Long Post Warning!

Hey all... I already posted this at the SRT forums... figured I'd post here too. As expected, most of the SRT forums guys are like 'don't do it', but they are giving good reasons that seem unbiased i.e.: the big increase in debt from what I currently owe on the SRT. Here are the details anyways... try to be unbiased and please no SRT hate... I personally like the car a lot just looking to possibly upgrade to something more capable. Just looking for good oppinions from 'the other side'.

Long story short... I got an offer from a Mitsu dealer on a new '06 Evo RS (more on why I'm looking at the RS later). My car is an '05 SRT with 15,000 miles. They saw my car and are offering me $16,800 for my trade. KBB trade in is like $15,300, Edmunds trade in is like $14,000. Even KBB private sale value is lower than their offer at like $16,300. In short they are offering me way more for my trade than it's actually worth by roughly $1000-$4000 depending which value you want to look at.

I owe $15,300. So they are giving me more than what I owe by $1500 as well.

they are offering me the Evo for $29,200 (about $500 off MSRP) plus throwing in a few hundred worth of extras. Now... I know if I were buying the car outright, I could probably talk them down to invoice. But considering how much they are giving me for my trade... well lets say they offered me fair market trade value for my SRT but lowered the price of the Evo by that much, it would be way below invoice. Either way, the amount I'd actually be financing is way less than the MSRP of the car.... $29,774 - $1500 trade - $500 that they lowered the price of the Evo = $27,774 plus they are throwing in free factory floormats (~$200) and coupons for a few free oil changes ($150).

If I did that trade, my payments go up about $170 a month (from $370 to $540), which me and my wife did our budget and figured out we could afford w/o problem. Oh, and my loan term gets extended by about one year.

Honestly right now I"m leaning AWAY from doing it... partially because my debt would nearly double from ~$15k to nearly $30k, and partially because I know I could put a couple grand in the SRT for power and suspension and be able to hang with an Evo (talking stock)... but on the other hand... I'm kinda tired of working on cars.. my car before this I was always having to work on it... and I also have concerns about voiding my warranty (which is almost half up anyways)

And yeah, that means, if I bought the Evo, it is staying 100% STOCK because I want to keep my warranty, or only doing mods that are warranty friendly (if there are any???). I am also a bit concerned about the Evo's reliability... I see a lot of guys having transmission problems... and it's hard to tell when it's from abuse or just a bad design/defective part. I can tell you, there are hundreds of guys in the SRT community having the SAME DAMN PROBLEMS with grinding gears and crunchy shifting, and I'm one of those lucky ones... which is another reason i'm hesitant to mod my car since Dodge dealers are just as bad about warrantying modded cars.

About the RS... I'm looking at RS's for two reasons... because of the cost, and actually because I like the idea of saving a little weight, believe it or not. My last car was a 10 year project and was basically a stripped out, barely road legal track car. I had no power anything, no A/C, no stereo, not even heat/defroster, or weather stripping! I had that car down to 2300 lbs. That was my only car, my daily driver, it was fairly quick at 12.8 in the 1/4 with 'only' 245 rwhp, and I loved driving it every day. Only thing was it was an older car and I got tired of constantly having to fix stuff or tune this and tweak that.

So... lets just say the lack of amenities in the RS doesn't bother me, except maybe the stereo, which I could buy one on my own and spend way less than the difference it would cost me to get the regular IX.

Also, I'd be much happier WITHOUT that friggin huge spoiler! That was one of the first things I did to my SRT was take that spoiler off.

So... what do you guys think? We know it's a better car, stock for stock, but is it so much better as to justify nearly $15k more in debt and $170 more a month? Keeping in mind my plan to keep the Evo stock and that it is an RS, vs. the SRT which is decently equipped?

Oppinions please and again, please try to be as unbiased as possible and please don't post any SRT hate that will just waste everyone's time.

 

well, my 2 cents

AWD or FWD? humm...

Better looking Evo or so so SRT4?

Faster stock times in EVO.

Hate the SRT4 in the snow? AWD is an amazing thing.

And of course, you posted in a EVO forum, good majority of the folk will side on the EVO.

Welcome to the dark side.

 

di di di evo

 

First off...... I can relate.... I owe 16k on my evo 8 but if I trade in on a evo 9 I'll be over 30k in debt..for what Mivec? Dude IMO the Evo is a better car is so many ways than the SRT4. I am getting a GT35R installed whic will net me over 450 whp, low boost on Alky... Now once you get to that kind of power and being AWD the trannie will have issues...... over time and beatring. However you could easily upgrade the trannie for like $800/$900 plus shipping and the evo would be stout.


Have you seen the power the Evo 9's are making just off TBE & Alky kit! I'm just going to upgrade my trannie from Shep and install the GT35R. My Evo has 70k btw and has almost 300whp for some time now... stock trannie btw.

Dude it really boils down to if you want that debt for another 5/6 years. Would you like to pay off the SRT and start saving for the future? Depneds where you are at in your life buddy....... I had a fully built integra that ran hig 12's and paid it off...but then totalled it and got 10k from insurance.... Everyone told me to bank the money and buy a "regular" ride....so I test drove and SRT4 and an EVo....well you know the rest. Good luck.

 

There are a bunch of us that traded up from our '03-'05 SRT's to our Evos, and I personally do not regret it one bit. One thing you need to keep in mind though, it will cost you more than just the payment difference. My personal property taxes skyrocketed! I pay more than $600/year for the Evo, even after the relief. The stock advans only last ~10-12k miles also, which you also need to take in consideration if you plan on keeping OEM tires on the car (I believe they cost over $200/piece). Depending on your age, the Evo is one of the most expensive cars to insure for anyone under 25 years old. I was looking at a 2002 Vette, and the Evo costs $50 more a month than the Vette would've to insure.



btw...I get the biggest freakin smile on my face, everytime I get in to drive it though...Ultimately it's up to you, but don't count on only paying $170 more a month when it's said and done.

 

u will lose all ur srt4 friends if u get an evo....upgrade friends lol ok sorry i thought it was funny.If the wife gave u the ok i would check insurance and see if it will be more as well. Also consider maintenance on the evo if it's a daily, the evo rs is very sexy and is a nice upgrade.

 

lol got forbid an evo owner log onto srtforums... they are a lil sore cause all the SRT guys are getting evo's (im one of them) but no, the evo is an all around better car.. after owning both and driving both.. no denying.. a lightly modded srt is CRAZYYYYY quick... in my opinion.. in a highway race an srt with a wastegate will kill an evo..but then again im not into highway racing lol so i say evo all the way... after driving both and owning both that is. just 100000 times more practical in my opinion. srt's are good for beginners learning about turbo cars... evo's, lil more sophisticated.. i come onto this forum compared to srt and i cant BELIEVE the intelligence of people on this forum.. its really amazing how smart these evo guys are lol

 

I traded in a modded 2004 SRT-4 for a 2006 Evo IX and never looked back. The SRT-4 is definately a good car for the money, possibly the best car in its price range. The Evo, I feel, is also the best car in its price range. You would not regret getting rid of the SRT-4 for the Evo in terms of performance or capability, the only regret I would imagine anyone would have in this situation would be taking on extra debt.

 

That's a good offer but I'll show you why it's bad for you in the long run

This is not a good deal. The RS should be going for 27,900. Here is where they are getting their money back for the increase in your trade.

Throwing in factory floor mats? They already come with floormats, that's not an option. And if even if they didn't, you can get new floormats at Lancershop for $70. And oil changes? An oil change can be done in your driveway for the cost of the oil and filter and a $8 catch-bucket from Autozone.

Are you financing through Mitsu? Check around, interest rates are still low and I'm sure you can get your own financing for 5% or less if you have good credit. Going with Mitsu credit will be higher because the dealer will get a kick-back.

You can do a numbe of mods that are warranty friendly. Cat-back exhaust, drop in filter, etc. As for trans problems, the Evo trans is very stout. If you have any doubt to this call John Shepherd at Shep Trans or Jon Ripple at TRE. Both of them will gladly explain to you how good the transmissions are and how people keep destroy them. (abuse for the most part)

We of course are biased. If money is no object then I would go with the Evo. You'll have AWD...

 

Okay I'll mention a few other things just so you guys have more background info...

I'm 29 years old, and have owned like 10 cars in the 14 years i've been driving. Most of them were manual transmission, performance oriented cars. And most of them I had modified to make them faster/handle better/etc.

The SRT is a great car especially considering what I paid for it. It's quick and also responds well to relatively cheap mods. FWD sucks for launching, absolutely, but the car actually does handle pretty well (I think it's either .85 or .88g on the skid pad?). Part of that is the KDW tires which are great tires, and even though they are performance tires, I have 15,000 miles on them and have about 50-60% of their treadwear left. I dont' do a lot of burnouts

I know, stock for stock, the Evo outperforms the SRT in every aspect, but please, again try to be unbiased... it doesn't just completely blow the SRT out of the water. The power, acceleration, handling and braking on the SRT are not THAT far behind. Especially if you dont' consider the AWD hole shot from a stop... in all other respects, the SRT could almost keep up.

As far as Evo guys talking on SRT forums... actually we do have a few Evo owners come over there, and we have a few SRT guys that traded up for Evo's and still hang out there... you'd find that, as long as you don't come over there just talking smack, SRT owners show nothing but repsect for Evo's and their owners.

As far as highway racing or whatever... I don't really do a lot of 'racing' either way... I get my fun by finding deserted curvy roads and running thru them as fast as possible. Which I do think would be all the more fun in the Evo than the SRT.

I have no plans to upgrade the Evo if I get it, and no plans to do abusive drag launches to destroy clutch and drivetrain.



EDIT:
Cirrusly - actually the RS does not come with floormats... but either way I'm not really counting that, it's just an extra thing they are throwing in.

I do understand that they are actually giving me a bad price on the Evo, BUT, as you said, that is because they are offering me way high on my trade. I've shopped around, and most other dealers won't go over $14,000 on my trade. So... if this dealer were giving me $14,000 like everyone else, they would actually be selling me the Evo for $2,800 off, about $27,000 even.

Still sounds like a good deal to me...

 

yea i havnt left the srtforums at all.... my section just kinda falls apart cause all it seems to be is constant arguing. i do like the srt forums but the part im into its more about messing around then getting down to business... so i find other regions instead lol... but yea.. srt is sick.. evo is sick.. but if u hop into an evo u probly wont look back. but then again, i dont know your driving style..

u notice srt guys get bashed on more then ANY other car owners out there? but the srt guys bash on no one? its kinda wierd the respect srt owners have..

 

go with the evo. i was thinkin the same thing either srt-4 or evo. since im military i make crap for money and srt-4 is much easier to afford. but as soon as i took the evo for a spin i was hooked. i sold my old car and bought a used evo with like 44k miles. i would suggest the same to you. sell your srt -4 for like 15k-16k, take that pay off your loan and just get a new loan through your bank for like 20k-24k. you can get pick up good deals if you look online.

 

Yeah WTF is up with that??? Personally I have no loyalties... I love any brand/model of car that is quick. I've owned imports and domestics, FWD and RWD (no AWD yet), cars and trucks, and pretty much loved them all. And for what it is, what it does and what it costs, I don't get why everyone bashes the SRT so much. "because it's still a neon"... yeah and? Haven't Neons been kicking *** in SCCA/etc. since they first came out? I always thought the neon was a pretty cool car.

And I dont know what region of the forum you hang out on... I hang out on the mid atlantic region but also many of the other sections as well... it's the usual mix of mature, cool guys and young newbs/wannabe ricers that I find on just about any forum catering to a relatively inexpensive car.


And about buying a used Evo... noooo way. I would prefer to NEVER buy a used performance car again. You never know what abuse it's had and what problems you're buying... often the costs of the major repairs you'll need to do can sometimes push the price of the car past what it would have cost to just buy a new one. ESPECIALLY with all the reports of transmission issues on the Evo's and that most suspect it is abuse... no way... I'm not buying a used Evo, having a trans blow up and paying who knows how much to get it replaced. No thanks. A used Corolla? Yeah that I would consider... used Evo? hell no.

 

BE CAREFUL on that "$16,300" offer and if you can, get it in writing. I had a dealer promise me up and down I would get a a certain number, and not until I was more then half way through the paper work he comes back and says...

"Sorry I can only do this amount on your trade because of the miles involved and blah blah blah blah".


I bought my car elsewhere that day.


Besides the COST aspect of the two, their is no reason why you shouldn't buy the Evo. TRY to bully them on your loan rate, which are climbing daily and the rate of the loan is adding thousands extra. You may want to wait a bit, maybe the IX will drop in price because of the X's arrival or at least people know that it is coming.

 

Bast525,

I love you post. I read it and I understood everything (financial issues, family issues).

Let me identify you first that the Mitsubishi dealer is giving you a smoking deal. Secondly let me tell you that your choice of getting a RS is the right choice for you.

I don't think there is a single Evo owner that would complaint of their Evo trim, just having a Evo 9 is a blessing. With that say you can't go wrong even with the lowest Evo 9 trim

The SRT-4 is a fun car and they are fast with silly mods but the reality is that it is a Dodge neon with a turbo engine. Dodge lacked a lot on the suspension, braking and tires/rims departament when they made that car.

The retail value of a Dodge SRT-4 will always be in disavantage vs a Mitsubishi Evo which holds the value very well.

It is true you pay more for a Evo but look what you get: Brembo brakes, Recaro seats, the best AWD system in the market, excellent rims (light weight Enkeis and high grip soft compound Yokohamas)and tires, crispy responsive steering and a superlight weight AWD 4 door sedan.

Unlike other manufacturers, Mitsubishi took the lead on the Evo by putting aluminium fenders, hood, side impact crash beams and roof. Hollow cams, magnesium valve cover,momo steering wheel, aluminium control arms and connecting control arms bridges.

At the end , the Evo is overall a better package. Honestly you know you need a quaife FLSD on a SRT-4, then you need a decxent set of rims and tires, then you need a decent suspension package, after you add up you will realize the Evo is not a bad deal at all.

Performance wise? Well, I think I don't even have to go there. Contact srt4toevo9(Justin) he loved going from SRT-4 to Evo 9.

We all hope you buy a Mitsubishi Evo 9 RS. Good luck my friend!

Carlos