Researched many and many hours about which car to get.

Cars I was considering:

E46 M3
(R)S4
STI
EVO
Caymen

After the vehicles were sorted, I filtered them through a series of criteria:

1 - 4-season car (READ: friendly in the snow without going studded Nokians)
2 - Fast out of the box
3 - Reliable and warranty a must
4 - Fun-to-drive factor must be equal to the S2000

1 - I do have my 4Runner, but I hate having a car sit in the garage for half of the year (which is what I did with the S2000, hence, why it was sold). That ruled out the Caymen and the M3. The Caymen felt really cramped, anyway. I'd rather have back my S2000.

2 - Check. RS4 (or S4), STI and Evo are all pretty quick in stock trim.

3 - Audi...yeah. Horrendous stories of eletric gremlins lurking to strike at any moment. They tend to wait till the warranty period is over, though. STI, I've heard good reports about Subaru reliability. My mind was leaning this way for a bit. Evo - I've NEVER been a fan of Mitsu. Horrible reliability is what's been keeping me at bay from purchasing one of their products. Talking to some local Evo owners and lurking around at evom, it seems Evo's aren't too bad. Plus, their warranty was one of the best (5yr/60k bumper to bumper, 10yr/100k drivetrain). Scale slightly tipped to the Evo.

4 - STI was fun to drive. Not as tossible as the S2000. Definately felt the ~300lb difference. Evo was even more fun to toss around. It didn't feel like a 3000lb car. Steering was almost S2k-like and the extra weight really wasn't noticable. It really felt great. But below 2500 rpm, it reeeeeeallly lagged. (STI's bigger engine helped a bit more on this.) I was really disappointed on how bad that bog was up to the boost point. (Once boost hits, though, it's fun time till 7k ) Left the dealerships not in favor of one or the other. I didn't even bother going to Audi. I drove my friend's 06 A4 (which I know doesn't compare to the R/S4's), but I couldn't see myself driving an Audi.

So it came down to the EVO and the STI. Both had good and bad points. I liked the way the Evo drove, but hated the interior (no Auto Climate control or Cruise Control? C'mon...). Loved the interior of the STI, but Evo's performance drew me away from the Suby. So the deal-breaker would be the overall aesthetic-appeal of the cars, and one reminder of this...



...the decision was clear.


The only dilemma now is, I want a black MR. Currently, only Graph. Gray, some other lighter silver, Rally Red and White are offered. Last car was Silver, 2 cars before that were White, and I'm not really into red cars (unless it's an Italian). Plus, I've always wanted a black car. Next year's MR will be offered in Black, but I really want an Evo NOW! I'm so antsy, I'm about to settle for the Graphite Gray. A guy called from a local dealership and they said that they just got one in in GG. I'll have to go down there and check it out.

Anyway, will update with decision (and pics!)

 

Im with you dOOd. I love the asthetics of the front end of the new STi. As well as the kinda revamped interior.

300HP, AWD, TURBO, VCD, unlimited potential for tuning and parts.

STi

Post pics when you get it home!!

I have still yet to see an '06 STi here in my hometow, that was registered in my hometown.

 

MR is nice and fun to drive. I took one out a few times and almost bought it.

 

not honda related. sorry. but the truth

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by mikestypeRR &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">not honda related. sorry. but the truth</TD></TR></TABLE>

Thats why he stated in the title that it was Off Topic.

 

I am going through the same process right now. I have a couple others car on my list but I think I am set on a bimmer....

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Mr. Nishant &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I am going through the same process right now. I have a couple others car on my list but I think I am set on a bimmer....</TD></TR></TABLE>

:cough: m6 m6 m6 :cough:

 

It's Cayman you sound like an idiot when you say Caymen.

 

STi or EVO, God I don't know. Which one costs more?

 

STi.

Last I checked the STi was like 35k.

Ive seen Evo MR's as cheap as 30k

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Newk &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">It's Cayman you sound like an idiot when you say Caymen.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I'm getting two.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Red_EM2 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">STi.

Last I checked the STi was like 35k.

Ive seen Evo MR's as cheap as 30k</TD></TR></TABLE>

Cheapest MR is in So Cal Mitsu dealerships (~$33k) That's a little below STi's. I just liked the handling of the Evo much better. Can't go wrong with either, though.

And just for the record, if I were living in Newport or Miami, I'd still have my S2000.

 

wait for evo X?

 

so i guess you really want an 06' or up huh? this is just my personal opinion take it how you want......... i think the 06 sti is hideous. the front end on that car has to go. the evo looks a lot nicer but ive heard bad things about the transmission case on those cars. if it goes, it will cost 2500 to fix so hopefully if this happens it will still be under warranty. and if you put an aftyermarket clutch on it the warranty on the tranny is no good.
personally i would go for an 05 sti, i think they look better. just my $.02

 

The only real problem ive heard of on ANY USDM Evo, is the universal fact that the stock clutch blows chunks with any kind of performance driving.

Now if you wanna go blow countless dollars on a beefed up OEM clutch, go ahead. But I know I wouldnt

 

initial torque&gt;4wd
think twice before launching
maybe not on a brand new one but down the line................

 

If I were you P Nut I would get a mint 04 or 05 sti. I mean no cruise control on the mitsu? thats ridiculous to pay that much $ for a car with no cruise control even if it is an evo. I guess I just like the looks of the sti better but thats just my opinion. Really can't go wrong with either car

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Red_EM2 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

:cough: m6 m6 m6 :cough:</TD></TR></TABLE>

actually that minus 1

 

M5, v10 :drool:

But IMO M6 &gt; M5

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Red_EM2 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">M5, v10 :drool:

But IMO M6 &gt; M5</TD></TR></TABLE>

V10 &lt; V8 sound

E39 M5 or drop it on the new M3...gonna wait a bit

sorry Pnut, didn't mean to thread jack

 

Excellent choice

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by iam7head &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">wait for evo X? </TD></TR></TABLE>

Evo X? They've only got the concept pictures out, but I think that thing looks ugly. Plus, it's not due out until at least 2008, so I've heard.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by h22boy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">so i guess you really want an 06' or up huh? this is just my personal opinion take it how you want......... i think the 06 sti is hideous. the front end on that car has to go. the evo looks a lot nicer but ive heard bad things about the transmission case on those cars. if it goes, it will cost 2500 to fix so hopefully if this happens it will still be under warranty. and if you put an aftyermarket clutch on it the warranty on the tranny is no good.
personally i would go for an 05 sti, i think they look better. just my $.02</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yeah, I'm going to get a brand-new car. And I hope everyone realized that I want the Evo, not the STI. I'm not too worried about the transmission going out, because the powertrain warranty's good for 100k miles or 10 years. I don't even know if I'll have the car for that long, anyway.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by tegtuner24 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">If I were you P Nut I would get a mint 04 or 05 sti. I mean no cruise control on the mitsu? thats ridiculous to pay that much $ for a car with no cruise control even if it is an evo. I guess I just like the looks of the sti better but thats just my opinion. Really can't go wrong with either car </TD></TR></TABLE>

Yeah, I know. No auto climate control, either. But there is a company that makes retro-fit cruise control (~$200), so maybe that's an option.

I just love the way the Evo handles. I'm going to test drive that MR this weekend.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by tegtuner24 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">If I were you P Nut I would get a mint 04 or 05 sti. I mean no cruise control on the mitsu? thats ridiculous to pay that much $ for a car with no cruise control even if it is an evo. I guess I just like the looks of the sti better but thats just my opinion. Really can't go wrong with either car </TD></TR></TABLE>

Cruise control . If you base buying a car cause it has no cruise control your picky as hell and are probably gay j/k.

But really VWs suck ***. So NO on that one. Just had to get that out of the way and off my chest..

New STI front is ugly as hell. Wish they stayed with the model before. I would personnally take the MR. If your not worried about gas prices.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by P Nut &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Evo X? They've only got the concept pictures out, but I think that thing looks ugly. Plus, it's not due out until at least 2008, so I've heard.

.</TD></TR></TABLE>

It is coming in the 2007 calander year as a 2008 model.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by integra15 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

It is coming in the 2007 calander year as a 2008 model.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Is that for sure? They're just now going to be releasing the SE models. I bet even if they do come in 2007, it won't be till the very end of the year.

It's a concept picture, but I think they look hideous. Looks like they mashed an A4 together with a TL. Hope they won't do the same thing that Subaru did with the STI.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by P Nut &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Is that for sure? They're just now going to be releasing the SE models. I bet even if they do come in 2007, it won't be till the very end of the year.

It's a concept picture, but I think they look hideous. Looks like they mashed an A4 together with a TL. Hope they won't do the same thing that Subaru did with the STI.



</TD></TR></TABLE>

99% sure although it could be 2nd half of 07