Thinking about buying a msp...need some advice please

[yau]

I really like this car and everything that it comes with. I've been reading around here for a little bit and see that although it seems to be a great car, it also comes with a lot of problems. There's a yellow 03.5 here at a dealership here and they're willing to sell it to me for 16.3k.

My main question is if this car is worth the trouble I've seen here. I used to drive an accord and had never had a problem with the car. I'm very much into the whole reliability thing, but this car does very good in the performance category. I just wanted some opinions on it and whether or not it's worth it. Please help convince me in either direction. Honest answers would be very appreciated and would help me a lot in deciding. Thanks guys

 

[low_psi]

Aside from the few blown turbos(oil leaks) and poorly cast engines(resulting in failure) the MSP doesn't have any major troubles. People tend to b**** and moan about something so much that is appears to be more of an issue than it really is. Many of the issues are for all Proteges and not just the MSP. Don't believe the hype, but don't think it'll be exactly like your Accord. Mazda reliabiliy is great, but not yet to the Honda/Toyota benchmark.

I'm looking to buy a MSP this summer and I can't wait.

 

[yau]

Thanks for the response. So does 16.3k sound good? Don't think I can go any lower, they seem pretty firm on this right now. Might be able to get 16k, but not sure anymore.

 

[shaolin]

16.3 is great, is it brand new though? Try to get free tint and other goodies..

 

[CommieSpeed]

Aside from the few blown turbos(oil leaks) and poorly cast engines(resulting in failure) the MSP doesn't have any major troubles. People tend to b**** and moan about something so much that is appears to be more of an issue than it really is. Many of the issues are for all Proteges and not just the MSP. Don't believe the hype, but don't think it'll be exactly like your Accord. Mazda reliabiliy is great, but not yet to the Honda/Toyota benchmark.

I'm looking to buy a MSP this summer and I can't wait.

Hey dude, not to contradict you, but I owned a 2003 ES and had NO problems at all for like 7 months before I got the MSP. Although the problems for the MSP may seem to YOU (someone who doesn't own one) to be petty, they are a big pain in the ass and have costed me days of work and wasted time bringing the car in a driving a ******* rental when I should have my beautiful car. Regardless of all the problems it has given me I still would buy it again and love the thing EVERY time I walk out to it and see what a sweet-ass car I drive. The Turbo and the engine are the only things to give me absolutely no trouble thus far. I have spoken to several other MSP owners, and the majority of them have had none of the problems that I have had and that are common on the boards. 16k sounds as good as it gets for price, and keep in mind ONLY the yellow get that low. Take it man!! You will learn a lot, love the car, and look like a bad mother ****** while doing so.

 

[yau]

yea it's brand new. would they fix a common problem such as the bushings before I even buy it if I mention it? still thinking about the car as a whole, seems like a great car for the price...

 

[yau]

and look like a bad mother ******

i laughed outloud when i read this (rofl)

 

[mspdfreak]

Certainly won't hurt to ask, but the "clunk" usually doesn't show up for awhile. And yellow looks great!(rockon)

yea it's brand new. would they fix a common problem such as the bushings before I even buy it if I mention it? still thinking about the car as a whole, seems like a great car for the price...

 

[Black Majik MSP]

Read the thread in my signature.

 

[MazdaNeal]

the only thing i dislike about my car is the heat soak, and the interior has its annoying rattles. Would I do it again? Probably. I love the stereo, and the handling. Plus power is decent and with a midpipe and better intercooler/piping, youll love it.

 

[M=SP^2]

I have had no problems other then the clunk, it's the best value out there right now (nothing comes close for the price). I recommend the MSP whole-heartedly.

 

[marashka]

had mine for 7 month now and besides the clunk , NO problems....it only makes me smile when i get behind the wheel. definately should get it for 16.3 IMHO.

 

[Bhamsan]

I thought I'd throw in my 2 cents here. I've had my car for 7 months, 11,238 miles later and after making a 1,130 mile round trip from Sacrament to San Diego this weekend, I love my car even more than when I bought it (except for all the nasty bugs on the windshield and front bumper, waiting for a wash this weekend). My CLUNK has been absent since the weather heated up, so I'm not sure if its entirely temperature related or what, but I haven't heard it at all in the past month, wheras I heard it everytime I went over the speedbump at my apartment when it was 40 degrees outside. Its a fun car to drive with all the get-up-and-go you could expect for $16.3K. Look at it this way, a Civic EX sticker is roughly that, as well as a Corolla (or maybe a little less). Would you rather have a limited production, turbocharged, pimped out stock sound system and all, G-ride, or a dime a dozen civic? All cars have some problems, depending on how you drive it and how you care for it. I care for it like its my first born son, and it's been nothing but good to me. I bought it because it came with a nice stock sound system that no one believes is really stock.

Go buy the damn car and be cool like all of us.

 

[low_psi]

Hey dude, not to contradict you, but I owned a 2003 ES and had NO problems at all for like 7 months before I got the MSP. Although the problems for the MSP may seem to YOU (someone who doesn't own one) to be petty, they are a big pain in the ass and have costed me days of work and wasted time bringing the car in a driving a ******* rental when I should have my beautiful car.

Heh, yes my 2003 DX was problem free, but it had some of the quirks the MSP does as well. I realize having to take the car to the dealer for issues such as coolant leaks, sway bar bushings, etc is a pain in the ass, BUT its nothing major.

Please tell me the dealer didn't give you a Kia rental car. (thought)

 

[Gbourdon]

Bahhh. If you flog the hell out of the car it is going to break. I dont think there have been any really SERIOUS problems that are all to common. I like the car a lot. I did twist my shifter linkage once but that was probably my fault, although I dont really wrench on the shifter. Get the TSBs done and buy it.

 

[Rush]

I've had my MSP for .. nine months, now. I've driven it in almost every kind of condition -- 110 degree weather, 5 degree weather, total downpours, high winds, snow, ice, sleet, blah blah. I've taken 6-hour long trips in it, where I never stopped except to refuel. I've been moderately harsh on the engine a couple of times, just playing around. I've ground my second gear more than once. And the list goes on. You get the idea.

The only thing I've had to have serviced on my MSP due to problems with the car is the flash. Everything else was either regular maintenance (oil changes, etc), or modifications done on my part (lighting, intake, exhaust, stereo, etc). I went through my period of annoyance with my MSP, foolishly thinking that my car was a smaller version of a Lamborghini or something like that -- before I finally realized, duh, I'm only driving a turbocharged Protege, and the thing does damn good for it.

All in all, my experience with my MSP has been a frickin' awesome one. It's a beautiful, sporty car for a very low price -- honestly, what other car comes with as much stuff as ours for under $20K?

You just have to remember that a MSP is NOT a $200,000 car, as some people get mixed up into believing.

 

[TX Speed Demon]

the only thing i dislike about my car is the heat soak, and the interior has its annoying rattles.

Weather stripping should be your new best friend. I've got 2 12"s in the trunk and had a lot of rattles (most from the rear deck lid). I bought about $5 worth of weather stripping at home depot and spent a Satuday afternoon lining all the edges of all my plastic panels. Been completly rattle free for about 2-3 months now.

 

[yau]

Wow, thanks for all the great input guys. Will give the dealership a call tomorrow and have to have a talk with them. And what's a TSB?

 

[Rush]

I honestly don't have the slightest idea what 'TSB' stands for .. but it's kind of like a recall for problems with a particular type of car. For example, there are TSB's out for the MSP for problems such as the flash, rust on the rotor hub areas, the clunk, blah blah. There's a site somewhere that you can view all the TSB's that are currently out for the MSP .. but unfortunately, I don't remember what it is off the top of my head. Do a search on the forum for 'TSB' or 'Mazdaspeed TSB' and it should be able to find it.Good luck with the dealership! (thumb)

 

[daperspeed]

Im only driving a turbocharged Protege

I like to think about it as Im driving a turbocharged MP3.cheaper than 20K..which outslaloms Ferrari, a 150 K car. Makes me feel kinda good. (first)