Newbie/General ForumBeginner/basic questions and general EVO discussion. Specific questions should be asked in a focused forum below. This area is for the newbies.
Hi, my name is Justin. Im currently looking into purchasing a EVO 8, i cant afford a 9 although i know they are beasts. I currently have a 97 Eclipse RS that i built a custom turbo kit for. It is becomming more trouble than its worth. Along with having a dog and traveling home to and from college the eclipse is not very comfortable. But anyway im just in the market and wanted to introduce myself. If you guys know of any good deals in or near Virginia PM me or AIM me and ill look em up immediately. Thanks.
I am new also, but have had a DSM for a while, and ive been on the dsmtuner.com website for some time too. My FWD eclipse just isn't cutting in, and ive been falling in love with every evo i see. I am going to try to sell my current car, then shop for an 03 Evo. Any pointers, or pros/cons about the 03's? Also, i have looked on ebay and seen some going from about 16k, up to over 20k. What do you think i could get an 03 for if i waited, and found the right one? Also, do the evo's come with forged pistons?
No forged pistons (per Keith), but a forged crank and rods. Many, many problems and issues to worry about on a used 03. Not the best idea to go that route, since it's the least powerful, has the least options, and has the most problems with the most mileage. THey still cost you 20-22k for a decent one, so the price isn't justified either when you can get a 3-yr-newer IX with about 40whp more, way more features, less problems, <10 miles, lots more value, and only spend about 7-8k more.
It is possible to find good 03s that don't have problems, but you have to know that our stock clutches don't last long, the stock tires last less than 20k miles, and the brake pads will likely be shot. That's about $2600 worth of parts and labor there alone, plus if it's higher mileage, you'll have to worry about getting timing belt/water pump done soon. The other issue with 03s is that most have been modded and therefore abused to some degree. Also, people try to put them back to stock before selling and usually end up putting things together improperly - mostly the stock boost system. Countless people have bought used Evos and then run around on base wastegate pressure (11psi like a 1G) without ever knowing they were 8psi and about 80whp below stock...
Yeah, he's right. Your clutch and brakes are going to be shot on an 8 most likely, I had the same problem. I had mine 3 days and the brakes and clutch were shot from a previous owner. The guy had to replace the tires at only 28K miles also.
If you do get one then before you buy it do like I should have done and drive it like YOU drive, even if you have a salesman w/you.
speaking of things to look for I bought a 05 evo with 19 thousand miles and I haven't noticed any problems. Brakes are okay, tires will need replacing within the next 5000 miles or so. I added a timer and boost gauge and its running proper boost. So tell me what should I be looking out for if anything?
Look out for the clutch to start slipping, be ready for a 5th gear grind, and keep an eye on the brakes (pads and rotors). Hopefully, your clutch lasts beyond 50k miles and you never get any synchro grinding. 05s fare much better than the 03/04s...
I am new also, but have had a DSM for a while, and ive been on the dsmtuner.com website for some time too. My FWD eclipse just isn't cutting in, and ive been falling in love with every evo i see. I am going to try to sell my current car, then shop for an 03 Evo. Any pointers, or pros/cons about the 03's? Also, i have looked on ebay and seen some going from about 16k, up to over 20k. What do you think i could get an 03 for if i waited, and found the right one? Also, do the evo's come with forged pistons?
No we do not have forged pistons. We have hypereutectic cast pistons with various coatings on both the crown and skirt of the piston. We do have a forged crank and forged rods.
Things to check:
Service records. If it has not been serviced on a regular basis stay away.
Yellowing of the carbon fiber in the wing or (worse) delamination of the wing.
Pealing paint on the brake calipers.
Paint chips on body panels behind the rear doors.
Worn out tires.
Slipping stock clutch.
And last but not least.... modifications.
Keith
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EVO 11.53 @ 123.37, Black WRX Wagon 13.62 @ 99.24
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