my dilemma!!!

[iknospd3]

well here it is guys iv'e had my spd3 for a little over 2 yrs now and i have to say i love the car and finally saved up to do a little modding i was planning on getting a cai , turbo inlet, and a full turbo back exhaust , stop tech breaks and lowering springs . and reciently i was at a friends house and we were bullshittin and he was like what are you dumb sell the car and put that money down on the evo X. so we took a ride to mitsubishi and i gotta say i love this car they wont let me test drive the MR and that's the model i'm probally going to get but the GSR was sweet as hell . so pretty much what im asking is if you were in this situation what would you do?


thanx peace

[jville]

You need to be more specific on your hp goals, family size, expectations, i personally don't care for the new evo.

[Speed3ForMe]

GET THE EVO, ITS HOT.

Assuming of course you want to take on an auto loan and an increase in insurance rate.

If I were making a decent living, I would do it.
Sucks being a student...

[UHATEIT]

the new Evo is so played out. Everyone keeps talking about STI this and EVO that like those are the epitomy of cars for some reason. Both are extremely high priced toys.

Would be better to keep the speed3, its much cheaper on insurance as well. You will get better mpg as well. It gets to be too much with everyone thinking that its an "upgrade" to get one of those cars. Both are way too overpriced and don't look all that good imo. But it's up to you.

I'd rather keep the speed3 at almost 1/2 the price of the MR. Unless you really need the awd for the snow, it's just going to waste your mpg. The speed3 has plenty of room like the other cars do so you're really only getting a bit more hp and awd for twice the price. Best keep the speed3, but thats my 2 cents

[BillTheCat]

You need to be more specific on your hp goals, family size, expectations...

QFE, plus: What do you owe on the MS3 (if anything), and how's your credit? Also, after figuring in a realistic trade value for your MS3, have you got a ballpark idea what you'd have to borrow & how large those payments might be? Have you called your insurance agent to get a quote on the Evo?

I was within minutes of buying a VW GTI a month or 2 before I bought my MS3 and when I called my agent, the insurance on the GTI was double what I was paying on a MINI Cooper S. Insurance on the MS3 was about identical, maybe $5/month more.

When I was younger, I went thru cars quickly. And I honestly wish I hadn't. Because in the end, whether you like it or not, cars are just transportation- they aren't that important. I should have saved my money & just enjoyed any one of the cars I had for a much longer period of time.

My initial reaction- if your MS3 is paid off, have fun modding it for a couple of years and enjoy the lack of a monthly car note. If it is not paid off, don't go selling or trading it in this market unless you are 100% certain about your decision.

[08cosmic3]

Don't be a slave to what others want you to do. Do what you want to do. If I could afford and EVO I would buy a BMW135 instead.

[SeR_Cyclops]

I own a msp but im going to chime in here. If it were me I would pay off the ms3 (If you still owe on it) because a dealer will screw you when you trade it in. After you have it payed off mod it where its plenty fast and then take the money that you would have been spending on the evo and buy a house or something that increases your net worth.

[Circle9]

The Evo and STI are played out, they're $40,000 +/- cars that are being competed against by $25,000 cars. Keep the MS3 and you'll have money to mod, get an Evo and your insurance rates and monthly note will go up, then you probably won't have the funds to mod anymore.

[ElGaspo]

my $0.02 is that trading cars & upping the ante in terms of hp, awd, electronics gets pretty expensive. the reason i bought the MS3 is that for $25k it does everything i want it to. everybody would like more of this & that, but you're looking at spending, what, $20k to get an extra 40 hp & awd. if you really are bitten by the sports car bug, bide your time, save your $ and buy a low mile 2007+ Zo6. that's what i'm doing. why go thru the hassle of getting a new toy w/ only 20% more hp- the next car ought to be an exponential increase or none at all. the older you get, the more power you want. hoo-ha!


the insurance on the GTI was double what I was paying on a MINI Cooper S

now taht don't sound right at all...you'd think the Mini S crowd would be a higher risk group than GTI?

[240ka]

get the 370z.

looks better, faster and handles better than the EVO.

starting price is also cheaper than the EVO

[iknospd3]

first i'd just like to say thanks for all the input and to try and ans all the Q's im single i do own a house i do still owe on the ms3i just have to say my whole problem w/ it is i feel after testdriving the GSR i feel it out performed the ms3 the breaking was awesome the turbo and exhaust note were sweet as hell and i had a lot of fun driving the car!!! on the other hand my ms3 is fun as hell too i have no complaints about the car what so ever!!! i guess its really just i have the money for the evo but do i really want it ?

[SeR_Cyclops]

Man i dont know if i were you id keep the ms3. maybe build a race car that would be street legal, like buy a cheap msp and fully build it. you could have over a 400hp msp for what you are looking to down on the evo. or get out of the mazda family completly and buy you a LS1 Camaro or Trans am and mod it and make it a garage queen! still alot cheaper and faster than the new evo.

[stageup]

get the 370z.

looks better, faster and handles better than the EVO.

starting price is also cheaper than the EVO

370z ftw, im debating whether i want to trade my ms3 in or not right now (boom03)

[240ka]

370z ftw, im debating whether i want to trade my ms3 in or not right now (boom03)

haha, me too.

the only thing thats kept me from doing it is that i got rid of my SUV that was on the brink and the MS3 replaced it(i have a dog, soon to be two.)

the MS3 is very flexible and fast so i dont want to lose that especially when im planning on getting a C6 Z06 in the next 3 to 4 years to accompany the MS3.

thats the only thing that keeping me from getting the 370z. i just need to exercise more patience which i dont have but it will be well worth the wait ha

[PCspeed3]

Agree with an above post, the 135i with a chip will do work, bumps it up to about 350hp/350 tq. Then again mods for an evo X are like steroids as well, +22 hp from a drop in filter.

Its all up to you tho, you have to realize that with the MS3 you will have to be happy with around 350 hp max. If you want to go past that then look into something else.

[bluelion]

ya, i've kinda been lookin elsewhere....but i want good ole american muscle for some reason....looking into either the charger srt8 or challenger r/t.

[03.5-dc-speed]

honestly if you got money and lookin to spend some id pay some of your ms3 off then do a couple light mods or if your lookin for power keep your ms3 and buy a honda to build! they are the funnest thing to fix up and if youve never had one then all the better. id say pick you up a civic hatch, crx, s2000.
i had the funnest time building my crx that i payed 300 for and it didnt run then putting about 5000 in it, it was way cheap to fix up thats a plus about a honda!

evos are nice and all but at the end of the day you are paying way to much for something that can easily be beatin by a honda in any category, well almost every category but the main thing is its way cheaper and modder friendly and they last forever. good luck on whatever you decide.

[03.5-dc-speed]

ya, i've kinda been lookin elsewhere....but i want good ole american muscle for some reason....looking into either the charger srt8 or challenger r/t.

if you want good ole american muscle then either of those arent it, haha for real though they just arent the same they used to be. my dad had a 69 chevelle. 60's and 70's muscle is just the best and there is nothing better. now a 69 charger r/t or challenger r/t that is the shit right there(cool)

[bluelion]

yeah i'd love to get an old muscle car, but i'd kinda like the convenience of power windows, locks, leather, etc. since it would be my daily driver....i can't see myself driving a 60's muscle car daily... BUT, if i get a 60's car, i've been eyeing a 63 impala that's in really good shape and i'd just keep the ms3 as the daily driver.....that's what i'm torn on... trade in ms3 and get a v-8, or keep ms3 and get old impala for weekend car....

[Circle9]

honestly if you got money and lookin to spend some id pay some of your ms3 off then do a couple light mods or if your lookin for power keep your ms3 and buy a honda to build! they are the funnest thing to fix up and if youve never had one then all the better. id say pick you up a civic hatch, crx, s2000.
i had the funnest time building my crx that i payed 300 for and it didnt run then putting about 5000 in it, it was way cheap to fix up thats a plus about a honda!

evos are nice and all but at the end of the day you are paying way to much for something that can easily be beatin by a honda in any category, well almost every category but the main thing is its way cheaper and modder friendly and they last forever. good luck on whatever you decide.

+1

I've been thinking about picking up an EP3 a little down the road and boosting the hell out of it!

[john blutarski]

QFE, plus: What do you owe on the MS3 (if anything), and how's your credit? Also, after figuring in a realistic trade value for your MS3, have you got a ballpark idea what you'd have to borrow & how large those payments might be? Have you called your insurance agent to get a quote on the Evo?

I was within minutes of buying a VW GTI a month or 2 before I bought my MS3 and when I called my agent, the insurance on the GTI was double what I was paying on a MINI Cooper S. Insurance on the MS3 was about identical, maybe $5/month more.

When I was younger, I went thru cars quickly. And I honestly wish I hadn't. Because in the end, whether you like it or not, cars are just transportation- they aren't that important. I should have saved my money & just enjoyed any one of the cars I had for a much longer period of time.

My initial reaction- if your MS3 is paid off, have fun modding it for a couple of years and enjoy the lack of a monthly car note. If it is not paid off, don't go selling or trading it in this market unless you are 100% certain about your decision.


Congrats to you for resisting power mods... seriously. That is an impossible task for most of us.

[AWDthis]

What about the new Camaro? Its going to be supa sweet :D

[Russm]

Good Day
You might want to think about HOW MUCH you are really gonna pay to upgrade to anything new and more powerful, once you add the 4/5/6 years of payment (intrest) together, 93 octane gas/lower MPG/ soon $3+ a gl/ sports car insurance/ speeding tickets/ increased insurance/ Mods/ Lower tire life (more tires in the life of the car)/shorter lasting brakes & clutch the grass might not be greener.
We often think the grass is greener some place elese and don't think about the TOTAL COST of the greener grass.
Just a thought!
When we think by the seat of our pants and not our mind the zipper makes little sense!

[iknospd3]

the only thing im worrying bout w/ the evo is that i would get the mr and idk if the trans can handle the power upgrades i'll have to search that on the other forums. as for the 370z i like it it looks awesome but id rather have a factory turbo car!!!! i had a scion tc 3 yrs ago and supercharged it and i was nothing but problems after that

[MS3Pilot]

I'm actually on the fence about trading in my Ms3 as well. I was getting some service at the dealer and walked next door to the subaru/mitsu dealer. They have a special on a 3 year lease on the 09 WRX for $329 a month with $1900 down, and there was an 09 Evo GSR (base model, but who cares) for $25k and change. I've never seen an Evo X for so cheap.

Additionally, I went and test drove a 135i yesterday as I was getting my bosses 528i serviced. Just for shits and giggles, but damn I liked the car. Drives just like the typical BMW, which is to say, very good. That twin turbo inline 6 is probably one of the best engines I've driven, completely smooth and powerful from idle to 7k. Also the torque on that thing comes on so early, it's really hard to perceive a turbo at all, it feels more like a powerful N/A engine. On the flip side, it really didn't feel much faster than my MS3, and this one was optioned to hell, with a sticker of 49k. Good luck to them getting that for a 1 series, ever.

[MS3-510]

I think, if you are reallly looking to trade, now would be the best time to do it since you can find really good deals on 08 models. A dealer about 30-40 miles away from me was offering a 2008 Evo X w/ SSS package and some other options MSRP $36K for $28K OTD (cash or find your own financing). I wasn't feeling the interior that much but you don't buy that type of car for the interior right? It's all about the power and handling.

I would have pulled the trigger on the Evo X if I didn't have a 1 hour commute each way. I would have put a lot of miles on it pretty quickly. I chose the MS3 as my commuter because it was quick, fun, handles well, and it was about 9K cheaper than the Evo. I'm very happy with it so far :) Good luck with your decision.

[jred321]

the evo is a better car than the MS3. it's a performance car, not an econo car with performance parts. it takes well to mods and isn't inhibited by the wheels putting down the power so modding it actually is worthwhile. the question is whether it meets your needs. personally i would say keep the MS3 stock and let it be your DD (assuming you have confidence in its reliability). take the money you were going to put towards mods and put it towards your outstanding balance. then once it is paid off buy a second car to mod. a monster miata, s2000, used evo or sti, a cobra (AC or mustang), something that you can make totally impractical as a DD and that you can afford downtime on because you have your reliable DD to get you to and from work every day. if you go to the evo you always have to keep it civil

[ElGaspo]

Additionally, I went and test drove a 135i ... and this one was optioned to hell, with a sticker of 49k.


(lol)(lol)(lol) (rlaugh)(rlaugh)(rlaugh)(rlaugh)

[verbalink]

once you get that itch, it's so difficult not to scratch it... hence why i try to stay completely at distance from cars i know will tempt me to sell/trade my speed3. for me, i own mine out right and actually got a screaming deal on it, so i wouldnt be losing [much] if i sold it; especially if i parted it. i made some promises to keep this car for 3 years [after buying and selling 3 this year...], so let me tell you, i do understand the desire to sell up to a different car.

if i was going to sell my speed and buy a car tomorrow [lightly used] i would most likely be shopping for + who doesnt love pics??:
- 06-07 sti's [i have owned a 2004 in the past]
http://img2.netcarshow.com/Subaru-Impreza_WRX_STI_2006_800x600_wallpaper_01.jpg

- 135i [check 1addicts - there are a few for just around the 30k mark]
http://allworldcars.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/2008_bmw_1_series_1.jpg

- lotus elise [low mileage 05's go for mid 20's now. lotus + cheap beater = :) ]
http://image.motortrend.com/f/9467315/112_0804_03z+2008_lotus_elise_supercharged+front_v iew.jpg

- s2000 [not too hard to find a clean ap2 with hardtop nowadays for cheap]
http://www.hondapoint.com/forum/attachments/honda-s2000-acura-nsx/68d1154568167-2002-honda-s2000-hardtop-3912.jpg

- 370z [probably the most expensive of the options id look at]
http://www.the370z.com/members/ak370z-albums-nissan-370z-s-tune-nismo-pictures-11-30-08-picture525-pic-1.jpg

the new evo and sti have been out for long enough, but i havent been particularly impressed or taken in by them; they just dont excite me like the earlier models did [shrugs].

best of luck though! it's a buyers market, so if you have the cash, you can make out like a thief!