Are Evos as good as they are on paper?
 

I currently own a 2002 Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V and as of now the car I am most interested in to get next (after im done with college and graduate school, so not any time soon) is a Mitsubishi Evolution. I've always been a fan of WRC first and foremost in auto racing and the evo seems to be the favorite pick of the magazines when compared to an STI. What I am wondering is: what kind of recall/breakage issues have the evo had, are they pretty reliable or does the 19 lbs of boost kind of make everything break all the time? Also, if anyone has also driven a spec v, how do they compare? I know an evo has a street start (5-60mph) of 6.7 seconds and a spec v is about 7 and in this scenario i actually beat an evo once to about 70 or so because he was a bad driver, and this makes me wonder how fun to drive the evo is in normal traffic situations, as the spec v is a blast. Also, since it is all wheel drive, how well does the clutch hold up to hard launches in a drag racing scenario? Hopefully a few people out there have enough experience with the evo to answer all these questions.

Thanks

RE: Are Evos as good as they are on paper?
 

Whoa your times are whay of 0-60 in the EVO is alot faster than 6.7 seconds..even 5-60 there are not many cars that will beat the AWD down there, from 60-100+ is a different story. The EVO isnt unreliable unless you make it to be, The motor is very stong and can handle far mor than 20 PSI on the stock bottom end. The things that break seem to be drivetrain, Clutch and transfer case and that is because people do alot of AWD 6K launches from a stop it will wear out parts. I have 25K on my EVO and only needed to buy new tires for it.

Normal complaints are the brakes wear to quick tires as well and clutch is junk from the get go. Also you see alot of 03/04 EVOs needed the wing replaced under warrenty along with brake calipers because the clear coat spots on the wing and chips off of the brakes....I am in need of both at the moment but I am just to lazy to give my car to a stranger at the dealer to fix it

RE: Are Evos as good as they are on paper?
 

No, 6.7 is about what i've seen somewhere, 0-60 is 4.9 seconds, but that requires a hard ass launch, which is the dilemma, whether or not it will be fun when im not full burn at a racetrack.

Also, I kind of figured that about launching it, but i dont really drag race that often (officially anyway) so i dont think that would be a problem, but at the same time if something with more torque at the bottom end took me off the line and shut down before i was properly spooled i would be pissed. So how does the transmission and drivetrain hold up if you, say, race it at a track but dont launch it hard from a stop? Is it because the transmission just isnt up to par or is it because the high revvs just eat it apart?

RE: Are Evos as good as they are on paper?
 

the Transmition is fine it is the transfer case that sucks, they are both storng but the TC has to take the abuse of side stepping the clutch, if you burn the clutch on a launch youll be ok just be ready to buy a new clutch. I have launched my car 4-5 times and no troubles as all and you bet your ass if I am at the track or trying to beat someone that might be a close race I will lauch the piss out of my car if I have to. the car will hold up if you want it to, like I said I drive mine hard I dont launch very often and I have 25k now and stock clutch is fine and no other problems

RE: Are Evos as good as they are on paper?
 

why is 5-60 such a concern. traction+turbo lag = bad 5-60 time. who cares when you can go from 0-60 in 4 seconds. evos are cool cars, although i think id go with the sti if given a choice, but you cant really go wrong with either, an unless you treat it like crap you wont have many problems

RE: Are Evos as good as they are on paper?
 

I know, thats why the 5-60 is so bad (turbolag/no possible wheelspin) and im saying in normal every day driving, like say when im first at a red and i just want to floor it for fun its not that fast if i dont launch it high and damage the clutch. I was really into the STi for a long time but magazines seem to always pick the evo as the more fun to drive. Also, in alot of tuner challenges the evos seem to place higher than the subarus as well, not to mention the newest subarus have questionable styling (still dont know if i like it, but im leaning towards not). Hopefully nissan will add some more AWD or RWD cars to the lineup in the fun to drive category by then so i can stick with my favorite brand name.

RE: Are Evos as good as they are on paper?
 

Trust me it is pretty quick without a launch it getsup and goes, I do it all the time. and as far as an STi they have weak pistons so a rebuild is needed much sooner than the EVO but other than that STis are great cars but dont handle as well as the EVO. The STi splits TQ 30% up front and 70% in the Rear when the EVO is 50% 50% I wanted an STi before but after looking into them the STi is more money a pain in the balls to work on and has a weak motor. The STis start cracking ringlands at about 400WHP that only takes bolt ons and a tune in most cases.

From expereince The EVO is a blast to drive and you get everyone on the road staring at the car it is funny.

RE: Are Evos as good as they are on paper?
 

WHAT ALL DONE DO YOU HAVE DONE TO YOUR SENTRA. IM A BIG NISSAN FAN I ALSO OWN A 200SX SER WHICH IVE BEAT A LOT OF SPEC V THEY GOT GOOD TORQUE BUT NO POWER IF YOUR INTERESTED IN AN EVO I WOULD. I JUST PURCHASED MINE LIKE 2 MONTHS AGO AND I LOVE IT NOT MANY CARS CAN BEAT IT. TREAT THEM RIGHT AND THEY WILL LAST. NO HARD LAUNCHES MESS UP T CASE AND CLUTCH I THINK THERE THE BEST CARS PRODUCED RIGHT NOW, BUT THEY ARE COMING OUT WITH AN NEW SKYLINE IN 09 OR SO AND ITS A V6 TT 450+ HP SEVEN SPEED ITS MUSIC TO MY EARS BUT THERE IS ALSO THE EVO TEN CONSEPT THEY MIGHT COME OUT WITH LOOKS KILLER BUT SAME HP AS PRESENT.

RE: Are Evos as good as they are on paper?
 

the skyline is going to be upwards of $70k it said "near the price of the new Zo6" somewhere. so unless you got huge money trees it seems to me that it is a "dream" car you know?

RE: Are Evos as good as they are on paper?
 

A couple changes have been made to the Evolution IX. It is quite a bit lighter (35lbs.). The torque curve has been flattened a little so at 2500rpm you have about 85% of your total power. Also the Twin Scroll Turbo Spins at 150,000rpm so turbo-lag has been cut down quite a bit. The powertrain warranty on it is 10yr/100,000 miles provided you don't redline the piss out of it, and you don't launch it over 3500rpm, which will still give you a great launch if you know how to use the clutch properly. All the powertrain components have been beefed especially on the MR, but it has a slower 0-60mph. then the IX or the RS. But the MR is faster at the 60-100mph than either. Suspension on the MR is also a little different on the MR with the addition of the Killer Bilistien inverted shocks. Please consider the EVO you won't be dissapointed.