ClubCJ - The CJ Lancer Club

i dont have either, sorry bout the test drive, consensus around the forums is that the X is a more sophisticated comfortable drive whereas the 8/9 is better suited to the track

i know Rob_RA has owned both, now drives an X, and he`s a straight shooting sort of guy.

i`d be asking his opinion

I reckon given you won't be track / rallying I'd go for a Ralliart - more practical for a daily and given you'll never reach the limits of it's power (let alone the limits of a X) then it's prolly a better option. Easier to live with on a daily basis too...

I would have gone a Ralliart if it was possible and one day will trade up...

Just my 2c....

^agreed. EVO 8-9 more or less are track weapons adapted to the road, whereas the EVO X has made some compromises to make itself a viable day-to-day car, but still with a heap of punch. Also, it mite be hard for you to find a reasonable, un-modded 8-9 as a daily, a lot would be close to losing their warranty and could be more trouble than they're worth in unkeep costs

just as a personal preference and bang for buck id get a TME or blue 8/9 with a mad kit and lots of offset

would you consider throwing a RA into the mix?

it is kind of an impossible question for someone else to answer. if you have your heart set on a X just wait for it and do the time. with the new X pricing the used ones are bound to come down some more.

yes, RA`s are a viable option, u cld buy a new one

I'd choose an Evo X SST. It looks better, is safer, and most importantly, more technologically advanced than the IX. It is like a scalpel on the bends and seriously quick as well.

The IX is obviously cheaper to buy and easier to tune because of more choices of hardware on the market. Merlin has one of these and even if you don't intend to race it, he could make it more driveable on an everyday basis. He could help you just the same with the X though, but the only time I'd pick the older car is if I want a manual. The X only has five gears, making cruises rather tiresome with its high revs on the freeway, consequently affecting fuel economy as well. Six-speed is today's norm for fast cars.

I have owned a 9 for 5 years, have driven and tuned all of the Evos from 5 to X.

If I was to start again, it would be a 9, no question and thats a daily non track car.

If you want something cheap to go crazy with, get a six.

if you lived in brisbane you could of taken mine for a spin, i have a ix and cant say a bad thing about it, in fact it was robs ix , its not short of plenty of mods 250kw and i drive it everyday, as long as you find one that has been well looked after, as most are hitting close to the 100,000 mark just make sure the timing belt and all fluids have been recently done,

Evo 8-9. The purists still think an Evo necessarily has a 4G63 engine. Since 9 out of 10 generations of Evolution models have that engine... and the Evo XII-IX are comparatively lightweight too, or at least the X are criticised for being heavy.

If it absolutely has to be an Evolution... but there is the RA for if you want a 4WD turbocharged performance sedan (or hot hatch) that's more for everyday driving than a track attack monster - it loses the Evo name badge and the third foot pedal (despite how one would classify a self shifting manual transmission!)

But IMHO bang for buck shouldn't really be applied to any Evo model. There are vastly better value propositions, eg. Holden's LS1 V8s or Ford's straight-6 turbos, providing a greater bang for buck factor than a 4WD high pressure turbocharged car - essentially a halo model vehicle showing off the pinnacle of a Japanese manufacturer's engineering ability.

An aspect of the Evo9 that appeals to me, it is a "normal" or if you like an "old school" driving experience, without all the Game-boy feel or government regulations getting into the act and altering the driving experience.
It has a key which you have to insert and turn.
It has a normal hand/park brake.
It has a foot clutch.
It does not sit and beep incessantly at you.
It does not automatically lock doors.
It has levers for the boot and fuel filler release.
And it has a terrific 6-speed gearbox with a tall 6th gear, great for the freeway.
All the normal stuff - progressively disappearing from modern cars - if not gone already.

I mention all this as I have been driving a bunch of hire cars around the USA recently, and while all the gimmickry seems novel at first, you soon start yearning for the Evo and cant wait to get back to it. But thats just me.

BZC-45S wrote:But IMHO bang for buck shouldnt really be applied to any Evo model. There are vastly better value propositions, eg. Holdens LS1 V8s or Fords straight-6 turbos, providing a greater bang for buck factor than a 4WD high pressure turbocharged car - essentially a halo model vehicle showing off the pinnacle of a Japanese manufacturers engineering ability.

If you're talking about kilowatts per dollar, then yes, the big V8s win. But other than the power, it's rubbish. I won't really call them great value because of the poor engineering and interiors you don't want to be in. The steering wheel and shift lever are not a joy to touch to begin with. While Australia can be among the best tuners in the world, other countries know way better in building performance cars.

I agree with the other that a Ralliart would be a good option, given that you aren't interested in track days. You could buy a brand new one, and they're a lot more practical (folding seats, more bootspace) and you really aren't going to benefit from the extra performance of an Evolution by staying on the street.

Since you've entitled this thread 'bang for buck', it would be illogical to choose an Evo X over Ralliart, especially when it is only for road use.

If you're deadset on an Evo though, it has to be the X. If I was just making a weekend/track car then a IX would be great. But for a daily driver, you can't go past the safety and technology of the later model. Smart key, Bluetooth, USB, etc, plus at the end of the day it is going to be a much newer car.

Thing I like about all the "modern" additions (i.e rain sensing wipers, auto headlight, and various other beeps and whistles) is that you can turn them OFF! Some cars you can turn these off even it you want to...

Smart Key is a big plus...