2009 Mitsubishi Evo GSR: Project Evo

I don't understand the point of this car. For the price you could buy a

1.) Real Sports car

2.) Decent car

3.) Car that isn't total garbage.

mikeolan - but for that price you can't get 0-60 in 4.1 sec with 4-doors. It isn't supposed to be a great car, it is supposed to be a fast car and it seems to me the IL crew has succeeded.

Donna - I think the awful little Smart is a better car than the GT-R when the GT-R decides it is cranky and breaks something. A lousy working car is better than a brilliant broken car when you need milk!

If you weren't specifically trolling for flames mikeolan, maybe you could tell us:

1) What sort of "real" sports car you could get (new) for the price of a new Evo that is noticeably faster, better handling, and more capable. I won't argue that there are cars that can do one better (albeit not significantly IMO), but the versatility of the Evo (or STI) is pretty darn good. Maybe think about what other "real" sports car at that price can pick up 50 hp with a reflash.

2) What makes the Evo an indecent car?

3) What makes the Evo total garbage?

Do this keeping in mind that while Edmunds has some expensive mods on their Evo, you can accomplish effectively the same engine performance for about $2k invested (or go well beyond it for $3.5-4k).

I agree Shawn; the Evo is not a perfect car, but it is hard to beat on a fun per dollar basis- both stock and modified.

Throw down $20-50 dollars for pillows and you can toss them on to seats and take care of the stiff ride.

mikeolan - While its nice to say that you can buy a stock high performance car but to take something low and cheap to make it better especially if you do work yourself is something you can't buy so easily.

I really like the idea of the Evo and STI. I think I could deal with the 'economy car roots' to get the bargain power. I used to own a 2008 Lancer, so maybe I'm biased when I say that the interior really isn't all that bad. Yes, it has hard plastic but from my experience it was well built, durable and nice looking. I can see myself being more likely to spend on this sort of vehicle then a BMW as its more of a stand-out. That being said....

Put back the spoilers - it was there for a reason! Removing a functional aerodynamic device from a car you're trying to improve is illogical.

WANT.

Based on what I've read here at LTRTB, the Project EVO is better than the GTR. It would seem that it's been thrashed just as much as the GTR, without the trips to the dealership. Yes, there's a certain bling factor with the GTR, but what good is bling when it costs so much to enjoy?

Meh. Ceteris paribus, I'd take technical competence over bling any day.

lowmilelude makes a good point. I hadn't thought about the relative reliability. Really, has the Evo been in for anything but routine service? Even the clutch is still stock and while everyone expects it to fail, its still hanging in there with an extra 125 hp.

I've got just under 26K on my Evo X GSR and couldn't be happier. My one gripe about the car only comes up when I'm around naysayers, and that is that the car wasn't meant for them.

This thing really needs 6 gears. Come on, the interior is already a kick in the teeth for the money that you're paying, but then they couldn't even slip one extra cog in the gearbox of their ultimate performance car? No thanks. I'll take a 135i.

The 5-spd is a lot stronger than the 6-spd manual from the previous Evo lineup. Since the GSR is the "tuner" model expected to see modification, this is important. While a tall 6th gear for highway cruising would be nice, I don't think its a deal killer if you're interested in this sort of car. The engine is pretty smooth between 2500 and 5000 rpm - not Honda I4 smooth, but smooth enough that 400 mile trips at 80 mph won't drive you nuts. I wouldn't mind a nicer interior either, but it has great seats, great shifter, and a great steering wheel (and a pretty good stereo). Gets the job done for me.

As for the 135, hey, if you've got the extra $7-$8k to step up, good for you. But for someone interested in performance, the lack of a proper LSD on the 135 is problematic, and only becomes a bigger problem if you're looking to up the power. Not to mention that modding the BMW beyond a flash and exhaust is tougher, especially if you're worried about the dealer and your warranty (high pressure fuel pump?). And when you're approaching 400 whp, the Mitsu chassis handles the power a _lot_ better. Just a reflash on the 135 results in massive wheelspin in the lower gears whereas the Evo just puts it to the ground (actually makes the car more fun since you can now move it around on the throttle more in low speed turns). And then there's that price difference again....