but...

it's not a GSX

and it's not an EVO

nope, not a Galant VR4

and no, not a 3000GT VR4


It was this:




A 2011 Lancer Ralliart, black. The price was very good, quite a deal. Now all 3 of our cars are mitsubishis (Eclipse, Outlander Sport, Lancer Ralliart)

It's not like me to do something impractical like get rid of a perfectly good 2 year old car for a faster/better handling/more expensive one, but something came over me and I just wanted to have a more fun daily driver and be just a LITTLE irresponsible. I was happy with my 09 Ford Fusion. I was a very good car and honestly I'll miss it, but this car is in a whole other league. (Actually, the Ralliart isn't really impractical or irresponsible: cheaper, better to live with, and less to insure than an EVO)

I just picked it up, so no crazy driving for a while, until it is broken in. I did of course give it some throttle, took one long ramp a little fast keeping it at lower rpms, and test out the shifting. It pulls well, good mid range. Handles very well, very much connected to the road without beating you up. I thought the Fusion handled well (I still think it does, for what it is a mid sized family sedan) but this of course puts it to shame. Actually, I think the car is too quiet! It should be louder, it's too hard to hear the engine!

The main thing that is different is that transmission. This car would be heaven with a regular manual, but the dual clutch setups is all it has, so it will take some getting used to. It's like nothing I have driven before.

It is weird because you are driving along witout a clutch pedal, assuming it will behave like an auto at low speed and it doesn't. It behaves like a manual in that you have to be easy on the throttle at low speed in low gear or it will buck; you can't move your foot on and off the throttle rapidly like with an auto and have nothing happen.

Even in drive and "normal" mode, it holds gears a bit long; it actually behaves like I do when driving :) In sport mode it hates, and I mean HATES upshifting. It will really hold the gear you are in. When it's in manual mode, the paddles are good if you need to keep your hands on the wheels in tough situations. If you use the shifter like I was trying, you'll move it in the wrong direction every now and then because you instinctively shift like a regular manual and it's sequential instead. I put it in 1st instead of 3rd a couple of times (no over-revving, so it is breaking in just fine)

I'll get pics of it soon. Very nice looking car in black, agressive, but not overstated. Sooner rather than later I'll need some all season or winter tires, it comes with summer tires, and from what I read not very good ones either, but good enough for the daily drive until they wear out.

Sounds like a blast. Congrats man =P

Nice Todd. Enjoy!

Sweet. Looks good, Todd.

Soooooooo, you went to the dark side did you??

It was too good of an offer to say no :)

Anyway, it's not like my Eclipse is going anywhere Mark, so I guess I'm only halfway there.

Nice buy man! That's exactly what I'm hoping to get Spring of next year after my daughter gets my Eclipse for graduation.

So, you're happy with the transmission?

Sounds a lot like the Volkswagen DSG in my wife's Jetta. Hate that thing.

Congrats, I've heard some things that would make me a little wary about the trans, but that's also because I'd like a DD I was comfortable tracking every so often. Such an expensive part to fail would worry me. But for strictly a DD, great car (although underpowered when compared to subarus power bump in the wrx).

Good luck with it and enjoy some of those evo9 parts that it comes with

The transmission, I'd say I do like it. Now don't get me wrong, if it had a regular manual tranny, this car would be PERFECT, but this transmision is much better than an automatic and light years better than a CVT. It's fun to use and drive, but I still like shifting myself better.

I'd naturally prefer it with a regualr manual, but it's all that it comes with and I decided to take a chance with it. The transmission was the only thing giving me some pause in deciding to buy it. The only other transmission I would even consider getting in a car besides a regular manual would be a dual clutch setup, and fortunately this one seems to be one of the best. At least you do get the option to be lazy and let the computer do the work for you, or you can spend all day shifting yourself, your left foot just doesn't get a workout in the process.

I would say this, if you have never driven a manual and hopped in the car, you wouldn't like how it shifts because it shifts and behaves like a manual; it's not going to soak up sloppiness with the throttle. My opinon is you need to know how to drive a manual and how a manual feels to appreciate how this transmission behaves and what is going on with it.

Dino, from what I read reviewers really like this particular dual clutch (in the Ralliart and EVO), so I think it might behave better than the VW DSG, but I can't say for myself. In sport mode it is very, very agressive, like the tranny fluid is red bull mixed with 5 hour energy. It is one expensive part but there are already 500hp to 600hp clutch packs for it out there for it, but for a DD I think it will hold up just fine.

It's down on power by almost 30HP compared to the subaru, but for a DD it's not an issue. It's got enough power it will run a 14.2 1/4 mile stock and that's plenty. And of course just a few mods will fix that anyway :) Actually compared to the WRX it has a little more torque, and at a lower RPM and a broader range. Also, I'm not much of a scooby fan, I like Mitsu (go figure) and the WRX doesn't look anywhere near as good to my eyes. It's certainly an excellent car and I appreciate it, just not my preference.

Originally posted by bullettdsm
Soooooooo, you went to the dark side did you??

it's not like there's a 4g63 under the hood.

Originally posted by RoninEclipse2G

Originally posted by bullettdsm

Soooooooo, you went to the dark side did you??

it's not like there's a 4g63 under the hood.

Yeah, the 4B11 has more in common with the 420A, anyway. Ain't that right, Dino? ;)

I like the color, just might repaint my 2g this.

You might wanna look into replacing the plastic pieces that'll break eventually. I've heard about it from another forum.