Suggestions for next mod?

[Harrison310]

I've had my 2002.5 Protege ES for 2 months now and I'm enjoying it very much. I just got out of a lease on a BMW 328 and I'm impressed at how the Protege satisfies my driving fun. And my car payments are half of my lease payments! Actually my Protege payment is about the same as what I was spending on gas with the Bimmer!

1st mod - baby step - I got the shift knob from Mazda3online.com - and coincidentally found out that it's the same shift knob on the new Mazda3's. It's a nice silver/black leather wrapped knob with a metal shift pattern. Nice classy replacement for the stock knob.

Second mod?

1. Stereo? I'm happy with the ES's stock system for now.
2. Mazda side sill kit/P5 front end? Love what I've seen here and on Cardomain but that looks like a lot of work and $$$.
3. Leather interior? Is the simplest leather solution katzkin? That's around $1200 installed.

I'm leaning towards the leather interior because I got the Protege for a steal and I just read an issue of Car & Driver of how they upgraded the Sube WRX to become the new Saab 9-2 - and one major interior upgrade was a leather interior with gray inserts.

Any other ideas for less than $1000?

Any Katzlin group buys or specials coming up?

 

[uclap5]

you can always get this front lip from mazda if you feel the need for a facelift: http://www.mazdastuff.com/product.cfm?ProductID=1303

a lot cheaper than a p5 front end conversion.

 

[Harrison310]

you can always get this front lip from mazda if you feel the need for a facelift: http://www.mazdastuff.com/product.cfm?ProductID=1303

a lot cheaper than a p5 front end conversion.

Thanks - I saw that lip and didn't really like it. I'll wait for later to get the big P5/MSP type of fog lamps.

Strange though - I was leafing through Cardomain and in some countries - Australia, Singapore to mention a couple - the Protege sedan comes with the same P5 nose.