billythekid

I have sold my car and currently looking for a replacement. No major requirements other than has to be new or almost brand new (i.e 06 plate) and fast.

Seems there are a few cheap Evo 260s around and one local to me, 500 miles on the clock, 19 grand.

I have read many, many posts on the MLR site about the car. So far I have gleened the following info:

The 260 seems to be a good choice if you are looking to re-map the engine as a base ECUTEK map and full exhaust will give 340bhp. I would lean towards a re-map and just a de-cat but this would still give about 310bhp. Good so far.

The 260 is the same as the Evo VII but with Evo VIII bodwork.
The 260 does not have the fancy suspension or gearbox though.
Seats are not quite as good as an MR/FQ.
260 seems to be in quite good demand and is quite a popular car in the range.


So, no I have this information what other cars have I over looked? I dont want another Subaru before anyone says...

I was thinking about a Focus ST, but its going to be 100bhp down on the Evo (after map) and FWD so thats off the cards.

Has anyone owned a 260 and got any thing to say thats not said on MLR such as the spoiler is "gay" and its not a "real" mans EVO

alloy

The RS is the only "real man's" evo as it lacks AYC

From what i've read the 260 is a capable car, for my needs though i'd want the better box, seats and trim

billythekid

There seems a lot of "its not a proper evo" on the MLR but that is not really an issue for me, I have a Caterham for the weekends with 400+bhp/ton so no evo (that I could afford!) will ever really outshine that so I dont mind getting the "semi skimmed" version for my daily driver, esp after a remap 310bhp will be more than enough.

Any other suggestions?

john banks

Yes, get an Evo IX (or VIII MR), they are worth the extra, although the 260 is still nice. With 3" exhaust £500, fuel pump £80 and boost controller £270 my IX hits 399 BHP on conservative rollers. Still got inlet and ECU tweaks to do. There are guys that have spent more than £5k on mods and not got this power on 260s. I found a well priced IX FQ340 which had some extras. Insurance is easier because the power increment is lower and it is a UK car.

To get this on the 260 you'd have to also:
remap the ECU
change the cams
change the turbo

Then you'd have:
extra weight
no Bilsteins
shorter 5th gear
less grippy tyres

A used VIII MR is well below 20K now. That will make 10-20BHP short of similar mods on the IX.

billythekid

I am not that interested in major tuning, I would re-map it and remove one of the CATs as its daft not too IMHO as the engine is "ready" for 320 - 340bhp in its standard form just de-tuned with milder cams and smaller turbo. (from what I read). I should have mentioned that I have £20k to spend. It has to be a new (or almost new) 06 car, MRs are £23+ and TBH I am not going to use the extra potential as I have a Caterham for proper play time.

DBY

There is a very nice standard apart from exhaust & de cat MR300 in the for sale section of the MLR March 05 05 reg done 5500 miles much better starting point as John has already pointed out.

John

Daniel-S

**** easy to tune a 260 to 340 power levels

Andis

iTrader: (7)

Mitsubishi dealer told me last week they could still get me a new 260 in silver or black for £18k OTR delivered within a week!

billythekid

Sounds good, which dealer? My local dealer got a new 260 in today and from the sounds of it they can get plenty of 8's in at short notice. Maybe I can better the deal further?!

nik52wrx

Article in this months Japanese Performance mag reviews Evo's and in thier opinion 260's are worth avoiding if possible as they are not too good on the resale front.
If you want one however there may be one or two god deals to be had.
Nik.

billythekid

Cheapest 260 I have seen so far has been 12k and I think that had about 40,000 miles on the clock. It was an 04.

Now, fair enough if I had paid 24k as list for it I might be a bit pissed. 50% value after 2 years is not brilliant by a long shot! TBH I doubt I would consider an Evo if they were not offering them at the lower prices due to the cost.

But I can get a brand new car for 19k, which is 5k off list. They are also offering 3 years free servicing, so when you add it up the numbers do look ok. Realistically I keep my cars for about 18 months, so I will probably lose IRO 5k. To put this into perspective I just came out of my last car losing well over 10 grand in 12 months...

evonorth

I own an evo 260 which is now running over 375 bhp, but has cost alot to get there, if i had the choice again i would go for the evo 8 mr, time you have changed the wheels to mr, mr cams, 10.5t turbo housing and ball bearing conv, bigger spoiler, autronic ecu, 3'' exhaust, hard pipe kit, rsk pipe, and a few more bits your looking at £8000, so i would not do it again, but has made a fantastic fast road car

billythekid

Nice one.

They have an E8FQ320 in the dealer so I will have a look at it, but tbh 4k extra is too much for me, if I was to go for the 260 I would prob get the WRC Tech conversion done and leave it at that.

jimi

Hi

If i were you i might try and go for one of the evo FQ range if you can.

They are 300,320,330 aand 340 bhp so that would save you spending money on mods to get that sought of bhp

JIM

The Fixer

We have tweaked a few 260's, full exhaust and a remap will net 350-360HP no problem, to get further you will need the 10.5t hotside for the turbo and the MR cams, this will yield near on 400 with a remap.

No need to switch ECU to an Autronics at this level, ECUTEK will be fine.

As John said, MR's are a good buy now, £15K will net you a good JDM import one and they have the cams, 10.5t already as well as the 6 speed box, bilstein suspension and better seats as standard.

New 260 £18K or used MR £15-18K dependant on JDM MR or UK based MR FQxxx?

MR all the way

Eatpies

Thought id add a quick post. My evo 8 MR320 with decat hit 348bhp on WRC TECH rollers. Without no mapping etc...

evonorth

I have all the above 10.5t housing, mr cams, etc,,, the 260 still has more things different to the mr's though, the pist0ns, the exhaust and inlet manifold, they are still hard to make 400 bhp, with a nice curve,

WRC-T2

Paul is not wrong. AFAIK a real 400 on an early 260 is a mission. Later cars seem a little easier.

It will need; 3.5" Exhaust, Good cold air induction kit, Uprated intercooler, Fuel pump, MR Turbo, MR Cams, Boost controller, Ecutek, This should see c395 or so.

BTW a turbo back 3" Exhaust and a map will deliver 320 +- 2%

Allan

billythekid

If I do get the 260 I will just be doing a TEK3 re-map and thats it. Dont want massive power but cant see the point in leaving it as standard when for 500 quid it can give another 40bhp.

evonorth

My car was 272 bhp standard had the ecutek made 312 bhp, so not bad

itolson

Aint servicing a nightmare every 4500 miles, can you get a specialist to do the servicing at a cheaper rate.....

TimmyboyWRX

have just been offered an ex demonstrator FQ320 evo IX for £26k very low miles, took it for a spin today, and its amazing, if a tad over powered for the road lol, but the torque and the pull in all 6 gears is phenominal and i just love it lol!

ProdriveSTI

Are you thinking of buying it then? or just taken it for a test run etc??

TimmyboyWRX

well that particular car is not going on sale till october at that price, but yes ive been thinking about a change for sure. Though im looking through my options at the moment and what with a new house im getting in a month things may change

TimmyboyWRX

but it beats my car hands down on the torque and pull it has at almost any revs, something eveidently lacking in the 260 as mentioned above

misty

Overpowered??? what a load of tommy rot!!!!! I think you need to look at nissan micra's mate!!.....................Overpowered..tut..tut.. tut.
dave

TimmyboyWRX

lol ok let me rephrase that, you cant make the most out of the power on the windy back roads of essex, and i dont spose itd make much diffrence if the car had 300 or 500 bhp itd be no faster on the sort of roads where its handling really excels.

On big open A roads it would get well into double figures very very quickly, and i just felt it was more of a track day toy than anything that could be pushed to its limits on the roads around here.

(that make me sound less like an old granny? lol)

misty

Thing is though matey, you don't have to push them to their limits! You can have big fun at 7/10ths. Or just a nice 2nd gear roundabout where it will willingly give you 4 wheel drifts on exiting (wet or dry!!!)
dave

TimmyboyWRX

dude stop trying to persuade me! lol im having enuff difficulty telling myself i dont need the FQ320 IX in my life without u starting :P