Is the Evo X FQ-330 the best choice for my next car?
Discussion
I have begun doing a bit of research about what my next car should be and my realistic budget is +/- £20k. I'm leaning towards the Mitsubishi Evo X FQ-330 but I am wondering what other cars there are out there that could fit my needs/wants and I am hoping to get a few helpful opinions from fellow PHers.
I'm looking for something that is very capable and reliable on a circuit (I do about 10 track days per year), can manage 6k-10k miles per year without much fuss, but is also practical enough to be used for weekend trips and longer vacations with my wife to various UK (and hopefully this year continental Europe) destinations. I won't be using the car for much else as it is purely for track days and weekend enjoyment.
My current car is a nice (but obviously cheap) Mazda RX-8 with a rebuilt and ported engine (and several other engine and suspension modifications). I felt it was a good starter car for learning how to drive on a circuit due to its handling capabilities, predictability, decent (but not too much) amount of power, and the fact that it is cheap (in case of an accident it is an easier decision to just write it off). The RX-8 also meets my practical requirements with a decently sized boot, heated front seats, a decent Bose stereo, and the interior is a relatively nice place to sit for long journeys.
I do still enjoy the car and manage a respectable 21-23 mpg using Shell V-Power despite it being a "thirsty" rotary. However, I now feel like I am ready for something faster and a bit more track focused which is why I am starting to look around.
The Evo X FQ-330 seems like the obvious candidate at the moment since it is noticeably quicker and should be more capable on a track whilst also being relatively reliable. In addition, it has four doors, a decent boot, a well equipped interior, and the SST gearbox has a 6th gear compared to the manual Evo's which should make cruising on the highway more bearable. But what else is there that could also work as my next car?
I'm looking for something that is very capable and reliable on a circuit (I do about 10 track days per year), can manage 6k-10k miles per year without much fuss, but is also practical enough to be used for weekend trips and longer vacations with my wife to various UK (and hopefully this year continental Europe) destinations. I won't be using the car for much else as it is purely for track days and weekend enjoyment.
My current car is a nice (but obviously cheap) Mazda RX-8 with a rebuilt and ported engine (and several other engine and suspension modifications). I felt it was a good starter car for learning how to drive on a circuit due to its handling capabilities, predictability, decent (but not too much) amount of power, and the fact that it is cheap (in case of an accident it is an easier decision to just write it off). The RX-8 also meets my practical requirements with a decently sized boot, heated front seats, a decent Bose stereo, and the interior is a relatively nice place to sit for long journeys.
I do still enjoy the car and manage a respectable 21-23 mpg using Shell V-Power despite it being a "thirsty" rotary. However, I now feel like I am ready for something faster and a bit more track focused which is why I am starting to look around.
The Evo X FQ-330 seems like the obvious candidate at the moment since it is noticeably quicker and should be more capable on a track whilst also being relatively reliable. In addition, it has four doors, a decent boot, a well equipped interior, and the SST gearbox has a 6th gear compared to the manual Evo's which should make cruising on the highway more bearable. But what else is there that could also work as my next car?
Edited by cib24 on Thursday 5th February 09:53
Speaking to people that have had them (when I was looking) the Evo 9 FQ360 seems to be the sweet spot/one to have. No ones ever been able to give me a categorical reason why though. Hopefully someone with some direct experience can give some more information.
Edited by KarlMac on Thursday 5th February 10:06
KarlMac said:
Speaking to people that have had them (when I was looking) the Evo 9 FQ360 seems to be the sweet spot/one to have. No ones ever been able to give me a categorical reason why though. Hopefully someone with some sirect experience can give some more information.
I haven't owned any of the Evos, but the X did get a fair bit bigger/heavier/fatter than the earlier cars and most of the reviews I saw thought it wasn't as sharp to drive as either the Evo 9 or the Impreza STI hatch.From what I understand the X is also the nicest inside.
We had an Evo 8 in for some detailing work and the interior was a shambles. I've seen better quality on the inside of a biscuit tin.
The X also looks the best IMO. If it were me I'd go for a Evo 9 FQ500343028432 or the most powerful Evo X with a manual box.
We had an Evo 8 in for some detailing work and the interior was a shambles. I've seen better quality on the inside of a biscuit tin.
The X also looks the best IMO. If it were me I'd go for a Evo 9 FQ500343028432 or the most powerful Evo X with a manual box.
If the Evo 8 was a shambles inside and not as good as a biscuit tin, I can't imagine what you think of the older Evo 6 TME I had. At the time the interior (other than being mint) didn't bother me at all. It was a weapon for country road fast runs and that was the priority.
I personally don't hanker after another Evo as I find with that type of car, the only fun is completely flat out, which means that all your fun time is very much pending BAN time.
As such I prefer rwd and manual or if I can't afford a good rwd M car, I by anything manual (including the dreaded FWD, as long as it has a diff), where the fun can be had at much lower speeds.
:-)
RW
I personally don't hanker after another Evo as I find with that type of car, the only fun is completely flat out, which means that all your fun time is very much pending BAN time.
As such I prefer rwd and manual or if I can't afford a good rwd M car, I by anything manual (including the dreaded FWD, as long as it has a diff), where the fun can be had at much lower speeds.
:-)
RW
I guess it depends what you want on track. The Evo will certainly do everything you suggest, and I know people who love attending track days in their Evos and racing them as well, but it's worth pointing out before you buy one that 4WD isn't to most people's tastes on a race track, and you may (or may not) find this to be the case for you. Your RX8 is a great choice, and if you want to move on to something faster and more interesting to drive for £20k, then I would have thought good cars to look at would be the Z4M Coupé, E46 M3 or Porsche 996, although keep back some money for mods to brakes and possibly suspension.
I went from an RX8 PZ to an Evo X FQ330 SST (with an STI 330S in between) and the Evo will be nowhere near as much fun. Faster, yes, but you'll rarely see it's limits on the road and on track it's a bloody heavy car, and often feels it. The SST version is around 1650kg! As a daily driver, it's reasonably comfortable. Bit of road noise and a bit harsh over sharp bumps, but nothing too bad. Certainly a lot easier to live with than the VII to IX range (I nearly bought an VIII MR FQ320 but bought the Mazda instead). The Rockford Fosgate ICE is half decent, though hardly premium but the sat nav is very old school. More so than the RX8 one.
However, that civility was at the expense of involvement. The steering is merely OK, turn in is nowhere near as sharp as the lighter, older models (and if you change from the semi track stock Yokohamas, it gets even more vague), and most of the rear end is taken care of by the AYC pump rather than any natural balance in the suspension. If you can find one of the few FQ330 manuals, go for it, because the SST box is two generations out of date, but you'd be as well just getting a 360 as there are more around and they're not that much more expensive. SST is hopelessly indecisive in traffic, clunky when driving quickly and all the automatic modes are badly programmed so you might as well have a manual as you'll take over changes most of the time anyway. It's also very prone to overheating on track. Most folk get 2-3 laps and then a warning light about gearbox temperatures so have to sit in the pits for 10-15 minutes cooling it down. You could upgrade the gearbox cooling but why bother? It's not worth having the dual clutch. And they're very prone to failures. Mitsi won't even consider opening them up, so you'd have to find a specialist who would, or stump up £9k (yes, really) for a replacement from a main dealer!
Mine had to get a complete gearbox replacement after 22,000 miles. AYC pumps are also prone to failure, sometimes in under 20,000 miles, and Mitsi charge £2k to fit a new one. The stock Bilsteins are also prone to top bearing wear and leakage, the wheels prone to bubbling and corrosion and, if you get a car that Mitsi have refurbished the wheels on already (they never replace them with new), the paint will probably start falling off in great big chunks because whoever does the refurb is fecking hopeless! I went through 2 new rear sets and 3 new front sets in 3 years just to get some where the paint stayed on long enough to trade it in!!! Front discs are very prone to pad pick up and juddering, especially on an SST where somebody before you has used the brake to hold it in traffic instead of putting in neutral. I ended up upgrading to Pagids and those were far better. Look underneath the car as well, and behind the front grill because corrosion was becoming a real worry on mine, even after only 4 years. When I had my friendly local mechanic upgrade the intercooler, he couldn't believe how many rusted components and suspension parts he found, out of sight. Best to get it up on a ramp. Remember that ALL Evo Xs in the UK, unless it's the latest FQ440 or an import, are 2008 cars. All were imported in that year regardless of the reg year. They basically sat in Mitsis storage yards until someone bought them so ALL UK Evo Xs are now 7 years old and it shows underneath..
I'm glad I owned an Evo. I always wanted to try one, after all, but I wasn't sad to see it go either. 3 years was enough to make me realise that I was never going to use it anywhere near to it's limits and, if I did, I should be locked up! Do I want another one? Nope. Do I want another RX8? Absolutely. Just a far more enjoyable car to drive on road or track, even if the Evos will fly past you. If you're looking for a rally rep as a daily driver, the Evo X is still worth a look. But you're description of a weekend and track toy just doesn't fit with what the X was designed to do. It was, if anything, a deliberate move by Mitsi to pull away from that world and try and make the Evo more mainstream. There are better cars for your purpose out there. Oh, and it's not practical, really. Yes, it has 4/5 seats, but there's a big bulkhead behind the rear seats that doesn't fold down and they put the battery and screen wash tank there as well. If it's a GSR, you also have a large sub woofer taking up a lot of space. The boot is probably smaller than the RX8s. It is, at least, more economical! 23mpg was what I averaged in 3 years, with occasional highs over 30mpg.
However, that civility was at the expense of involvement. The steering is merely OK, turn in is nowhere near as sharp as the lighter, older models (and if you change from the semi track stock Yokohamas, it gets even more vague), and most of the rear end is taken care of by the AYC pump rather than any natural balance in the suspension. If you can find one of the few FQ330 manuals, go for it, because the SST box is two generations out of date, but you'd be as well just getting a 360 as there are more around and they're not that much more expensive. SST is hopelessly indecisive in traffic, clunky when driving quickly and all the automatic modes are badly programmed so you might as well have a manual as you'll take over changes most of the time anyway. It's also very prone to overheating on track. Most folk get 2-3 laps and then a warning light about gearbox temperatures so have to sit in the pits for 10-15 minutes cooling it down. You could upgrade the gearbox cooling but why bother? It's not worth having the dual clutch. And they're very prone to failures. Mitsi won't even consider opening them up, so you'd have to find a specialist who would, or stump up £9k (yes, really) for a replacement from a main dealer!
Mine had to get a complete gearbox replacement after 22,000 miles. AYC pumps are also prone to failure, sometimes in under 20,000 miles, and Mitsi charge £2k to fit a new one. The stock Bilsteins are also prone to top bearing wear and leakage, the wheels prone to bubbling and corrosion and, if you get a car that Mitsi have refurbished the wheels on already (they never replace them with new), the paint will probably start falling off in great big chunks because whoever does the refurb is fecking hopeless! I went through 2 new rear sets and 3 new front sets in 3 years just to get some where the paint stayed on long enough to trade it in!!! Front discs are very prone to pad pick up and juddering, especially on an SST where somebody before you has used the brake to hold it in traffic instead of putting in neutral. I ended up upgrading to Pagids and those were far better. Look underneath the car as well, and behind the front grill because corrosion was becoming a real worry on mine, even after only 4 years. When I had my friendly local mechanic upgrade the intercooler, he couldn't believe how many rusted components and suspension parts he found, out of sight. Best to get it up on a ramp. Remember that ALL Evo Xs in the UK, unless it's the latest FQ440 or an import, are 2008 cars. All were imported in that year regardless of the reg year. They basically sat in Mitsis storage yards until someone bought them so ALL UK Evo Xs are now 7 years old and it shows underneath..
I'm glad I owned an Evo. I always wanted to try one, after all, but I wasn't sad to see it go either. 3 years was enough to make me realise that I was never going to use it anywhere near to it's limits and, if I did, I should be locked up! Do I want another one? Nope. Do I want another RX8? Absolutely. Just a far more enjoyable car to drive on road or track, even if the Evos will fly past you. If you're looking for a rally rep as a daily driver, the Evo X is still worth a look. But you're description of a weekend and track toy just doesn't fit with what the X was designed to do. It was, if anything, a deliberate move by Mitsi to pull away from that world and try and make the Evo more mainstream. There are better cars for your purpose out there. Oh, and it's not practical, really. Yes, it has 4/5 seats, but there's a big bulkhead behind the rear seats that doesn't fold down and they put the battery and screen wash tank there as well. If it's a GSR, you also have a large sub woofer taking up a lot of space. The boot is probably smaller than the RX8s. It is, at least, more economical! 23mpg was what I averaged in 3 years, with occasional highs over 30mpg.
Edited by Ali_T on Thursday 5th February 12:42
I'd look into the 911 idea, Z4, M3, XK/XKR etc depends if you need 4/5 seats.
I've driven a Impreza 330S, I think there is a new model now, it was a hatchback one. It was absolutely mental (compared with my daily drive and a hawkeye sti I've also driven), and you could have three power settings and the lowest was fine for driving in rush hour etc. Not driven much else like this to help you
I've driven a Impreza 330S, I think there is a new model now, it was a hatchback one. It was absolutely mental (compared with my daily drive and a hawkeye sti I've also driven), and you could have three power settings and the lowest was fine for driving in rush hour etc. Not driven much else like this to help you
Qussz said:
I've driven a Impreza 330S, I think there is a new model now, it was a hatchback one. It was absolutely mental (compared with my daily drive and a hawkeye sti I've also driven), and you could have three power settings and the lowest was fine for driving in rush hour etc. Not driven much else like this to help you
The 330S engine is far more characterful and more powerful than the FQ330, no doubt. Mine was a rocket ship and the Evo wasn't in the same league at all for grunt. Gearbox is also far better. And that's where the good news stops. Horrendous steering feel, chronic understeer and far too much softness in the bushings. You'd have to have major work done to an STI to get it up to the handling of the Evo X. Every suspension bush would have to be replaced, including drivetrain and subframes, and the steering pump sent to Litchfield to do their adaption on it just to get some feel back. Even then, Is suspect you'd have to go for coil overs, camber plates and all other manner of witchcraft, just to make it not as much fun on track as an RX8, like the Evo X! 
Evo X is actually really cheap to service! None of mine, in the first 4 years, was more than £300 and it's every 10k/10 months. I'm just grateful for it's warranty, though, as it cost Mitsi £15k for all the things I had done! It's still for sale at Western Seat in Newcastle and it's at least had all the common parts failures already fail and be replaced with new ones!!! PM me if you want to know more about it! I can vouch for it from 8 months of age until last November!
Edited by Ali_T on Thursday 5th February 12:42
You can buy my 370z GT off me 
Enough of a GT to go round Europe with, sporty enough to have fun.
328bhp, NA v6, RWD, manual with LSD as standard. Quicker on track than all those on Crusoe's list (apart from maybe the Elise) if you believe Autocar lap times or the website Fastest Laps.
Only thing if say is, if your doing a lot if track work, stock an oil cooler on it.
Enough of a GT to go round Europe with, sporty enough to have fun.
328bhp, NA v6, RWD, manual with LSD as standard. Quicker on track than all those on Crusoe's list (apart from maybe the Elise) if you believe Autocar lap times or the website Fastest Laps.
Only thing if say is, if your doing a lot if track work, stock an oil cooler on it.
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