Patt@firstime

Having read the thread about the new FQ400 and looking at other various Evo threads I'm interested to know what makes people say that the Evo is a bit 'to much' to live with as an 'every day' car?

I am changing my current car in February/March time and have already starting thinking into lots of various options. I have had a P1 in the past and although I didn't keep it very long I loved it . I have always prefered the Evo's (well the 6 & 8) and have started thinking if a new Evo (FQ300 if poss) is
a) affordable
b) what there like to live with every day?

I have heard that they are much worse to have serviced than the Subaru but have also been told that a 'well looked after' Subaru is serviced as often as an Evo

What does the servicing work out to in ££££ though? How much for a dealer service and how often?

Any owners on here than could help with running costs/insurance etc etc

Will have a look at MLR but wanted to try here first

Matt

scoobynutta555

think the servicing is every 4,500 miles. Day to day I think the only problem with them is the small pertrol tank which carries around 180 miles worth of fuel.

Patt@firstime

My daily drivng is from home to girlfriends work and then to my work, adds up to about 20 miles in total and then same at night so not a massive amount of miles.

180 miles to a tank sounds a pain but not enough to stop me getting one.

Matt

New_scooby_04

iTrader: (4)

Probs:
V. Hard ride! Too much for most British roads IMHO
Poor range (low MPG and small tank)
Agressive boost, can act a bit like a switch in traffic
No flat four warble
Only seem to make sense when you're giving it some beans: Exceptional ability, but a bit short on character.

Pros:

Really, really great fun when you're in the mood (like on a test drive) ! That's enough for most! :-)

misty

I shyed away from Evo's for the same reasons mate! But after owning my V for a few months now I have no regrets what so ever
dave

Danny B

The Impreza > Evo comparison has been done many times, but in short it seems as if 99% of people who make the switch to the Lancer never ever go back to the Scoob.

Negatives:

Service intervals are every 4,500 but in terms of money that doesn't equate to much more per year.

Firmer ride, well if you wanted comfort you'd buy a Renault Scenic wouldn't you.

No Flat four grumble, instead you get a nice de-cat Hayward & Scott howl

Small petrol tank.

Positives:

Faster

Corners better

Rarer

Engine can be thrashed, tuned, abused and seemingly never blows up

What more can I say, you either love 'em or hate 'em.

S.B.

That's Bollocks

Patt@firstime

Thanks all

Not really comparing the car to a Subaru (too many of those threads about )

Matt

Adam M

misinformation going on here.

In the days of the 6, the service interval was 4500 and the tank was 40 litres. both those things have changed and the evo is no worse to service than the impreza, and as someone has correctly said, a well looked after impreza should be serviced as often anyway.

The evo suspension is no worse than any of the more capable subarus but in my opinion the drive is more engaging, that said I haven't had the chance to test the likes of the type 25 in anger or the new spec cs etc. i am sure they are more than a match for the most recent evos.

Worth noting that mitsubishi will service a jap import whereas IM will not.

MattW

Matt, I drive an Evo 8 FQ330 daily. I'll try and comment on the points raised.

Service intervals
4500 miles, the WR1 is 5000 miles which is probably the most direct comparison, import aside. More of a pain than anything, and slightly more expensive than a Subaru due to the time it takes to change the AYC. Look at £200 then £300 for 4500 and 9000 respectively, little more when plugs need changing.

Small Petrol tank.
55 litres on an 8 vs 60 litres in an Impreza.

MPG
No different to an Sti, I managed an average 26mpg up and down the motorway. Round town is poor, but then so is an Impreza.

Hard ride
Yes, it's very firm, however my Sti suffered from bounce and I prefer the firmness of the Evo. The MR runs Bilstein suspension and is supposedly much nicer.

Agressive Boost
The Evo pulls from 1500 revs and on a test drive you may find it difficult to control and slightly unnerving. Once you own and run one, you get used to not having a great deal of lag

Noise
More than happy with the standard HKS exhaust, de bunged of course. You'll never beat the flat 4 burble though.

I'll add a few more.

Interior
Plastics seem to scuff less and hold up better to the rigours of everyday use. The seats are very tight but I find them very comfortable. They have better lower back support than the Imprezas, though many people disagree. The half Leather\Alcantera interior on a 330 or 340MR is much better than the standard seats.
The speedo is pathetic, I use a road angel to give me my speed as it is difficult to get anything other than an approximate speed from the tiny gauge.

Brakes
Front brake disks are prone to warping, absolute must upgrade is a set of decent pads and disks (£250)

Road Noise
Standard 17's on Yoko's are very noisy, different tyres help enormously. I'm running 18" Pirellis.

MattW

Oh and the only thing I miss about my Sti??

Heated mirrors!!

sandycam

iTrader: (1)

always fancied an evo but never got round to trying one (yet!)
but... about the servicing above, my my03 sti cost roughly £100 for 12 month service and £200 for 24 month service at my local main dealer which is a fair difference to the prices above even if you add in the extra £90 for oil services on a wr1.

MattW

That's cheap, My Sti 10000 mile service was £160 + vat plus there is the bodywork service at years 1, 3 and ??

WRX Girl

I'd buy an evo once i move to America (next month) only trouble is they dont do any fast ones

Andy

blot

Only use main dealer for servicing if it's in warranty, I pay about £140 for the 4500 service and £250 for the 9000 (they alternate there after). Used to use dealership but now go to BTR rally team in Castleford who offer road car servicing.

Cambelt & big service is at 45000, costs around £900.

If you are thinking of a 6, have a good look at a 5, I've owned both and am v.happy with the 5 I have. Have covered 28000 miles in 18months without a problem. The engines are bullet proof.

As for insurance, best place to look is Pace Ward who are on the MLR. I pay £600 for full business use, but then again I'm an old git being mid thirties!

Tesco are often cheap first year but seem to have a nasty habit of bumping the premium up the second year.

Patt@firstime

Thanks all. Much appreciated

Roll on February!

Want to have a look at an FQ300 on contract hire I think

S.B.

Nice user name andy

WRX Girl

i know i know...Wife's account...cant remember what mine is !

Andy

misty

Mid thirties!!! I can't remember that far back mate
dave

blot

Age forced me to buy a Noble this year, whilst I can still get in and out of it without creaking........worries me that the wife agreed on this point

C

Ride is not where near too bad for UK roads - once you try something else, they all seem soft & wallowy compared

MPG is no worse than an equivalent Scoob - the tank however is smaller.

Agressive boost? Its nowhere near as bad as a Subaru & completely contradicts what everyone else says about the linear power delivery of an Evo. It doesn't 'feel' as fast as a Scoob because it's so smooth, but all you have to do is look at the speedo to realise you are going really quit fast...

No flat 4 - the one thing I miss about my P1 over the Evo.

There is no way I would even consider an Equivalent Impreza, to me the Evo is a far better class. As others have said, plenty go from a Scoob to an Evo, but very few go back...

Running costs were no worse than my P1.

sandycam

iTrader: (1)

Just checked my receipt and it was £185.33 which included the 1st year body service all at a subaru main dealer.

lucky_strike

I'm awaiting delivery of the entry level Evo 8 260. Got a good deal on them at the moment, £1K off (now 22999) and three years or 27000 miles free servicing.

Only test driven so far so can't really add much to the liveability of them but I can't wait. Only had one Scooby (MY02 WRX PPP) and I liked that but for me the Evo is the natural progression, although the tame 260 is a bit softer although some reports are that as it lacks the Bilsteins of the FQ's the ride isn't as composed but don't know myself.

Even though its only 260bhp (or ps not sure) it sure pulls well and the same tuning potential as the FQ's (same motor just 2 cats and a bit less boost I think). They still have the active centre diff and SAYC so loads of entertainment around the twisties.

270-280 miles per tank sounds to be achievable as well if you do motorway runs and can stay off boost a bit!

Main let down is the chav kenwood stereo, just looks like a complete after thought and would be at home in a Nova GTEi look-a-like (no offense to Nova owners).

Steve Perriam

just looking for either an STi or Evo.

tried both in the last week and personally felt the Evo to hard a ride for using that much....wife hated it....but liked the STi

however its more of a stealth car though than a WR Blue STi !

reckon the Evo would be the one to have if you were always on a track or driving 110% but for more normal driving i had to agree the STi was probably the better option for us.

and yes the 4500 service interval is a bit cr*p in this day an age and i understand service costs to me higher for the Evo ?

autocar had a good article on their long termer FQ300 which became a 330 last week which they ran over 20,000.

have a good try in both and decide which is for you. Evo might be the car for you.

Us ? we'll agree its too much to live with day to day and hold out for finding an 04 STi.

whichever you get, you'll no doubt enjoy

nellie

I went fro a 02 STIPPP to a FQ300 then FQ330 and now cant wait for my FQ400 to turn up!,the handling is great the power of the things are amazing,bullet proof engines,a FQ300 can be taken to 350-360hp for about £1500,fuel about the same as my STi,not worried about the service intervals,if you can afford to buy one you should be able to afford to run one....the onlydown side are the front brakes,get braided hoses and 5.1 ASAP,and some proper pads the brembo ones are crap!!,pagid or DS2500s will be great,although the best bet is AP six pots and discs...decat it straight away for another 20hp...sorry but i dont iss the noise of a scoob,an Evo with a decat and a blitz nur-spec is something to behold.....

Hakon

Hi,
Not mentioned so far....... I test drove a VIII MR/FQ 320 in the summer with intent to buy. I found the front seats small and tight and therefore uncomfortable. I was told they are designed for JDM and have not been replaced/upgraded for western bodies and won't be. As I am just under 6ft and slight I was a bit dissapointed. Other than that and the early 90's interior, fantastic car.

Danny B

Never heard of seats designed for the Japanese before.

matttyevo

I run stock suspension at the moment (thats changing soon)with buckett seats bolted down ,and my car feels soft still all this evo's are too hard is bull!

Patt@firstime

Thanks all, it might be looking up for the affordability of an Evo

Have been looking at used prices at Mitsi dealers in Autocar and am going to look at a used FQ330 and a new FQ300 I think.........

Danny B

If I were you I would just buy the FQ300, and then spend £1600 on the XT330 upgrade http://www.xtreme-uk.net/TuningMenuPricing.asp the Mitsi version of a PPP and be done with it.
Or if finances allow get a used MR300 for about £21k and do the same thing as above.