I supposed you guys will be bias, but I'll ask anyway. I'm looking at a 2003.5 (or is it 2003.7) MSP in blue. There is also a Silver 2002 WRX down the street that has 1200 miles on it for sale. I was going to offer $18500 for it and I doubt I could get a MSP for that price. Any thoughts on which to choose? I know the basic advantages/disadvantages, I just want an opinion from some drivers and hopefully a few of you will have driven both. I drove the WRX and liked the power, but it wasn't as refined as I imagine the MSP will be (I'm test driving tomorrow). Any thoughts? Thanks.
Buy 2002 WRX or 2003.5 MSP
- Thread starter jasonsed
- Start date
laptopheaven
Member
If I had the cash for when I bought my car I would have gone with the WRX. Since I could not find another 5 grand, I went with the MSP. I am very happy with the MSP, except for the hesitation, which might be fixed soon.
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I'd go for the WRX depending on how many miles are on it and the condition. I'd also consider what kind of interior the WRX has and if it smells like smoke or anything from the previous owner.
So much for this board being biased. 
I too would buy the used '02 WRX, though you would be giving up uniqueness for power. I don't know which is more important to you.
I too would buy the used '02 WRX, though you would be giving up uniqueness for power. I don't know which is more important to you.
AndrewF150
Member
Hell, if you can get the 02 WRX for 18500 DO IT!! Those cars run hella expensive around here and that 18500 is really cheap.
well i own a new MSP and have been racing a wrx for the last year and a half. The WRX started out stock but is now pretty set up suspension wise and engine wise. In general out of the box the MSP is a much more balanced and solid handling car. I was amazed at its agility and grip for a car thats only 20k. The WRX has pretty bad understeer anf feels allot heavier than the msp. The msp feels much more tossable and reacts better to mid-corner steering adjustments. The wrx feel more powerful obviously but the turbo lag is really bad stock. The msp spools up much faster but lacks the overall thrust the WRX provides up top. To me the power in the MSP is adequate but the power in the WRX is FUN.
If you spend allot of money on suspension(like we did) then you can get the wrx to feel better but ours still gets a nasty turn in understeer. To be brutally honest I like the MSP better. I think the interior looks and feels better and the driving characteristics are much more enjoyable. Its just you get so much out of the box for a pretty good price whereas the WRX you are going to have to spend some $$$ to get the same driving experience.
In 2 weeks im taking my msp to the track to see how it compares timewise to our WRX. And I wont be suprised if its right with it or close. I mean mazda put allot of time in developing the suspension and you can really tell the difference.
I love both cars but i Really love my Mazdaspeed !!!
If you spend allot of money on suspension(like we did) then you can get the wrx to feel better but ours still gets a nasty turn in understeer. To be brutally honest I like the MSP better. I think the interior looks and feels better and the driving characteristics are much more enjoyable. Its just you get so much out of the box for a pretty good price whereas the WRX you are going to have to spend some $$$ to get the same driving experience.
In 2 weeks im taking my msp to the track to see how it compares timewise to our WRX. And I wont be suprised if its right with it or close. I mean mazda put allot of time in developing the suspension and you can really tell the difference.
I love both cars but i Really love my Mazdaspeed !!!
yep, wrx
awd turbo. sweet.....
my friend got a used with 2k miles 2002 for 20,000. so 18500 is damn good.
awd turbo. sweet.....
my friend got a used with 2k miles 2002 for 20,000. so 18500 is damn good.
OutDriveU said:
I really wish more people would be able to see your post here. It's really hard to make some understand how much work Mazda put into making the neutral suspension on the MP3/MSP. One member in another thread argued long and hard about how the only difference between this car's handling and other cars were the struts and tires (thread was asking reason why people were getting MSPs/MP3s and then spending $$ on upping HP).
Also, many times we have people who are in between the two (like jasonsed) or some people who choose to leave their MP3/MSP for a subbie.
It's good to have a member that has good real performance (racing) experience with both cars, you could dispell a lot of myths that surface in many threads.
I see you're fairly new and so I'll say:
Welcome!!!
I looked at the WRX before I got my Speed. I didn't have the extra 5k so that alone did it for me. Thing is though, I really didn't like the interior of the WRX. I also thought it looked really stubby.
Point is, look at both cars inside and out. Don't just look at the performance. Drive both several times. Get the one you will be happiest with every day.
If I got a WRX I would be buying stereo equipement and other upgrades now. The MSP came with almost everything I could want stock. Couple of seconds 0-60 don't matter much if you don't enjoy owning the car.
Good news is that either way you're getting a great car.
Point is, look at both cars inside and out. Don't just look at the performance. Drive both several times. Get the one you will be happiest with every day.
If I got a WRX I would be buying stereo equipement and other upgrades now. The MSP came with almost everything I could want stock. Couple of seconds 0-60 don't matter much if you don't enjoy owning the car.
Good news is that either way you're getting a great car.
L
loj68
I chose the MSP over the WRX......my friend has a 2002 WRX and I've driven it and this is my opinions and why I chose the MSP....and BTW $$$ wasn't the object.
1. MSP looks WAY better IMHO (inside and out)
2. MSP has more headroom and legroom (I'm tall)
3. MSP handled better
4. MSP is limited edition
There really wasn't anything I liked better on the WRX......for me, the power difference is not hugely noticeable....and I'm not gonna be racing or anything. The AWD never really stood out for me as making the WRX better. So, I decided to get the MSP and save about $5k and at the same time I got a car that I feel is much more fun to drive and looks a HELLUVA lot better.
1. MSP looks WAY better IMHO (inside and out)
2. MSP has more headroom and legroom (I'm tall)
3. MSP handled better
4. MSP is limited edition
There really wasn't anything I liked better on the WRX......for me, the power difference is not hugely noticeable....and I'm not gonna be racing or anything. The AWD never really stood out for me as making the WRX better. So, I decided to get the MSP and save about $5k and at the same time I got a car that I feel is much more fun to drive and looks a HELLUVA lot better.
cbcbd said:
Well today I graduate from UC Davis with a degree in mechanical engineering and after numerous vehicle stability classes here is my view. cbcbd s right. It takes a LOT of work, mostly trial and error, to get a neutral handeling vehicle. You can't just slap some aftermarket suspension on your car and have good handeling. Even if you shell out for the expensive stuff you will still need to spend a lot of track time dialing the suspension in and unless you are fairly experienced in competitive driving, you probably won't know if your adjustments are helping or hurting your handeling. A vehicle's suspension is incredibly complex and I'd rather not have to worry about it. That is all assuming that "handeling" is what your looking for. If power is your thing than get the WRX cause a msp will have trouble ever making the level of power that the WRX comes with stock.
EXA4DRIVER
Member
- :
- 04 Suzuka Blue S2000
1200 miles for only $18,500? You sure it doesn't have a salvage title? That is a stelar deal if the title is clean.
The WRX is definately fast. My friend has one that I drive all the time. But the speed has so much cool stuff about it. Rims, Stereo, suspension, seats, shifter,...the list goes for a while. I say buy which ever you think looks more appealing to the eye. I think that with 14 lbs of boost the MSP will be just as fast..
mazspeedpro
Member
with 14psi of boost you will have no MSP
A
AGR
Nothing for the money looks as good as a MAZDASPEED!
I Love My MAZDASPEED!!! (k) (k) (k)
(and for $3,500-$4,000+ more - the WRX doesn't come close to looking as good)
I Love My MAZDASPEED!!! (k) (k) (k)
(and for $3,500-$4,000+ more - the WRX doesn't come close to looking as good)
Well
I faced that very same dilemma. I was looking at either a new WRX sedan with 17's and some appearance stuff (too much for the car IMO) a 2002 WRX wagon with 17's loaded and the appearance stuff with 10k miles for 19,000 or a 6S Sport package with the Bose audio.
What? Well I went for the 6 and bada boom bada bing there was this lovely little lump of blackness that just screamed, Drive Me!
After driving all the cars I was totally taken over by the "Fun Factor" of the little Mazda and saved some coin in the process.
Please dont go by numbers; drive the car then make your decision. I am so attached to this little car it's unique, affordable, and just begs to be pushed around a tight road.
If speed is what you want you can do a few things to it to make it faster (not a rocket) but certainly as fast a stock WRX and you can do it for a nominally small amount of money without ruing the daily drivability of the car.
So drive an MSP and dont count the numbers just count the smiles.
I faced that very same dilemma. I was looking at either a new WRX sedan with 17's and some appearance stuff (too much for the car IMO) a 2002 WRX wagon with 17's loaded and the appearance stuff with 10k miles for 19,000 or a 6S Sport package with the Bose audio.
What? Well I went for the 6 and bada boom bada bing there was this lovely little lump of blackness that just screamed, Drive Me!
After driving all the cars I was totally taken over by the "Fun Factor" of the little Mazda and saved some coin in the process.
Please dont go by numbers; drive the car then make your decision. I am so attached to this little car it's unique, affordable, and just begs to be pushed around a tight road.
If speed is what you want you can do a few things to it to make it faster (not a rocket) but certainly as fast a stock WRX and you can do it for a nominally small amount of money without ruing the daily drivability of the car.
So drive an MSP and dont count the numbers just count the smiles.
