what should i buy?

nomahh said:
Please STFU already. Between you and 1st"pissed it isn't an MSP"inNH..this crap is already old and dated.

We can all play this game. :) (and I love the original MP3 and the P5)

haha did someone just get (owned)
 
DiscreetSpeed said:
haha did someone just get (owned)

um, no.

when you people get pissed it just makes me want to rag on your thrown together cars even more.
 
buy whatever u would like to see driving everyday. picture urself rollin in each car and how u would think it would look with u in it cuz ull be stuck in it for the next 5 yrs. i bought my mazdaspeed cuz it was well rounded. had some power, some suspension, a good exterior, a good interior, a good stereo. its not the best but its well rounded like i said. in my opinion it handles good for stock but far from a well modified suspension. over bumps it has to much bump steer. on flat roads its a blast. tires suck but ull smoke thru them pretty fast cuz the treadwear is 140. if u get a mazdaspeed buy one with the lowest miles u can 15 or less. ppl have been dogging the s*** out of the msps on test drives. read some of the posts on here! I like my car theres a decent aftermarket not huge but some. its not that well known and played out. ive had mostly mazdas in my family so i pretty much have had a lot of experience with their cars (626s 323s proteges)
the power is alright. its a good car to get experience in before getting a faster car later on. u dont wanna jump from a 16 or 17 second car to a 12 or 13 second car. u wouldnt know how to control it. to really enjoy the msp ull have to take it to a track and get a feel for it. i wouldnt recommend racing on the street cuz ull risk sliding ur car out of control...looks wise i took home 2nd place for best mazda at nhra stylefest for having mostly stock stuff. pirana with his p5 got 1st. so it looks good no doubt. right now is a good time to buy it with the rebate and financing deals.
theres my $.02
 
I almost bought a 2k3.5 Titanium, the more I thought about it, the less I liked. I mean, dont get me wrong! I LOVE THE MSP. But for the all around use of the car..mainly insurance..I wasn't about to flip 300$ a month for an MSP..The Spec V. BY FAR AND AWAY is a better choice..The Spec V will take on an MSP pretty much any day of the week..Not saying its going to beat it. But after running a 2002 Spec V vs. 2003 Spicy and watching them dead heat in the 1/4..It raises a few questions..Granted the MSP OWNS it in the corners..and It is boosted..but the Spec V is solid as hell..has tons of torque and gains nearly 30WHP from a header/intake/exhaust. Its really up to you and what you want to do with it, but for my money..Spec V'ing it! oh wait..reality check...i rep a 2002 DX..go mazda..its yo birfday..
 
lol....thansk for all the info guys. it really doesnt matter price wise on the msp and such cars. im goin to get the invoice price cause my mom works at a dealership. i can get a discount on like nissian, mazda, toyota(hense the reason i got one before), gmc crap, subaru, honda, and some other i cant think of. yea im prolly going to get the msp. i really like it. plus it will save me a buttload on buying parts cuase it has alot already. i just got to like it on th test drive and this place will prolly be my new home.
 
nomahh said:
Please STFU already. Between you and 1st"pissed it isn't an MSP"inNH..this crap is already old and dated.

We can all play this game. :) (and I love the original MP3 and the P5)

Don't lump me into the same catagory as razor!
I am being a 100% honest and backing up EVERY damn thing I have said here. I have yet to say something just to harass. Not to mention there has yet to be one even half way thought out argument about me being wrong. Or even an attempt.

To me the car has to many issues to be even a consideration. I have better things to do with my time then drive to service departments and b**** at mazda corperate. Any car that I am at the dealers mercy to take care of me is not a car I want.
 
1st...buddy...you got the car all wrong. The clunk is a recurring issue that will hopefully be solved w/i the next month according to reports kickin' around here...but we'll see. However...like problems all the other cars listed have, this doesn't affect the drivability of the car.

Same goes for the subwoofer and stereo...that's all Kenwood's fault. I've never had any stereo problems, though, and my sub was replaced and functions great to this day. It'll probably go in my girlfriend's car when I change out to a better set-up.

Now...the hesitation...yeah. It's a problem, so far as you make it one. I get the feeling that those of us that notice it are fairly aggressive drivers, and know that it shouldn't do that. If I was granny-ing the car all day long, I'd never have even noticed it. However...since installing the INJEN w/ the breathers, I have had no problem with the hesitation. The stumble, however, is still there. That will require Mazda's assistance or the S-AFC-II (which apparently works on ALL the proteges! we'll see...). Either way, it's not the best position to be in.

However, for an autocrosser, there isn't a better deal out there. Even out of the box, this car is a monster. If I didn't have the injen I'd be in DS and would own the class on street tires! Even in my first race in DSP I could have gotten second or higher had I been more experienced. While you could say an MP3 could do that same, I would say not on this course. It was a longer course, with hard straights that were suited to the MSP blasting off into. Not taking away anything from the MP3(especially yours), but it's also not in this comparo since it's not new.

Anywho...it's all about fun factor. The Scooby's got it, too...but all-around I think the MSP is the best that around $18.5-19.5 out the door (today w/ rebate, etc.) can buy. Obviously, I'm prejudiced...but I feel rightly so.
 
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servoeyes said:
1st...buddy...you got the car all wrong. The clunk is a recurring issue that will hopefully be solved w/i the next month according to reports kickin' around here...but we'll see. However...like problems all the other cars listed have, this doesn't affect the drivability of the car.
To begin, the suspension is not mearly making noise. It has exagerated play in the rear suspension an the looses its abilities over time. Remember I have the same suspension. The day a new set of bushings go in the difference is night and day. Also there is no way that mazda will have a fix in a month. Mazda is still trying to simply quiet the bushing instead of fixing the problem in the suspension that is causing the bushing to wear out in 3000 miles. I don't want to break a promise but trust me, mazda is still ******* with us all, the suspension will not be corrected! Rmember us MP3 guys are in this fight with the MSP owners against mazda aswell!

servoeyes said:
Same goes for the subwoofer and stereo...that's all Kenwood's fault. I've never had any stereo problems, though, and my sub was replaced and functions great to this day. It'll probably go in my girlfriend's car when I change out to a better set-up.
Wrong man. The head unti is a known pain in the ass by most to ever sell them. Mazda should have taken the time to make sure they bought a good unit. However they bought the cheapest they could find that they thought people would get hyped up about. Also if its not mazda's faualt why are the broken ones being replaced with the same unit. It garbage. Lets move to the sub. THey blow CONTANTLY. Why, could be a few things. If the box is not sealed thats a huge reason. THe amp never being set up right is another. A gain at more then 3/4 with a modern head unit is asking for a blown sub.

servoeyes said:
Now...the hesitation...yeah. It's a problem, so far as you make it one. I get the feeling that those of us that notice it are fairly aggressive drivers, and know that it shouldn't do that. If I was granny-ing the car all day long, I'd never have even noticed it. However...since installing the INJEN w/ the breathers, I have had no problem with the hesitation. The stumble, however, is still there. That will require Mazda's assistance or the S-AFC-II (which apparently works on ALL the proteges! we'll see...). Either way, it's not the best position to be in.
The hesitation is an entity all its own. You were satesfied with an intakes results. Many installed an intake, exhuast, hard pipes FPR and MBC and STILL HAVE IT! Regardless if the theory of a driving style actualy causes the hesitation, IT SHOULD NOT. Buying a car that is intended to be a performance car, regardless of price, and a 1000 miles later it turns ass SLOW is not acceptable.

servoeyes said:
However, for an autocrosser, there isn't a better deal out there. Even out of the box, this car is a monster. If I didn't have the injen I'd be in DS and would own the class on street tires! Even in my first race in DSP I could have gotten second or higher had I been more experienced. While you could say an MP3 could do that same, I would say not on this course. It was a longer course, with hard straights that were suited to the MSP blasting off into. Not taking away anything from the MP3(especially yours), but it's also not in this comparo since it's not new.
The MP3 has the same suspension and better tires. The lack of a turbo will definitly make the cars uncomparible. I was pointing out the tires on the MP3 were superior and the suspension was identical. Also about 1% of the people that buy this car want to autocross. Many just want a fun car to get to a from work. A car with constant problems and after 3000 miles is a very different car then what was purchased is not something many people want. If these problems could be seen during the test drive thats one thing, often they are not. Even in an auto cross, if the car is hesitating badly you had better stay above 5500 RPM or you will be loosing some serious time.

servoeyes said:
Anywho...it's all about fun factor. The Scooby's got it, too...but all-around I think the MSP is the best that around $18.5-19.5 out the door (today w/ rebate, etc.) can buy. Obviously, I'm prejudiced...but I feel rightly so.

To me a car needs to be more then a "on paper" performer.
I want all but bullit proof reliability. I want the car to remain what I bought, not become something else. Something I constanly have to worry about or take to the dealer more then once every six months is TOTALY unacceptable. Now, not every MSP has all these problems. The hesitation seems to be on a car to car basis as do many other problems. HOWEVER! What to you feel will hold up longer over time and give the owner less headaches, a MSP or a P5. Its the P5 by a landslide! Now I realize the cars are far from the same but there is NO reason the MSP can't be expected to be as reliable!

Accepting Mazda's bulls*** on the MSP is never going to get you anywhere. Considering the INSANE number of MSP owners here I would suggest you guys start looking toward legal action. On both the hesitation and the clunk you have cause for a class action lawsuit do to loss of retail value. The Phrase, "We are working on it" is equivalent to "Thank you and GO **** YOURSELF!" DO NOT ACCEPT IT FROM THEM.

For me, I could EASILY have traded m car for the MSP and payed $50 less a month. The dealer was offering it up to me around $18K. I chose however to keep the MP3 and get a P5 aswell. I wanted a car that was fun and reliable and the MSP is only 1/2 of that equation.
 
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1st MP3 in NH, you have the same problem with the clunk as we MSP owners do, if you wanted reliability why didn't you get a Celica GTS or Honda Civic or Integra type-R?? Those have too much aftermarket support and Celica GTS with some suspension mods can pull 1 G on the skitpad. Sounds like you want good reliabity as your numero uno choice, then that shoulda led you to a honda or toyota, so why you bought the mp3 or even a p5?? P5 had the cold-start problem but mazda work it out eventually didn't it? so why wouldn't you think mazda might eventually work these clunk or hesitation problems out??
 
Dude you need to look at the WHOLE car. You need to consider everything. I was thinking about the SRT-4 which would KILL the MSP but that's all that car has, motor. It's a 20k motor. The MSP has so much more going for it. It's an all around really really nice car.
 
ok you dont know what you are talking about. take this from a former gts owner. that car has good aftermarket but it is very unreliable. i had that in the shop one day after i bought it. it had 6000 miles on it used. i had a blown engine and trans first day. it was in the shop for 3 months then i go to get it back only to find out the new engine with about 2 miles on it just blew when the mechanic brought it out to test drive. those engines are too high compression to be reliable. they are really weak. that is why toyota changed the redline from 8200 rpm to 7800. they new the blown engines were becoming a problem. not to mention of problems i had like all my bulbs blowing out in the headlights with only like 10000miles on my car. um......engine noise that was soo annoying. alternator, both headlight housings were replaced cause they kept fogging up and blowing my bulbs cuase the seals were bad. cel light always came on. noises in the interior around the sunroof were annoying. and the service was just piss poor. they suck take it from a owner of not one but two 2000 gts' i had the auto then the 6spd. on yeah and the toyota paint sucks i had my car repainted twice for rock chips. i had the first car for about 22,xxx miles then i traded it in for the 6spd who came to its death by two drunks with 12,000 miles on it.
 
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yes it does have a very good handling and suspension out of the box though i will agree with you on that. it sucks that a car that was meant to be driven at 6800-8200 rpms had such a weak engine.
 
The cold start had nothing to do with reliabilty or perfomrance and no mazda only found a way to quiet it slightly, its not a total fix. Either way its nothing to worry about or makes the car in any way different then the car I test drove. The P5 is right there in reliability with the civic or celica. I like the P5 better.

The causes of the clunk are still being ignored and people are being held off with BS on a limit production car, this gives mazda no need to fix a thing. The P5 being one of the best selling cars out there, they have alot more people to answer to. HOwever the P5 has 1 listed problem the MSP has a few DOZEN! The clunk and hesitation are the most common.

I still love the fact that those with the most issues with there MSP's have yet to chime in here. There are several MSP owners that have been threw HELL with this car.
 
1st MP3 in NH said:
Don't lump me into the same catagory as razor!
I am being a 100% honest and backing up EVERY damn thing I have said here. I have yet to say something just to harass. Not to mention there has yet to be one even half way thought out argument about me being wrong. Or even an attempt.

To me the car has to many issues to be even a consideration. I have better things to do with my time then drive to service departments and b**** at mazda corperate.

:) Agreed. Watch the smilies!

Honestly, though - I have none of the issues that most are complaining about so far. I wonder if it has ANYTHING to do with following the manufacturer's recommendations, allowing sufficient break-in time, and not changing every friggin' component under the hood?? ;)

My only service dept. visit has been for an oil change. Nothing else to report.
 
II-Savy said:
Dude you need to look at the WHOLE car. You need to consider everything. I was thinking about the SRT-4 which would KILL the MSP but that's all that car has, motor. It's a 20k motor. The MSP has so much more going for it. It's an all around really really nice car.

OK this is the :bs: I am talking about. The MSP has slightly better handling and an LSD over the SRT/4.

Now what does the SRT/4 have over the MSP.:
NO clunk
No hesitation
50+ whp
A more reliabile engine
A better backing by dealers and the manufacturer
A stereo that doesn't have to be reset every month
A suspension the retains its integrity for more then 3000 miles.

There is no total package when it comes to the MSP.
The stereo is laughable and TOTALY unreliable! I know I SELL THE s***! The suspension is IMPRESSIVE, yet flawed.
The car has more power then the regualr protege but at the cost of a hole host of problems and hesitation which will seriously lessen its perfomance.

The only think I have seen the car become in total is a PAIN IN THE ASS!
 
yes it does have a very good handling and suspension out of the box though i will agree with you on that. it sucks that a car that was meant to be driven at 6800-8200 rpms had such a weak engine.
 
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