Evo Daily Driver?

So, I'm currently pulling the tranny out of my Talon... AGAIN... I got the old Firebird out to drive around for the time being and its been running kind of rough. It's seen better days but hopefully tomorrow morning I get the misfiring problem fixed on it for now.

So on to the main purpose of this thread... So I've been putting a lot of thought into it and have come back to the idea of selling the Firebird and buying an Evo for a daily driver. I'm just wondering though, has anyone else test drove an Evo or have one now? Would it really be a nice daily driver or is it gonna be a typical DSM daily driver style. (in the garage for months at a time) I just figured it would be a good powerful and fun to drive daily driver thats gonna be reliable since it's so new. But, I wanted to get opinions on it first so I know what I'm getting myself into. It would be nice to be able to hop into a car and take off to work with no problems and no worries. Plus, its a 4 door and I'll be able to keep it as a family car in the future. lol :icon16:

Anyways, I just wanted to get peoples opinions, experiences, thoughts, etc.

Here's the one I was looking at possible getting unless I find one for cheaper that has just as low of miles on it too.
http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?car_id=195807110&dealer_id=1392444&car_year=2003&search_type=both&make=MIT&distance=200&model=LANCERMITS&address=44423&certified=&advanced=&max_price=&bkms=1139986193864&min_price=1&end_year=2007&start_year=1999&isp=y&lang=en&cardist=200

Oh, and if I do this, I will keep the Talon and finish everything on it properly too. :smokin:

I hate to admit it, but I like the STI alot more than than the evo, do yourself a favor and drive both.

I hate to admit it, but I like the STI alot more than than the evo, do yourself a favor and drive both.

Really? What was better about the STI?

actually researchers, show that the evo will out run the sit in performance wise but if you want more of a luxury, the sti wisn that one. Especially their interior. These were based on the 05-06 models i believe

IMO, from what I've seen as far as numbers and reviews go, equal trims of both cars are neck and neck performance-wise... all that is left for me to base my selection upon would be the styling. And I really don't like Subaru designs...the latest WRX looks very, very ugly in my opinion (and the older ones arent anything to write home about either), whereas the Evo has always has a very aggressive looking front facia. I'd go with the Evo (minus the rear wing) any day, even for a daily driver.

I'd go with the Evo too. Kevin has one, maybe if he sees this thread he'll input some of his opinions into it.

EVO ALL THE WAY!!!! Lol just don't get yourself in too much debt.

I woud go Evo, they look way better than STI's in my opinion. I think Kevin said that Evos dont feel much different than DSMs on a strip (theres no advantage one way or the other) but that the Evo's have much better driver position, center of gravity, and suspension. Maybe thats why I have never see or heard of a GSX time attack car and Evos are all over the place.

I'm going to go 180 on this one. I say don't get either a STI or an EVO. If you are planning on putting money into DSM and making it you "fun/fast" car, why would you consider either of those cars? If you got either of those, it's a much fresher base to start with. I say quit on the Talon and the Bird and get an EVO or STI -OR- keep going with the Talon and get something that gets good gas milage and is known for it's reliability.

I'm not going to say "get a honda" but what are you looking for in a daily driver? 4 doors, good gas milage, reliable, creature comforts, space? The EVO and STI are nice cars but don't certainly best fill the aforementioned criteria. Get a Sonata. Get a Civic. Get a Golf (non turbo). Get an used BMW. Get a car that serves the purpose you are buying it for.

I'd love to own an EVO or STI but if I did, bye bye DSM. Not because I don't love my car, but because it would be too tempting to start modding the "better" car and my GSX would just be "that car that sits in the garage and I don't use much because it's unreliable." Just my thoughts.

True, I can see why looking for a better car for the daily driver purpose would be better. But, I don't really enjoy driving luxery vehicles or anything that feels like an old mans car. I thought about the Evo because it'll serve a great purpose as a daily driver and still have a bit of power and that "race feel" to it. If I were to do any modding to an Evo, I would keep it to mods that won't affect its reliability. I already have most of the Talon done... All I have left on it is building a 6 bolt. Are there many problems with anything mechanical wise on the Evos? I know if I go to a dealership and ask them about it they will lie out their asses to make a sale and I figured I'd ask people who would give me honest answers. lol

Has anyone seen an Evo with 10k miles or less for under 25k dollars too? That one I found was the cheapest one in a 200 mile radius of me.

I hate the evo's interior. It looks worse than the 2g's IMO. Honestly I would look at an 03 cobra, my dsm buddy just got one of those for a daily, and it's nothing but sexy. Quick as shit too.

I would have to agree with Dragon on this one, what do you really want, essentially another "DSM" or a nice luxury(or econo) car that would be reliable. If I had an EVO what would be the point of owning my Eclipse? yeah its a sexy car(ok not right now but it will be ;) ) but the EVO is a better platform. I personally would go with something nice that got good MPG and was comfortable to drive(thats why I am looking at a TDI golf or jetta). but thats my :2cents:

P.S. that Cobra would be sweet!

I hate the evo's interior. It looks worse than the 2g's IMO.

What's wrong with the 2G interior???

I've driven an STi, and I like it. It's fast and handles great. I've never driven an EVO, but I would imagine it feels the same. I like the inside of both the cars, but since I'm DSM, I would get an EVO before an STi. 2cents

How about the new Mazda Mazdaspeed 6? Turbo, awd, 274hp? It's also luxury. My friend drove one and he said it was awesome. From pictures I've seen, it looks just like a regular 6, except for the exhaust, and hood which is raised to create room for the intercooler. The interior also looks pretty sweet.

On another note, I was at Mitsu today to pick up a new throttle body gasket(bastards have to order it), and I sat in a brand new evo ix mr..... fricken badass lol. Wouldn't let me test drive cause it was the only one at the dealership, and it was inside the show room :shakehead

How about the new Mazda Mazdaspeed 6? Turbo, awd, 274hp? It's also luxury. My friend drove one and he said it was awesome. From pictures I've seen, it looks just like a regular 6, except for the exhaust, and hood which is raised to create room for the intercooler. The interior also looks pretty sweet.

On another note, I was at Mitsu today to pick up a new throttle body gasket(bastards have to order it), and I sat in a brand new evo ix mr..... fricken badass lol. Wouldn't let me test drive cause it was the only one at the dealership, and it was inside the show room :shakehead



You bastard! You stole my idea. I was going to talk about the Mazda.

Great car in my opinion, I actually want to go test drive.

I would drive an evo, but I would probably take a Mazdaspped 6 over it. Seems to have a better streamlined design to it.

Well that or a 03/04 cobra ftw!

Hmm, I'll have to look up this new Mazda you guys are talking about.

Well, I looked into the Mazda and its a damn nice car. It's so hard to decide what I should get. I like them all really... I guess all I have to go by would be a test drive of all three. Anyone test drove that new Mazda yet?

I've driven the V6 mazda 6, its quick. Not balls ass fast, but it can light 'em up pretty good.

There's an evo at the mitsu dealer by me for 20k (35k miles though) It was modified thought and looked badass. You can get the viii's for cheap cause everyone wants the ix's, there were like seven viii's and one ix at that dealer.

What happend to your tranny? Are you changing the clutch or swaping the tranny ? Also, cars like Mazda and Evo that are AWD wont be cheap on gas you know. If I was looking for a daily driver it would be something that would relatively small with a small engine and get me from point A to point B. Just get something around 2-4K. There are a lot of reliable cars out there that are cheap on gas, cheap parts, and they look pretty decent. I love my new MX-3. With $25 in gas I get around 320-360miles in the city. That is awesome and I got it for $1500 :). Its interior is flawess and I have friends giving me $3000 for it but I rather keep it.

I'm still sticking with saying get the Evo. Keep it in the family man. :p

What happend to your tranny? Are you changing the clutch or swaping the tranny ?

No, I already had a built tranny but the shifter rail broke and I may have bent a shift fork... It's pretty gay cause I wasn't even driving it hard. I was just cruising along in 4th and something want pop and it shot out of gear and into neutral and then every gear became neutral. lol

But yeah, I'm still wanting to get a NEW car because I'm tired of these old cars breaking... I mean, think about it, my Talon is almost 10 years old. Shit's gonna start breaking more often on it and the Firebird is a 92, so yeah... I'm thinkin something that is at least a 2001 or newer so that its only 5 years old and its new enough that it'll last me a while, but old enough that it isn't gonna break me.

I was thinking Evo just because I am already familiar enough with Mitsubishi stuff that if something simple breaks I can fix it myself. I also would like to have a car that is able to make an insane amount of power so that someday in the next 20 years when I decide to get a new car again, I can make this one my toy. :)

I love the evo personally, and my next car is gonna be a VIII, probably an RS because I like the look better (still keeping my spyder though).
The only thing I have heard about the Evolution's reliability is the clutch. They seem to have a problem with clutch failure. I have read about this on evo forums and in magazines. In an issue of Turbo and High Tech Performance, an evo with only a few thousand miles had the clutch explode. Wierd. I don't know if these failures are a result of just crappy clutches or if it's just the way the owners drive them. This is just something to look into and think about. BTW, I have seen the Mazdaspeed 6 in a super street mag.....doesn't particularly tickle my fancy.

evo man!!!

Must be hard trying to figure out what kind of new car to buy lol ;)

Must be hard trying to figure out what kind of new car to buy lol ;)

Oh yes, oh so hard. lol

First I gotta get a loan, which my parents already said they would co-sign for me as long as I start treating them better. No problem there. Next thing is to get a better job and then I'll be all ready to get whichever I go for. I just need something that can take all the driving I do.

I just need something that can take all the driving I do.
How about a tank lol:iceslolan

How about a tank lol:iceslolan

http://cgi.ebay.com/MAZ535-7-8X8-EX-MILITARY-MONSTER-TANK-TRUCK_W0QQitemZ4614211371QQcategoryZ9883QQrdZ1QQcm dZViewItem

Excuse me, I need to take out a loan for a tank...

LOL :iceslolan

I want one, but I'd only want it if it came with that missle :) and who need 4wd when you can have 8wd:lol:

I personally find my EVO quite enjoyable as a low 12 second daily driver. It's been very reliable until the HG started to leak at 17k miles, but I don't mind since I wanted to put in ARP studs anyway in preparation for another season of racing. The EVO is much much easier to work on. The accessory belt is a serpentine setup with a sweet autotensioner, instead of 3 seperate belts all with seperate tensioners. A tbelt job could be done in 2 hours. I could swap the HG again in 3 probably now that all the stock bracketry is gone. Just a pleasure to work on. The clutch jobs are a little harder though.

I find the EVO interior to be much better than the DSMs. More solid, less flimsy. Face it, it's a race car, not a highway car ;) I won't even bother getting into the other things mentioned above that I said I liked. And with DSMlink, I like the car even more. As someone else mentioned, the EVO made sense to me as well because I have so much time and money invested in learning the DSM cars. I don't want to start all over with another type of car. The Subarus aren't bad, but I don't even want to think about doing a cam swap, HG or tbelt job, or even just changing spark plugs. Difficult setup IMO.

Haven't seen you on here in a while Kevin. Where you been? Did you see my post about DSM-ONE?

In an issue of Turbo and High Tech Performance, an evo with only a few thousand miles had the clutch explode.
Shouldn't the warranty cover that? That's one plus over the STi, the Evo's warranties are about twice the STi's.

If it were me I'd get the complete oposite car as my daily driver. Eventually when I start modding my car extensively I was planning on getting like an automatic mid '90s Honda and keeping it absolutely stock, or a Prius just cause I'm like that. :) That way you'll never get tired of one thing, and after a day or so of drving the Honda, getting in a 600 hp DSM would be insane. And with increasing gas prices, you won't be reamed (as much) by Saudi Arabia.