New owner

[kstang]

Monday I bought a Silver p5, It is a 2003 and I am pretty sure the 2003.5. It has the "spare sub." 78K miles, very very clean. Works great, It needed tires and an alignment and so I got 4 kumho esta's. Looking at getting it tinted 30% front side, and 15% for the back sides and very back. I use to drive a 1997 Toyota Tacoma 4wd v6 manual. Got about 18 highway MPG. On my trip back i got 34.125 mpg it was very nice hitting 260 miles at the half tank mark, rather then being on fumes.

The car overall fits what I need. I bike so I wanted something that I could put bikes on top of, and I wanted something with good storage and good MPG.

I got an "sport auto" which is a joke but I wanted something easy to drive that would be mindless. I use to have a miata, with a 5 speed and I this still has that zoom zoom handling feel that i missed in the truck. Any way i was not looking for a sporty car when I need power I have my 65 mustang. I am just looking for a good daily.

Plans for the car is tint, and MPG increasing items, looking into wheel weights, and some weight reduction with out sacrificing road noise. Probably do some ignition work, plugs wires, coil packs to get a stronger spark. Lastly is an ipod hook up.

Bad night shots:

Funny, Silver Honda oddsey, Silver V6 6 speed accord, Silver wrx wagon(not pictured), Silver 03 P5. Something tells me there is a trend!

and my fun toy!(work in progress)

And my old miata RIP

 

[P-Funk!]

Sweeet! Welcome aboard! If you are getting 34+ MPG - your spark is fine. Get the intake/header/UDP combo with the now freed-up tune up money!

 

[gottacatchup]

Yea don't waste you're money on ignition upgrades unless you're trying to make a super high power build. And of course welcome.

 

[fkmp5]

yes it's an 03.5 because of the spare tire sub and also no roof-rack. nice choice!

btw: is that lower grill silver also? is it just the standard black grill painted or is it actually some kind of metal replacement? perhaps it's just the night-mode picture throwing me off.

welcome aboard!

 

[kstang]

yes it's an 03.5 because of the spare tire sub and also no roof-rack. nice choice!

btw: is that lower grill silver also? is it just the standard black grill painted or is it actually some kind of metal replacement? perhaps it's just the night-mode picture throwing me off.

welcome aboard!

Its black, just a night mode picture throwing it off. Although that would look quite nice in silver.

So its not worth doing the plugs, and wires even?

Also I have looked but not seen what type of MPG gain you would get with headers, midpipe and exhaust. Is the mazdaspeed exhaust quite? I don't want something loud at all. Does any one have any data for mpg increase with these mods?

 

[gus5]

Engine wise, there isn't much to do to the stock car to improve miles per gallon. Just have a clean air filter, new spark plugs, 5w-30 oil and don't fill the oil all the way to the full line on the dipstick. 34MPG highway is pretty good if you were driving normally. Your best bet to get better mileage now is to change how you drive. cleanmpg.com might have some tips that could help you. Most mods will add power at high RPM's while taking away torque at lower RPM's which could be counter productive to you wanting better FE.

Weight reduction could help. Removing the sub, spare tire, back seats and anything else you might not need everyday. Also inflating your tires higher than recommended, though I wouldn't go all the way to the max listed on the sidewall. Maybe some where between the label on the door jamb and the max listed on your tire sidewall.

Its black, just a night mode picture throwing it off. Although that would look quite nice in silver.

So its not worth doing the plugs, and wires even?

Also I have looked but not seen what type of MPG gain you would get with headers, midpipe and exhaust. Is the mazdaspeed exhaust quite? I don't want something loud at all. Does any one have any data for mpg increase with these mods?

 

[bazooka joe]

welcome...22v ftw!!

 

[kstang]

Just got it tinted today With Suntek Carbon, Looks sharp! Its storming now and I got to go drive down to new orlean today. I will wash it up and get some photos later.

Next thing I think i want are HIDs. I do a lot of night driving with the possibility of deer on empty country roads, so long range visibility is very important to me. I have read on here that the H7 is what the p5 uses.

I found this kit which a lot of people seem to use.
http://www.xenonexpert.com/ddm_kit.html
I understand the entire lumens kelvin debate and for the range I want i am looking at 4300K-4500K. My question is does this eliminate the high beams or are they still functional? If they are function they do not use the HID bulb do they?

If that only does the low beams with the H7 kit, could I use a Bi-Xeon kit featured here:
http://www.xenonexpert.com/ddm_hilo.html

with my 2003.5 protege5? If so would there be harness cutting involved(bit dead in for me, I don't want to cut original wiring, I can created socketed adapters but I won't cut OEM wires) Has any one does this? I have also read that the Ebay kits work pretty well too any to stay away from?

Again thanks, I have a good mechanically ability its just stuck in the 60's haha. I like to study and fully understand anything before I commit to it.

 

[maxchao]

in P5 hi beam and low beam are seperated. So if you replace the low beam bulb to HID, the high beam will be untouched. Maybe you can put HID in high beam too! I always think that will be cool to blind people but it seems no one has done it. there are kits that does not involve cutting wires, simply plug-n-play(maybe some cutting for the bulb base), and also mounting the ballast.
Well I'm no expert and I don't even have a HID kit, so I will just start it and leave the rest to others. lol

Josh

 

[kstang]

Yeah I just looked through the factory manual. They are two separate bulbs. But like I said before Most of my night driving is on empty country roads with the possibility of deer. And like any other driving situation if there is traffic I use lows. Frankly I think I rather have the HID's on the High beams rather then the lows. So at least now I know that the bi-xeon kits won't work.

I just found that the high bulbs are 9005's and the ebay kits have that bulb available. Has any one doe two kits one for high and one for low? I wouldn't think that I would be the first!

 

[bazooka joe]

Just got it tinted today With Suntek Carbon, Looks sharp! Its storming now and I got to go drive down to new orlean today. I will wash it up and get some photos later.

Next thing I think i want are HIDs. I do a lot of night driving with the possibility of deer on empty country roads, so long range visibility is very important to me. I have read on here that the H7 is what the p5 uses.

I found this kit which a lot of people seem to use.
http://www.xenonexpert.com/ddm_kit.html
I understand the entire lumens kelvin debate and for the range I want i am looking at 4300K-4500K. My question is does this eliminate the high beams or are they still functional? If they are function they do not use the HID bulb do they?
pics of the tint?
If that only does the low beams with the H7 kit, could I use a Bi-Xeon kit featured here:
http://www.xenonexpert.com/ddm_hilo.html

with my 2003.5 protege5? If so would there be harness cutting involved(bit dead in for me, I don't want to cut original wiring, I can created socketed adapters but I won't cut OEM wires) Has any one does this? I have also read that the Ebay kits work pretty well too any to stay away from?

Again thanks, I have a good mechanically ability its just stuck in the 60's haha. I like to study and fully understand anything before I commit to it.

pics of the tint?

 

[Clarkbug]

I say go for the Xenon Expert DDM kit. I picked one up a few months back, and Im really happy with the results. Good build quality, easy to install (you want to trim the spacers, it will make more sense when you see them), AND the price just went down to $110 bucks with a lifetime warranty and an extra wiring harness.

Install is plug and play, no cutting, splicing, messing around. You cut two slits in the rubber boot on the back of the headlight, but other than that you can go back to stock anytime you wanted to and no one would know.

I think Im going to get another kit for my bro's birthday. It makes it look sweet at night.

 

[kstang]

I say go for the Xenon Expert DDM kit. I picked one up a few months back, and Im really happy with the results. Good build quality, easy to install (you want to trim the spacers, it will make more sense when you see them), AND the price just went down to $110 bucks with a lifetime warranty and an extra wiring harness.

Install is plug and play, no cutting, splicing, messing around. You cut two slits in the rubber boot on the back of the headlight, but other than that you can go back to stock anytime you wanted to and no one would know.

I think Im going to get another kit for my bro's birthday. It makes it look sweet at night.

Excuse my stupidity, but on their site the Xenon Expert DDM kit is $170 with a standard warranty. Can you link me up to a $110 I am quite intrested in that kit.

As for tint pictures I am getting an oil change tomorrow and I will do a quick wash and snap some pictures and post up!

 

[Clooney003]

Try this link.

These guys are nice and take care of ya if anything goes wrong or is faulty.

http://www.therpmstore.com/product_info.php?cPath=143&products_id=38

 

[kstang]

Today I got an oil changed 5w30 Mobile 1 Synthetic. Gave it a little wash after the first 600 miles of driving! It cleaned up well. I was able to get the dealer sticker off the back which was hideous any how, Enough chat here are the pictures I promised:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3039/2662942698_04e39046c7_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3076/2662945590_903d10715c_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3042/2662123167_8c065dcb52_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3111/2662125873_10d45367f8_b.jpg

Thanks guys!

 

[kstang]

Ok So I ordered a HID kit a few days ago, It arrived yesterday and I installed it today after I had a test, and then 8 hours at work. Install was pretty straight froward. Started on the drivers side. I figured with the learning curve It would be better to start on the side with the more room. The clip is annoying but not that bad. I checked the original wiring with a voltmeter even though my hunch on power and ground where right. Ground is the striped one. Any way. I just got back from my first night ride. As soon as i pulled out of my street I had a cop come at me radar-ing. He didn't flash me or anything. I have them pointed pretty well. A friend on a bike coming at me said they looked nice, Not annoying or anything. It lites up the road perfectly no blue hue and no yellow.

Talk about 90% humidity, I really thing its just the camera. I don't see this affect in real life. I should try a tripod and a slower ISO rather then Auto.

Craptastic background to shoot the light against, but you get the point. On the initial drive it lit up the ground nice and even. Very clear. I could see things much more vividly.

 

[rpine422]

Which color lenses did you get? Also where did you order them from? I alos just picked up a silver 2003.5 protege 5 and am about to tint and replace the head lights as well. Let me know thanks.