Introduction:
Last year, the author purchased a 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, a stock and unmodified example with just one owner from new. Despite being rough around the edges from being parked on New York City streets for its entire life, the author loves the car. However, after addressing maintenance and wear items, a big problem arose on the car’s first real drive.
- What Happened?
- Is It Actually Nice to Drive Now?
- What Else Have You Done?
- So What’s Next?
On a group drive to the Catskills in upstate New York, the car suddenly developed a loud exhaust and lost boost. The issue was eventually found to be a missing clamp holding the manifold to the turbocharger. After a few hundred dollars in repairs, the Evo was fixed.
Despite the issue on the drive, the Evo felt great with immense grip and solid power delivery. The steering was exceptional, quick, and perfectly weighted. However, the shifter and seats left something to be desired, with the shifter feeling spongy and the seats lacking support.
The author replaced the winter tires with all-season BFGoodrich tires for summer driving. Additionally, efforts were made to eliminate the smell left by rats that had been present in the engine bay and cabin. The cabin air filter was replaced in the hopes of improving the odor.
Future plans for the Evo include addressing the seats, potentially sourcing OEM Recaros or aftermarket options. The author also plans to take the car on more fun drives, a road trip, and eventually off-roading to fully experience the AWD system.
In conclusion, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution has quickly become a passion project for the author, despite the challenges faced during its initial drives. With ongoing improvements and future plans, the Evo is sure to provide many more exciting adventures on the road ahead.