Thoe99

iTrader: (25)

I say just take it out to an autocross course a few times before you get into a class. That way you get your feet wet before the instructor throws too much stuff at you. It's very fun.

eclipsegs2k1

I feel what you are saying lithe, I'm only 18, but I too respect the Evo and I just enjoy driving it to school and back and occasionally on twisty roads and whatnot. My only power mod is a HKS catback, and I think that eventually I will get a reflash and do a few other little things just because I enjoy modding it. But the stock Evo is really overkill for my driving abilities and stuff but I still have a ton of fun in it.

moviemadness

If you're not into performance handling, you can always go ICE (In Car Entertainment).

Or try to just mod the suspension to improve handling.

jimmyv65

iTrader: (8)

Yes, the car has more power than what's prudent. Most of us didn't buy it for it's prudent ways.

One other thing to caution with a car with this much power: It has enough power to get you going faster than you expect in a hurry. I find that when I am in a hurry, I get myself going faster than I want or is safe easily in the EVO.

Just this morning, I sped up on the expressway and all of a sudden I was doing over 100. That can make for big tickets!

The other day, the same thing: I was in a hurry, pressed that long peddle on the right and all of a sudden I am going way faster than what is safe.


That's why insurance is high on the car. Speed gets people into situations in a hurry.

theblue

iTrader: (1)

I just got home from my second autoX today. I have had the car for 3 weeks now and I love it to death. My only mod so far has been a honda element ant. to replace the stock one. I am trying trying to make myself stay away from any mods that will change my autoX class until I can win consistantly like I was doing in my maxima (a lot harder in A-stock). I really want a front LSD for the car so I'm watching and hoping they become cheap and availible over the year. Sure another 100HP would be nice some day, but all it will do is get me into trouble, void my warenty, and cost me lots of money.

Theibault

Even in stock trim, this car can get you into trouble. It's SO stable, that by the time you do lose control, it's pretty hard to get it back in check. It's got a fine edge between control and WAY beyond control. A driving course( preferably where you can drive your car) is the best "first mod".

GokuSSj4

iTrader: (7)

autocross and road racing at the track is a way different story ,.. you can benefit so much just by having an instructor show you what the car is capable off ... Mod the driver before you mod the car , if you attent to do autocross or road race ....

moviemadness

Supposedly an educated/ experienced driver can outrun an uneducated/ inexperienced driver with the better car.

Diesel

iTrader: (8)

i have a chipped 1.8T Jetta that i use as a daily driver, and everytime i get into the EVO i just get this stupid *** grin on my face...

this car is really unlike anything i've ever driven... my car is stock other than the catback AMS... and the power is just there... i gave some guy i work with a ride the other day and he was in disbelief... some people think only big displacement engines can throw you back in the seat...

e8

iTrader: (3)

Lol, supposedly? Why don't you tell that to the countless number of corvettes I have passed at HPDE's in my ITR.

The driver is where it's at.

By the way, the car is way more than most can handle. I would also venture to say that it's more car than 99% of the people on this board including myself.

Stockfornow...

iTrader: (2)

www.madisonsportscarclub.com

Look at this link bud, they run alot of events and are likely to have official and unofficial instructors too.

There is also the the Chicago region SCCA and the Tri-state club too.

Go the the midwest regional forums and look at the sticky for all their schedules and web pages. Go to regional, then midwest region. There is an event at Route 66 on mothers day, May 9. You should come out a watch (registration is full, waiting list only) there will be several EVO's there for sure. From Madison it will be a about 3.5 hour drive for you, maybe less, I don't know how fast you drive.

Post a message in that forum or PM me if you like, hope to see you out there, don't be shy, if you see an EVO come up and introduce yourself, all the EVO owners that will be there are good guys. But things are a bit busy in the morning before the event, don't mistake that for someone being rude. If you do come to specate, you will need to sign a waiver too, look for the registration table.

OnlineAlias

I think there are two levels of driving in this car...driving around thinking you are fast and occasionally sliding it around. Then there is the next level, where you start to realize what a complex thing it is to REALLY make it go fast. I think you can judge what level you are by one thing. If you don't miss the front limited slip, you are at the casual level. When you push it this car hard on the track, the lack of the front LSD becomes immediately apparent. If you have seen this level, then you know the complexity of driving this car to its limit...

lithe

iTrader: (3)

Wow! Thanks to everyone for all the comments, links, and general owning up to the fact that the Evo is indeed a lot of car.

It's just refreshing to hear instead of all the mod threads...not that they aren't useful, or in fact what this board is for...I just think it often gets overlooked how capable an Evo is right off the bat. People are so excited and quick to want to mod that they sometimes miss everything the car has stock and don't realize they're getting in even more over their heads.

Like I continue to say-I'm not a bad driver, and not a little whiny wimp...I just think a lot of us could eat some humble pie in all our "I got XX horsepower from just this mod!" threads. But again, this board is for all enthusiasts...and I likely will be on here shouting about the gains when I start to mod It's just nice to hear us all admit how much car we have and how we all can become better drivers.

I think I will try to make that Mother's Day autocross...it's the day after my brother's graduation though, it could be tough getting up I've been to the Midwest regional forum too...I'll check out that sticky more though.

Thanks again for everyone's comments and advice!

Cali_EVO

lithe,

i agree with you completely. A stock evo will out-drive most drivers' capabilities.

I havent done autoX but i have taken it to Laguna Seca.

The only mod you should do is get a helmet and sign up for a good driving school such as the one I went to organized by BMW club

check out this thread i started a while back
https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/sh...light=cali_EVO

Coolguy949

iTrader: (10)

I agree also. I dont think you can really appreciate every modification unless it really has a purpose for what you need. I think the reason most people mod isnt because it's just faster, but i've noticed more car enthusuasts have this need to accessorize their cars. It kind of what sets them apart from the regular joe car owner. We're luckly with the Evo where everyone that owns one is an enthusiast for the most part. When I tell an average person that doesnt know anything about cars how much I paid for this, I can see that they think i'm a complete idiot. Most the Evos I see driving around have at least an exhaust system. That's what's cool about the Evo crowd. It's more of a nitch car that the average joe has no interest in getting.

As far as driving the car to it's potential, I think a very small percentage of Evo owners actually do this. At SoCalEvo we started a club called the EOC (Evolution Owners Club) where we have a driving school. We just finished up our first event last week and it was amazing to see how many people didnt realize their car could do those weird things on the track. People are now shopping for better tires, brakes, etc to go faster.

I couldnt agree more that an investment in driving skill is #1 priority if you really want to know your evo and the significance of the modifications you add. Mods dont really do much at the track if the other guy is a better driver. I was cranking out some really fast times at Streets of Willow with my RA1's just to find out someone with a stock Evo nearly killed all 35 of us on lap times. Mods mean nothing at the track if you dont know how to extract every nano-ounce out of them. You'll also learn how to really appreciate each and every modification. I've run acorss some Evo owners that just want to accessorize. They'll have all the cool stuff everyone wants in their evo but it will be tuned bad or not adjusted, making thier Evo actually slower than the rest. Modding to me is more function than form, especially after this awesome track day we just had.

I encourage everyone to at least track their Evo once (not drag! but ROAD RACING), you'll really learn to appreciate your car and you'll feel much more knowledable in general of how to drive. I dont even drive fast on the streets anymore. I feel like I'm too good of a driver to race around on the streets now and I'm constantly thinking about the next track day and what brake pads to get this time so I can get more late braking. Now I see how those Porsche Owners Club guys can still drive around in 20 year old porsches on the track and still be as excited as the first day they bought it. Tracking your car really adds a new dimension to owning it, and it's hard to make the excitment go away.

If you're in CA, and you havent checked out the EOC, go to www.evolutionownersclub.com . Chances are we will be having events out of CA eventually, we're just trying to get everything set here in CA first.