The MR is a really neat car. You've gotta drive it to appreciate it. The end product is greater than the sum of it's parts. The VIII is a great machine and you can do a lot with an extra $12K in mods, but as good as it is, it's not an MR.
Even if you could buy and install the bilsteins, BBSs, 6 speed, ACD, turbo housing, etc. You'll never match the lowered c/g and the overall package. Plus you get a brand new car with 45K miles worth of scheduled maintenance, a longer warranty and a whole host of extra details.
I'm not saying the VIII is a bad car, far from it, but I'm not at all sorry I traded my '03 GSR in for the new MR

 

No matter what anyone says everyon will still have their opinions. They are both mitsu's, and in about two years we will get paint chip etc, etc. For those of you who want an MR, Get the six speed drivetrain , teflon shift cables, bilstein shocks, and vortex generator. There you go Recipe for Instant MR. Also the Evo nine will come with everything the Mr Has Standard. I will wait 2more years than get the nine. Until the turbo kit, bigger fmic , injectors , utec and i am shooting for 420who on pump.

 

I haven't driven an MR but I got a up close and personal look at one yesterday at the Washington Auto Show. While I don't doubt that it's a nicer car than a regular Evo, it still is basically the same car. The way a lot of people talk about the MR you'd think that we were comparing cars like the regular Corvette vs. a Z06, a Mustang GT vs. a Cobra, a 330i vs. an M3, etc... The $36K sticker price on the MR is staggering to me even with the niceties considering that when I got my RS the sticker was $27,300 (and there was a $1800 discount off that).

 

If is an active center diff. It is nothing like PSM or ESP systems in others cars.

 

Although the engines are the same, the GSR, RS and MR are quite different cars. IMHO, it's very similar to comparing a regular 'vette with a Z06 or a Mustang GT with a Cobra. Those too are basically the same car, but there are huge differeces from one to the other. The American iron chooses to differentiate more with vastly superior engines, while has chosen to make the changes in the rest of the drive train.

The RS is a phenomenal buy at $27K, but there are easily $9K worth of differences between it and the MR. Of course, it's up to each person to decide if these differences are worth the money to each individual. I decided to trade my '03 EVO8 because I was sick of the way it turned out after all the $$ and time I spent on mods . Also, I already got rear-ended .... Now, when I was talking with the salesman, the talk of an MR came up and just for the hell of it I pursued the option. I ended up getting basically $25K for my car "as is" in trade for the new MR.... I thought that was fair and also, I must admit that owning the new MR was a powerful allure

The MR is not for everyone, just as the EVO 8 or the RS. Each of those cars has a niche and a particular appeal. I think that we are all just stating our personal preferences and this should not be construed as an indication of the true value of each car....... BTW, I'm very happy with my MR

 

I'd rather keep my current 03 Evo 8 and wait for the Evo 9.

 

evo evo evo 04 number 1

 

Evo MR does not seem to be enough of an upgrade over the "staight Evo" especially with all the upgrades coming in the Evo 9 later this year (Evo MR + some extra goodies will be standard !).

 

What if the Evo 9 is the same price as the MR?

 

Are you kidding?

•6 speed tranny
•bilsteins
•BBS wheels
•aluminum roof
•vortex generator
•aluminum sport pedals
•gauge cluster
•aluminum shift knob
•HID ligths

You don't get those with the "straight" EVO 8.... Also, as someone already said, what makes you think the new EVO9 will have all those features and more for the same price as an EVO 8?

 

•6 speed tranny
•bilsteins
•BBS wheels
•aluminum roof


Those are the only features of any consequence really. You also forget the improved throttle resonse, turbo imrovments but whatever. The other stuff is pretty much "tuner" capable items to add later for less money.

The MR is cool as ****. I think the question is and has been...With the new ones coming is it worth it to buy or wait..

Right or ??

 

Isnt the improved throttle response and turbo improvements for all 05s? Im not being sarcastic btw! I was under the impression that all the 05s rs gsr mr all have the bigger 10.5 turbine housing along with better wastegate hence the 276HP up from 271. Also, all 05s have teflon shifter cables so they ALL feel better shifting, compared to 03-04s.

 

guys you may not have realized but the bilsteins alone arr worth about 2800 bucks then figure in the bbs wheels at another 2000 or more, there is the extra 5k for the MR. You really do need to drive the MR back to back with an 05 GSR to appreciate it. Until you do, your assumptions? well will always be just assumptions.


my .02 cents

 

Well, the HID lights are hardly insignificant. Anyway even the small things like the gauges, pedals, shift knob and vortex generator would add hundreds of dollars to the cost of a std. EVO, even if you bought the cheapest aftermarket available stuff.

Anyway, the items bulleted are a huge factor of difference and quite expensive. As you say, the Mr is cool as ****, but the post I was addressing was regarding the amount of upgrades of the MR vs. the "straight" EVO.

Who knows what the future will bring? I'm sure the next generations of EVOs will be very exciting and doubtlessly, they'll be superior to the present models in some ways. I guess if you want the best and latest, it's good to wait. OTOH, if you wait for the 9 and buy it, you'll be bested by the 10 and subsequent models .... You can't win

Anyway, I'm convinced that my MR is substantially better than the '03 EVO 8 it replaced, and not only because it's newer and in better condition. It's actually a much refined car and not just subtly different. I had another friend and fellow EVO owner test drive my MR and he became convinced in a short time too

 

Well said.