Last Call: Mitsubishi Evo or Subaru Sti?

Colby Buchanan

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Comments

I’ve wanted an Evo X for years now. There’s something about the track weapon sedan that I find intriguing, plus I like the looks more than any STi. If I do ever get one this would be the style I would go for. Small bits of aero scattered around without being too over the top. I know a lot of people think that they’re too big but that’s partly why I want one. Don’t get me wrong, I love my 350z, but two seats becomes a nuisance pretty often when it’s your only car.

On top of it all, I love how it has a performance turbocharger. The idea of a turbo has lost its appeal these days since many cars have them for economical reasons. When I test drove one and really felt the pull once it spooled it was intoxicating. The Z pulls hard with 300 hp but the burst of full power with a spooled turbo is something I want more of. What do you think?

Last Call indicates the end of Hooniverse’s broadcast day. It’s meant to be an open forum for anyone and anything. Thread jacking is not only accepted, it’s encouraged.

About

Colby Buchanan

Colby Buchanan

My name is Colby Buchanan and I love all things car-related all the way from rusted 240sx’s to McLaren Senna’s and of course I have a soft spot for American Muscle. You can spot me in my bone stock ’06 350z named MackenZ.

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29 responses to “Last Call: Mitsubishi Evo or Subaru Sti?”

  1. 0A5599 Avatar
    0A5599

    Does it bother anyone else to see the gas cap dangled from the tether? When I fuel up one of my cars with a tethered cap, I hook it on the caddy inside the fuel door, or if the fuel door isn’t equipped that way, I wedge the cap between the pump nozzle and a non-exterior surface, or into the handle.

    https://brokensecrets.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/gaspumpcaphack.jpg

    Reply
    1. Sjalabais Avatar
      Sjalabais

      Given how much immaculate paint is a thing among car people, I have been thinking that having that cap dangling on the car was never the best solution. But I have never thought about finding a different way to place it.

      Reply
      1. 0A5599 Avatar
        0A5599

        In many cars, it’s designed into the back of the fuel door, or sometimes the hinge, but many car owners never RTFM.

        https://cdn.guff.com/site_1/media/20000/19541/items/6bc977a3a1eda70e9647db9e.jpg

        Reply
      2. 0A5599 Avatar
        0A5599

        https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Zvz-_nUWU8M/maxresdefault.jpg

        Reply
  2. outback_ute Avatar
    outback_ute

    Given the small fuel tank in the Evo, I hope filling up makes the guy happy!

    I’d possibly lean towards a last gen widebody STi hatch at this point

    Reply
  3. Scubie Avatar
    Scubie

    Subaru all the way. Owned 6 or 7 of them (mostly Legacys), although never a turbo, and never an auto until the last one. But I think it is the boxer engine that does it for me. Had an 01 NA (2.5 RS) so have a soft spot for the ‘Bug Eye’. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/e6e9704788711fdf7979251bc833f5da8913c83052abf60b14d126c0161a3847.png

    Reply
    1. Zentropy Avatar
      Zentropy

      The Bugeye was always my favorite, too (especially as a WRX wagon). But they weren’t available in STi trim, were they?

      Reply
      1. Scubie Avatar
        Scubie

        I certainly saw them in New Zealand, but we also get Japanese imports here, so not sure about being available new or not. https://www.autoevolution.com/cars/subaru-impreza-wrx-sti-2001.html#aeng_subaru-impreza-wrx-sti-2001-20-turbo

        Reply
    2. Ol' Shel' Avatar
      Ol’ Shel’

      You can get that boxer sound by pulling a plug wire off the Evo’s engine.

      Reply
  4. Sjalabais Avatar
    Sjalabais

    So I got into a discussion this week about automatic transmissions. It’s a no brainer to change the oil eventually, no matter what the manufacturer says. But I also assumed that a flushing is a one up, just a bit better to remove all sorts of particles. The guy I talked to insisted though that a flushing might do just that, and by losing those particles, you might end up getting a transmission that slips more. Essentially worsening your drive experience, fuel economy, and remaining transmission working life. Opinions/experiences?

    Reply
    1. nanoop Avatar
      nanoop

      I was aware of the “but you will move debris particles from safe locations like cul-de-sacs to become passage blockers” argument (similar to synthetic oil removing the “sealing sludge”), and also the “I don’t want to confuse the system with liquids that are up to specs” – but that was new!
      Let me think this through: When the debris and particles improve the function, there must be OEM transmission sand – I mean, when these particles wear down to dust after 200kmls, you have to top them up, right?

      edit of order the words

      Reply
      1. Sjalabais Avatar
        Sjalabais

        Haha, I pretty much made that face, too. But I was alone. The response was that these are clutch and gear particles that still provide friction, despite being worn off their original positions. I can’t…picture that, but as my mechanical and engineering skills are atrocious, I am open to that containing some truth.

        Reply
        1. Lokki Avatar
          Lokki

          It’s the old classic “the homemade stuff that grandpa used is way better than anything that them college educated engineers with all their fancy computers could ever make.”

          Everybody knows that hunks of old gunk are are proven more effective than anti-foam additives, anti-oxidation compounds to inhibit oxidation and “boil-off”, cold-flow improvers, high-temperature thickeners, gasket conditioners, pour point depressants, and friction modifiers.

          I asked Clem and he says that sawdust works best in an automatic transmission. Quiets em right down, stops leaks, and works great for as long as it’ll to sell the car.

          Reply
    2. Maymar Avatar
      Maymar

      I might be mistaken, but I believe I heard the explanation that folksy wisdom like that has a grain of truth, but on older machinery. That basically, when the tolerances were a little more… Generous, some gunk helped tighten it up, but that doesn’t apply to more tightly machined modern vehicles. But, I am not an engineer, so I make no promises that any of what I just said is correct.

      Reply
      1. Vairship Avatar
        Vairship

        I think that’s somewhat correct, but: if you have an ancient old car with a worn-out transmission then it is possible the gunk is the only thing holding it together and sealing where there used to be seals. Flushing the gunk out might cause transmission leaks or change the fluid consistency from syrup to …transmission fluid, and therefore cause slippage.

        So if you’re a mechanic being asked to change the fluid on an old transmission, it might make sense NOT to flush it so as not to disturb said gunk as the customer drives away and breaks down.
        Instead, said on-its-way-out transmission will die 500 miles later, at which point you can no longer be blamed for its demise.

        If it’s your OWN car, you of course realize the transmission is dying anyway, and clean it thoroughly. If it then slips or leaks, you know it was time for a rebuild anyway.

        Reply
    3. 0A5599 Avatar
      0A5599

      There are concerns with solvents/detergents used in the flushing process getting into friction materials and seals. Also, metal shavings and other debris can become dislodged from wherever they have accumulated without damaging anything (typically these will be stuck to a magnet in the pan) and work their way to a more critical part of the transmission, much like a blood clot can move to the brain and cause a stroke. The chances of this happening are even greater if the flush is in the opposite direction from the normal fluid flow.

      Often shops will recommend that if the transmission is full of enough garbage that it needs a flush, the parts that produced the garbage are likely worn out, and should be visually inspected and, if necessary, replaced.

      Reply
    4. Zentropy Avatar
      Zentropy

      I’ve never talked to anyone that was happy with the performance of their automatic transmission after it was flushed, so I’ve avoided the procedure.

      Reply
      1. Sjalabais Avatar
        Sjalabais

        We actually flushed the Camry’s transmission at about 200k kms. Now, at 250k kms, it works just as well as before the flush…haha. Pointless thing really. What we tried to fix was that the car suddenly wouldn’t shift into a high car at low temperatures. At -15° C it would punish itself with almost 4k rpm at 80 kph. That is a bit better now – gears up earlier – but not really fixed.

        Reply
        1. Manic_King Avatar
          Manic_King

          I had Alfa 159 with kinda rare flappy padle gearbox also used in Volvos, Fords and BMW i8(?), Aisin AF40-6, which wasn’t working right, went to well known gearbox specialist and he said also, no flushing, just clean good quality oil. That box’s oil could only be changed 50% one time and 50% after 500 km or so. So in the end it actually wasn’t all new, but box was ok already after first change and very happy after 2. change.

          Reply
    5. outback_ute Avatar
      outback_ute

      Do it on a regular basis from the start and gunk won’t be a factor. Depends if you want ‘lifetime’ to be 150k or 300k

      Reply
    6. Ol' Shel' Avatar
      Ol’ Shel’

      The warnings about doing a transmission flush came from the OLDER machines that used high pressure. Those would disturb particles and draw debris through internal mesh filter. leaving them in much more harmful places. NEWER machines gently replace the fluid, and there’s no reason to worry about using them.

      But, whatever you do, don’t sit your battery on concrete…

      Reply
  5. danleym Avatar
    danleym

    04-05 STI, hands down. That was senior year of high school for me, and I still want one of those like I did back then. The styling of the Evo never did much for me.

    Reply
  6. Double G Avatar
    Double G

    I had an EVO 9 SSL. It was fine from the factory, but I couldn’t leave well enough alone: coilovers, ecu tune, header/exhaust, stupid expensive tires, etc. Basically I took a nice high performance sedan, and made it worse. But, I still loved that little car, and wish I hadn’t have gotten rid of it. But, wife got pregnant, and we needed a bigger car. Same old story that’s been said a thousand times before.

    Reply
  7. bv911 Avatar
    bv911

    Evo, but older, 4G63 breathed on by those nutters at AMS…

    Maybe someday before all our fun stuff is outlawed I’ll actually get to sit in one!

    Reply
  8. crank_case Avatar
    crank_case

    There’s no wrong answer, it’s more what version of each and what’s available where you live vs. what it costs. I always liked the early imprezza gc8 wagon back when it was simply called a turbo 2000 later referred to as a wrx (I don’t think you got these in the US? You had a 2.5 NA instead?). The special editions are nice, but the premium over a nice clean “regular” car is so much you’d feel guilty about using and modifying them as God intended.

    Reply
  9. crank_case Avatar
    crank_case

    There’s no wrong answer, it’s more what version of each and what’s available where you live vs. what it costs. I always liked the early imprezza gc8 wagon back when it was simply called a turbo 2000 later referred to as a wrx (I don’t think you got these in the US? You had a 2.5 NA instead?). The special editions are nice, but the premium over a nice clean “regular” car is so much you’d feel guilty about using and modifying them as God intended.

    Reply
  10. Lokki Avatar
    Lokki

    I kinda almost sorta considered buying an Evo new around 2010 – Mrs. Lokki was working for Mitsubishi Aerospace in those days and could get a 15% discount off any Mitsubishi car. I flirted with the idea of buying an EVO with all the wings, whistles, and pop-off valves, blasting around for a year and selling it without taking much of a loss…

    So:

    1. Buy Evo at discount!
    2. Zip, zoom, zip, Zoom!
    3. ??????
    4. Profit Don’t lose too much money.

    However two things stopped me.

    First my friends all laughed at the idea that any Mitsubishi product would have any resale value, let alone a boy-racer Evo guaranteed to have been whipped mercilessly from the moment it left the showroom. You demand a big discount when you’re buying a year-old used street-racer because you automatically assume there must be a good reason it’s for sale.
    Second, Mrs. Lokki would have none of it. She, working in the Aerospace Division, viewed the cousins in the Automotive Division as some sort of Hillbillies whom the rest of the family preferred not to even acknowledge.

    Reply
  11. Lokki Avatar
    Lokki

    I kinda almost sorta considered buying an Evo new around 2010 – Mrs. Lokki was working for Mitsubishi Aerospace in those days and could get a 15% discount off any Mitsubishi car. I flirted with the idea of buying an EVO with all the wings, whistles, and pop-off valves, blasting around for a year and selling it without taking much of a loss…

    So:

    1. Buy Evo at discount!
    2. Zip, zoom, zip, Zoom!
    3. ??????
    4. Profit Don’t lose too much money.

    However two things stopped me.

    First my friends all laughed at the idea that any Mitsubishi product would have any resale value, let alone a boy-racer Evo guaranteed to have been whipped mercilessly from the moment it left the showroom. You demand a big discount when you’re buying a year-old used street-racer because you automatically assume there must be a good reason it’s for sale.
    Second, Mrs. Lokki would have none of it. She, working in the Aerospace Division, viewed the cousins in the Automotive Division as some sort of Hillbillies whom the rest of the family preferred not to even acknowledge.

    Reply
  12. Tonneau Covered Avatar
    Tonneau Covered

    Evo X for me too!

    Reply