Msp Or Ms3

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I know for me I was pissed that I bought an '02 ES about a month before the msp came out (and only about a $1000 difference), and I've driven both the msp and ms3 and I would take the msp hands down. The ms3 is quicker but to me can't touch the msp in the handling department. I do wish that Mazda would have put waaaayy more energy and engineering in the msp's motor and lsd, but before I install my turbo on my ES i'll go forged and the other proper mods so it doesn't go boom. And in the looks department (and yeah, I'm biased) I'll also go with the msp. But it all comes down to personal taste...there's not one perfect car out there in this or any other segment, and yeah the FS motor should have been made with stronger internals to handle a turbo, but I love my ride. And I might get flamed for this comment, but damn, wouldn't it have been a good idea to put that Cosworth motor (from the Focus SVT) in the msp then turbo that? That motor started off with 170 hp and they could have just boosted it to about 7psi...just a thought.
 
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but damn, wouldn't it have been a good idea to put that Cosworth motor (from the Focus SVT) in the msp then turbo that? That motor started off with 170 hp and they could have just boosted it to about 7psi...just a thought.

no s***! CantCMe for Mazda President!!! Ford = Mazda, they are the same company, the reason they didn't use that engine just baffles me.
 
no s***! CantCMe for Mazda President!!! Ford = Mazda, they are the same company, the reason they didn't use that engine just baffles me.
Problem being engine mounting, transmission mounting, etc. The point of the MSP was to take a great suspension platform and make the hottest sport compact on the market at the time and keep it cheap. The only way to do that was to work with what you have in the Protege already. Modding it to handle the SVT engine and tranny would have cost too much.

Any ways, back to the argument between MS3 and MSP. I haven't driven the MS3 yet, but if the handling is anything like the MSP, I would seriously consider buying the MS3. The kicker is that it's a hatch, therefore more versatile in daily usage. The 18" wheels bother me though, because tires are going to be so much more expensive. Also the MSP is so much lighter and gets better gas mileage, which is better for daily use as well.
 
no s***! CantCMe for Mazda President!!! Ford = Mazda, they are the same company, the reason they didn't use that engine just baffles me.

Thanks for the vote man!!

Problem being engine mounting, transmission mounting, etc. The point of the MSP was to take a great suspension platform and make the hottest sport compact on the market at the time and keep it cheap. The only way to do that was to work with what you have in the Protege already. Modding it to handle the SVT engine and tranny would have cost too much.

If they actually thought they could make "the hottest sport compact on the market at the time and keep it cheap" Mazda is more ****** up than I thought. Hottest and Cheap has never cut it before, nor will it ever. Stock msp's engines are blowing up left and right...yeah, cheap. They could have installed forged pistons and rods and other stuff to handle the extra power and raise the price another grand or $1500 and it still would have sold...

But I still would take it over the ms3 due to the fact that because of this wonderful forum I know what will break on my car before it happens and I'll go in and do the things Mazda should have done in the first place. I do think the ms3 is a nice ride, but just not for me...now if they would just put that motor in the sedan 3...
 
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Mazdaspeed2oo35, you sound biased as hell..

Werd. I too thought it was sarcasm at first...

IMO, the MS3 is the natural evolution of the MSP. It's a littl bigger, a little heavier, substanitally more refined, and retardedly more powerful. I'm not a fan of it's hatchiness, but looks are always subjective. I'd take one in addition to my MSP, but not for my MSP. IMO, The Protege's lack of refinement makes it much more intimate; I appreciate the rawness; it's what I bought it for. Kind of like the Integra Type R... (breakn)
 
me im more of a ms6 fan.. alot more user firendly in snow here..

my msp is crap in snow..
 
(within the limits of fwd).
thats the problem .. boost and snow with FWD is crap.. i got spiked tires and i still hate it in the snow.. and im a handbrake expert too.. my previous car (corolla) i would drift the back of the car 100 feet long and turn 90 degrees like a mofo.. it was more rally than driving. lol

but the msp does not have the same balance for some unknow reason.
 
thats the problem .. boost and snow with FWD is crap.. i got spiked tires and i still hate it in the snow.. and im a handbrake expert too.. my previous car (corolla) i would drift the back of the car 100 feet long and turn 90 degrees like a mofo.. it was more rally than driving. lol

but the msp does not have the same balance for some unknow reason.
My MSP handles better in the snow than any other FWD car I've driven. Sounds like you're trying to DRIFT through the snow, not DRIVE in it. That makes a difference.

Get a good set of snow tires and the MSP is FTW in winter, IMO.
 
I like both. I love my MSP and I love the MS3. I have put a lot of thought into how I could afford a Speed3. Just is not going to happen for a while. In 2003 for the choices of cars and performance, handling, and price range... You cannot lose with the MSP. Its pretty sad when you see "bug eyed" WRX's for $17k with over 100k miles on them. Two words "OVER RATED". People can afford the MSP and those who can afford the MS3... Congrats. IMO... MS3 wins in everything. It's just how evolution goes. Oh.. how cute... the MSP is all grown up now!! I hope to be able to own a MS3 or MS6 within 2 years. I like them a lot, the features are hot, and you can't buy anything else right now with the value, performance, and features in the price range.

Final verdict: Love my MSP.... Will upgrade to MS3 in future. (rei)
 
I do like the MSP, but with its so-called weak internals I will choose to get the MS3. The MSPengine issue, is like the WRX issue with its trans(nailbyt)
BUT, I do wish that the MS3 had the color choices of the MSP. And it would have been cool to see a MS3 version in the sedan as well. If that were the case I would get the MS3 sedan for sure, but I cant say that I dislike the hatch. I just like the sedans more. So sometime soon I will be purchasing a silver sport MS3(friday)

And I do not believe for one second that a MSP can keep up with a MS3, 170hp<263hp, plus the amount of tq that the MS3 has. NO WAY
 
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I went to the dealership looking for a ms6 (which they didn't have) and took the ms3 for a test drive (again) and I can see why people luv this car. I still favor the msp but the power difference between the two is easily detected. But $30K? Wow...put the motor in the sedan and lower the price, please.
 
ya but look at wat the MS3 is boosting out of the box, then compare that to what the MSP is boostin right out of the box. I wonder why ones faster....

The msp l00ks better anyway!
 
Honestly I really don't give a damn about the power Difference between the MSP and MS3, for sure even technology in years difference for me, MSP its one of a kind, and would never change my msp when it was bone stock, and not doing it the way i have it now, no matter if the MS3 has 4000whp. for me they are ugly ass hell, the MS3 has no chance about look, hadling and braking of the MSP, people it's not how fast it is, its an overall thing, even though we are comparing a 4 years old car to a brand 2008 model. my opinion the MS3 Still got nothing to do against my MSP or any other MSP in here in the forums.. theres tons of sick ass ones in here, Pirana's , Rush's ETC, dont get confused about the power one has and the other, with descent money you can fix the weakness parts of the MSP and really turn to have one of a KIND Jewell out there... F==K MS3's....
 
damn man, there really is no need for those comments "F==K MS3's".
I understand that you love your MSP and don't like the MS3, but you should respect it for what it is. it's not like it's a piece of s***, it's actually the best sport compact car currently.
 
damn man, there really is no need for those comments "F==K MS3's".
I understand that you love your MSP and don't like the MS3, but you should respect it for what it is. it's not like it's a piece of s***, it's actually the best sport compact car currently.

buddie that was just a playing around expression. not meant to hurt anyone here or disrespect any. Buddie Best Sport compact out there cause basically the cars that are coming out recently they suck. look at the new EVO, STI ... i swear men i don't understand how can the designers do something like that so nasty men.. the MS3 it's nice, but most of you people are just looking about the power of the car and how fast it is... same thing when the SRT-4 came out.. wow... super fast, big ass engine, but what esle is good in that car ? brakes ? suspension ? handling ? Interior ? manual rear windows mechanism ? C' mon men. don't focus in just one issue about the MS3 . power aint everything theres tons of car out there much nicer than the ms3 with less power.
 
Honestly I really don't give a damn about the power Difference between the MSP and MS3, for sure even technology in years difference for me, MSP its one of a kind, and would never change my msp when it was bone stock, and not doing it the way i have it now, no matter if the MS3 has 4000whp. for me they are ugly ass hell, the MS3 has no chance about look, hadling and braking of the MSP, people it's not how fast it is, its an overall thing, even though we are comparing a 4 years old car to a brand 2008 model. my opinion the MS3 Still got nothing to do against my MSP or any other MSP in here in the forums.. theres tons of sick ass ones in here, Pirana's , Rush's ETC, dont get confused about the power one has and the other, with descent money you can fix the weakness parts of the MSP and really turn to have one of a KIND Jewell out there... F==K MS3's....

I like the MSP aswell, but you have to understand where you and your MSP are on the food chain. I wouldnt say that they are ugly though. The MSP looks like it is a nock off of the 04-05 WRX. You take off your MSP body kit and then tell me how good looking your car is(rlaugh). The MS3 is superior in every way, power, breaking, suspension. After all it is the car that replaced yours(hand)
 
buddie that was just a playing around expression. not meant to hurt anyone here or disrespect any. Buddie Best Sport compact out there cause basically the cars that are coming out recently they suck. look at the new EVO, STI ... i swear men i don't understand how can the designers do something like that so nasty men.. the MS3 it's nice, but most of you people are just looking about the power of the car and how fast it is... same thing when the SRT-4 came out.. wow... super fast, big ass engine, but what esle is good in that car ? brakes ? suspension ? handling ? Interior ? manual rear windows mechanism ? C' mon men. don't focus in just one issue about the MS3 . power aint everything theres tons of car out there much nicer than the ms3 with less power.



yeah, i agree with the new cars sucking, the EVO is growing on me but the STI (pukey)(puke)

BTW, when is your car going to be done, it's being built by Manuel right?
 
I like the MSP aswell, but you have to understand where you and your MSP are on the food chain. I wouldnt say that they are ugly though. The MSP looks like it is a nock off of the 04-05 WRX. You take off your MSP body kit and then tell me how good looking your car is(rlaugh). The MS3 is superior in every way, power, breaking, suspension. After all it is the car that replaced yours(hand)

I respect your Opinion, but thats your Opinion. Suspension, and Braking the MS3 it's better ?, you got to be Kidding buddie. there is a day and night difference between braking and handling about the MSP against the MS3, and let me tell you something, By Discontinuing the MSP to produce the MS3 don't mean it's better.. Automobile Manufactures are recently ******* the market up with the s*** they are producing, Don't tell me the RX-7 its not 10000000000 times better in every aspect than the Useless Junk RX-8 ? what about the Supra ? C ' mon men.. don't focus in just the power, that MS3 It's ******* heavier than the msp, i've been in a Track inside a MS3, and then in my MSP, and let me tell you something men.. Even Stevie Wonder will Noticed which car is which by the way each other handles and brakes, and corners. yes MSP came up weak with the engine internals, but also was the Idea of mazdaspeed Production Car to exist. the MSP has nothing that Some Descent money can't fix.. the Exterior of the MSP it's way light years better than the MS3, even a Regular Protege ES looks better than a Regular 3...
 
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