Legnum or EVO. I don't know what to do?

[leg-it]

ok, I have a stock VR-4 Legnum and would like to mod it. but I think maybe it would be better to just buy a EVO 7-8 and keep it stock. what do you guys think? would the legnum be just as good after the power up and handling tune up? or is there still nothing like driving an EVO?
any thing you can give me to help me make up my mind would be a big help

 

[Peter_D]

I think the first thing you should do is go out and drive a couple of EVO's.

 

[leebutts]

If you can afford it, have one of each. Keep the Legnum as a daily, and hit the track/hills in the Evo at the weekends

 

[bogan bob]

Jeez, quite the predicament.

But think of all the mods you could do with the 15k + that you'd spend upgrading to an evo..........

but then the legnum will always be heavier

Id go the legnum + mods as it ll be something different, people don't suspect the magna wagon

 

[bratwurst_boy]

evo's are always going to get more attention from cops and thieves than a legnum. spend the extra money to do up your legnum and you would enjoy it more.

 

[BuzzPuppy]

Quite a predicament, indeed.

It does come down to what you can live with day by day. Of course, you can have the ball-tearing fun that an EVO can provide, but there's also the very firm ride on the standard Aussie street, where truth be told, it's not exactly the best.

With the torque that the 6A13TT can provide, it's quite an easy punt off-boost and responsive with the smaller turbos. That being said, the trusted four-banger in an EVO will catapult you further. Mods for both the EVO and Legnum (serious ones beyond exhaust, filter, FMIC, boost, etc) will be quite expensive. The EVO path is not as simple as say the WRX, since it's already a fantastic package to begin with. My driving experiences of an EVO however (to put some context in) is only on Melbourne's streets and not amongst the twisties and tracks, so it may reflect an "everyday" drive.

However, driving the Legnum means some mild mods to bring good improvements is quite straight-forward. To bring it up to a track-able level (as some have done), I'll leave that opinion to those who have done so

As has been previously mentioned, go for a test drive... not just flogging it but drive as you would normally (say peak hour) and think if you can live with it.

Then again, why not live with both?

 

[naughtika]

i'd say.. keep the leggy.. if you wanna be that unique, replace the 6a13tt with 4G64T so it'll be a hybrid engine.. AFAIK alot of USDM G banger's have done it and came out with very very nice figures..

 

[jungle]

I bet you keep the Legnum. By all means go for a ride in an EVO- If you get one, you'll need to find extra $$ to mod it as lets get serious here, that's not going to stay standard either.

Otherwise it's no contest. EVO's ( except the 10 maybe) will never have to refinement or the day to day ease of living as a Leggy/Galant. If you think that's not the case then you've already decided and i've got to wonder why you posted in the first place?

Spend the extra 15k+ that the EVO will cost and you will have one of the finest VR4's around- if you choose your mods wisely

 

[Guest]

I was in the same boat, for as long as I remember, I've always wanted an Evo (HUGE fan of the WRC) but of course being a uni-student funds are limited. The main reason why I went for the Galant was mainly the cost. But I ask myself very often, maybe I should have saved a bit more for an Evo.

Fortunately though, my brother owns an Evo VI and a good mate of mine has a TME. I drive the VI every now and then and recently I've been trying to compare the two (NB. my Galant is Manual and has NO ayc).

As been said before, the Evo has better aftermarket support if you want to go further with mods (bigger turbo's, forged internals/stroker kits etc), whereas the VR4 is pretty limited in the area. Of course this isn't a problem if your not after big power.

What I've found recently is that the Evo has a much tighter turn-in when going into corners, much better feel and response which results in a quicker turn. I mentioned somewhere before in another thread that the Evo steering is heavier, later found this isn't true as it has heavier and wider wheels. And due to its lighter weight, I reckon the Evo is better balanced too.

However ... the Evo has a much bigger turbo and as a result, much bigger turbo lag. You have to let the Evo rev out to get the benefit of its power, compared to the VR4 where you pretty much on boost when cruising. The VR4 feels more linear as well resulting in a smoother ride, but the Evo feels HEAPS faster because of the massive surge of power and torque when the turbo spools at 20psi+. That's not to say the VR4 is slow, my VR4 (dead stock w/ 12psi) accelerates just as quick as my mates 180rwkw Skyline. Also, I find the VR4 gives off a much, much better sound from its V6.

I do have to say though, the Evo does have it's niggles, especially when using it as a daily commuter. I find the interior doesn't seem to be built as well, it rattles about if your in the wrong gear and unfortunately your presented with the dash of a 'Lancer' every time you step into it. "That's because it IS a Lancer" you might say, but for a sportscar you would expect more. The Recaro seats are awesome though, I love them, incredibly supportive when messing about, but day to day driving, I find them rather stiff, as well as the suspension. The clutch on the Evo is next to ridiculous, it's brutal, you really have to be bang on with rev-matching to get the benefits, but when you do get it right it is hugely rewarding. The VR4 has a far more forgiving clutch. The Evo does stick out like a sore thumb too, whereas the VR4 blends in a little better.

So really it depends on what you want to do to it. If your after big power and serious track car, grab the Evo. If the majority of your driving is on the road, then the VR4 will be far more practical. Saying that, given that it still has AWD, the same gearbox, the same AYC (on most), I basically some up my VR4 as an Evo with none of the drawbacks (remember I have a Galant in manual with Recaros and Evo steering wheel, an Auto Legnum will be a little more detatched). Sure its heavier and not as well balanced, but the linear power, comfortness and price outweigh that.

Note: My comparison is based on the Evo VI/TME (known as the most RAW Evo), I've only has a limited experience in the later models, specifically the Evo IX, which I found to be a little softer, but was much more user friendly (nicer interior, better clutch, better awd system etc).

 

[bradc]

I think Stephen summed it up well. VR-4's are every bit as fast in a straight line as an EVO stock, but there is more aftermarket stuff for EVO's that is available easily and just bolts on.

The EVO's will handle a bit better when you're going around a track, but thats nothing that sway bars and suspension can't fix.

 

[Madhav]

also check that issue of high performance imports, 96 i think? It had a evo modding guide/price comparrison from various tuning shops, looked pretty amazing what was available.

 

[Guest]

This is how I explained it to a potentional buyer before.
Saying u have an evo is dam cool, but how cool does this sound ?
I have an AWD V6 Twin Turbo Wagon ...
I have used the boot so many times for my bikes and trips to bunnings. Its just the best of both worlds, Practicality and power (plenty of torque).
If I had the dollars I would still buy an EVO, but the Legnum is the best car I have ever owned.
Oh and OZVR4 is cooler than any evo website ... hahahaha

 

[Scottie]

I was in the same spot. I test drove 2 evos and thought they were pretty good but for the price difference with the Legnum and the unique styling i thought the Legnum was a winner.

My missus has an evo 7 (Ok, its a GT-A) and i like driving it. But everytime i jump back in the Legnum, it feels so good. The evo is good for a quick fang thru some tight corners (the steering ratio is so quick) but the legnum has proven itself on the bigger corners with both her and myself driving it, straight line performance the Legnum just beats it. I am running 14PSI and the Evo is still on stock. So with some very minor and cheap mods the evo would be a lot quicker.

I think if it was manual it would be a different story but then same if my Legnum was as well.

Basically they are both great cars with differences and advantages, you just have to decide which one you like more.