So I'll borrow your wisdom then?

[MPSpeedSeraph]

Hey you all. I'm new to the boards and first off want to say hi. I must say I love the atmosphere on this forum it'd be a lot better off if other forums took a note from this one.

With that said I've been floating around the boards for a month or so just soaking everything in. You see I kind of caught a bug for the MPS. But I've hit a bit of a brick wall so to speak. Let me lay it all out so it makes sense.

I used to drive a 93 FD3S which me and my father rebuilt. It was my dream car. You see my fathers first car when he was young as an RX2, and as a young child my father went through a number of FB's and FC's. I always used to help him clean them and work on them or just watch him work on them. He'd take me for rides and I'd slide all over the seat as he slid around corners. I even remember waking up every morning just as my father started the engine and I heard that remarkable sound as he stretched out the gears on the drive down the street on his way to work; it was like clockwork.

So finally when I got my license (I had been driving for years before this) my father celebrated by picking me up a 93 FD that was a coworkers of his. The guy took horrible care of the car and had many complaints. We realized most of the work needed was either cosmetic, caused by carelessness or insufficient knowledge of the rotary. We had the 13b rebuilt. Had the paint redone on the entire car, put some rims and tires on, and got the interior reupholstered.

At the end of the day it wasn't the fastest car but it handled well, had enough power to snap a grin out of anyone and looked damn good to boot.

However a few years ago thanks to the thoughtfulness of a drunk driver my baby was taken from me. She was totaled beyond repair. I didn't have the funds to buy a new one at the time so my father bought a ZX3 focus for daily commuting. It was hell in that car... sure I put the thing through the wringer and with enough knowledge, experience, and effort the car COULD be fun at times; but it just wasn't the same...

Now to bring in the new year I decided it was finally time to get rid of the slowcus so I traded it in and bought my mother a Mazda 6 V6. I wanted her to have a new car and she definitely deserved one so it's now sitting in the garage.

However now I'm in the process of trying to find some wheels for myself... that's where my dilemma comes into play. You see during new years weekend my brother in law came to visit and brought his friends MPS with him. I had seen them before but never got a good look around. I liked the exterior... it was a 2003.5 titanium. The body was beautiful, very aggressive yet refined and understated. Then I got to hop in and I must say I enjoyed everything from the seats to the stereo. I loved the stock exhaust and the only modifications on this MPS were a Turbo XS BOV and injen CAI. Hearing that blow off honestly put a smile on my face. It was a little boy racerish but not TOO over the top, definitely added to the fun factor.

So I decided to take it for a few fun runs. First I must say it was a night and day comparison from the focus. This thing had Torque when you wanted it and it was quick (not fast... but quick). I had a grin on my face the whole time. I even challenged my buddy in his 04 Si. He always used to talk smack when I had my focus seeing as he could beat me, especially on the top end (but not on the AutoX... he's a HORRIBLE driver lol). However this time I felt we were comparing apples to apples so I showed up to his house and gave a few revs and let the BOV call him outside. As soon as he came outside (shocked) lol it was priceless so I told him "Lets go run em!" and instantly he replied "NO FAIR YOU HAVE A TURBO!! (nervous) " I quickly exclaimed "You were pretty cocky when I was in the focus. What are you scared because now I'm in an equal car?" So after a little egging on he finally took bait and I dominated him hook line and sinker. I took him from every gear but in fourth he'd start walking very slowly. It goes without saying that hondas are definitely made for top end.

Anyways my weekend with the MPS was fun... but it left me with a taste in my mouth I couldn't get rid of. I wanted one... BAD. However my problem was this. My sister had gotten an 06 Civic Sedan EX in mid october and on the spot I put a deposit on the 06 Si. It came in RIGHT after my little fun MPS weekend and I was debating in my head as to what to do. I told the dealership to sell it to the next person on the list and to put me back on the list. Right now I'm due to recieve my second Si in late March/ early April. However before I wait all that time I've been considering other cars. The cars in my consideration are:

Mazdaspeed Protege (obviously)
Mazda3s hatchback
2006 Civic Si
2002-2005 EP3 Civic Si
SRT-4
Impreza WRX
240sx (for s15 conversion)
FD3S
DC5 RSX-S

In all reality I am a college student so to make a responsible decision and a smart one I would have to knock the FD off the list right off the bat. When you add the labor, insurance and cost of ownership it isn't the most economical car for a college kid.

To play it smart I'm looking for something fun that looks good, gets good / decent gas mileage, and isn't rapage on insurance. The Mazdaspeed meets these requirements and then some. I love the mazda 3 and originally looked at it before the MPS. I like the interior and it seems to have a lot more potential than the MPS although at greater cost? The Si meets the requirements I am asking and if I get the EP3 I plan to do a Type-R full conversion. The SRT4 is fun and fast but I'm not a fan of the looks. I could sacrifice strait line speed for a car more suited to AutoX that can still be modded for straight line speed. I like the Impreza a lot, I don't know if I could afford the new 06 but I like the 04-05. The bug eye models aren't that appealing to me... I'm not a huge fan of those lights by any mean. The DC5 RSX is in the running because essentially it's the EP3 except a bit better looking, handling, more powerful, and actually has the IVtec. Lastly the 240... it'd be a lot of work so I don't know, not to mention there are a lot around here but I must admit I do miss RWD.

Whatever the case please toss out your opinions. Give me that outsiders perspective and share with me some wisdom that I may not have.

I will say this my top 2 on the list are the Impreza and the MPS... So if you guys can give me some info and help me out (wiggle)

PS sorry for any grammatical errors... it's 5am here lol

 

[jflo]

hmm...i would test drive the mazda3 hatch, wrx and protege. personally i would go with the 3 hatch because it feels like a far more reliable car than the MSP (my dad has a mazda3i sedan), but it might be different if a turbo was added. the WRX i have no real experience with. from what i've heard from other owners, they're fun cars stock, but you get bit in the ass real hard when it comes to modding.

 

[sickspeed94]

you'll hear many people say this... if you're looking for incredibly 1/4 mile times ad to beat everything on the streets... buy something else. if you want to drive something that makes you grin from ear to ear on the way to work every day. with the occasional track experience, buy an MSP. and that's not really all that true any more because people are starting to put down REALLY nice numbers in the MSP's.

good luck with your decission and be open minded. test drive everytihng twice if you have to!

 

[MPSpeedSeraph]

Those are both good inputs. I'm waiting for a few more to chime in with some advice and/or knowledge as well.

I forgot to add to the list the Scion tC. I test drove one and it's pretty nice. It's got a good interior, drives well, and looks good. It meets all the requirements and I've seen crazy things done with them.

Anyone else got some info for me

 

[mspdfreak]

Dude, it's an MSP, not an MPS.

 

[sickspeed94]

i read somewhere in someone's sig that it actually is MPS! but yeah i say MSP anyway,

MPS stands for mazda performance ??something??...

mos people think it's mazda protege speed though.

 

[Fede_italiano]

Those are both good inputs. I'm waiting for a few more to chime in with some advice and/or knowledge as well.

I forgot to add to the list the Scion tC. I test drove one and it's pretty nice. It's got a good interior, drives well, and looks good. It meets all the requirements and I've seen crazy things done with them.

Anyone else got some info for me

It depends how much you want to spend, how many doors you want, what is your goal.

I test drove many of the cars you listed when I was choosing my car last year.

The TC was too small for me ( I am 6.1) but it did have a good interior. Also, it might look cheap but when you start adding things I becomes like all the others. The handling was not too sharp too.

The SRT4 was just brute force. It was loud,fast, but I did not like the interior and the stock height ride. Also, insurance was high. Anyway it is probably one of the fastest on the list.

The Acura RSX was really nice, fast, great quality but again a bit too small. The price is not low but it does keep its value well and it has a strong aftermarket.

The WRX was ok, I hate the transmission (hard to put in gear) and I think It had a bit too much turbo lag. I aso did not like much the stock lock and I had to keep in mind the cost of 4 new tires and wheels.

I liked the Mazda3 interior and quality, but the engine did not have enough grunt.

I drove the 05 SI becuase it was spacious, it has good potential, but I had to keep in mind that I had to change the stock radio and the stock wheels.

Lastly, I found an MSP for 11925 dollars, I drove it and I liked it. I liked the way the engine and turbo sounded, I liked the color (Titanium), I liked the stock rims, radio, height from ground and for that amount of money was the best choice at that time.

The MSP is just a car that if you want you can keep it stock in and out and it will always look good. That way you can concentrate in performance if you want to. It is not a perfect car, but it is perfect for what I need.

4 door, recent, nice engine, great handling, good insurance rates, cheap to
buy, and different.

And I am a college student too.
Anyway, it is your choice and good luck.

 

[MPSpeedSeraph]

Thanks Fede! That's pretty much exactly the responses I'm looking for.

I appreciate all the input guys.

And MspdFreak you don't have to go ballistic, properly it is MPS if I'm not mistaken. I understand how MSP could make more sense seeing as that's what I used to call it. However with logical reasoning MPS seems to be correct. If I'm mistaken then I apologize but no need to blow up over it (thumb)

Anyways keep em coming guys!

 

[cdrpyro]

Here check this out. It's what convinced me. I know it's old but I really trust these guys, they're not as inmature as some other car mags. Be sure to read the article on the MSP (or MPS) and the other ones.

Sport Compact Car

 

[MrDiggler]

Sorry Seraph, but if you're going to be around here much at all, you might reconsider on your "MPS". The way I (and 99.9%) of folks look at it, it's MSP as in MazdaSpeedProtege. It actually makes it harder for me to read through your threads because my brain "snags" on the MPS as I'm reading through and expecting the familar MSP. Whether it's technically correct or not, when in Rome...

As for my recommendations, a lot would depend on your budget. For sheer bang for the buck and the fun factor, the 'speed can't be beat. I love mine. I've had a few headaches, mostly due to the weak factory limited slip differential. I don't have time to even get into that ordeal, but do a search for "broken lsd" and see how much turns up! Other than that and a couple of minor issues with the factory sway bar bushings, the car has been very reliable so far.

If budget was less of a concern and you don't mind seeing yourself coming and going every day, I'd go for the '06 Civic SI. It's a lot of things going for it for a reasonable price, and you'd likely eliminate reliability as a concern. However, that price is still considerably more than you'll pay for a MSP. Also, the MSP is rather exclusive. For instance, I'm pretty sure I have the only one within 100 miles of where I live. It turns a lot of heads and generates a lot of inquiries, especially with the Spicy Orange paint.

I drove both a Mazda 6 and a Mazda 3 while the dealer had my 'speed in the shop, and I wasn't impressed with either of them. The 3 was o.k., but it had some sort of funky-textured rubber material everywhere in the interior that showed marks like crazy if you bumped into it. It handled pretty well (but nothing like the MSP), and it needed more power. I couldn't wait to get back into my car again. This is weird, but even though I don't care for the MSP's seats, my car fits me like a glove. It has a lot to do with the handling and road feel. It's just not there in any other car I've driven. Once you've experienced it (and you have), nothing else feels quite as good. I bought this car because I've owned two previous vehicles that were based on the original 323 platform ('88 323 GTX & a '91 Escort GT) and loved the way they drove. The MSP was my last chance to get something performance oriented that's based on that platform.

If you're willing to deal with a few minor issues (and potentially a big one with the differential), I'd have to recommend the MSP. Especially now that you can get one for less than 15k. Something to think about - If you decide you want the MSP, I would highly recommend looking through our For Sale forum for a car that has already had a few mods done to it. Chances are that some of the weak areas would have been improved and it would save both time and money down the road...important things while you're in college. Good luck!

 

[cdrpyro]

(mswerd)

 

[MrDiggler]

Update: Forget what I said about the '06 Civic SI. I just saw a really (ghey) commercial for it on Speed TV. OMG, that music was terrible.
The car is nice, but the commercial is (rice)

I don't think I could drive one now.

 

[PHRiSCo]

Yeah, the car is properly called Mazdaspeed Protege, Mazdaspeed is the racing division of Mazda who developed the car.

Acronym for Mazdaspeed Protege is M.S.P. (MSP)

edit: I love this car I will have mine forever even though mine has been unreliable, but I've been pushing it to hard. It's just so much fun on the street and track.

I have a new engine coming from MAM, so good luck to me.

 

[quatelate]

get the msp or the rsx hype s

 

[RallyeRedSi]

i love my car, longest car i ever had

 

[haze20]

I bought my MSP over a Evo because of the exclusivity factor. I see alot of Evo's but very few MSP's. If you don't mind traveling you could buy one from someone like Chimsp for 15k with a built motor already. I almost bought the Type-s 4 times but just couldn't pull the trigger but the first time I drove the MSP I signed the paperwork on the spot.

 

[MPSpeedSeraph]

You guys are awesome (thumb)

I think in my mind I'd already decided on the MSP but I wanted that little bit of assurance. I'd hate to have had buyers remorse.

I'm gonna stick with saying MSP... the only reason I was going with MPS prior to this was because I didn't want to offend anyone by using inproper jargon. I'll stick with what's easiest, not to mention what feels right lol.

Do you guys think CHIMsp would ship?

There are a few here for sale locally and I must say I'm in love with laser blue. Now I just have to find one and pick it up and start kicking my friends asses with it (first)

Thanks for the input guys! I'm sure I'm gonna have a few good years on this board with people as willing to help as you all are!

 

[mspeed101]

I know of someone selling theirs locally if you want to check it out. Its a titanium. Let me know

 

[MrDiggler]

You won't regret your decision. Tampa is a hot area for these cars and I don't doubt you could find some around there. I think there are quite a few members in that area. Like I mentioned, don't be afraid to buy one with some mods. Depending on what was done and how it was done, it could end up saving you some headaches later (and could have you pulling on your friends cars right from the start). If you find one and want a little more info on it or on any of the mods, feel free to post here and we'll try and help you out.

 

[MPSpeedSeraph]

MSpeed101 any info on it?

Any info on any here in the Tampa area?

In all honesty I'd like Laser blue if possible.

My second choice is between titanium and black mica. However I prefer the 03.5 spoiler and front bumper. Is it possible to do a conversion on an 03 black mica?