Sorry to get off track here but I think we need to contact Mazda on our findings. I went ahead and typed a letter which I am thinking of sending to Mazdas North America Divion. Now I know it is alittle out there but it is worth a try. Tell me what you thing.
Dear Mazda,
I am writing this letter on behalf of various owners of your 2001 Protg MP3. While doing some research before buying the 2001 Protg MP3, I looked at some very important numbers to me. Mazda claims that the car stock produces 140whp. This is what I thought I bought. But in reality I did not. The reasoning behind this accusation is the Dyno test conducted on a 2001 Mazda MP3, which yielded 114.8 MAX HP with an Injen Cold Air Induction. In actuality the Injen Cold Air Induction added power to the vehicle. Concluding this test that puts the stock MP3 at 110whp (22% Loss). So if the claimed numbers were right I would not have a problem. This brings to mind an interesting question... Did Mazda pull the same scheme with the MP3/Pro 5 vehicle that they did with the Miata, by claiming higher HP numbers than actual? This was found out by a test that Sports Compact Car Magazine conducted and debunked Mazda's Miata power claim. Back to the Dyno Result. Due to mind-boggled results of the MP3 with an Injen Cold Air Intake, we went and conducted another test. This time the MP3 was placed back in the Dyno with the same Injen Cold Air Intake, but with three modifications. Japanese spec Intake and Exhaust cams and a Bosal exhaust. This should have added to the numbers claimed by Mazda. But a disappointment again was achieved, the MP3 wound up topping out at a whopping 120.9 max HP and 118.8 max Torque. So in comparison with the modifications we placed on the MP3 we are still 20whp short of what Mazda claimed. A break down of the modifications was as follows: Injen Intake ($291.00), Japanese Spec Intake Cam ($160.00), Japanese Spec Exhaust Cam ($140.00), Bosal Exhaust ($379.00) and Installation for all ($310.00). TOTAL: $1,400.00. Now I remember reading after the Sports Compact Car that Mazda had to add stuff to increase the whp or refund the money for the car. Now with that in mind lets look at the total number of MP3’s in North America. Total: 1500. So the worst-case scenario would be, all 1500 owners wanting a refund at a base price of $18,500.00. This would total $27,750,000.00. Now lets say if Mazda was to purchase the Injen Intake, both Japanese Spec Cams and the Bosal Exhaust. Mazda would still be short of the claimed whp by 20whp and it would cost them a total of $2,100,000.00., plus what ever was needed to increase by 20whp. Now I know every Mazda MP3 owner would be more than happy if Mazda would compensate use with a turbo system to make up for the lost whp. I read about Mazda all the time and I know there is a turbo system being experimented with on the new line of Mazda’s due for North America. This would cost Mazda next to nothing, minus installation considering the $27,750,000.00 for a total refund of all the owners of MP3’s. Plus this would put the whp well over what the claimed whp was suppose to be. I know the decision is not up to me to make for what Mazda is going to do, but I just wanted to give some input as a Mazda MP3 owner and behalf of many other Mazda MP3 owners.
And yes our motors do have 140whp.
