I'm thinking of getting a mazdaspeed protege, I love the looks and handling, but wish it had a better base motor to torbo. I was going to wait till spring or summer and look at the new Saturn Redline, but with the end of year discount I may jump on the MSP or Mazda3. I do a lot of stop and go driving. Would the Mazda3 hold up better than the MSP? If i went with MSP would a bigger intercooler help?
Mazdaspeed or Mazda3?
- Thread starter Mrbobcat
- Start date
jrodhotrod
Contributor
- :
- 2003 Mazda Protege5 (Mine) 2002 Nissan Sentra GXE (Wife's)
Both would be good choices, there is potential in the Mazdaspeed with a good aftermarket already existing for exhaust, FMIC, etc... However with the Mazda3 you have a larger motor to start with, but no aftermarket yet. You'll be waiting for a while for the kits to be developed. You can get a Mazdaspeed for a great price right now and if you stick with it and are willing to put the money in can get some decent power out of it.
The suspension in the Mazdaspeed is definetly better then what's in the Mazda3 and it will outhandle it. And in my opinion the MSP sedan looks better. You just need to decide what it is you want.
The suspension in the Mazdaspeed is definetly better then what's in the Mazda3 and it will outhandle it. And in my opinion the MSP sedan looks better. You just need to decide what it is you want.
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- 2003.5 Titanium Gray MSP #1699
I looked at the Redline at the Miami Auto Show...some people might like the looks & the higher #s are deceiving, but trust me, you DO NOT want that car. The shifter was huge, rubbery, & not sporty at all. The sound system was lame (typical domestic interior crap style). There is no LSD, no strut bar, & no sway bars that I could see. They made a nice attempt, but it seems 1/2 assed to me.
The MSP is selling for dirt cheap right now, so my suggestion would be to snatch one up. Stop & go driving is no problem unless you've never driven stick & then you're in for a learning experience (& possibly a sore left foot). I don't think anything about the 3 is drastically different quality-wise, so the MSP would be my choice because it's way more fun.
Of course a big FMIC would help. Most of the people on here will probably suggest you get one 1st thing, but you can worry about that once you get the car.
Welcome to the site & good luck with your decision!
The MSP is selling for dirt cheap right now, so my suggestion would be to snatch one up. Stop & go driving is no problem unless you've never driven stick & then you're in for a learning experience (& possibly a sore left foot). I don't think anything about the 3 is drastically different quality-wise, so the MSP would be my choice because it's way more fun.
Of course a big FMIC would help. Most of the people on here will probably suggest you get one 1st thing, but you can worry about that once you get the car.
Welcome to the site & good luck with your decision!
What do you want? A tuner car that doubles as a compact daily driver or a compact daily driver with potential to become a tuner car. You have to decide which is most important for you.
I have driven 3 of the Mazda3s. First was a sedan with the sport package, 2.3 and automatic transmission. Second was a 2.0, 5 speed sedan and third was a 2.3 5 speed five door. The cars all had these things in common:
A high level of fit and finish
Good quality materials
More quiet than the protg
A pleasing exhaust note
Light, quick and communicative steering
Good brake feel and action
Little feeling of body roll
The first car was very nicely fitted out. It had the 17 wheels of course. This car ran well and the manual mode of the transmission worked well. Down shifts under braking for a turn did not upset the car. It seems that Mazda has built in the same pause in the 1-2 and 2-1 gear changes that are in the Mazda6 auto. The steering was light quick and accurate. Although lighter than the Protgs, the steering still provides a good connection to the front tires. The brakes despite some hard use worked without problems and were easy to modulate. The biggest difference was the sound level inside. The interior was quiet, much better than the Protg. There was less road noise from the tires and less wind noise as well. All of the controls worked well and were generally easy to reach. The seats were reasonably well shaped and supportive. All the materials seemed to be of high quality and parts fit together well.
The second car seemed more eager and playful than the first. This could have been because of the manual transmission, the smaller engine or the smaller wheels. The smaller 2.0 engine needs to be in the upper part of the rev range to make its best power. Despite needing the higher revs, the car was still quieter than a Protg. Dont misunderstand me; it has more than sufficient power lower down to handle the daily chores and normal traffic driving. It is when you are trying to go quickly that you need the revs.
The 2.3 manual transmission car was faster than the 2.0. Not as much faster as I envisioned but faster. It did not feel as eager to play but was more relaxed than the 2.0. It also was easier to drive in traffic and quieter at high speeds. It too handled, stopped and turned well.
All three cars had slightly different characters. Pick the one that matches your desires.
I have driven 3 of the Mazda3s. First was a sedan with the sport package, 2.3 and automatic transmission. Second was a 2.0, 5 speed sedan and third was a 2.3 5 speed five door. The cars all had these things in common:
A high level of fit and finish
Good quality materials
More quiet than the protg
A pleasing exhaust note
Light, quick and communicative steering
Good brake feel and action
Little feeling of body roll
The first car was very nicely fitted out. It had the 17 wheels of course. This car ran well and the manual mode of the transmission worked well. Down shifts under braking for a turn did not upset the car. It seems that Mazda has built in the same pause in the 1-2 and 2-1 gear changes that are in the Mazda6 auto. The steering was light quick and accurate. Although lighter than the Protgs, the steering still provides a good connection to the front tires. The brakes despite some hard use worked without problems and were easy to modulate. The biggest difference was the sound level inside. The interior was quiet, much better than the Protg. There was less road noise from the tires and less wind noise as well. All of the controls worked well and were generally easy to reach. The seats were reasonably well shaped and supportive. All the materials seemed to be of high quality and parts fit together well.
The second car seemed more eager and playful than the first. This could have been because of the manual transmission, the smaller engine or the smaller wheels. The smaller 2.0 engine needs to be in the upper part of the rev range to make its best power. Despite needing the higher revs, the car was still quieter than a Protg. Dont misunderstand me; it has more than sufficient power lower down to handle the daily chores and normal traffic driving. It is when you are trying to go quickly that you need the revs.
The 2.3 manual transmission car was faster than the 2.0. Not as much faster as I envisioned but faster. It did not feel as eager to play but was more relaxed than the 2.0. It also was easier to drive in traffic and quieter at high speeds. It too handled, stopped and turned well.
All three cars had slightly different characters. Pick the one that matches your desires.
