Anyone check the skidpad for the WRX vs. the MSP???
Personally, I think you would be better off buying a P5 or an ES sedan. For the difference in the price, you could buy a turbo kit and have a much faster car than a stock mazdaspeed. Then spend some of that "show car money" on a real audio system, something way better than the stock MSP setup. If you really want a show car, you'll be replacing the body kit, rims, tires - suspension - basically everything that makes it a Mazdaspeed.
Or, you could do what I did. I picked up my 2002.5 ES sedan for $15,300. I already had all the audio equipment and alarm from my last car, that was simply a matter of installing. Picked up the DVD/in dash 7 inch LCD from
www.mp3playerstore.com for $250 - because they gave me a discount when it took 8 weeks to ship for "overnight delivery". Now I'm adding Perfworks Stage 1 kit for $3700.
so to summarize:
2002.5 Protege ES - $15,300
DVD/ in dash LCD - $250
Decent Audio System - $1000 (estimate)
Stage 1 Turbo - $3700
$20,250 spent, faster than a Mazdaspeed, better audio system, and I don't have to worry about every cop and little Johnny Ricer everywhere I go.
Not to mention the joy of sitting in traffic on the way to work watching "A Clockwork Orage".
I'm one happy geek!
Hope to see everyone at Spools.