ClubCJ - The CJ Lancer Club

I recently bought a 2010 auto vrx and I'm kind of kicking myself for not buying the r/a for a bit more. I'm 18 and on my greens and had to get a loan out for the vrx, but I test drove an r/a today and loved it. I was thinking about selling this to get the r/a and just adding an extra few grand to my loan. Would this be a good idea or is it not really worth it? Because in the long run I want a manual and I'm just a bit stuck on what to do.

Ralliarts only come with a manual transmission. No one can answer if it's worth it. Personally I wouldn't get a ralliart because of the running costs and the power which is not necessary for driving from A to B in the suburbs

Personal Opinion:

Buy a RA, buy keep the VRX as a daily if you can afford to maintain 2 cars. As a Ralliart owner, I absolutely love my car, I have no regrets what so ever (especially considering I got mine in such good condition for a good price) Maintenance is expensive, and things can go wrong (As any other RA/Evo owner would agree). If you break the SST transmission, it's a $10K fix (or somewhere around that price) Servicing is also every 5000-7500K's depending on the year of the Ralliart, and the Major services well, those prices are not cheap either because of the SST fluid changes etc, Where as the N/A lancer you can get away with a service every 15,000 K's, unless you like to do it every 7,500. It is still cheaper than a RA service (Speaking from first hand experience).

As Aspire has mentioned, Fuel consumption isn't exactly the most amazing things either, I currently pay around $60 for my RA to fill from empty with BP Ultimate 98. I get around 300-400K's to a tank, where as my daily Lancer is around the same price and I can get nearly twice as much to a tank just for around town driving. You also can't use anything less than 98 Octane, (Unless other RA owners use 95)

Not only that, as someone who is under 25, can you really afford the insurance of owning a turbo plus the excess? There are so many things you need to consider before jumping in and buying a Ralliart.

Personally,

Do some research, look at whether or not you can afford to maintain a Ralliart and look after it, because they are expensive cars to upkeep. If you start modifying it, you are looking at more things going wrong. They are amazing when they run, and if you look after them, I was skeptical before ever buying one, but they are incredibly nice cars to drive if you look after it.

aspir3 wrote:Ralliarts only come with a manual transmission. No one can answer if it's worth it. Personally I wouldn't get a ralliart because of the running costs and the power which is not necessary for driving from A to B in the suburbs

Manual? You mean they are all Auto's right?

No, i don't. The sst is a manual transmission

aspir3 wrote:No, i don't. The sst is a manual transmission

It's actually not. The TC-SST may have dual clutch packs but it's fundamentally still an auto (or more accurately, semi-auto) because you have a computer control unit and hydraulics between you and the gears.

Back to the original question though, while my traditional response would just be go for the RA, at 18 there's a lot of financial considerations to take into account. Also, if you really want a manual transmission and the driver-car connection it provides, the TC-SST won't give you that (although on track, nothing beats it). So, if that's the priority, consider saving and looking at other options later on down the track like an Evo, WRX or the plethora of hot hatches available these days.

Real manuals have a clutch

Lancer1993 wrote:Real manuals have a clutch

^

Yeah was worried about the sevicing costs and the cost to fix the SST if anything goes wrong, will probably just wait it out and get a manual w clutch but the ralliarts really are so nice to drive

Mystique wrote:Personal Opinion:

Buy a RA, buy keep the VRX as a daily if you can afford to maintain 2 cars. As a Ralliart owner, I absolutely love my car, I have no regrets what so ever (especially considering I got mine in such good condition for a good price) Maintenance is expensive, and things can go wrong (As any other RA/Evo owner would agree). If you break the SST transmission, it's a $10K fix (or somewhere around that price) Servicing is also every 5000-7500K's depending on the year of the Ralliart, and the Major services well, those prices are not cheap either because of the SST fluid changes etc, Where as the N/A lancer you can get away with a service every 15,000 K's, unless you like to do it every 7,500. It is still cheaper than a RA service (Speaking from first hand experience).

As Aspire has mentioned, Fuel consumption isn't exactly the most amazing things either, I currently pay around $60 for my RA to fill from empty with BP Ultimate 98. I get around 300-400K's to a tank, where as my daily Lancer is around the same price and I can get nearly twice as much to a tank just for around town driving. You also can't use anything less than 98 Octane, (Unless other RA owners use 95)

Not only that, as someone who is under 25, can you really afford the insurance of owning a turbo plus the excess? There are so many things you need to consider before jumping in and buying a Ralliart.

Personally,

Do some research, look at whether or not you can afford to maintain a Ralliart and look after it, because they are expensive cars to upkeep. If you start modifying it, you are looking at more things going wrong. They are amazing when they run, and if you look after them, I was skeptical before ever buying one, but they are incredibly nice cars to drive if you look after it.

Main reasons i didnt try for a RA. Fresh on my reds so insurance would be horrid. And the lack of the 3rd pedal, repair and maintenance costs... wasnt too keen in the end. VRX was the best option for me

Yep I was quotes as much as 3 time the cost to insure a RA over my VRX.

my insurance when down when i bought my RA. 23-24y/o went from a triton gl-r 4x4 (next down from glx-r). went from paying 1200/y to 650/y before i put my girlfriend on the insurance for her P plates 3-4 months later. when i did that it jumped back up to 1100~ish.

as for the manual, auto debate. the gearbox is technically manual. doesnt matter that it doesnt have a pedal. the inside still has selectors and synchros instead of clutchpacks that an auto has. automated manual boxes have been used for years in trucks since conventional autos cant take the torque that a manual box can.

I would wait on purchasing a faster/better car until you're off your P's mate.

I know how it feels, I love RA's and EVO's but I drive an 08 ES (Victoria, Green P's) so I'd need to go through a lot of hassle to even be allowed to drive one (which would most likely be a no anyway!)

I think knowing what you can afford, and what you should be driving should be heavily considered before anything else. Taking out a bigger loan is not a good option IMO.

Keep your VRX, it's a nice car! It'll treat you and your wallet nicely. Purchase a bigger car when you're positive you can afford without or with minimal assistance. Obviously as others have said you have to factor in your fuel costs, service costs, and insurance costs. On top of rego etc etc.

Personally, I'm driving my ES until I find and purchase a nice eisen grey EVO 8 MR.

Unfortunately most of us always want something new and different. You now want a ralliart. If you buy a ralliart you will soon want something else. Maybe an evo, v8 or sports car. Where does it end?
Unless you are a multi millionaire i suggest you just be satisfied with your vrx or soon you will have nothing except a big debt.

yatza wrote:as for the manual, auto debate. the gearbox is technically manual. doesnt matter that it doesnt have a pedal. the inside still has selectors and synchros instead of clutchpacks that an auto has.

Might want to check that statement, the TC-SST DOES have clutch packs (hence the name). Think you mean a torque converter or fluid coupling. Even so, given the abundance of transmission types available these days, the term autos should generally be determined by function rather than any mechanical connection between the engine and drive shaft. Otherwise, you could argue that CVTs are not auto because they don't work like a traditional torque converter auto.

Sorry, the pedant in me couldn't let that go!