of the posters will cite the whole "wait for the right car" rhetoric and talk about how they waited and found what they wanted, but a lot of those were under different circumstances and from years and years ago. Remember that you're looking at a 14+ year-old car. And when it's a platform that has huge performance potential not just in stock form but when modified (which is what a lot of people have done), contrasting to some people buying certain cars just to own them and take them out on weekends but not necessarily for track duty (such as the classic Mustangs), the supply of them dwindles at a faster rate. So if you find one that might not be your ideal Evo but it's not too far off, you can wait for a better deal to pop up, but don't expect one to.
Some of the posters will cite the whole "wait for the right car" rhetoric and talk about how they waited and found what they wanted, but a lot of those were under different circumstances and from years and years ago. Remember that you're looking at a 14+ year-old car. And when it's a platform that has huge performance potential not just in stock form but when modified (which is what a lot of people have done), contrasting to some people buying certain cars just to own them and take them out on weekends but not necessarily for track duty (such as the classic Mustangs), the supply of them dwindles at a faster rate. So if you find one that might not be your ideal Evo but it's not too far off, you can wait for a better deal to pop up, but don't expect one to.
When I got my 9, I looked underneath and saw a lot of surface rust since the car has a NE history. However, everything else on the car was perfect to me so I bought it. I drove it for a winter or two, and now have significant corrosion like others especially near the rear sub frame. Unfortunately at this point, I am too emotionally attached to this car, and get by with lots of scraping, rust converter, and fluid film. But I will make it clear that any work you do will be a major PITA. You will be cutting off end link bolts/nuts. You will be snapping heads off of rusted bolts. I have even thought of picking up another shell and swapping everything over, but asking prices are insane and most have just as much rust or worse lol. If I had to do it over again, I would try to find the cleanest car and avoid the headaches. No regrets otherwise 
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Joined: Apr 2020
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From: Holt
When I got my 9, I looked underneath and saw a lot of surface rust since the car has a NE history. However, everything else on the car was perfect to me so I bought it. I drove it for a winter or two, and now have significant corrosion like others especially near the rear sub frame. Unfortunately at this point, I am too emotionally attached to this car, and get by with lots of scraping, rust converter, and fluid film. But I will make it clear that any work you do will be a major PITA. You will be cutting off end link bolts/nuts. You will be snapping heads off of rusted bolts. I have even thought of picking up another shell and swapping everything over, but asking prices are insane and most have just as much rust or worse lol. If I had to do it over again, I would try to find the cleanest car and avoid the headaches. No regrets otherwise
....oh and here's another tip if you are still car shopping. Unless you bring a floor jack with you, it will be hard to see underneath a car. If you see rust in the engine bay in certain areas, it is a red flag. On my car, it is the ABS module, and every bolt holding in the headlights, coolant overflow tanks, etc. Come to think of it, kind of applies to other cars too. I went to look at used cars with a friend over the weekend and the IS250/350's we looked at seemed pretty clean... even underneath aside from some rear diff rust. But then we noticed rust on strut top nuts and the hood latch which seemed odd. Then the dealer told us all their cars were from New York. Definitely not a deal breaker, every cars rusts eventually, right?
