Well, I've decided it's time to send the Spicy on to a home where she might be properly updated and cared for. Didn't want to bother with a dealer trade-in, I would rather sell it to someone here who might have use for a well-used, but well cared for MSP.
The details:
2003 Spicy Orange Mazdaspeed Protege, 168K miles.
Purchased Brand New - March 2003. 1 Owner/driver. ADULT OWNED. NEVER RACED OR ABUSED. SANELY DRIVEN. Carport/Garage kept at home & parking garage at work. She rarely ever sat out in the sun. Daily Driver for me to work - 60+ miles a day. All highway. My estimate is 80% of the total mileage on the vehicle is freeway. Spent two years (2009-2011) in garage storage. (Had a vehicle provided by work). Oil has always been full or part synthetic depending on my mood, changed every 3-5K miles. Original transmission & LSD. Stock ECU flash. Never did the "reflash".
Interior is reasonably clean. Few marks here and there, normal wear and tear for 10 years. No young children spent time in it. My kids were in their late teens when I bought it, they wanted to drive it. Uh, NO.
Car is 100% stock with the exception of the following:
1. Replaced stock clutch June, 2011 with Exedy Stage 1. Work performed by Hellyer Transmission in Deer Park, TX. Local shop here with a sterling reputation, I have used them for years on several vehicles.
2. If you search the MSP threads for posts by me, you will see some of the issues I've had with the car, namely check engine lights/fuel system problems. These problems were /completely/ resolved with the replacement of the pump AND sending unit. I've been through 4 fuel pumps on this car. The last replacement which was the 4th pump AND the sending unit was in October, 2011. Managed to find a brand new stock Bosch pump and sending unit for $200. No issues since then. I have my theories on why these cars have issues with CEL's and bizarre lean fuel codes, which could be debated at great length. The issues started /for me/ about 3 months after "E10" gas came into mass use in my area.
3. Replaced Dead Kenwood receiver several years ago. The display on the "replacement" Kenwood died some time ago. Radio still works, but you have to fumble around "blind" to find stations, heh. As far as I can tell the sub is still fine.
4. Windshield replaced (Safelite Glass) in June 2011. Seems to be a bit better quality than the stock glass.
Ok, now for the bad.
She's in desperate need of new struts, endlinks & swaybar bushings. Standard fare on the MSP. I have a set of brand new Mazda front/rear swaybar bushings that will be included. The rear end clunking is horrendous at the moment she squeaks like a mouse on cold/cooler days. Very normal for a 10 year old stock MSP. Anyone who has been around here knows what fixing the suspension issues on an MSP involves.
Turbo is probably on it's last legs. I haven't heard a "turkey" in a very long time. I have a new stock wastegate actuator that I never got around to installing. There is a small "ding" from an escaped wind-driven shopping cart that slammed into the passenger side far back corner, about an inch above the bumper wrap. ZERO door dings on the passenger side, a small one below the mirror on the driver side. (Old biddy in a Taurus flung her door into it in a parking lot back in 2005)
Now for the obvious question, why I am I selling it? I'm getting a bit older, and I'd really like something that is more comfortable to ride in. I'd also like to be able to use a hands-free phone. without having to yell over road noise. Also want something that is E85 capable. If I had the time and space to "build" the car out like I really wanted to, I would keep it. Too busy with work and other projects that are more important. If I started it, it would sit for another 10 years in the garage.
My recommendations for anyone purchasing this MSP: If you baby it, you might get another 50-75K miles out of the stock engine with proper maintenance. If you go out and run it up to redline on every shift and drive it like a jackass, I /can/ guarantee you ONE thing - you WILL blow it up, break a rod, LSD, etc. I didn't make it this far stock by driving it like a fool. For someone wanting a platform to do a build on, you have what is basically a MSP in close to the physical condition it was when it rolled off the dealers lot.
Asking $4,500 OBO.
I took a lot of pictures, so I just uploaded them to my Flickr account rather than the site.
MODS: All proper Mazdas247.com, username and date are displayed in the photos.
Picture Linkage: http://www.flickr.com/groups/2075274@N20/
Please contact me via the site PM system or for you true geeks, /msg Lyserjic on the Freenode IRC network. I can be found in ##freebsd-ftw on Freenode. If I'm around, I'll respond.
I don't have net access during the workday, so my replies may be somewhat delayed. I have some ideas for working with serious buyers who may be outside of Texas, so don't hesitate to consider this MSP if you are on the other side of the country.
The details:
2003 Spicy Orange Mazdaspeed Protege, 168K miles.
Purchased Brand New - March 2003. 1 Owner/driver. ADULT OWNED. NEVER RACED OR ABUSED. SANELY DRIVEN. Carport/Garage kept at home & parking garage at work. She rarely ever sat out in the sun. Daily Driver for me to work - 60+ miles a day. All highway. My estimate is 80% of the total mileage on the vehicle is freeway. Spent two years (2009-2011) in garage storage. (Had a vehicle provided by work). Oil has always been full or part synthetic depending on my mood, changed every 3-5K miles. Original transmission & LSD. Stock ECU flash. Never did the "reflash".
Interior is reasonably clean. Few marks here and there, normal wear and tear for 10 years. No young children spent time in it. My kids were in their late teens when I bought it, they wanted to drive it. Uh, NO.
Car is 100% stock with the exception of the following:
1. Replaced stock clutch June, 2011 with Exedy Stage 1. Work performed by Hellyer Transmission in Deer Park, TX. Local shop here with a sterling reputation, I have used them for years on several vehicles.
2. If you search the MSP threads for posts by me, you will see some of the issues I've had with the car, namely check engine lights/fuel system problems. These problems were /completely/ resolved with the replacement of the pump AND sending unit. I've been through 4 fuel pumps on this car. The last replacement which was the 4th pump AND the sending unit was in October, 2011. Managed to find a brand new stock Bosch pump and sending unit for $200. No issues since then. I have my theories on why these cars have issues with CEL's and bizarre lean fuel codes, which could be debated at great length. The issues started /for me/ about 3 months after "E10" gas came into mass use in my area.
3. Replaced Dead Kenwood receiver several years ago. The display on the "replacement" Kenwood died some time ago. Radio still works, but you have to fumble around "blind" to find stations, heh. As far as I can tell the sub is still fine.
4. Windshield replaced (Safelite Glass) in June 2011. Seems to be a bit better quality than the stock glass.
Ok, now for the bad.
She's in desperate need of new struts, endlinks & swaybar bushings. Standard fare on the MSP. I have a set of brand new Mazda front/rear swaybar bushings that will be included. The rear end clunking is horrendous at the moment she squeaks like a mouse on cold/cooler days. Very normal for a 10 year old stock MSP. Anyone who has been around here knows what fixing the suspension issues on an MSP involves.
Turbo is probably on it's last legs. I haven't heard a "turkey" in a very long time. I have a new stock wastegate actuator that I never got around to installing. There is a small "ding" from an escaped wind-driven shopping cart that slammed into the passenger side far back corner, about an inch above the bumper wrap. ZERO door dings on the passenger side, a small one below the mirror on the driver side. (Old biddy in a Taurus flung her door into it in a parking lot back in 2005)
Now for the obvious question, why I am I selling it? I'm getting a bit older, and I'd really like something that is more comfortable to ride in. I'd also like to be able to use a hands-free phone. without having to yell over road noise. Also want something that is E85 capable. If I had the time and space to "build" the car out like I really wanted to, I would keep it. Too busy with work and other projects that are more important. If I started it, it would sit for another 10 years in the garage.
My recommendations for anyone purchasing this MSP: If you baby it, you might get another 50-75K miles out of the stock engine with proper maintenance. If you go out and run it up to redline on every shift and drive it like a jackass, I /can/ guarantee you ONE thing - you WILL blow it up, break a rod, LSD, etc. I didn't make it this far stock by driving it like a fool. For someone wanting a platform to do a build on, you have what is basically a MSP in close to the physical condition it was when it rolled off the dealers lot.
Asking $4,500 OBO.
I took a lot of pictures, so I just uploaded them to my Flickr account rather than the site.
MODS: All proper Mazdas247.com, username and date are displayed in the photos.
Picture Linkage: http://www.flickr.com/groups/2075274@N20/
Please contact me via the site PM system or for you true geeks, /msg Lyserjic on the Freenode IRC network. I can be found in ##freebsd-ftw on Freenode. If I'm around, I'll respond.
I don't have net access during the workday, so my replies may be somewhat delayed. I have some ideas for working with serious buyers who may be outside of Texas, so don't hesitate to consider this MSP if you are on the other side of the country.
