Protege or Protege 5?
April-30th-2003, 11:29 AM
#16
Protege Enthusiast
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 83
Originally posted by TheMAN
if you care about performance, get an ES GT because the SE and LX comes only with rear drum brakes and 4 lug wheels.
if you care about performance, get an ES GT because the SE and LX comes only with rear drum brakes and 4 lug wheels.
The ES and PR5 does have 4 wheel disks as opposed to the LX and DX which have rear drums. That's why I chose the ES. Otherwise I would have gone with an LX.
April-30th-2003, 11:51 AM
#17
Protege Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Toronto, ON
Posts: 11
Originally posted by BarryG
??? I don't know what you mean by an ES GT or what an SE is.
The ES and PR5 does have 4 wheel disks as opposed to the LX and DX which have rear drums. That's why I chose the ES. Otherwise I would have gone with an LX.
??? I don't know what you mean by an ES GT or what an SE is.
The ES and PR5 does have 4 wheel disks as opposed to the LX and DX which have rear drums. That's why I chose the ES. Otherwise I would have gone with an LX.
The SE model is just a base model Protege, with a 1.6L DOHC 4 Cyl engine.
Last edited by jkozuch; April-30th-2003 at 11:56 AM.
April-30th-2003, 12:11 PM
#18
Protege Enthusiast
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Outside Tampa
Posts: 440
Get a Protege sedan. 170hp isn't worth $20K in my opinion for the Mazdaspeed.
April-30th-2003, 12:35 PM
#19
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Toronto, ON
Posts: 11
Originally posted by NoahsMP5
You get alot more then 40 more hp. You get one of the best handling cars on the market at any price range. You get a lsd. you get a better stereo. You get 17 in wheels . For the money the Mazdaspeed is a great deal. As long as you can aford it.
You get alot more then 40 more hp. You get one of the best handling cars on the market at any price range. You get a lsd. you get a better stereo. You get 17 in wheels . For the money the Mazdaspeed is a great deal. As long as you can aford it.
A MazdaSpeed is 27,000CDN.
A Protege is 19,000 CDN.
With the money you save buying a Protege ES, you can spend that extra money on an LSD, a turbo and most if not all of the parts that already come on a MazdaSpeed. Not to mention parts that arent on the vehicle (intake, headers, etc)
Now to some of you, this might seem to be a little foolish. However to me it makes sense, for 2 reasons:
1. I like to do my own work on an engine.
2. I can get a good deal of aftermarket parts.
Anyone agree with me on this one? I'd like to hear everyone else's opinions.
April-30th-2003, 12:45 PM
#20
Protege Enthusiast
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Outside Tampa
Posts: 440
If you can do all the aftermarket yourself and if its something that you will enjoy then buying a Es will be a better way for you to go.
For me having the Mazdaspeed under all I want in a car under warrenty is better. In the end its your money and your time
For me having the Mazdaspeed under all I want in a car under warrenty is better. In the end its your money and your time
April-30th-2003, 01:54 PM
#22
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Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 83
It all depends what you want. After reading Car and Driver's test of the Mazdaspeed, it sounded like the car's engine had it's shortcomings. Also at 7.1 0-60, not that impressive. Yeah it handles great but for several thousand less so does my ES....maybe not as good as a Mazdaspeed but great nonetheless.
I'm not looking for massive speed, just a fun car that's affordable and I feel I definitely got that with my ES. If I wanted more speed and had $20k to spend, I get a slightly used WRX with low miles that would blow the doors off a Mazdaspeed and probably handles just as well. Yeah, the Mazdaspeed is much rarer but that means very little to me.
I'm not looking for massive speed, just a fun car that's affordable and I feel I definitely got that with my ES. If I wanted more speed and had $20k to spend, I get a slightly used WRX with low miles that would blow the doors off a Mazdaspeed and probably handles just as well. Yeah, the Mazdaspeed is much rarer but that means very little to me.
April-30th-2003, 02:12 PM
#23
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Toronto, ON
Posts: 11
Originally posted by BarryG
It all depends what you want. After reading Car and Driver's test of the Mazdaspeed, it sounded like the car's engine had it's shortcomings. Also at 7.1 0-60, not that impressive. Yeah it handles great but for several thousand less so does my ES....maybe not as good as a Mazdaspeed but great nonetheless.
I'm not looking for massive speed, just a fun car that's affordable and I feel I definitely got that with my ES. If I wanted more speed and had $20k to spend, I get a slightly used WRX with low miles that would blow the doors off a Mazdaspeed and probably handles just as well. Yeah, the Mazdaspeed is much rarer but that means very little to me.
It all depends what you want. After reading Car and Driver's test of the Mazdaspeed, it sounded like the car's engine had it's shortcomings. Also at 7.1 0-60, not that impressive. Yeah it handles great but for several thousand less so does my ES....maybe not as good as a Mazdaspeed but great nonetheless.
I'm not looking for massive speed, just a fun car that's affordable and I feel I definitely got that with my ES. If I wanted more speed and had $20k to spend, I get a slightly used WRX with low miles that would blow the doors off a Mazdaspeed and probably handles just as well. Yeah, the Mazdaspeed is much rarer but that means very little to me.
The WRX would definitely eat a MazdaSpeed for lunch... those things are sickeningly fast... The rarity of MazdaSpeed doesn't really appeal to me, as nice as the car is, I foresee that it won't be a very tuner-friendly car.
May-1st-2003, 04:55 PM
#24
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Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: GA
Posts: 460
I dont believe there is a lot of aftermarket support to modify a protege in the first place? Am I wrong? You mentioned intake, exahust, headers, supercharging/nitrous, body kits, etc...
You might want to look at a different car if you realy want good performance without pulling your hair out.
You might want to look at a different car if you realy want good performance without pulling your hair out.
May-1st-2003, 07:02 PM
#25
Protege Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Toronto, ON
Posts: 11
Actually there are quite a few protege performance/aftermarket parts out there... if you do a search on any of the search engines, you will tons of stuff... probably just as much as you would find for a Civic...
May-1st-2003, 07:13 PM
#26
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Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: GA
Posts: 460
Well, when I think performance and mods., intake manifolds, cams. etc...I think american muscle, i guess I was spoiled from the HUGE aftermarket for my Mustang.
IMO it seems pointless to modify a economy car looking for huge power gains, but good luck to ya none the less.
IMO it seems pointless to modify a economy car looking for huge power gains, but good luck to ya none the less.
May-2nd-2003, 07:22 AM
#28
Protege Enthusiast
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 83
Originally posted by Mach 1
Well, when I think performance and mods., intake manifolds, cams. etc...I think american muscle, i guess I was spoiled from the HUGE aftermarket for my Mustang.
IMO it seems pointless to modify a economy car looking for huge power gains, but good luck to ya none the less.
Well, when I think performance and mods., intake manifolds, cams. etc...I think american muscle, i guess I was spoiled from the HUGE aftermarket for my Mustang.
IMO it seems pointless to modify a economy car looking for huge power gains, but good luck to ya none the less.
May-2nd-2003, 03:09 PM
#29
Protege Newbie
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 12
LOL
i have a mazdaspeed, and yes you can up the boost with a manual boost controller or a electronic boost controller infact i'll be buying my greddy profec b pretty soon,
you can also ad nitrous i believe there is a guy on msprotege.com that has done this, dont hold me to that but i think i read something on it.
the only problem with the msp is hte fuel CUT and its at 10psi and a speed govenor at 135mph, however these can be overcome with a few aftermarket parts.
you can also ad nitrous i believe there is a guy on msprotege.com that has done this, dont hold me to that but i think i read something on it.
the only problem with the msp is hte fuel CUT and its at 10psi and a speed govenor at 135mph, however these can be overcome with a few aftermarket parts.
May-5th-2003, 11:42 PM
#30
Protege Newbie
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Hawaii
Posts: 10
get the speed
I had a 2003 Mazda Protege ES and I was going to do the works on it: rims 17", Turbo. intercooler, struts, intake, exhaust. If you are a enthusiant like I am then go for the Speed it will cost you less in the long run, see people don think of the long run, " oh its too exspensive" all the things that I wanted to do to my ES the Speed allready has, so I traded in my ES for a beautiful Orange Speed and am very happy with it. "Think of the long run"