Evo VIII **260**

[briSk]

Would you buy an evo 8 260 (the small wing european type approved version)
I mean they still need servicing every 5 minutes and generally cost a fair bit to run (right??) but there's something about them.

i have always thought that if i had a full fat pull your hair off evo i'd have that spoiler... but i have been wondering about theses 260 versions.

where i sued to live the chinese chipshop magnate had one as well an (uninsured*) shogun

• i was a witness to his mrs reversing it into some poor sods immaculate corrado!

[briSk]

..right. how weird is this..?

i just did quotes on elephant and ALL the (UK) evos give me the same quote?!

so whether it be a 260 or a 340 normal or MR with or without tracker... it's still only a bit over £800 with my solitary 1 yrs NCB (we used to just have one car and wife had the policy because she was the one who needed it).

i love being old (30!).

[rhinochopig]

Like dating a porn star who has turned celibate. Get the full fat version. You'll feel like a chav driving one, everyone will want to race you, and you'll be asked if you want to hang around car parks at night. BUT, on a wet, empty, moorland road, all will be forgiven - well except the eye watering fuel consumption.

Oh and for probably cheaper insurance try Pace Ward via the MLR.

One last point, the 260s are very very easy to tune.

[briSk]

we've had the conversation and I have got away with saying "i was chatting with my mate whose brother has just got a blue/gold STI and we've both concluded that now we're old and reasonably 'comfortable' with decent houses we don't care about people with 318s and Semis (oo-er etc) thinking we're chavs"

so that's phase 1.

i do think i'd debadge and 260 spoiler.

hmm...

this came from some idle searching. know i am wondering.

i have this idea of trying to afford an aygo and a fun car. but i think i'd get more use out of one car. if i had one car i am not sure about an elise - they didn;t grit a single road to my village this winter) and so i am wondering about a 'rally weapon'.

double hmm.

i'll still have an mcs in 12mths time but it's fun thinking about it and tempting myself!

[useyourdellusion]

*Cliche alert*

I remember reading that the 260 was considered the best all rounder, the easiest to live with day-to-day.

[briSk]

useyourdellusion said:

*Cliche alert*

I remember reading that the 260 was considered the best all rounder, the easiest to live with day-to-day.

really? this is interesting.
i have a vague rcollection that it was considered a bit neither one thing nor the other (kind of like the way the new impreza is considered).. but it should be like you say as it's got the least 'hard' suspension and the engine was basically only really just 'detuned' to meet euro emissions (and run on 95ron if needs be??).

what's surprised me is the reasonableness of the values compared to impreza stis. i love the sound of a 'soobydoo' but there's no getting around the fact that evos are more 'niche'/bobble hat/just plain less ubiquitous...

[useyourdellusion]

I'd kind of forgotten about 260's to be honest, I'm possibly not alone in this? The spotlight always seems to be on the big power versions.

Could be a bargain then, and you can tweak the performance to personal taste whilst keeping the (relatively) sober looks intact.

I apologise if that was your original point, nightshifts you see.

Edited by useyourdellusion on Friday 4th June 13:39

[WhoseGeneration]

Ignore any concern for stereotypes, you're nearly there.
Just do it, whichever version.
It's only a four door saloon afterall, work, shopping, holidaying, "playing", all in one.

[rhinochopig]

briSk said:

we've had the conversation and I have got away with saying "i was chatting with my mate whose brother has just got a blue/gold STI and we've both concluded that now we're old and reasonably 'comfortable' with decent houses we don't care about people with 318s and Semis (oo-er etc) thinking we're chavs"

so that's phase 1.

i do think i'd debadge and 260 spoiler.

hmm...

this came from some idle searching. know i am wondering.

i have this idea of trying to afford an aygo and a fun car. but i think i'd get more use out of one car. if i had one car i am not sure about an elise - they didn;t grit a single road to my village this winter) and so i am wondering about a 'rally weapon'.

double hmm.

i'll still have an mcs in 12mths time but it's fun thinking about it and tempting myself!

I bought a VII RS because my wife's criteria were 4 wheel drive, child seat compatible, and we needed a second 4x4. I wanted to replace my Westy, and we couldn't afford to do both.

I have to say with mine, I couldn't live with it as my only car. The biggest problem I've found where I live is finding garages that sell super. It can be a royal PITA. As I said though, it is the most incredible wet/snowy weather tool I've ever driven.

If I were you, I'd buy an old N/A bug eye scoob for the 4x4 and get the Elise. The Elise is a more special car, although the Evo is the better all rounder - although dynamically a sledghammer to crack a nut.

If you decide to buy an Evo join the MLR first, and do a lot of reading. It'll help you pick up your perfect car - nice bunch of lad and lasses too.

[jatinder]

From what I read, there were a few restrictions on the 260's like two cats, different cams etc.

I think you can tune them to a certain point but after that you may have to swap a few parts over from their bigger brothers to get any further BHP wise.

[Nicol@]

No, for the weird spoiler and horrid blue interior and that it is a baby Evo.

That is just my opinion and the reason I couldn't have one (and bought an MR)

[rob.e]

I looked at one a few yrs back. Good VFM but the wife hated the look (ugly, saloon, boy racer etc) plus awful mpg and high insurance..

[briSk]

can they be mapped to run on 95 ron/do 260s run on 95 ron?

it'd be nice to know that if you're going on a motorway run that you could just whack a tank of 95 in with out it holing a piston or something...!

[Original Poster]

useyourdellusion said:

I'd kind of forgotten about 260's to be honest, I'm possibly not alone in this? The spotlight always seems to be on the big power versions.

Could be a bargain then, and you can tweak the performance to personal taste whilst keeping the (relatively) sober looks intact.

I apologise if that was your original point, nightshifts you see.

Edited by useyourdellusion on Friday 4th June 13:39

Totally agree, in total honesty I wasn't even aware they made a 260.

[briSk]

Original Poster said:

Totally agree, in total honesty I wasn't even aware they made a 260.

twas the only model you could buy LHD on the continent (iirc) which is why evos are so rare over there compared to here.

it's eurp type approved (or similar) the normal ones aren't. so i think ironically the road tax is more on a 260 than a mental one because they have offical c02 figs but the nuttah ones don;t because they were technically all imported 'individually' so they're subject to the other 'two band' tax rate. same with those litchfield T20 and T25 subarus they're cheaper to tax with 400bhp than a stock wrx with 225!

[LeighW]

From memory, they are mechanically similar to the regular VII, easy to get to 350bhp with exhaust and remap.

[Dixie]

briSk said:

i have this idea of trying to afford an aygo and a fun car. but i think i'd get more use out of one car. if i had one car i am not sure about an elise - they didn;t grit a single road to my village this winter) and so i am wondering about a 'rally weapon'.

The Elise is more of a special car IMO. not to mention very cheap to run (Only £270 to insure this year!! Although i am 32. ) I've used mine every day for the last 6.5 years and still absolutely love it!!

That said. I was on a PH run over the cat and fiddle a year or two ago in the pouring rain. I was pushing as much as my ability would let me and the Evo VIII in front of me use disappeared into the distance. Very capable car in tricky conditions.

It's not very good in the snow. In fact it's pretty terrible. However with snow tyres on i'm sure it'd manage just fine. Is it REALLY worth discounting it just because of a week or two a year of bad weather.

Got to be worth your time to test drive one.

[homerjay]

LeighW said:

From memory, they are mechanically similar to the regular VII, easy to get to 350bhp with exhaust and remap.

i think this is right. the VIII 260 is actually a VII and has a 5 speed box.

get and FQ, or an MR if theres not much difference in price. goes away to check

[S18DMW]

rhinochopig said:

Like dating a porn star who has turned celibate. Get the full fat version. You'll feel like a chav driving one, everyone will want to race you, and you'll be asked if you want to hang around car parks at night. BUT, on a wet, empty, moorland road, all will be forgiven - well except the eye watering fuel consumption.

Oh and for probably cheaper insurance try Pace Ward via the MLR.

One last point, the 260s are very very easy to tune.

Isn't the 5 speed gearbox in the 260 stronger than the 6 speed in the rest of the range also? Surely the 260 is the car to buy if you were going to builda big power evo if it is?

[rhinochopig]

S18DMW said:

rhinochopig said:

Like dating a porn star who has turned celibate. Get the full fat version. You'll feel like a chav driving one, everyone will want to race you, and you'll be asked if you want to hang around car parks at night. BUT, on a wet, empty, moorland road, all will be forgiven - well except the eye watering fuel consumption.

Oh and for probably cheaper insurance try Pace Ward via the MLR.

One last point, the 260s are very very easy to tune.

Isn't the 5 speed gearbox in the 260 stronger than the 6 speed in the rest of the range also? Surely the 260 is the car to buy if you were going to builda big power evo if it is?

Beyond my knowledge - although for rallying the 5 speed is preferred, which I'm guessing is for strength reasons.

Personally I'd go for a VII or a IXGT. The VIIs have the 5 speed, look better IMO, and are cheaper than an VIII- although spec is almost the same. The IX GTs have better turbo, MIVEC heads, yet have the 5 speed, and can take bigger power increases before you go down the forged route. They're basically the same as the RS models, i.e. base for the Grp N car.