I don't think anyone will disagree that I had a hard time deciding which car to get. i did this same poll months ago, but this was before seeing more of the titanium. I actually went with orange as my first choice. I had one ordered, and it was on the train on it's way over to meWithin two weeks of recieving it, I changed my mind to Titanium.
Why? Glad you asked
First, I do like the orange. the pearl/metallic effect is amazing. Granted, I'm already seeing the Mazdaspeed here in town trying to find a way to match it (has some damage on it) and their having fun trying. You live in a bigger town, that won't be such an issue.
Anyhow, I originally liked the 2003 design better. afterall, I do drive a MP3, so I obviously liked it. But I felt in one sense, I was just buying the same car, just not as pretty( sorry orange owners, it's just blue is my fav color). With the small changes with the 2003.5, it at least looks somewhat different from the mp3, and at least I'll feel it has a fresher design, or at least somethign different, and I never bought the same car. But, %95 of the people around here won't notice much of a difference between the two, so to some, I'll still be buying the same car...screw em. If I cared what other people thought, I wouldn't have considered getting an orange car to begin with, or be trading a perfectly good mp3 at all. I'm a car guy, I drive cars for me, and only me, I do not spend 30+ grand to impress anyone...women included. Sorry, nothing irritates me more then some moron assuming that I spent this kinda money trying to impress someone.
Anyhow. The orange is nice....bright, stands out, sparkles in sun, comes with fogs etc etc etc. But, I know I won't be able to sell that car here in town 2-3 years from now easily.....how do I know? Because just about everyone I talk to that's not 12 yrs old, hates it. It's true, hardly anyone in town likes the orange one here, they call it the peach mobile, peachy crappy thingy, pumpkin and more I don't care to repeat. funny, as when I was getting the orange, and showed people pics of the car, and showed the one in town they were like
"um...., that's kinda different....neat....good for you???"
Then when I said I changed my mind the tone changed to
"thank god, I thought you were nuts for considering it. I didn't have the nerve to say what I really thought without fear of being rude" bla bla
I do like the color. The woman does not. Another big factor in my decision. But, we all agreed that if I bought it, I'll be stuck with it when I don't want it anymore. Orange might be just a fad, one that will die 2-3 yrs from now .... maybe. To be honest, I'm already tired of seeing the one in town.
not only that, but the orange would be a b**** to keep clean. AND, unless it is clean, it does look very....very...pale.
But in the sun IT'S AMAZING! Which made me very to tempted to get it still.
Unfortunately, around here, it rains/snows more during the year then it is sunny
so, for the most part, the car would always look dull.
I love the titanium color. I don't know if you've seen all the pics going around of the miata's, Australian Protege ( astina's) even the similarly colored Aston Martin Vantage. I've collected oodles of Miata pics that are a better indication of the color, and after seeing it various lighting, I fell in love with it. It's Rich looking, cool looking, tint the windows and it'll look very sharp. Fog lights CAN be fixed one way or the other. Stock fogs may not fit right, but are going to be really over priced anyhow. Getting something from piaa may be a better idea, but it can be fixed.
Even the spoiler can be fixed. 300 Canadian and I can have the MP3 spoiler again.
Don't like the front lip? take it off. it's taped on more then likely with double sided tape. Now you got the same Protege bumper as the p5/mp3/msp. Stick in a set of PIAA 540's, Mazda's little windsplitter( 100 bucks) and now you have the msp 2003's front end for under 500 bucks. I agree, we shouldn't have to put in fogs in the 1st place, but the HUGE DEAL that everyone makes about it....fact is, it an be changed quite simply....and a lot easier then changing the paint color. don't believe me? Look at the pics posted here of the cars parked front on, and at the ports in bc. The lip isn't installed, and the front end is identical to the msp without it. wanna keep the lip, and for some reason the stock fogs won't fit ( big possiblilty) instead of getting a piaa 540, which is just over a 5" lamp, get a 4" lamp. the lamps are too big anyhow imho but only marginally.
The spoiler is a like or hate thing. i did not like it at first. The pics make it look very tell, and the staple effect is kinda odd at first. But it grew on me, and is really not an issue anymore. My best buddy who has seen the 2003.5 in person claims that it's really not much higher then the 2003 anyhow, just that it really looks like it is with the middle leg missing.
All the other things, the peddles, wheels, different stitching in the seats is really really minor guys. IF your really that anal about peddles, the sparco ones won't please you either. I like the MP3 peddles far better then the sparco ones, they just felt lighter under the foot, and I never liked the gas peddle in the 2003.
So that's a long story, but I'm bored.
) If I wanted a fast car that blends in with every other Ford, Chevy, Mitubishi, etc. then I'd get one in a plain (ie: black mica (sorry agr)) color. The car just matches my personality, as anyone that knows me will tell you.
