Hey Ohio

[jlcamp7]

The name is Jamie. I just joined the forums today and I am excited to become a part of the Protege world. As you can see by my sig I own a cougar (pics: http://www.cougardb.com/car.php?id=jlcamp7 ), but today the for sale signs are going up and I will be purchasing a protege 5. I am new to this forum, but not new to the workings, because the cougar forums I was a part of is the exact same type of layout, so it already kind of feels like home here.
I just wanted to say Hello to everyone and let everyone know I look forward to meeting you at different meets and modding along the way. I live on the west side of Cleveland. If there is anyone in this area I would love to meet up sometime. After searching for the right car to toy with next, I realized more than ever how much I love all of the mp styles. Not only do they look great straight from the factory, you don't see a billion of them running around modded. That is why I owned a cougar before this. Not alot of them out there with mods. It just gets tiring seeing a billion hondas and eclipses etc. I like something different, plus I have read nothing but awesome reviews about the mp, mp5 and msp. Anyway, I will quit babbling on, but I do have a few questions, before I find the right one.

1.I noticed that the 03's don't seem to have the door gaurds like the 02's(this is the mp5's I am talking about). Is that the same for all of them? If so are those mouldings easy to shave? are they held on by "double sided tape" from the factory?

2.Some of them don't have the roof rack on at all. Is that another option and if so can the whole thing be removed without repainting. I know that you can remove the center bars, but I still don't care much for the black strips running down the roof of the car.

3.Was it a special request to get a manual with leather? It seems so hard to find any with the 5 speed and leather option together. I have ran across only two so far, but neither in a black car. Are they out there? I am wanting either a black, silver or bright blue mp5 with black leather and a manual 5 speed.

4.Lastly what is the best companies(websites) to go to for aftermarket accesories, visual and performance for the protege's? and also is there any type of database with pictures of everyones car's?

Thanks everyone for your time. I will be posting this in the newbie section as well, but I also wanted to say hey to the Ohio chapter.

-Jamie

 

[Perro del Sol]

The name is Jamie. I just joined the forums today and I am excited to become a part of the Protege world. As you can see by my sig I own a cougar (pics: http://www.cougardb.com/car.php?id=jlcamp7 ), but today the for sale signs are going up and I will be purchasing a protege 5. I am new to this forum, but not new to the workings, because the cougar forums I was a part of is the exact same type of layout, so it already kind of feels like home here.
I just wanted to say Hello to everyone and let everyone know I look forward to meeting you at different meets and modding along the way. I live on the west side of Cleveland. If there is anyone in this area I would love to meet up sometime. After searching for the right car to toy with next, I realized more than ever how much I love all of the mp styles. Not only do they look great straight from the factory, you don't see a billion of them running around modded. That is why I owned a cougar before this. Not alot of them out there with mods. It just gets tiring seeing a billion hondas and eclipses etc. I like something different, plus I have read nothing but awesome reviews about the mp, mp5 and msp. Anyway, I will quit babbling on, but I do have a few questions, before I find the right one.

1.I noticed that the 03's don't seem to have the door gaurds like the 02's(this is the mp5's I am talking about). Is that the same for all of them? If so are those mouldings easy to shave? are they held on by "double sided tape" from the factory?

2.Some of them don't have the roof rack on at all. Is that another option and if so can the whole thing be removed without repainting. I know that you can remove the center bars, but I still don't care much for the black strips running down the roof of the car.

3.Was it a special request to get a manual with leather? It seems so hard to find any with the 5 speed and leather option together. I have ran across only two so far, but neither in a black car. Are they out there? I am wanting either a black, silver or bright blue mp5 with black leather and a manual 5 speed.

4.Lastly what is the best companies(websites) to go to for aftermarket accesories, visual and performance for the protege's? and also is there any type of database with pictures of everyones car's?

Thanks everyone for your time. I will be posting this in the newbie section as well, but I also wanted to say hey to the Ohio chapter.

-Jamie

Welcome, where in Cleveland? I have a Mazdaspeed Protege and I have a buddy who lives Lakewood, who has a P5, so let us know when you want to get together.

Just and FYI there is a meet @ Mid-Ohio in May 19-21, Mazda Corporate may purchase tickets for our members, it is being sponsored by the Mazda 6 forums I belong to, but other Mazda's are welcome too.

Also, check out the Redline Track Event Post, you can take your car to Mid-Ohio for some HIgh Performance Driving, that is happening March 31-April 2nd.

So feel free to join us, I am actually going to the MTMA fun run this weekend in PA, so please drop me a PM and we'll figure out when we can meet.

 

[wannabe]

1.I noticed that the 03's don't seem to have the door gaurds like the 02's(this is the mp5's I am talking about). Is that the same for all of them? If so are those mouldings easy to shave? are they held on by "double sided tape" from the factory?

i thought all of them did, but yes just take a hairdryer/heatgun to them and they peel right off (see my sig)

2.Some of them don't have the roof rack on at all. Is that another option and if so can the whole thing be removed without repainting. I know that you can remove the center bars, but I still don't care much for the black strips running down the roof of the car.

theres a factory part you can get to fill in the roof...i dont think you can remove it all together, but you may want to check the p5 section of this board..

3.Was it a special request to get a manual with leather? It seems so hard to find any with the 5 speed and leather option together. I have ran across only two so far, but neither in a black car. Are they out there? I am wanting either a black, silver or bright blue mp5 with black leather and a manual 5 speed.

plenty of people on here have it....i think anyway

4.Lastly what is the best companies(websites) to go to for aftermarket accesories, visual and performance for the protege's? and also is there any type of database with pictures of everyones car's?

there are lots. the people i recommend are Ken (CaptainKRM) www.protegegarage.com, ********** (i think its culin?) www.**********.com, Beau at www.**************************.com, there are more...but basically anybody showing "Authorized Vendor"

besides all that, welcome. I am Jon, from Painesville.

 

[jlcamp7]

Thanks guys for your hospitality. Sorry I haven't written back. Everything has been crazy around here the last few days, so I haven't had any internet time.

Perro I would love to meet up with you guys. If you just want to let me know when, that would be awesome. I have Thursday after 4:00 and Friday after 4:00 as well that we could meet up. Then I have all day Saturday at the moment. So just let me know. There is definately no rush. As for the mid ohio meet in May, I should definately have my mp by then and hopefully can be there to meet more of the group. (Sorry I forgot to send this as a pm to ya)

John, Thanks for your help in answering some of my questions everyone in the mp5 section has been of great help as well. That is a nice looking 01. I don't know what all you got going on suspension wise, but it certainly looks like a 3 body/wheel wise. I am actually looking at a 01 mp3 on ebay right now, that I will possibly pick up if everything goes right financially. MP3 I would love to have a msp, but I don't think that is feasible at the moment unless I run across the right one, so I will stick with either a 5 or 3.

Thanks guys

 

[wannabe]

John, Thanks for your help in answering some of my questions everyone in the mp5 section has been of great help as well. That is a nice looking 01. I don't know what all you got going on suspension wise, but it certainly looks like a 3 body/wheel wise. I am actually looking at a 01 mp3 on ebay right now, that I will possibly pick up if everything goes right financially. MP3 I would love to have a msp, but I don't think that is feasible at the moment unless I run across the right one, so I will stick with either a 5 or 3.

Thanks guys

no problem.

mine is basically a silver mp3. i bought it back in 01 because i wanted an mp3, but all the dealers were selling them over sticker with terrible financing. the best i was offered on an mp3 was 19,500 with 8% financing. sticker was 18,500. i got the ES for 15,700 out the door (about 1g below sticker) plus 0% financing. it has the mp3 front bumper/rebar, sideskirts, rear skirt, spoiler, msp springs(same as mp3), mp3 struts, mp3 wheels, mp3 rear swaybar, mp3 strut tower bar, racing beat cat-back (the people who "tuned" the mp3), then i also have a few non-mp3 parts, the injen intake, wagner header, kartboy shortshifter.

honestly, i should have just saved all that cash and put a turbo in it, but i would still want all the other stuff...so i guess its a wash..

 

[INGREXCO]

welcome to the forums

 

[Perro del Sol]

Thanks guys for your hospitality. Sorry I haven't written back. Everything has been crazy around here the last few days, so I haven't had any internet time.

Perro I would love to meet up with you guys. If you just want to let me know when, that would be awesome. I have Thursday after 4:00 and Friday after 4:00 as well that we could meet up. Then I have all day Saturday at the moment. So just let me know. There is definately no rush. As for the mid ohio meet in May, I should definately have my mp by then and hopefully can be there to meet more of the group. (Sorry I forgot to send this as a pm to ya)

John, Thanks for your help in answering some of my questions everyone in the mp5 section has been of great help as well. That is a nice looking 01. I don't know what all you got going on suspension wise, but it certainly looks like a 3 body/wheel wise. I am actually looking at a 01 mp3 on ebay right now, that I will possibly pick up if everything goes right financially. MP3 I would love to have a msp, but I don't think that is feasible at the moment unless I run across the right one, so I will stick with either a 5 or 3.

Thanks guys

The dealership where I purchased all of Mazda's from, has a MTX P5....check out www.parkmazda.com I do a great deal of business with them, so tell them I referred you, if your interested and they'll take real good care of you!

Marlon