The movie Legend of Speed did it for me lol. NAWZZZZZZZ "Why can't I see his taillights?!"

STI, S2000, G35, E46 M3, IS300

No regrets, still puts a smile on my face everytime I floor it.

 

I played all the Gran Turismos, always wanted an STi or an Evo, eventually started liking the Evo more, and once the X came out and I started really comparing them, it was an easy choice. I wanted a turbo and all wheel drive, but the rave reviews everywhere made me look at very few other cars.

I was considering maybe a slightly used S4, or maybe a bmw 325xi, but the evo suits me best.

Got mine brand new a few weeks ago. Love it. Sprained my ankle last weekend, can't drive yet. Hate that.

 

As the title says, what made you decide on buying an evo?

Watched initial D. Team emperor is too legit

What else did you consider when you were buying?

nothing, it was get an EVO or stick with my civic til I found one

Did you buy it new or used?

bought it used w/ 60 something thousand

And do you have any regrets?

not at all. beats the hell out of a civic and now im rollin in style

 

only regret I have is that i got the MR, sure wish I had a 5spd..

 

In 2003, I took a test drive at a mitsu dealership. The salesman that was with me said to put my foot to the floor and I was impressed with the performance of the car but it was in 2006 in my friends 450 whp evo test drive that pushed me to just keep buying evos.

 

I was tired of my garage queen ITR and wanted something I wouldn't feel too guilty about flogging at the race track.

At the time, it was one of the best performing cars for the dollar out of the box.

Power.
Handling.
Styling.

Even with the crappy paint quality and bland interior, I wanted something that could hang with some of the best cars out there.

 

i grew up in jamaica back when the evo III and IV were the most popular cars to drive (rally and road race events)....always wanted to own one since then....

 

Lightest AWD car out there...
It's a real race car. all year round, all the time, on the road, on the dirt...

 

My co-worker was one of the first people to scoup one when they first came over back in 03.
One ride in his car and I was hooked. Plus all bells and whistles that you got stock; recaro seats, HID lights, Bembo Brakes, Enkei Wheels... a CF Wing... the list goes on and on.

I was actually considering trading my beater dd cavalier for and SRT-4 as my first from the factory turbo car.

Brand Off The Lot NEW!!!

Never Once!!!

 

just overall a kool car quick bang for the buck id say

 

Hopefully this isn't too large of a post for you. For me it was all about light weight, *real* AWD, the ability for gobs of power without an engine rebuild, and most importantly a manual transmission.

Basically my requirements are easily summed up by this.

1. Factory turbo
2. Full-time AWD
3. Manual transmission
4. Lightweight.

Normal cars get to pick 2 out of 4.
Fun-but-not-serious cars get to pick 3 out of 4.
Evo is 4 out of 4.
--------------------------------------------------

Mustang Cobra (my own car, technically I shopped against keeping it)
Smooth as butter 32 valve DOHC 4.6 V8 with a 7200rpm redline.
Lightweight (gutted to 2750lbs)
Poor handling
Turning Radius that makes the Evo seem nimble.
Even at near stock power, I hated how poorly it was put to the ground without fast wearing rubber.
Awesome mod potential IF you can afford engine rebuild, blower, and transmission rebuild.
Awesome sound and looks, constantly turning heads.
Parked in the rain and snow.
Although Mustangs are cookie cutter, you don't see Cobras every day.

Evo X
I like the car a lot, but at the time only had cash for an IX or an 08 with all the bugs.
Put off by the differential pin issue on stock cars
Put off by the fuel relay issue
Put off by the fact everyone disables AYC and flashing the ACD is better. So why have the weaker rear AYC diff compared to the IX?
Since the colored cluster LCD came out later, I felt even more like the 08 was a bastard year.
2mpg less on both city and highway than the IX. I was planning to DD mine, now of course I'm not.
Put off by the weak plastic clutch master cylinder compared to the nice metal IX unit.
(Despite all the criticism, the 2010s and up look more and more attractive to me)

Audi S4
Too expensive to mod.
Too heavy.
Not as much power potential before rebuilds.

335XI
Out of my price range.
Hated the idea of using my brakes as differentials. (open diffs, with ECU nannies)
Too heavy
Nice luxury however, but just not my thing.
N54 engine makes crap power for what it is.

STI
Far too many stories about popped motors and transmissions to even think about one.
I do love the sound though.
Too cookie cutter, I see many WRXs and STIS every day. Hardly ever see Evos.
I've actually never driven one.

Mazda Speed 3

Never even gave it a glance with FWD. Same for the American Big3 FWD cars.

Mazda Miata

Too much work to get turboed.
Too much work to build the engine.
Although it handles great, it's very submissive looking and too small for safely surviving an accident.

 

I bought it for the cheap performance.

 

Whats not to like? They are one of the meanest looking 4 doors cars made. Turbo..awd...A ton of mods available...Whats not to think of buying one?

 

because I am driving a Neon now

Except I haven't been able to buy one yet because I can't reply to any of the for sale posts until I get my post count up to 15, so I keep posting stupid stuff like this. Sorry for the clutter.