In the market for MP3 -- need some clarification

[KrayzieFox]

Hey all, I'm in the market for a MP3 to replace my current P5 and I would like to ask a few questions about the standard features on the MP3.

1. Is the exhaust the same as the MSP?
2. Tail lights the same as MSP?
3. Struts and springs same as MSP?
4. Swaybars same as MSP?
5. Does it come with a stock subwoofer?
6. Does the stock Kenwood HU have an amp output?
7. Can the fogs be wired to come on with parking lights like on P5?
8. Is there an intermittent wiper stalk available for it?
9. Can the windows be hooked up to always on like on P5?

Thanks guys, I appreciate your help

 

[daonly1around]

Hey all, I'm in the market for a MP3 to replace my current P5 and I would like to ask a few questions about the standard features on the MP3.

1. Is the exhaust the same as the MSP?no
2. Tail lights the same as MSP?no(same shape)
3. Struts and springs same as MSP?yes and no
4. Swaybars same as MSP?yes
5. Does it come with a stock subwoofer? yes
6. Does the stock Kenwood HU have an amp output?not sure
7. Can the fogs be wired to come on with parking lights like on P5?yes
8. Is there an intermittent wiper stalk available for it?i'm sure you could swap one
9. Can the windows be hooked up to always on like on P5?not sure what you mean here?

Thanks guys, I appreciate your help

 

[KrayzieFox]

So how do the MSP and MP3 tails differ? What about the springs? Same subwoofer as MSP?

What I meant by the last one was if its possible to do the always on mod so you can roll the windows up & down without having the key in the ignition.

Thanks for the answers.

 

[Tzar177]

Hey all, I'm in the market for a MP3 to replace my current P5 and I would like to ask a few questions about the standard features on the MP3.

1. Is the exhaust the same as the MSP?
2. Tail lights the same as MSP?
3. Struts and springs same as MSP?
4. Swaybars same as MSP?
5. Does it come with a stock subwoofer?
6. Does the stock Kenwood HU have an amp output?
7. Can the fogs be wired to come on with parking lights like on P5?
8. Is there an intermittent wiper stalk available for it?
9. Can the windows be hooked up to always on like on P5?

Thanks guys, I appreciate your help

The axle back portion may be the same but i think the mid section is different since the msp had both cats under the car and the mp3 had only one. Tail lights are the same. Stock struts and stock springs were different. Sway bars should be the same. Corksport sells an intermittent wiper stalk

 

[KrayzieFox]

Yea, I knew about the cats in the exhaust. I guess I should've clarified I was interested in just the axleback.

But theres some conflicting info about the struts.. are they the same or no? I know the springs are different, but what about struts?

And thanks for the intermittent wiper info.

 

[MP3Performance]

Axleback sounds and most likely flows the same, but the msp had a circular shape tip (might only be for 2003.5 though) while the mp3 is more oval. Struts have the almost the same damping but the rears have the strut perch set higher (that is why the springs are shorter in the rear for the msp). Some people say that the damping is more stiffer in one car or the other, but that is all speculation and no real proof, but for all practical reasons the damping is the same.

Also the tail lights are not exactly the same. The msp has a pinkish tint color on the "white" reverse/turn signal portion of the light, while the mp3 has a true white/clear color there.

The subwoofer is not the same as the msp. The mp3 subwoofer is a tube type sub that is mounted to the trunk floor. The speakers in the mp3 are also mounted on the rear deck right behind the passengers (I think that the msp has its rear speakers mounted in the rear doors?)

Keep in mind, if you didn't know already, that mp3 also has a quicker steering ratio which is not found in any other protege/p5/msp, so it gives much better steering feel and feedback.

If you want to know any other differences let us know and I'm sure we can come up with a whole list of differences between the two.

 

[KrayzieFox]

Hmm, interesting.. I have never heard of that before actually. What's that a result of?

 

[MP3Performance]

Different steering rack. Requires less revolutions of the steering wheel from lock to lock position as compared to the msp. I remember reading that it is european spec, but I am not 100% certain on the origin. You will definitely notice a better steering feel. I have had a person with a p5 and another with a msp drive my car and they said they really loved the steering. A guy from autox said he prefered a mp3 to a msp for autox due to the smoother power delivery and better steering. I think that even PG sold the mp3 steering rack but it was pretty expensive, and I heard its hard to replace too.

 

[KrayzieFox]

I'm not sure if that quicker steering is actually true or not..

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/new-cars/2001-mazda-protege-mp3/

While not an aftermarket part, the MP3 shares its steering gear with the European-spec Proteg and features a 15.4:1 ratio. (The standard Proteg ratio is 15.0:1.) To help stiffen the steering, an upper strut bar is standard equipment, while C-shaped, stamped-steel reinforcements have been added to the tops of the front strut towers.

Steering ratios
15.4:1 on MP3 (360 degree turn of steering wheel / 15.4 = 23.4 degrees turning of wheels)
15.0:1 on P5/MSP (360 degree turn of steering wheel / 15 = 24 degrees turning of wheels)

Higher number means you have to turn more, not less, to turn the wheels. So are you sure about the quicker steering response?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steering_ratio

 

[JoeManNorth]

Suspension refinements were developed by Racing Beat of Anaheim, California, a well-known aftermarket tuner. Additions include Tokico shocks, increased spring rates, larger stabilizer bars, and chassis reinforcements. In addition, a quicker 15.4:1 steering ratio adds more precision and feedback to the steering.

http://www.canadiandriver.com/2001/06/14/first-drive-2001-mazda-mp3.htm

The steering ratio is the ratio of how far you turn the steering wheel to how far the wheels turn. For instance, if one complete revolution (360 degrees) of the steering wheel results in the wheels of the car turning 20 degrees, then the steering ratio is 360 divided by 20, or 18:1. A higher ratio means that you have to turn the steering wheel more to get the wheels to turn a given distance. However, less effort is required because of the higher gear ratio.

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/steering2.htm

So, with that said, the steering ration is "quicker" meaning you can turn it easier and thus faster even though you need to turn the wheel a little more to get the same radius (but this is small.. about 10 degrees of the steering wheel or 0.03 revolutions). I guess the meaning "quicker" is a little deciving.

 

[zoomin MP3]

7 & 9:The wiring in the proteges is almost identical across the board, so you should be able to do the constant on for windows. I've done the foglight mod on my car and a P5, so I'm positive about that one.

1. Exhaust tips are different. MP3 is slightly ovalled, 03.5 MSP is extremely ovalled.

5 & 6. They originally came with the tube/bazooka style self-powered subs, but alot of original owners removed them. What do you mean by amp out? Remote power switch, non-fading RCA's? It has both of those.