protege 5 same as mp3?

[Eddie N]

i'm looking to possibly pick up an mp3 or protege 5 for some road course fun this spring, and i have a few questions..

firstly, my options are either a 01 mp3 or a 03 or used protege 5.. i was told by a salesperson at a dealership that the engine and the suspension between the mp3 and protege 5 were identical.. being someone who has been around the block a few times, i know not to believe anything from a salesperson no matter how convincing it may sound.. so i turn to you guys.. this is a crucial piece of information that will heavily sway my purchase decision..

being that this car will see the road course often, the impressive mp3 suspension is a must have.. if the protege5 suspension is indeed different, then i am limited to an 01 mp3..

i must say i was impressed with the aftermarket with these cars.. i cant believe stoptech makes a brake upgrade.. stoptech doesnt even make a brake upgrade kit for the 3000gt/dodge stealth!!

thanks for the help,

- eddie -

 

[Sir Nuke]

i'm looking to possibly pick up an mp3 or protege 5 for some road course fun this spring, and i have a few questions..

firstly, my options are either a 01 mp3 or a 03 or used protege 5.. i was told by a salesperson at a dealership that the engine and the suspension between the mp3 and protege 5 were identical.. being someone who has been around the block a few times, i know not to believe anything from a salesperson no matter how convincing it may sound.. so i turn to you guys.. this is a crucial piece of information that will heavily sway my purchase decision..

being that this car will see the road course often, the impressive mp3 suspension is a must have.. if the protege5 suspension is indeed different, then i am limited to an 01 mp3..

i must say i was impressed with the aftermarket with these cars.. i cant believe stoptech makes a brake upgrade.. stoptech doesnt even make a brake upgrade kit for the 3000gt/dodge stealth!!

thanks for the help,

- eddie -

Eddie, allow me to be the first to say Welcome to our happy little corner of the net, and to our Club. There are TWO BIG fridge'S in the corner with anything you can think of in them...help yourself...of course only take what you can LEGALLY have. (stash)

make yourself at home on one of the big fluffy couches, kick your shoes off, put your feet up on one of the tables, yes we are allowed to do that, mom don't care....and take it easy.

oh...btw....every once in a while a food fight breaks out...so you may not want to wear nice clothes here.

Welcome!! (stash)

NOW to your questions....if you are buying the car primarially or totally for racing only....you should go with the MP3 for a few reasons...and here they are.

1. The MP3 is lighter than the P-5

2. In its stock form....the engine in the MP3 has 10 more HP. it IS the same engine, but the ECU is a tad diffrent. and the car REQUIRES high octane fuel.

3. the suspensions ARE different. at least from the factory...can you put the same struts/springs/sway bars on both an MP3 and a P5? YES you can....but from the factory the suspensions are not identical. the sway bars in the MP3 are bigger, the springs are a tad stiffer, and lower the car just a little, and the struts are valved a bit differently.

 

[Eddie N]

thanks for the warm welcome.. sheesh that was a quick reply.. i brushed my teeth and was about to shut down for the night when the outlook mail beep scared the heck out of me..

looks like the mp3 is my choice then.. since the car is so low on power weight is definitely a big issue, even 100 pounds makes a difference.. i dont want to have to swap suspensions.. i like the look of the sedan more anyway..

its interesting that the engines are the same, but one requires premium fuel... the ecu must advance the timing a bit more for those extra 10 horses.. whats the compression ratio? does aem make a replacement ecu?

will lowering the car make the cars stellar handling handle even better? i know in theory it will, but does anyone have any real world experience?

i guess these questions are probably more suited for another thread, and even the search feature.. my plans are basic bolt ons and a moderate turbo set up.. i hang at the track with a lot of high performance sports car guys, and nothing would thrill me more than to whoop their asses in a $18,000 car that my wife wouldnt be afraid to drive.. and thats not a slam!! i love the underdog...

thanks to a stout aftermarket this is going to be a fun project!

ps.. i'll be sure to let the salesman know he was wrong (but i'm sure he knew he was spewing bull)..

- eddie -

 

[Eddie N]

ha! wish me luck! i found only one decent one on autotrader with in 400 miles of me.. i wonder why they only made 1500, and why they were only made one year..

- eddie -

 

[Sir Nuke]

Eddie,
The car is without a doubt the best handling thing for the money....

its a KNOWN FACT that the MP3 can and WILL out handle cars in the corners that cost as much as 5 to 10 times as much...and that is no exaggeration. I have personally seen testing results to back that up.

in fact....I have seen an MP3 run a 600 foot solom FASTER than a Corvette could...not by a lot, but all you have to do is get the nose across first to win a race! :{D ...and it was the SAME DRIVER. so driver ability was NOT a factor. SO, if you get them on a track that has a LOT of twisties...and you not much straights where their brute power comes into play...YOU will open their eyes quite wide. I would guess the first time they dog you, and you PROVE to them the prowess of the Protege....they will be begging you to let THEM take your ride for a SPIN!

ANYWAY... to answer a few more of your quesitons....YES the ECU advances the timing a bit to get the extra ponies...which is also why the higher octane fuel required.

NO, currently there is not a replacement ECU for our cars.

YES the suspension can be improved upon...as the stock suspension was designed for the street...and thus some required comfort....you can always get fully adjustable sturts....lower/stiffer springs....and larger sway bars.

the stock compression ratio is 9.1:1


p.s. the salesman probably THOUGHT they were the same...just blowing smoke up your butt trying to make you think HE knew what he was talking about. seeing as how he probably had a p-5 to sell you....but NOT an MP3.