VarneyMazda

Well im thinking about buying a second car and i just found a Perfect condition 2003 lancer evo for sale. it has 43000 miles and is in perfect running condition. the color is red and it has a vinshu tuning ecu flash *i think*

he wants 18500. i think its a really good deal. whats does everyone else think?

mike1324a

Just remember that evos tend to be beat on a little more then your average car. The more miles, the more beating theyve taken usually. Just the nature of the car. Also remember that it costs in insurance department. Not a bad price if it is in near perfect condition tho.

CarAndDriver

I'd worry about a used EVO more than a WRX. You could get it checked out by mechanic. Check KBB and Edmunds for used prices.

dillsrotary

that is a fantantic deal, but get a list of everything done to it, plus get a shop to get out

ZoomZoomH

iTrader: (1)

i'll bet you $5 that those 43,000 miles aren't the same 43k you'd find in a Camry commuter car lol

Ike

If it's mechanically sound that's a good deal.

m477

I wouldn't buy a used Evo unless I knew the guy personally.... esp with that many miles and modded, I would walk away.

caaahhlvinn

^ i agree.

SoFL_RX8

Do some major machanical inspection first, have everything looked at from the turbo to the compression, and Id still be very cautious about buying an EVO with that many miles. Like the first responder said, EVO miles are usually VERY HARD miles.

Ike

At the same time, many Evo owners are meticulous when it comes to maintenance and take very good care of their cars.

llzjayarzll

well is the warranty done? im guessing you should get an impression on the guy and see if hed beat the hell outta the car or not.

usually people are either one of the extremes with their evo, treat em like gold or like a rag until warranty is up then they sell em.

Ike

The warranty is up.

VikingDJ

I don't know. I'd never buy a car like this used, but that's just me and my personality. I only buy new now. It's meant to be driven hard, and for the most part it is. That's definitely not Toyota Camry miles. .

Of course there's always a chance he did what I did with my STI. Took it to work and as a winter commuter down a long highway, which accounted for 80% of my miles. Whoever got my STI got lucky, because I only drove it really hard about 15-20% of the time. That's all I had a chance to do. Lots of highway cruising. But when I got the chance, I drove that sucker like it should be driven. I'm sure this guy did to, but cars like this can take it, so as long as it was maintained properly, and a mechanical inspection shows no major signs of wear on engine, turbo, tramsnission or clutch, you should be good to go. Good luck.

Steiner

I personally think that's an excellent deal. My '05 Evo just hit 40k miles and it's supposedly worth almost $23k if I go by the private party price. Have an honest conversation with the guy and find out if he's sold off some mods. The only thing I'd be concerned about is that 3 months ago the same car was running a C16 tune and 35psi on a 42r turbo. I know that's extreme but my point is that you really have no idea what kind of HP/TQ this car has seen until you ask the right questions. He could be at the tail end of a part-out or he might have never got any further than the Xede piggy-back. Regardless of the scenario, that's not to say the car isn't in good shape. It just means you need to ask some more questions. The Evo's engine is a beast. It can take tons of boost. The 5 speed transmission is also pretty robust. The weak spots are the clutch and transfer case. A maintenance record would be nice too if the guy has documentation. Good luck. It's a helluva car!

playdoh43

the main thing to worry about is the condition of the clutch and tranny. if those 2 things are fine and engine looks ok i dont see why not.

llzjayarzll

doesnt 18.5 sound a little fishy?

playdoh43

ive seen 2003 evo 8 with less miles go for high 18 low 19k in my area

Steiner

I would point blank ask the current owner if he's over touched the heads. If his answer is yes then you've got a few more questions to ask. If you need any help feel free to shoot me a PM. I've learned about these cars in the last 4 years.

Ike

Maybe he's just having a hard time selling it for some reason. Maybe he wants to or needs to sell it fast. A few months ago a local Mazda dealer sold an '03 with 30k+ for 25,900, so they say... I don't see any reason for them to lie after the fact (maybe it's just habit ), and resale in general for the Evo is about the best there is. The funny thing was the had 28,999 on the window, which is about what someone might have paid for it brand new...

imput1234

iTrader: (6)

Sounds like a good deal, and evo's are amazing, but just like what everyone else has said it's probably been driven hard.