Newbie after advice on what car to buy.

[James.Judd.1]

Hi Guys, Im new to the forum so be nice

I have recently been looking at Evo's and am after a little advice.

I preferable want a low milage, unmodified car, as I would want too do all modification myself. Evo 8/9

My goal is a reliable 400bhp but I will get to that later.

I have a budget of ~ £10-12k but ideally would like to spend nearer £8,000 on the car.

If you were in my situation what car would you buy & why?

Thanks!

 

[LeeEvoMR9]

Hi and welcome along you can get nice 8 for a 8k and up just need to have a good look on eBay and piston heads mate

 

[James.Judd.1]

Hi Lee & Thanks. I have been browsing and have seen a few decent cars. My question was more aimed at which model/spec would you advise? and why?

FQ300,320,340 ect..

Thanks.

 

[James.Judd.1]

I have about 100 questions so bare with me.

- Any common problems/faults on the Evo 8?
- At what point do I want to be thinking about changing the rods? (bhp/torque)
- I have seen a lot of cheap exhaust & coolers on ebay, are these best to avoid?

 

[LeeEvoMR9]

300 I would as the tax is cheeper for one and your upping the power anyway you be starting to think about changing the rods etc over the 400 mark hope this helps out mate

 

[James.Judd.1]

Any differences between the FQ's appart from varying stages of engine tune? No gearbox, suspension, brake, interior trim changes?

 

[LeeEvoMR9]

The 360 9 have a 5 speed box and the 300 320 340 got 6 speed box think it's the same for the 8 part from that went all the way up to a 400 brake suspension all the same from what I no of interior why's seats that's all

 

[LeeEvoMR9]

221008886397 on eBay look like a good one

 

[James.Judd.1]

Thanks, I shall keep my eye out for a FQ300 then. Do many people run ~400bhp with stock internals or is it a bit of ticking timebomb?

What are your thoughts on the ebay exhausts & coolers?

 

[James.Judd.1]

221008886397 on eBay look like a good one

Thats a very clean one! I am swayed towards the 8 which will leave me more money to spend on mods.

I got a little distracted by this one.. :whistling:

** SOLD** Mitsubishi Evo 8 VIII MR FQ400 VERY HIGH spec 730BHP+ | eBay

 

[LeeEvoMR9]

400 is safe some run 420 eBay is good for some bits just need to no what your getting and what your looking at dude

 

[James.Judd.1]

Thats good too know.

I was after an opinion on the cheap non branded ebay parts like..

Mitsubishi EVO Turbo 4 5 6 7 8 Exhaust Manifold 4G63 | eBay

Or is it a case of "cracky cracky" buy cheap buy twice?

 

[LeeEvoMR9]

Thats a very clean one! I am swayed towards the 8 which will leave me more money to spend on mods.

I got a little distracted by this one.. :whistling:

** SOLD** Mitsubishi Evo 8 VIII MR FQ400 VERY HIGH spec 730BHP+ | eBay

Now that's a Evo and a half well nice stay a way from that cheep s***t on eBay some things you need to spend the mony on or you end up buy twic mate

 

[j dog]

Hi Guys, Im new to the forum so be nice

I have recently been looking at Evo's and am after a little advice.

I preferable want a low milage, unmodified car, as I would want too do all modification myself. Evo 8/9

My goal is a reliable 400bhp but I will get to that later.

I have a budget of ~ £10-12k but ideally would like to spend nearer £8,000 on the car.

If you were in my situation what car would you buy & why?

Thanks!

on a 9, 400bhp 400torque is relatively cheap and easy to achieve, so I'd concentrate on finding a good clean low mileage car rather than one with impressive bhp numbers. Prices are low for what you get at the moment but they generally creep up slightly for the summer.
I don't think the differences between the 8's and 9's are that great (as far as driving pleasure goes) or worth trivialising about. Having said that I used to own an evo 8 fq300, I now have a 9 fq340 and I'm generally much happier in the 9. But that's just my two pence worth! Go have a look at a few, and if you feel like a trip to Leeds then you're more than welcome to have a look at mine

 

[James.Judd.1]

Now that's a Evo and a half well nice stay a way from that cheep s***t on eBay some things you need to spend the mony on or you end up buy twic mate

A little out my price range haha! Exactly what I thought. Thanks for your help Lee.

on a 9, 400bhp 400torque is relatively cheap and easy to achieve, so I'd concentrate on finding a good clean low mileage car rather than one with impressive bhp numbers. Prices are low for what you get at the moment but they generally creep up slightly for the summer.
I don't think the differences between the 8's and 9's are that great (as far as driving pleasure goes) or worth trivialising about. Having said that I used to own an evo 8 fq300, I now have a 9 fq340 and I'm generally much happier in the 9. But that's just my two pence worth! Go have a look at a few, and if you feel like a trip to Leeds then you're more than welcome to have a look at mine

Hi j dog, I am not after a pre-modified car, the 400bhp target is what I wanted to achieve myself.
400bhp is an easier target in the 9 as it uses a bigger turbo? anything else different engine wise between the 8 and 9?
I have been looking into the FP Green turbo..
I am based in Cambridgeshire so its a bit of a treck, but I may take you up on that offer if I have nothing to do one weekend!

 

[Steve220]

300 I would as the tax is cheeper for one and your upping the power anyway you be starting to think about changing the rods etc over the 400 mark hope this helps out mate

The 360 9 have a 5 speed box and the 300 320 340 got 6 speed box think it's the same for the 8 part from that went all the way up to a 400 brake suspension all the same from what I no of interior why's seats that's all

Lee - Tax is based on the car's year/import date and not the model. Mine is still on the lower tax bracket yet some 8's are in the £400, mainly as the 9 GT isn't an official UK car.

E9 360's have 6 speed boxes on as standard, the only CT9A models that came with a 5 speed as standard are the 7's, 8 260, GT and RS's.

James - i know you want to do all the modifying yourself, but i am going to be openly honest and say if you buy an evo at that budget and modify it to the same level as one at the same price with the mods, you'd be a fool not to. There are some great examples out there that have been well modified with some cracking parts that will give you better value. Anyone with a spanner can bolts bits to evo's and make them stage 1, its not challenging anymore.
You need to figure out what you want out the car, what you use it for and overall what your budget is as there things get expensive when they go wrong, and they will go wrong. Anything over 500bhp isn't a road car anymore, i made that mistake when i had mine re-mapped and it went to 660bhp, since then i've had it re-mapped again and its at 600bhp with similar torque to make it workable.

As a recommendation, if you could pick up an 8 MR for the price you're looking at, you'd be starting in the right place. But i'd take into account insurance at your age is going to be a killer, especially with modifications.

 

[James.Judd.1]

Hi Steve, I understand it would be alot cheaper & easier for me too buy a pre-modded car but I think its always a bit of a gamble.
I wouldnt mind if it had say an exhaust upgrade, suspension, air filter ect. but I would ideally want it to have never been mapped.

The car will be a road car, it wont be my daily drive just a weekend car mainly, 400 is a number that I hear is easily achievable & I dont really want to enter the bottomless money pit of forging the engine. (Been there and done all that)

Insurance is not so bad, (I am 22 & 4 years NCB soon) so I quoted with that.
Evo 8 FQ340 ~ £1250 Fully comp £500 excess
Evo 8 FQ 340 (With a 15% power upgrade) ~ £1500 Fully comp £500 excess

They are both limited mile policies (5000) as its a weekend car.

Insurance prices are not a problem at all really.

For me to make 400bhp Safely on an 8MR am I thinking along the right lines with this list of parts..

- FP Green HTA 73 )
- FP Evo 8 Install kit > ~ £1400 delivered
- FP 3.25" intake pipe )
- Ported & coated exhaust manifold ~£200
- Cone filter ~ £100
- 3" Turbo back exhaust system ~ £1000
- Uprated Intercooler ~ £150 (ebay)
- Uprated Clutch kit ~ £300
- Remap to suit ~ £750
- Walbro 255 inline pump ~ Have one lieing about somewhere

Anything else I have missed? Injectors?

Ideally my budget is going too be £4-5k on modifying.

Thanks

 

[Steve220]

For me to make 400bhp Safely on an 8MR am I thinking along the right lines with this list of parts..

- FP Green HTA 73 - NOT NEEDED, E8 turbo 10.5 hot side will cope
- FP Evo 8 Install kit - SEE ABOVE
- FP 3.25" intake pipe - SEE ABIVE
- Ported & coated exhaust manifold - NO NEED AND YOU WILL SO NO ADVANTAGE AT THIS STAGE
- Cone filter - A GOOD K&N FILTER WILL BE FINE
- 3" Turbo back exhaust system - MAKE SURE ITS A TRUE 3"
- Uprated Intercooler - STANDARD IS FINE FOR PROVEN 500bhp
- Uprated Clutch kit - NOT NEEDED, STD CLUTCH WILL TAKE 450IBFT
- Remap to suit - REPUTABLE MAPPER
- Walbro 255 inline pump - 255L's SIT IN THE TANK REPLACING YOUR ORIGINAL

Anything else I have missed? Injectors?

Ideally my budget is going too be £4-5k on modifying.

Thanks

You won't need uprated injectors. I would look into your braking and handling if you're going for the ever common 400/400. In fact, i would start with these first then do the engine. There are a LOT of Evo specialists who do stage 1 kits, have a look on the MLR too as some of them regularly post up their prices.

 

[James.Judd.1]

I see alot of people upgrading to the E9 10.5 hotside.. are you sure the E8 turbo will do me?
Brakes and suspension wont be ignored, I just really want to up my knowledge of what the engines can take/make at the minute.

If this is the case, do you think I am better off spending more money of an E9 (£9.5-10k) that already comes with the correct turbo. And then ~ £2k will get me my to the 400/400 mark.

Handling & brakes: Assuming the Standard Brembo callipers are up too the job, just a disk & pad upgrade.
Bilstein shocks?
Rear ARB & Replace all the bushes were my thoughts..

 

[Steve220]

I see alot of people upgrading to the E9 10.5 hotside.. are you sure the E8 turbo will do me?
Brakes and suspension wont be ignored, I just really want to up my knowledge of what the engines can take/make at the minute.

If this is the case, do you think I am better off spending more money of an E9 (£9.5-10k) that already comes with the correct turbo. And then ~ £2k will get me my to the 400/400 mark.

Handling & brakes: Assuming the Standard Brembo callipers are up too the job, just a disk & pad upgrade.
Bilstein shocks?
Rear ARB & Replace all the bushes were my thoughts..

Suspension - Billy's are ok, but to be honest there are a lot better suspension out there in the form of coilovers. Don't touch the ARB's if you just want a road car. I'd upgrade the front and rear ARB bushes if you're thinking polybushes, as doing more will make the ride harsh and loud