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Interesting thread with a bit of a flamefest going on! I just read this and figured I'd join and put in my 2 cents. I have a 2003 Lancer ES (the cheapest one). I pay only CAD$268/month with $0 down payment and 0% interest and it's for 48-months. My buyback is only about $3k. In other words I don't lose a cent on my lease like most people.
That was only one of the many reasons I bought my Lancer. NO other cars had similar deals available. I checked every one out. Honda, Acura, Nissan, Mazda, Toyota, I even test drove a BMW 325i w/sport pack. I tried the Civic DX, SiR, RSX (not type S), base Sentra, base Protoge, base Echo and base Corolla and many other cars.
I chose my Lancer because of the financing flexibility and also because of the pure value. The base Civic had no CD player. None of the other cars in its class handled quite as well or had as nice of a ride feeling as the Lancer. The Lancer comes with absolute shit for tires and it still out handles the competiton. That's gotta say something for the car.
I have no power anything. No A/C. The little 120hp/130tq motor is more than adequate for all driving conditions. I don't know about the fully equip models maybe they're slower with all the extra shit on them, the spoiler and skirt the AC etc etc it all adds up on a 4 banger.
Anyways... the 9+ second 0-60 figure is pure horseshit unless it's for the slowest model available with all the extras. In which case you'd have to compare accordingly for its competitors.
In any case, from a 5kph roll, to 100kph I clocked in at 7.5 seconds... which if you ask me, is VERY good value for CAD$16k. I used to drive a 95 Civic DX coupe. Supposedly weighed 2200lbs and had 105hp. Will with that Ratio it should have been as fast, or faster than my 120hp 2800lb+ Lancer. It wasn't anywhere near as fast. From a roll the Civic was 10.5 - 11 seconds to 100kph. Pitiful. Even revving the shit out of it from a stop would only yield 9.7ish seconds.
So far, driving with my friends who have 03 Protoge, 04 Echo hatch I've been faster from a stop as well as on the highway. The Protoge is rated at 130-140hp.... how come my little 120hp "slowass lancer" was faster?" How come when the Protoge and Echo topped out at 170-180 on the highway, I kept going past them, up to 200?
Now don't get me wrong... I'm not overconfident in my car, and I DON'T THINK IT'S FAST. But I think it's plenty fast enough for a $16k car and it compares very well with the competition. The Ralliart completely annihilates me on the highway... its incredible.
Anyways .. don't diss other people's car just because you don't like it. Chances are it's got more than you think. The only car that comes close to the Lancer for options/value is the Corolla.
Another thing I'd like to note about the Lancer is it's a VERY solid car for a japanese econobox pos civic-class car. Strong bumpers and overall very sturdy. I find the handling to be excellent... although there is lots of body roll / swaying, that would actually help in a rally inspired drive. Too stiff of a suspension isn't good for that. With the mushy tires and soft suspension I don't know how they make the car handle as good as it does, but I can take some curves pretty damn fast, almost as fast as the Ralliart (but not quite :P).
Also... at high speeds the car is still smooth and stable, unlike many cars when you pass 140, 160, 180 it starts to get very scary. Not in the Lancer. The brakes are also quite formidable. Mine aren't anymore cause the dealer screwed them up.. BUT.. when it was new, it stopped like a bitch!
I would drive someone elses car for a while then get back into mine and I felt like I was getting back into an entirely different (higher) class of car. The brake pedal and response is just so much better. The clutch is smooth and easy unlike some cars.
Aaaaaaaaand another bonus is that Mitsubishi uses CAST IRON BLOCKS unlike Honda, Toyota, and everyone else who use Aluminum blocks and heads. I'm sure an engine made of cast iron will take a lot more beating (and more boost) than an all aluminum.
I don't know if you guys know much about Ralliart but my best friend who has one inquired about it quite a bit before buying his. He found out it comes stock with the whole headers/exhaust setup. It has ceramic cylinder heads or something like that, a much improved clutch and transmission over the stock lancers. stabilizer bars etc.. all kinds of mechanical goodies that they don't even mention.
The 162hp/162tq engine has their mivec technology similar to vtec.. some say its better some say its worse. I say its all good and its very nice, smooth and pulls hard BUT the car could really use a 6th gear (more so than regular lancers).
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