Alright guys, ive had my cobalt for a year, and ive loved it so far. MY only problem is i honestly think the Evo x is the sexiest car alive for my price cap and am debating on selling my SS/TC to buy one. i just want everyones input on either building a monster balt (6k-7k price cap), or buying an Evo x, waiting a year or two and dropping that into an AWD car.

Current mods on the cobalt are:

MPX Catted DP + Cat bak exhaust
K&N Short Ram Intake
Injen CP
GMS1

not much, and i understand that, i am looking to build a monster wether it be my SS or a Evo, guess im just asking for advice on a huge build list, (turbo upgrade, cams, all the internal goodies, tuner (hp or trifecta) and any other you can think of) or put that money into an AWD car?

was kind of eyeing up the new ZZ-ZFR ZZP turbo, any input? Im open for suggestions and what seems to be the real deal. asking for input, not trying to fight haha. so keep the suggestions rolling!

I enjoy the thought of having a sleeper to destroy posers on the streets cuz where im from not to many people even know about the SS's let alone the TC version, but i also enjoy the fact of owning an intimidating car and "wowing" people.

Need help! Thanks guys.

 

I would go with the evo x. As soon as I go through basic and get leave ill be getting a evo 9.

 

i think both cars are great but the cobalt been superior in the going fast department as it been cheaper to mod but then comes tration and tranny problems. when on the evo you'll have better looks, much better traction ofcourse, but then you have to pay alot to make them decent fast. it takes about 300whp+ cobalt to beat a 350-380whp evo x on a straight line. so theres many pros and cons on both imo

if i could i would rather go with an evo 8, 9 or a 2006 sti

 

It isn't hard to make an LNF Cobalt a monster. 400whp is quite easily obtainable. That being said, big power can really only be used at the track with slicks, or on the highway. Front wheel drive is to blame, you really will only be able to go WOT past 60mph, and even then sometimes you might get some spin if the numbers keep climbing. So while the LNF can make massive and impressive numbers, you really can't use it very effectively.

I'm not much of an Evo fan myself, I think they are kind of cool but I doubt I'd ever own one. That being said though, I'm still voting Evo for the reasons listed above. Power will be more usable and with that you will have more fun.

 

evo x..huge aftermarket and AWD because you live in Minnesota.

 

Keep the cobalt. I just picked up a 13 X and I love it but mitsubishi as a company sux big time. I may sound astonshing but GM provided me much better service. Its expensive as hell to mod also. If you buy new like me there is no mitsu tune like GMS1. Only aftermarket tunes and believe me, Mitsu WILL void yuor warrenty. Im afraid to put any thing on my car cause they will use any excuse to void it. Also the trans grinds most 2nd to 3rd shifts but dont worry about that, Mitsu says its perfctly normal and will break in over time.

The thing I miss most is having a sleeper. No one knew what was about to happen to them in the SS but everyone expects the X to break land speed records and thats befor you turn it on.

 

I'm a huge Evo fan, but ever since I got my SS, I haven't been too impressed with any AWD car for that sakes. I've ran a couple on the street and at the track and ya, they'll get you off the line, but you easily catch up. I don't regret buying my balt over a WRX, STI, or an Evo.

I love my balt even more when someone says, "It's just a cobalt", then they are seeing tails.

 

I have a little S-10 Pickup with a lift kit and 4x4 so the winter thing is not the issue. im sorry i never made it clear, this is strictly summer driving. my SS/TC is currently my baby and only comes out in nice weather.

looking for best options to keep fwd and build a monster or go awd and have a monster. thanks tho!

 

Great point, but with that said, what are some mods to be looking for to make my balt 400+. im dedicated to building a monster but the part combinations are rediculous on these cars. everyone on here has something different, so far im happy, but im not sure what to do with the whole upgraded turbo set up and internals. i need big power ideas if you guys think i should stick with the balt

 

fwd+big power=no traction, more braking, cheaper to fix, sleeper
awd+big power=great traction, more moneyz for everything, more attention etc

 

An evo is a very expensive car to make really fast. Keep that in mind. Its FAR more expensive to mod an evo than a cobalt. But I gotta say, I enjoy my evo far more than I did my cobalt. Having grip on demand is amazing, and being fsst from a dig is awesome. The aftermarket support is absolutely fantastic. Its not like in the cobalt world where your stuck with only one or companies to work with, theres so many options it'll make your head spin. Also, you can flash new tunes to your ecu for the price of just a tactrix cable. The software is free and the ecu is factory unlocked.


That said, obligatory IX> X

 

^^^that sums it all..makes me want a evo too but i want rwd better

 

Im in the same situation your are! I tried to buy a EvoX when I first joined the Marines but I couldn't afford one. Now im out and I could afford one but I know I won't get much for my cobalt atleast not what I owe.

 

so you say ix>x, but why may i ask? i know you described reasons to own a evo over a cobalt above, but if i bought an x would i be hurting myself because i didnt buy an ix?

if i wanted the older style id go with an 07 sti (no offense), i dont like the old evo look and i dont like the new sti look. so im stuck with either an old STI (06-07) or a new evo (08+)

 

While I had a big long confusing paragraph typed up, this might be a bit easier to understand. I've owned a 9 for a year now, and I've driven a 10 a few times. So here's my comparison from experience

9 - This is the last generation of what most "purest" evo fans call a true evo. It's got the legendary, iron block, indestructible 4g63 under the hood. These cars are extremely easy to mod, not as expensive as most people think. Driving it feels like a go kart with a roof and awd. Turning response is extremely sharp. has basic creature comforts, but lacks cruise control, which is a major turn off for most people. That can be added though. I personally like the looks of the 9 better myself. It's sleek, "lightish" for an awd car. Has a bunch of rattles though, worse than my cobalt ever was. It's a rough car, but it never gets boring to drive. There is a reason why when you go to all Evo events like the buschur shootout, all of the fastest cars are Evo 8s and 9s.

10 - The better daily driver. Can't deny that. The suspension is softer. It weighs several hundred pounds more. Can easily feel the extra weight. Technically makes more power, but the weight evens it out. It has an electronically controlled rear diff, which should make it handle better than the 9, but an aftermarket rear diff in the 9 can be added for a pretty reasonable amount, and will outperform the ayc rear diff from the x. The aluminum block 4b11 is not as strong, most people start recommending a build over 400whp. I've seen several blow around the 430 mark. Expensive to mod, expensive to buy since it's newer. Exhaust note sounds identical to an SS/TC. Nicer interior, though the styling is more or less personal preference. The car feels like they "subaruized" it. Not necessarily a bad thing, it's a wildly popular car

Both cars start running into drivetrain strength issues around 450 tq. Would need both a built tranny and transfer case depending on how far you wanna push it. Evo IX 6 speed starts to let go around 400 tq, and the X MR SST tranny is about as bad, but cost an insane amount to rebuild. If you get either one, I recommend finding one with the factory HID headlights, as the upgrade is well worth the money. Sunroof and leather is up to you.


If you like the look of the X over the 9, get that, you won't be dissappointed either way you go. Grip on demand is awesome. Also a bigger fan of the older STIs, though I like the 03-05 look best myself. But I guess I'm biased because one of my friends has one of those.

 

bet u saw them blow up coming through j&s dyno :x

 

Amazing comparrison! great job. but with that i have a few questions, im currently creaming on my laptop over videos of these guys with 600hp on the evo. my GOD it sounds incredible. 600 is more than likely alot harder to obtain, but you say stock tranny and such hardware is going out around 430-450, so with that being said, on the safe side, is a 400whp evo better than a 400whp cobalt? everyone on here seem to be on the safe side with 400+.. ugh idk man, the looks (imo) of an evo x or ix beat the cobalt. dont get me wrong, the cobalt doesnt look bad at all. but if the only plus is looks then why go with it?

i cant really ask that beause i have never driven an evo, (drove a 450whp 06 sti 2 years ago so i cant remember what awd feels like)

is the awd really THAT much more worth it? sorry im being a pain, but im really " pro and conning" it out on paper right now.

 

evo 9 or keep your lnf.

 

People's motors are fine at 400whp, but some are having trannys go, so that's your call. Seriously, all you can do with a 400whp cobalt is highway rolls, thats it. If that's fine by you then by all means build the balt. You will destroy on the highway, but from a dig or low speeds, you're just gonna spin all day. It's a motor with a ton of potential that is let down by its drivetrain. The power is useless unless you are already at highway speeds. So that's where the magic of AWD comes in, to put that power to the ground.

If it were me, I'd be looking at RWD.

 

You already have the TC...build it

 

evo 9 ftw unless u have a lottt of money u can dump into the x

 

The Evo X is one of my favorite cars., so go for it. The only draw back is its expensive to maintain and expensive to mod. If you can pocket the expense my vote goes for Evo

 

good points here, but ok, say i keep the cobalt. what is the best turbo upgrade, and with that, internals to go with it to obtain 400?

 

The popular choice right now is to go with the ZZP ZFR turbo. It's a slightly modified version of the Borg Warner EFR. As far as I know, you won't need to replace any internals. Basic bolt ons will suffice. You will likely be needed to look at a clutch though and possibly a tranny, as people have been blowing up gears around 400whp. The tranny is hit or miss though. Some people are adding a 5th injector as well, but I'm not to familiar with that part of it. Something to do with the LNF's having fueling issues perhaps.

 

clutch / tranny suggestions? i heard clutchmasters stage3 had its pros and cons as well as KY stage 3. i havent heard much about trannys