So ive been looking at how different the GTS is from the other modles.
And it seems like a lot of stuff for $5-8,000 more.
but then again, alot of the time after market is better quality and cheaper then what you buy from the dealer.
So would it be worth the time and money to buy an ES and start throwing mods on it.

Or a GTS and save the time and possibly money, and save to move up from there?

Ive been looking around and it seems to come pretty close in $..

what do you guys think?

 

I would say depends on your price (Since Usa and Us are really not the same.)
But really much is what you want to mod.

Look at what you get more in the GTS. And that you really want/need !
After that look at what you want to replace, If you want to get a new bodykit, mags, all suspensions bars and lower it, you gonna waste a lot getting things you won't keep. You can always resell them but well..
The only note would be the warranty.
Personnaly I'm sure I paid a bit more for my Gts then modding an Es, but to don't have the hassle to find them, compare everything, be sure of the quality, wait for it, install etc. And don't have the impression of having half my income go to my car every months lol.

You can make a civic more powerful and handling then a lambo with money, but you're always gonna miss 'that' something.
Seriously, look at what you want to mod and start from there.

 

yah thats a really good point. no time involved. thanks.

 

'09 GTS has the bigger engine, and you can't get that in the lower trim lines ... yet. So, at the very least, you'll have more base horse power to start working with. However, there aren't any mods out for the '09 GTS (2.4L) ... yet... though some are supposed to be coming out fairly soon. However, for at least the next 6 to 12 months there will be more mods for the 2.0L engine on the market than there are for the 2.4L engine.

GTS also has better brakes (bigger rotors all around and better calipers). Even if you can get better brake calipers and rotors in the after market segment, the GTS's ABS is better because it controls each brake individually, something you can't get on the lower trims.

GTS has a better base suspension package. Though, with springs and some shopping you'll be able to upgrade the lower trims to almost equal the GTS suspension. The GTS has a bigger front sway bar, and no one is offering an upgrade on the after market yet. So, if you get a lower trim Lancer you'll have to find someone selling their stock GTS front bar to upgrade....

GTS has better front seats; sort of in between base Lancer front bucket seats and EvoX front seats. AFAIK, you can't get them in the lower trim models. The seats have sensors in them for air bag activation/deactivation, and seat belt chimes. So the "easiest" compatible upgrade is to drop EvoX seats in... but those are way pricey.

If you wait until June, you'll be able to get the touring package with the GTS which has traction control and HID Projectors, which you can't get from the "after market" segment yet. Adding OEM Projectors later will set you back ~$3000

So far, the only thing I don't like about my GTS is the odd ball tire size (tried to buy one today, and NO ONE in my area stocks them) and the 18" rim. It's kind of over kill for an "economy car". Don't get me wrong, it looks nice, but I would have been just as happy with 17" rims and 225/45 or 215/50 tires. It's a minor gripe, IMO, because I'll eventually be swapping for after market rims anyways.

Over all, there's a lot of stuff on the GTS you can't get on the lower trim Lancers that just isn't talked about a lot. Additionally, I don't think the '09 GTS's coming in PZEV spec (No PZEV disclaimer for the 2.4L GTS on the Mitsu website like there is for the 2.0L engine), which means you'll have a regular engine in the thing so the California '09 GTS Lancers are the same as the '09 GTS Lancers in the rest of the US. The '08 Lancers in Cali are all PZEV so they're all gimped compared to the rest of the US, but that can be changed with a few mods.

Personally, if it were my money... or if I were to do it again... I'd buy the GTS, again... or if I had the luxury of waiting, I'd put serious consideration into the up coming Lancer Ralliart.

 

Damn, that's very well said. +1

 

yah i would say that pretty much ends that conversation. hah.
thanks a ton.

i didnt know the 09 gts in CA was geting the bigger engine i assumed naturally that my state
being as ironic as it is
would just keep the 09 at the same as the 08's

im deff gonna have to do the gts.

thanks guys.

 

if they're doing 2.0 GTSs in Cali then Mitsu isn't saying shizzle to the press or on their website about it. I would assume that Mitsubishi would clearly state on their website that the California models are different, because if they didn't that's a law suit from hell waiting to happen.

They clearly state the 2.0L PZEV engine develops less power, but they state nothing about the '09 GTS in Cali trim. So, if the engine in a California GTS isn't a 2.4L and the same as all the other 2.4L GTS engines in the US then that, my friend, would be false advertisement. I'm pretty sure Mitsubishi wants to avoid a fiasco of that magnitude.

 

yah i would hope so, i went to a mitsu dealer yesterday
and they just honestly dont know anything.
i think i got the most retarted guy in the whole place.

i asked just for fun to se the evo 10
and hes like oh its not out yet but we have the 9
and im like...... what?
"yah the 2010 isnt out yet."
bwahahahahah

i had to explain to him just about everything.

so of course he had no idea about pzev or anything at all.

:/

 

You're probably better off reading the window stickers then. They usually detail what the car is equipped with, including engine info. If it says 2.0L PZEV engine, then it isn't a '09 GTS.

I bought my car from Glendale Mitsubishi... I haven't tried to use their service dept yet, but here's one fun fact about their location; there's a tuner shop right behind them that works on Mitsus and Subbies, "Easy Street Motorsports". They customized an EvoX that's sitting on the Glendale Mitsu show room floor. I plan on using that shop to get a couple of parts on my want list

 

wait a minute. u guys saying that the 09 Lancers is not PZEV?

 

Almost, I'm saying the '09 Lancer GTS is not PZEV...

Mitsubishi hasn't provided any information in their propaganda that would lead me to believe they are making/delivering '09 GTS's in PZEV form...

The Lancers with the 2.0L engine are still coming in PZEV form for Cali.

 

I'm so lost with all this PZEV and FED crap. I live in PA. What would I have/how can I go tell? Is it the better one to have? Why or why not?

 

yah i have no clue if it is pzev.

 

If you live in PA, you should be able to get a Fed spec car. You can tell if it says Cali spec (Pzev) or fed spec on the window sticker, or by popping the hood and looking at the engine code. The FED spec one is the better one to have because it has 9 (I think its 9, 143? vs 152) more horse power and 10 more torque. The reason the fed spec has more power is because it has 1 less cat so it isn't as restrictive, but it also is bad for the environment. If you want a green car, pzev is the better one to have lol

 

I looked at the window sticker, and it said California Emissions Standard. So I guess I'm PZEV then.