I just bought mine. $850 a 2003. Perfect condition inside and outside it’s just wear and tear nothing major. Runs like a champ. Love that it’s manual. I’d definitely got lucky with this one.
Holy smokes you lucky bastard! You’re very lucky Save every penny meant to modify the car and make it push 250hp or 315hp that’s good enough to be quick
@@Lugtastic you need to learn how to read... hernan 408 never said it was a 04 MSP he said the first time he saw one was in 04!! Big difference. If you can't comprehend that then you need to go back to school! And if you wanna be technical the MSP had two model years first in 2003 & the last one being 2003.5 that lil tidbit was a freebie for ya, seemed like you needed a bone.
ROFL he must be one of those guys who thinks 2002 & older Mustang GT & Cobra were fast. When sadly they were all disappointingly slow in stock form. I remember putting a whoopin' on a 98 Mustang SVT Cobra multiple times from all different speeds & gears, even gave him the hit & the Cobra just couldn't keep up. Owner of the Cobra could not believe it. In all reality that's sad imo... It just showed how terribly underpowered & slow all the US v8 sports cars were back all through the 80s, 90s & early 2000s because the MSP definitely was NOT a fast car. They were fun cars, yes but fast cars no! Very weak internals & even turning the boost levels up any was only asking for trouble. Idk exactly how much whp and/or boost has been determined that these protégé's 2.0 4cyl can safely handle but I'd be surprised if their stock bottom ends could safely handle 200 wheel horse power. Mazda should have atleast upgraded the rods & pistons instead of just slapping a Calloway-Garrett turbocharger on the base Protégés 2.0 😢 but I guess Mazda didn't see that as profitable on such a limited prod. run vehicle knowing they'd only manufacture slightly less than 5k of them for the entire run. 😔
my first project was a 240sx s13 about 9 years ago. recently bought my buddies protege5 as a new daily, bone stock non turbo's with 205k miles on it. I am absolutely amazed how this thing has handled thus far.
What a great looking car - We never had these in the UK- Our Protege's were called 323's and and the only performance one that we had was the 2.0 litre Sport. I was always peeved that we never got these. As well as a Mazda 3 MPS(speed 3), I have a 2002 - 323 hatchback, which is still pretty immaculate and a really great small car but with only 100bhp is no performance beast, that's for sure.
i have a fully built manual mazda protoge5, boosted making about 240hp and 230 lb torque. super fun light chassis. these cars are overlooked, and very rare cuz they were only in production for a couple years 🤙🏽🤙🏽
We had one of these fall into our lap. My daughter had somebody give her one that had a bad head gasket. A garage quoted him $2600 to do what it needed. My daughter and son in law bought the $400 dollars worth or parts (gasket kit for the top end, battery, all motor mounts, shift bushings, timing belt, drive belt, etc) and I turned the wrenches. A year later they decided to sell and my son at 14 has his first car for the $1200 they wanted for it. It still needs a few little things, but he is pretty stoked. I had no idea about these when we started on it.
I actually saw a listing of s 2003 for 3,200 and it is clean in and out going to look at it tomorrow it will hopefully be my first car just got my license 1 week ago
@@pex3 dude I graduated high school in 1989. Cars weren’t particularly fast then. Hyundai just entered the market and were running a promotion - buy one base model Excel 3-door coupê get one free!! My buddy’s mom got one and gave him the free one. Took us to the Jersey shore all summer lol
I had a 2000 mazda protege it was a great beater car and although not a racecar fast enough for a little commuter car. The exhaust sounded nice in its stock form. I had 150 000 miles on it and abused it and was still running great.
@MOMO Fanboy TLR it sounds like you got a KILLER DEAL!! Bro 4realz post some pics in the comments & give us some info on the build... If you can't do that then atleast give us your email or way we can get some pics & info on that thing. Sounds insane.
I have the predecessor to the Mazdaspeed Protege which is the 2001 Mazda MP3. It is where it all started. The first production car with a MP3 player, hence the name. I highly modified my MP3 to specs that trounced a lot of the V8 cars at that time. I still have it. I enjoy my TLX Type-S now though.
As a non-mazdaspeed Protege owner I love this chassis so much, but there was so much wasted potential on the Mazdaspeed IMO. The FS motors were already super weak to begin with, and when boosted they couldn't handle much more than the stock ~7 psi of boost without bending rods. The transmissions weren't much better, which is often why these cars can't even push above 200whp reliably. That's why I disagree with your claim that these engines are "bulletproof." Great car in theory, but it has such a low ceiling which is why it didn't gain as much popularity as some other chassis. They are cheap cars which is nice, but at around $3500 for one today you're better off in a Civic or Integra, hell even a G35/350Z if you want better overall reliability and aftermarket support.
A Civic isn't as quick, I mean it should be 5.5-6.5 - 60, a Civic is what 8.0 - 60? You can KL v6 swap if you want more a little more engine and trans. KLZE starts at 200 hp NA. $3500 isn't going to be much of a G35/350Z and those 5.4 - 60.
@@pgtmr2713 exactly my point dude... the Mazdaspeed Protege would've been a great car if it's powertrain didn't suck. And sure, you could swap a KL motor into one, but consider the cost of a decent shell plus the cost of the swap and all the headaches of making it work. After all that work you'll be into it for about the same price as a solid condition 350Z, G35, or Mustang, and the Protege would still struggle to keep up.
Frank White *frontwheel and i had it for a month did a burnout in the school parking lot and blew my clutch and tranny. Paid $1300 and immediately put in over $1200 to get it fixed. And the wheel hub assembly was fucked when i got it, same goes with the clutch
@@Lugtastic do you even know what you're talking about? Because nobody else has a clue where you get these off the wall comments... All your RUclips comments are like this, REV are you on meds, did you accidentally forget & take a double dose before posting this comment?? Or is it you've ran out of your meds? There is something off with you.
I drove one it was a blast. Also before you buy 98 to 2011 Ford Ranger/ Mazda b series trucks. Warn them about the leaf spring hangers. The frame itself will Rust Out.
I just got this butt hatchback but I absolutely love it I always wanted s hatchback but I got this same year same car and I got it for s steal girl was moving to Colorado didnt wanna bring it there cause the snow the day before she was moving I bought it for $1100 with 158 thousand miles on her only problems is rust around the body and the clamps to the battery needs to be replaced because it loses power when idle and maybe battery I already checked it out alt charges .. but I got real lucky with this find and I knew once I got behind the wheel and drove it on the highway that this car was a little special
I had a 360whp Spicey orange mazdaspeed protege, then I had the titanium one I got with 160,000k and it lasted to 298,000k with beating the bag out of it EVERYDAY, just bolt ons but didn’t up the boost in that one
@@raulferro3998 me too, the msp looks kill the sentra! BUT the Sentra SER Spec-V is much faster than the Speed Protege. The protege can't even think about even keeping close to the Sentra SER Spec-V. Though I'd still take another 2003 spicy orange MSP over a Spec V Sentra any day. Imo the Sentras were ugly af! Another car the guy in this video probably isn't aware of is the Chevy Cobalt SS. Or he'd be nut swinging on them as fast as he thinks the MSP is. Cobalt SS is another cheap bang for your buck car & unfortunately will also dog walk a MAZDASPEED Protégé any day of the week. But just like the Nissan Sentra the Cobalt SS is ugly af & the looks of the Speed kill it! I can't believe this guy in vid thinks the MSP is so fast lol, they are slow! I love the MSP but that doesn't mean I'm going to overhype it. Drive a stock MSP without a fmic deep in the south in the middle of summer. The hot heat & crazy humidity KILLS those cars, the lag from the turbo is insane in conditions like that. So for about 3 months straight or so in the south the MSP isn't gonna come anywhere close to beating that Em1 like he said it does in his video. In stock form the MSP is very temperamental depending on the driving conditions/outside weather when driving the cars hard! Something in an Em1 the driver does not have to worry about being a factor. Now on real cold winter days that's when owners of stock MSP are going to enjoy taking their cars through their paces the absolute most. I love the MSP as they are excellent driving cars & handle phenomenally for a stock sedan BUT Mazda failed severely in 2 areas: 1. They atleast should have upgraded the factory pistons/rods from the base 2.0 protégé engines or better yet developed a superior engine specifically for the MSP (all those in the know are aware the engines were very weak. Even trying for 200 whp & turning the boost up, bigger injectors & retune made it a ticking time bomb. That's sad because 200 hp is literally nothing & these cars should have came out rated 240 or 250 bhp atleast instead of the squeamish 170 bhp on a nearly capped out 7 psi smh. And 2. Mazda should have released these cars from factory with an FMIC. They heat soak too fast & too often in warmer weather & in hot weather they stay heat soaked. The poor turbo has no chance in mid summer w/high humidity. They could've even utilized a top mount & gave them an aggressive looking vented hood or at the very least used some sort of side mount intercooler that actually performed. That's all for me critiquing the 03 & 03.5 MAZDASPEED Protégé... Because other then those couple things Mazda hit a home run with these gorgeous cars! But they could've hit a grand slam. All of its other competition around the same time had significant higher horsepower numbers! Though I'm not aware of any of its competitors that were able to hang with the MSP in the handling department. The handling was top notch! Done great when dry & would perform acceptable when wet as well. I'm thinking about buying one with a great body & just swapping out the engine & trans. Seems like a great way to have a nice car & be able to make it fast without spending a fortune. The aftermarket support was never proper for the MSP due to being such a limited production run of less than 5k cars total for 03 & 03.5 both. Yes when it comes to the engine platform & all that its the same as the 2.0 4cyl in the regular Protege but then again even the base model protege being made over a longer time frame than just the one year of the MSP the regular Protégé never had the following that Hondas, Nissans & other imports had. Honda swapping a MSP seems to be a very efficient & effective way of making a MSP very fast while at the same time being very reliable & dependable for a daily driver. Anyone out there have a MSP that they've Honda swapped? Or swapped with anything else as for that matter? I know its had to been done more than just one time!!
I have 2 mazdaspeed protege Orange spicy 2003 Titanium grey 2003.5 Mazda protege 1999(winter beater)😉 Thats a awesome car, i love it everytime a take it!
Australia got the base 2.0 Lt without the turbo called the 323 SP20.in sedan and 5dr hatchback in 2000 to 2003. I'm happily getting about in a 2003 1.8 Lt auto sedan with 140,000 km, thats just needed new coil packs, rocker cover gasket and new rear struts soon..., not bad for a AUD $5500 car bought in 2017 with 67,000 km on the clock. Audio updates are soon to be done time permitting.
As good as it may be on paper, nobody tells you about all the common defects of the car. Bought my 03 protege5 with 100k miles and when I started it for the first time the exhaust blew a cloud of oil so thick it smoked out the whole street. The piston seals on the car are garbage. I had to replace the whole engine and the replacement engine has the same problem. That being said I have put 70k miles on it and been driving in the same condition for about 6 years. As long as you put a quart of oil in it every week it still runs. But if you want this car still be prepared to either cash out for repairs or spend months(or years) doing it yourself
I would love to get one of these cars. Being they were a limited amount made and many riced out it’s hard to find a clean one in my area. i think they made more mustang bullitts then this car. I would Love to find 2003.5 what made this car so special is that many of the parts were off the shelf aftermarket parts from the turbo, wheels, suspension and even the Kenwood cd deck,
Picked up a Spicy recently for $2600 on coilovers and with a Vibrant catback exhaust. It has some issues, sure, but its a rust free chassis, which for the Midwest is a big deal.
Love your video maaaaann. I owned my lightly moded Blazing Yellow Mica MSF for 4 years now and I still get a kick out of old and new civic Si, BRZ/FRS/86 drivers initially try to launch at red lights then some get intimidated and give up when they can't gap my sleeper. It still get mistaken for the 03 evo. I don't see how. Like that 03 Lancer OZ RALLIART. Like to see more rare reliable sleeper car videos.
I remember 1 time I told you to do a vid on this car but on the wagon version I have a protege5 wagon its badass and it was so fun to drive it was a pussy magnet as well
As a current MSP owner I say don’t bother. The engine internals are NA protege so it isn’t bulletproof at all, that engine is only a boost controller and someone adding a few PSI away from bending rods. Unless you find one with reworked forged internals stay away. Also the specific Mazdaspeed parts are a PAIN to find (and there’s quite a few) because of the car’s rarity. The Callaway parts (exhaust manifold and the weird downpipe) are weak and prone to cracking and also a PAIN to replace, aftermarket replacements for these parts are a pain as well. Even if you find one with a forged engine and the works, most probably the transmission will die on you as it can’t handle more than 300hp reliably. Even if you plan on leaving it stock (good luck finding an unmolested one) like I said before finding replacement for Mazdaspeed parts is very hard. Go to a Mazda auto parts or dealership and it won’t be uncommon for people there not to know the existence of these cars to begin with “Mazdaspeed Protege what?” Is what most of these people will answer. Then after you spend 10 mins explaining about the car, they look at the system and say “it doesn’t show any parts for that car” or “I can’t find that car in the system”. At least the engine itself is a normal NA engine so you can find maintenance parts for it. Some people may say “But that’s only a Protege with a Mazdaspeed badge on it, right?” Yes and no. The engine and car exterior are the only pure protege parts of that car. The transmission is a Protege unit with specific MSP LSD (which is easy to break) and clutch. Both the LSD and clutch don’t have direct replacements anymore so you must aftermarket them if they break or wear. Suspension and brakes are MSP specific with some Racing Beats parts included, can be difficult to find maintenance parts. Some people upgrade to Mazda6 brakes as it’s better and replacement stuff is readily available. Exhaust from cat back is Racing Beat and not bad for stock power or mild upgrades. Exhaust manifold and downpipe is Callaway and very weak, (quality) aftermarket replacements are hard to find and expensive, like expending 1 grand on both kind of expensive. Radiator is also MSP specific as it also houses the intercooler, there aren’t direct replacements anymore and most people upgrade to front mount intercoolers and swap to Protege5 radiators. TLDR don’t buy one.
I currently own my second msp and pushing 225 whp with basic bolts-on (turboback 3", Fmic, CAI, BOV, motor mounts and a proffesional tune). I've had this setup till 4 years now and no problem as long as yont dont rev it cold et you dont abuse the car. Beside that, rods and piston are the only thing that need to be forged, you'll want to upgarde the lsd and the clutch of course. But, lets not forget that the car in great condition is around 6k$ and with another 6k$ you'll easily pass evo and sti (that cost more like 20k for the same year) Sure you wont get awd but this is simply the best handling fwd car i've ever been in. Ever for 2020 standard. And you'll probably be the only one to have a msp in your area when sti and evo will be everywhere. I just like the look of this car and woulnd't trade it for a more reliable cars. If you complain about all those stuff and wanna keep the car stock why dont you get an civic si like every kids? If you dont like challenge you can get a cobalt ss sc or a neon srt4, rsx and integra are also great options for 6k. You can get bad exemple of wrx and g35 and maybe 350z if youre lucky or you can get boring "sports cars" like an scion tc a kia forte koup sx, a corolla xrs. Those wont cost a lot but every passion cost money and if you want a fun cars, you gotta be ready for it. It wasn't a prius video you were watching...
And for aftermarkets parts: mazdaspeedtuning.com, streetunit, Cx racing, and many others. Who need stock msp parts when you can get better one for less...
Last thing, why would someone put a boost controller on his first car... It is already great at stock form... It was not a tuner car video it was a first car video lol.
@@tundraman1283 yeah 225 is about what you'll get safely with bolt ons and 10 psi of boost probably up to 240 if you have a great tuner, but forget about all that with a pure stock car unless you have an excellent tuner. I wouldn't call MSP replacement parts cheap, like I mentioned an aftermarket exhaust manifold and downpipe can get close to a grand unless you want something that will crack in a few months. Of these sites only a few are still operating and stuff isn't cheap. In my case my car came with a few bits already so the cost hasn't been so high, but I need a new turbo which is 750$ at the very least if I want the straight replacement one. You're right that it can reach 300 if you have the right clutch (300$+), a decent turbo (1000$+) unless you want to run your stock turbo to the usable limit, forged rods (900$+), injectors (350+) and pistons (500$) on top of what you have. After 300hp that's the territory of blown transmissions and broken LSDs. There are far more accessible cars with far better aftermarket than this car out there. Also this being a low volume car doesn't help. I say this car is only for those that aren't afraid of the hardships of dealing with an obscure car like this. It's all shines and rainbows until that dreaded rubber water elbow decides it has had enough, until you need new brake parts (and then decide to go with Mazda 6 brakes to save the hassle next time) and other MSP specific issues. I won't deny that the car is very fun to drive when it doesn't have issues, I definitely enjoy driving it, but as a "starter tuner car" like this video refers to it, it is a poor choice.
@@Hartbreak1 Yeah you're right as a starter tuner car it isn't the best choice, but you can always take normal protege parts pretty much everywhere so if you want to keep it stock it isn't that bad. Fun fact: it was my first car and learned a lot of it knowning how hard they takes mods. But when it was stock never had any problems on it. I also learn to find my own parts.
"the closest that even comes close to it was the neon SRT 4" Dude, the srt 4 beat out the protege with the exception of better interior and handling. Coming from an srt 4 owner who always literally liked the speed protege. I'm actually looking at one right now for 3k. Additionally, those engines aren't bulletproof. I'd say 90% of the MS proteges I've seen for sale have a rebuit engine. You know what has a bulletproof engine up to 450 whp reliably on stock internals? You guessed it, the neon.
For 170hp you also have focus svt. In europe it was all the rage at the time for mini hatch like renault clio RS peugeot 206 RC and seat ibiza cupra and vw polo gti cup. Compact hatch where more likely beetwin 200 240.
ive hade mine for a while now and built it up a bit. stock these things are not bullet proof.. at all. the diffs on these things are super weak and break easily. but there are after market solutions for that. the MAF issue can also be solved using an aftermarket ecu and converting it speed density. and the power stearing issue, just take it out.
I know Japan got a Speed version of the Mazda like the US but Japans model didn't have a turbo yet it still had more horsepower & was faster. On paper it didn't look like it'd be enough to make much difference im thinking it was either 3 hp or 7 hp more the Japanese model had but it was faster. Performed better being all motor with similar hp & not having to rely on boost like the turbo models in the States.
So I’m thinking of getting one of these for a first car, any tips or which year is better? Or this car is reliable? Or anywhere I could look to really learn about this car
@@Raiugabe you must not know much about the MSP... Considering 2003 was the only calendar year they were made! Mazda offered a 2003 MAZDASPEED Protégé & later in same year offered 2003.5 (03 & a half) MSP in which were only minimal changes that were so subtle average folk wouldn't even notice the difference BUT true car enthusiasts would!! Me personally I prefer the 2003 over the 03.5 as I think it visually just looks better! Just my preference though. I think alot folk prefer 03.5 though.
@Fluffy they were only made in 2003. Although they had 2 year models in that one year with the 1st MSP (MAZDASPEED Protégé) being a 2003 year model & the 2nd MSP being a 2003.5 year model. Very subtle changes nothing really important enough to be a make or break over purchasing either one. Myself, I personally prefer the 2003 MSP in the color "Spicy Orange" mainly because I prefer the rear wings on the 03 much better than the spoilers they switched to on the 03.5 Fluffy hopefully that will help you some in your search for a MAZDASPEED Protégé. *TBH I think the 3 best colors on the MSP were: 1. Spicy Orange (no contest best color by far) 2. Blue 3. Yellow And the WORST color on the MSP imo would be the gray/silver (not that I think they are ugly or anything, I just do not think the color compliments the car as phenomenally as the other colors do. Spicy Orange makes them stand out the most. Complimenting every curve &fr body line perfectly.)
David Lizarraga I had a Spicy Orange 03 MSP back in 05-06. I've missed the car ever since... Great cars & crazy handling for a sedan right off the production line. I've been thinking about buying another one, especially since the prices have fallen out from under them. I'll only buy an orange, blue or yellow like you said you had. Unless I find a good deal on a very low mileage protege in extremely good condition will I buy any other color. I never did like the gray/sliver speeds & the black ones looked good but just didn't stand out like the spicy orange did. Lol back in 05-06 90% of ppl didn't even know what kind of car I had. They would stop me everywhere I went asking what it was & saying how much they loved it. (I will add that I had debadged my entire MSP. Took emblems off trunk, had holes filled in & trunk repainted. Removed Mazda emblem from front grill.) Gahh makes me miss it so bad! Sadly they are NOT bulletproof like he stated in this video. My opinion has always been that's the only place Mazda dropped the ball was by using the engine out of the base protégé & then just slapping a Calloway turbo on them. Pitiful how weak the internals were. (Though I'm the type who does enjoy putting a vehicle through its paces, turning boost up etc)
I bought a 2003 MSP, and I'm currently struggling to keep it on the road. There are 0 parts available and it's stock tune and cooling setup is dismal and makes it wildly unreliable
Until you snap your lsd or throw a rod bearing... even after all the problems with mine - i loved it and regret selling it. If anyone has production # 1082, tell her i miss her. Bought a elantra sport because it reminds me of it so much.
Joel Wachter you're exactly right!! I was ROFL at his ignorance when he said the MSP were bullet proof! If I were him I would take this video down asap! No near as smart as he would like to think. The poor lil 2.0 in these proteges are extremely weak!
@@austinmartelo4516 and how old are you 15?? Were you even alive when these cars came off the assembly line? Seriously tell us what year you were born? *Also tell us why you disagree with the statement that the MSP is NOT bulletproof?? *BTW yes I am a former MSP owner & I do love those cars & will own one again but I'm fully aware of their shortcomings unlike you & the guy in this video FULL of misinformation!! *No disrespect just seems like you need to gain a bit of knowledge about MSP platforms.
@@austinmartelo4516 well i mean they are fun to drive i will say but i also abuse my cars. So its a solid platform if u dont race it stock hitting rev limiter all the time. May i ask what colour yours was?
I hate to say but as an NA Protege owner, definitely would not call these engines bulletproof. Callaway worked on the turbo stuff I believe, but the engine is identical in every way to the NA version. Great cars for sure, just not Honda reliable.
If anyone knows what the 2001 Mazda Protege MP3 was, I had a Yellow #1,344 out of 1500 ever sent to the US. I cry to this day I dont have her anymore :(
@tim vigil I hope you were lying about crying to this day about something like that. Seriously that'd be ridiculous for a grown man to cry everyday for years over something so unimportant AND EASILY FIXABLE!! tim vigil why don't you just buy another MP3? They don't cost a fortune. So go buy you another one to replace your old one that way you can stop crying everyday.
@4:50 he forgot to add you have to be practically a midget to drive that car! I been in one! I couldn't get in the driver side and passenger side I made it in barely that is, I had my boy helping me out getting out of it once I was in. But out of all that, it was a great 2min joyride riding shotgun, that car is quick.
@@jmr6117 you 100% right! That dude 'none of your business seriously' is completely lying his as* off! Dude couldn't afford a MSP even now after the price has fell out from underneath them! Lol if he told the truth he would comment back admitting that he'd never even rode in the back seat of a MSP let alone driven one. @none of your business seriously YOU ARE A LIAR & A POSER!! My cousin is 6' 8" tall & never had a complaint while riding with me in my MSP, he even drove my car on many occasions and never mentioned the 1st thing about the car being too small or seat not going back far enough or anything else! Go sell your fairy tales to Disney because we ain't buying your bs here!!
It's like a wrx meets evo and then slowed WAYYYYY down. Wish they'd made Rwd and 4/AWD version/conversion kits. Fwd is nice, but could be a bit more versatile with other drivetrain options. Adding this to list of cars I want _(but know I'll probably never get cause I'm *BROKE*)_
How rare are these now? I have an 03' spicy, 128k, bone stock( except for exhaust/still have the original). Im gonna sell very soon. No rust, new clutch/fly/PP, two sets of wheels, two rear swaybars, and a box of brand new parts to do a complete timing belt change. New alternator,plugs, wires, battery.
@js92css how can I get in touch with you? Hoping you haven't sold your msp yet. Could you provide me with your email address or some way of contacting you? I'm interested in buying your car... Holler back soon as you see my comment. Dang wish there was a way to message you right here so I could contact you now because you might not even check back seeing this message. I can provide you with my email if you prefer, just lmk.
The Si probably didn't know they were racing. Unless the driver was just 14 years old. Never had any GT Mustangs beat me back when I had my blue em1. And a stock boost MSP isn't beating a em1 neither. I don't really watch this guy's vids or follow his channel but I'm guessing he isn't very familiar with Hondas. Put him in a proper integra gsr & he'd be making Honda fanboy vids on his deathbed considering how hype he acts over a MSP. *I'll add that I owned a MSP in 05-06 & I love those cars but their engines are very WEAK! The factory internals cannot handle 400hp like a b16 or b18.
All Mazdas are NOT Ford's with higher part prices. Do you not realize how stupid your comment is? But hey ignorance is bliss, right? I'd bet your life is very blissful! 🤣
@@E_tiBEAMERBOY they are worth it, those engines are cast iron, of course if u want to boost it like crazy u need to change a few internals, at least thats what ive seen on forums, but for daily i keep it between 7 and 10 psi
An 05 Mazda 6 does not look about the same as a MSP!! Wake up, you must not be much into cars. 😆 the ignorance on the internet, this is why the U.S.A. is in the condition it is. A dumbed down population full of ignorance!
I just bought mine. $850 a 2003. Perfect condition inside and outside it’s just wear and tear nothing major. Runs like a champ. Love that it’s manual. I’d definitely got lucky with this one.
Holy smokes you lucky bastard!
You’re very lucky
Save every penny meant to modify the car and make it push 250hp or 315hp that’s good enough to be quick
wow lucky do you need a boyfriend 💝
if you are a chick and single
i need that carrr!!!!!
Mine white 2002 2.0 5 speed. 146,236 miles
holy fuck u lucked out
First time I saw a mazdaspeed protege (2004) I fall in love 2 years later I got mine since then I still have it just have lot of fun
they didn’t make a 2004 mazdaspeed protege they stopped production on them in 2003
@@Lugtastic you need to learn how to read... hernan 408 never said it was a 04 MSP he said the first time he saw one was in 04!! Big difference. If you can't comprehend that then you need to go back to school! And if you wanna be technical the MSP had two model years first in 2003 & the last one being 2003.5 that lil tidbit was a freebie for ya, seemed like you needed a bone.
@@Lugtastic he got yo ass😂😂
"It was such an astronomical ass whooping that here I am 15 years later talking to you guys about it" 🤣
ROFL he must be one of those guys who thinks 2002 & older Mustang GT & Cobra were fast. When sadly they were all disappointingly slow in stock form. I remember putting a whoopin' on a 98 Mustang SVT Cobra multiple times from all different speeds & gears, even gave him the hit & the Cobra just couldn't keep up. Owner of the Cobra could not believe it. In all reality that's sad imo... It just showed how terribly underpowered & slow all the US v8 sports cars were back all through the 80s, 90s & early 2000s because the MSP definitely was NOT a fast car. They were fun cars, yes but fast cars no! Very weak internals & even turning the boost levels up any was only asking for trouble. Idk exactly how much whp and/or boost has been determined that these protégé's 2.0 4cyl can safely handle but I'd be surprised if their stock bottom ends could safely handle 200 wheel horse power. Mazda should have atleast upgraded the rods & pistons instead of just slapping a Calloway-Garrett turbocharger on the base Protégés 2.0 😢 but I guess Mazda didn't see that as profitable on such a limited prod. run vehicle knowing they'd only manufacture slightly less than 5k of them for the entire run. 😔
my first project was a 240sx s13 about 9 years ago. recently bought my buddies protege5 as a new daily, bone stock non turbo's with 205k miles on it. I am absolutely amazed how this thing has handled thus far.
What a great looking car - We never had these in the UK- Our Protege's were called 323's and and the only performance one that we had was the 2.0 litre Sport. I was always peeved that we never got these. As well as a Mazda 3 MPS(speed 3), I have a 2002 - 323 hatchback, which is still pretty immaculate and a really great small car but with only 100bhp is no performance beast, that's for sure.
To be fair you boys across the pond got a ton of stuff that I wish I could get my hands on, chief among them the third gen Escort rs turbo
Got mine in 2007 and 13 years later it's still going strong
Damn we have the same story to tell
@@mazdaspeed38 I refuse to get rid of it
i have a fully built manual mazda protoge5, boosted making about 240hp and 230 lb torque. super fun light chassis. these cars are overlooked, and very rare cuz they were only in production for a couple years 🤙🏽🤙🏽
My dad has one. It isnt a mazdaspeed but a LX. I have drove it before and I just like it a lot.
We had one of these fall into our lap. My daughter had somebody give her one that had a bad head gasket. A garage quoted him $2600 to do what it needed. My daughter and son in law bought the $400 dollars worth or parts (gasket kit for the top end, battery, all motor mounts, shift bushings, timing belt, drive belt, etc) and I turned the wrenches. A year later they decided to sell and my son at 14 has his first car for the $1200 they wanted for it. It still needs a few little things, but he is pretty stoked. I had no idea about these when we started on it.
I actually saw a listing of s 2003 for 3,200 and it is clean in and out going to look at it tomorrow it will hopefully be my first car just got my license 1 week ago
Yeah I blew mine up so so much for that whole bulletproof deal
Details?
@@shalokshalom probably over boosting , racing, doing pulls from a dig and every other bad idea to do with this car.
We’re you in full boost ALL THE TOME
User error
You aren't alone. Most of the ones I've seen for sale have rebuilt engines.
Mazda protege is the most underrated sedan in history.
Christ I’m getting old if you were in HS in 2003 lol. I’ve always loved these Protege
dude 2003 was 17 years ago. The people born in 2003 are about to graduate high school
@@pex3 dude I graduated high school in 1989. Cars weren’t particularly fast then. Hyundai just entered the market and were running a promotion - buy one base model Excel 3-door coupê get one free!! My buddy’s mom got one and gave him the free one. Took us to the Jersey shore all summer lol
@@pex3 indeed I graduated in June 😅
I had a 2000 mazda protege it was a great beater car and although not a racecar fast enough for a little commuter car. The exhaust sounded nice in its stock form. I had 150 000 miles on it and abused it and was still running great.
Awesome video didn't know about the Calloway involvement in that car. Plus loved the old car stories.
I just bought one with a fully built engine for 5k CAD not so long ago but the yellow 03.5 and i love it
where u bought yours from, GTA toronto area?
@MOMO Fanboy TLR it sounds like you got a KILLER DEAL!! Bro 4realz post some pics in the comments & give us some info on the build... If you can't do that then atleast give us your email or way we can get some pics & info on that thing. Sounds insane.
@@itdoesntmatterwhatyourname6128 email is hummerworld@hotmail.com, i dont think i can.put pics in youtube comments, i dont have the option on my phone
I have the predecessor to the Mazdaspeed Protege which is the 2001 Mazda MP3. It is where it all started. The first production car with a MP3 player, hence the name. I highly modified my MP3 to specs that trounced a lot of the V8 cars at that time. I still have it. I enjoy my TLX Type-S now though.
As a non-mazdaspeed Protege owner I love this chassis so much, but there was so much wasted potential on the Mazdaspeed IMO. The FS motors were already super weak to begin with, and when boosted they couldn't handle much more than the stock ~7 psi of boost without bending rods. The transmissions weren't much better, which is often why these cars can't even push above 200whp reliably. That's why I disagree with your claim that these engines are "bulletproof." Great car in theory, but it has such a low ceiling which is why it didn't gain as much popularity as some other chassis. They are cheap cars which is nice, but at around $3500 for one today you're better off in a Civic or Integra, hell even a G35/350Z if you want better overall reliability and aftermarket support.
A Civic isn't as quick, I mean it should be 5.5-6.5 - 60, a Civic is what 8.0 - 60? You can KL v6 swap if you want more a little more engine and trans. KLZE starts at 200 hp NA. $3500 isn't going to be much of a G35/350Z and those 5.4 - 60.
@@pgtmr2713 exactly my point dude... the Mazdaspeed Protege would've been a great car if it's powertrain didn't suck. And sure, you could swap a KL motor into one, but consider the cost of a decent shell plus the cost of the swap and all the headaches of making it work. After all that work you'll be into it for about the same price as a solid condition 350Z, G35, or Mustang, and the Protege would still struggle to keep up.
Frank White *frontwheel and i had it for a month did a burnout in the school parking lot and blew my clutch and tranny. Paid $1300 and immediately put in over $1200 to get it fixed. And the wheel hub assembly was fucked when i got it, same goes with the clutch
@@Lugtastic do you even know what you're talking about? Because nobody else has a clue where you get these off the wall comments... All your RUclips comments are like this, REV are you on meds, did you accidentally forget & take a double dose before posting this comment?? Or is it you've ran out of your meds? There is something off with you.
What about an is300 ?
It is a good looking car. Reminds me of an evo
I drove one it was a blast.
Also before you buy 98 to 2011 Ford Ranger/ Mazda b series trucks. Warn them about the leaf spring hangers. The frame itself will Rust Out.
The hangers are easily replaceable in a few hours by pulling off the bed.
i miss my protoge 😭
They indeed fun car. even stock care is fine to. I got p5 is still fun car.
I got a p5 as well , love her so much
What a legendary car. This was going to be my first car before getting the MKIV Supra. Honestly, I would have been equally happy with the Protege.
This low rear spoiler look like a minime 00 mustang svt spoiler so cute!
The spoiler is made by Roush
That rematch needs to happen
Thank-you for doing this video bro. I owned one and it whooped everything on the road in that mid area of between the Evo and wrx Era.
Surely not
Bro im almost at 200,000 and it still drives like a dream
I just got this butt hatchback but I absolutely love it I always wanted s hatchback but I got this same year same car and I got it for s steal girl was moving to Colorado didnt wanna bring it there cause the snow the day before she was moving I bought it for $1100 with 158 thousand miles on her only problems is rust around the body and the clamps to the battery needs to be replaced because it loses power when idle and maybe battery I already checked it out alt charges .. but I got real lucky with this find and I knew once I got behind the wheel and drove it on the highway that this car was a little special
Im doing the headgasket on mine but I got the 02’ wagon naturally aspirated
Same I got the 02' P5 in Sunburst Yellow. Completely stock rn doe.
I had a 360whp Spicey orange mazdaspeed protege, then I had the titanium one I got with 160,000k and it lasted to 298,000k with beating the bag out of it EVERYDAY, just bolt ons but didn’t up the boost in that one
I'm looking towards upping the hp on mine, any pointers?
great video! thanks for putting my MSP in it! 🎉
The sentra ser and the ms protege are the best bang for buck fwd dailies there are imo, great video
I'll take the Mazda over the Nissan any given day of the week, you can keep the Sentra ☜(ﾟヮﾟ☜).
@@raulferro3998 me too, the msp looks kill the sentra! BUT the Sentra SER Spec-V is much faster than the Speed Protege. The protege can't even think about even keeping close to the Sentra SER Spec-V. Though I'd still take another 2003 spicy orange MSP over a Spec V Sentra any day. Imo the Sentras were ugly af!
Another car the guy in this video probably isn't aware of is the Chevy Cobalt SS. Or he'd be nut swinging on them as fast as he thinks the MSP is. Cobalt SS is another cheap bang for your buck car & unfortunately will also dog walk a MAZDASPEED Protégé any day of the week. But just like the Nissan Sentra the Cobalt SS is ugly af & the looks of the Speed kill it!
I can't believe this guy in vid thinks the MSP is so fast lol, they are slow! I love the MSP but that doesn't mean I'm going to overhype it. Drive a stock MSP without a fmic deep in the south in the middle of summer. The hot heat & crazy humidity KILLS those cars, the lag from the turbo is insane in conditions like that. So for about 3 months straight or so in the south the MSP isn't gonna come anywhere close to beating that Em1 like he said it does in his video. In stock form the MSP is very temperamental depending on the driving conditions/outside weather when driving the cars hard! Something in an Em1 the driver does not have to worry about being a factor. Now on real cold winter days that's when owners of stock MSP are going to enjoy taking their cars through their paces the absolute most. I love the MSP as they are excellent driving cars & handle phenomenally for a stock sedan BUT Mazda failed severely in 2 areas: 1. They atleast should have upgraded the factory pistons/rods from the base 2.0 protégé engines or better yet developed a superior engine specifically for the MSP (all those in the know are aware the engines were very weak. Even trying for 200 whp & turning the boost up, bigger injectors & retune made it a ticking time bomb. That's sad because 200 hp is literally nothing & these cars should have came out rated 240 or 250 bhp atleast instead of the squeamish 170 bhp on a nearly capped out 7 psi smh.
And 2. Mazda should have released these cars from factory with an FMIC. They heat soak too fast & too often in warmer weather & in hot weather they stay heat soaked. The poor turbo has no chance in mid summer w/high humidity. They could've even utilized a top mount & gave them an aggressive looking vented hood or at the very least used some sort of side mount intercooler that actually performed. That's all for me critiquing the 03 & 03.5 MAZDASPEED Protégé... Because other then those couple things Mazda hit a home run with these gorgeous cars! But they could've hit a grand slam. All of its other competition around the same time had significant higher horsepower numbers! Though I'm not aware of any of its competitors that were able to hang with the MSP in the handling department. The handling was top notch! Done great when dry & would perform acceptable when wet as well.
I'm thinking about buying one with a great body & just swapping out the engine & trans. Seems like a great way to have a nice car & be able to make it fast without spending a fortune. The aftermarket support was never proper for the MSP due to being such a limited production run of less than 5k cars total for 03 & 03.5 both. Yes when it comes to the engine platform & all that its the same as the 2.0 4cyl in the regular Protege but then again even the base model protege being made over a longer time frame than just the one year of the MSP the regular Protégé never had the following that Hondas, Nissans & other imports had. Honda swapping a MSP seems to be a very efficient & effective way of making a MSP very fast while at the same time being very reliable & dependable for a daily driver.
Anyone out there have a MSP that they've Honda swapped? Or swapped with anything else as for that matter? I know its had to been done more than just one time!!
^^^ yes its a book lol
@@itdoesntmatterwhatyourname6128 hey, is your name a reference to wb7thst?
I have 2 mazdaspeed protege
Orange spicy 2003
Titanium grey 2003.5
Mazda protege 1999(winter beater)😉
Thats a awesome car, i love it everytime a take it!
Australia got the base 2.0 Lt without the turbo called the 323 SP20.in sedan and 5dr hatchback in 2000 to 2003.
I'm happily getting about in a 2003 1.8 Lt auto sedan with 140,000 km, thats just needed new coil packs, rocker cover gasket and new rear struts soon..., not bad for a AUD $5500 car bought in 2017 with 67,000 km on the clock.
Audio updates are soon to be done time permitting.
Love this little car!
As good as it may be on paper, nobody tells you about all the common defects of the car. Bought my 03 protege5 with 100k miles and when I started it for the first time the exhaust blew a cloud of oil so thick it smoked out the whole street. The piston seals on the car are garbage. I had to replace the whole engine and the replacement engine has the same problem. That being said I have put 70k miles on it and been driving in the same condition for about 6 years. As long as you put a quart of oil in it every week it still runs. But if you want this car still be prepared to either cash out for repairs or spend months(or years) doing it yourself
I've seen a couple of these and they look cool. Kinda wish they were offered in the Protege5 wagon as well. Oh well, we still have the MazdaSpeed 3.
A ton of people swap the FS-DE (boosted FS) into the P5. The engines are cheap, and buying a stock P5 is easier than buying a stock MSP.
I would love to get one of these cars. Being they were a limited amount made and many riced out it’s hard to find a clean one in my area. i think they made more mustang bullitts then this car. I would Love to find 2003.5 what made this car so special is that many of the parts were off the shelf aftermarket parts from the turbo, wheels, suspension and even the Kenwood cd deck,
I have a yellow one in storage that is clean with 42k miles. Not riced, but needs a head gasket. I'd sell it for the right price.
I got one recently for $2300. Just at 100k miles. Only problem was that it was riced with a big as spoiler and other stuff
Picked up a Spicy recently for $2600 on coilovers and with a Vibrant catback exhaust. It has some issues, sure, but its a rust free chassis, which for the Midwest is a big deal.
Alec B where are you located?
@@WillJacksonNW Rockford, IL
Does anyone know how the msp handles in the snow and general cold weather?
Love your video maaaaann. I owned my lightly moded Blazing Yellow Mica MSF for 4 years now and I still get a kick out of old and new civic Si, BRZ/FRS/86 drivers initially try to launch at red lights then some get intimidated and give up when they can't gap my sleeper. It still get mistaken for the 03 evo. I don't see how. Like that 03 Lancer OZ RALLIART. Like to see more rare reliable sleeper car videos.
I have one, I’m doing a clutch job as we speak
Bad ass video I never forget the first time I saw one San Gabriel ave outside the donut shop by the railroad track 😍😍😍
Why not the srt 4 tho
I remember 1 time I told you to do a vid on this car but on the wagon version I have a protege5 wagon its badass and it was so fun to drive it was a pussy magnet as well
As a current MSP owner I say don’t bother. The engine internals are NA protege so it isn’t bulletproof at all, that engine is only a boost controller and someone adding a few PSI away from bending rods. Unless you find one with reworked forged internals stay away. Also the specific Mazdaspeed parts are a PAIN to find (and there’s quite a few) because of the car’s rarity. The Callaway parts (exhaust manifold and the weird downpipe) are weak and prone to cracking and also a PAIN to replace, aftermarket replacements for these parts are a pain as well. Even if you find one with a forged engine and the works, most probably the transmission will die on you as it can’t handle more than 300hp reliably. Even if you plan on leaving it stock (good luck finding an unmolested one) like I said before finding replacement for Mazdaspeed parts is very hard. Go to a Mazda auto parts or dealership and it won’t be uncommon for people there not to know the existence of these cars to begin with “Mazdaspeed Protege what?” Is what most of these people will answer. Then after you spend 10 mins explaining about the car, they look at the system and say “it doesn’t show any parts for that car” or “I can’t find that car in the system”. At least the engine itself is a normal NA engine so you can find maintenance parts for it. Some people may say “But that’s only a Protege with a Mazdaspeed badge on it, right?” Yes and no. The engine and car exterior are the only pure protege parts of that car. The transmission is a Protege unit with specific MSP LSD (which is easy to break) and clutch. Both the LSD and clutch don’t have direct replacements anymore so you must aftermarket them if they break or wear. Suspension and brakes are MSP specific with some Racing Beats parts included, can be difficult to find maintenance parts. Some people upgrade to Mazda6 brakes as it’s better and replacement stuff is readily available. Exhaust from cat back is Racing Beat and not bad for stock power or mild upgrades. Exhaust manifold and downpipe is Callaway and very weak, (quality) aftermarket replacements are hard to find and expensive, like expending 1 grand on both kind of expensive. Radiator is also MSP specific as it also houses the intercooler, there aren’t direct replacements anymore and most people upgrade to front mount intercoolers and swap to Protege5 radiators. TLDR don’t buy one.
I currently own my second msp and pushing 225 whp with basic bolts-on (turboback 3", Fmic, CAI, BOV, motor mounts and a proffesional tune). I've had this setup till 4 years now and no problem as long as yont dont rev it cold et you dont abuse the car. Beside that, rods and piston are the only thing that need to be forged, you'll want to upgarde the lsd and the clutch of course. But, lets not forget that the car in great condition is around 6k$ and with another 6k$ you'll easily pass evo and sti (that cost more like 20k for the same year) Sure you wont get awd but this is simply the best handling fwd car i've ever been in. Ever for 2020 standard. And you'll probably be the only one to have a msp in your area when sti and evo will be everywhere. I just like the look of this car and woulnd't trade it for a more reliable cars. If you complain about all those stuff and wanna keep the car stock why dont you get an civic si like every kids? If you dont like challenge you can get a cobalt ss sc or a neon srt4, rsx and integra are also great options for 6k. You can get bad exemple of wrx and g35 and maybe 350z if youre lucky or you can get boring "sports cars" like an scion tc a kia forte koup sx, a corolla xrs. Those wont cost a lot but every passion cost money and if you want a fun cars, you gotta be ready for it. It wasn't a prius video you were watching...
And for aftermarkets parts: mazdaspeedtuning.com, streetunit, Cx racing, and many others. Who need stock msp parts when you can get better one for less...
Last thing, why would someone put a boost controller on his first car... It is already great at stock form... It was not a tuner car video it was a first car video lol.
@@tundraman1283 yeah 225 is about what you'll get safely with bolt ons and 10 psi of boost probably up to 240 if you have a great tuner, but forget about all that with a pure stock car unless you have an excellent tuner. I wouldn't call MSP replacement parts cheap, like I mentioned an aftermarket exhaust manifold and downpipe can get close to a grand unless you want something that will crack in a few months. Of these sites only a few are still operating and stuff isn't cheap. In my case my car came with a few bits already so the cost hasn't been so high, but I need a new turbo which is 750$ at the very least if I want the straight replacement one. You're right that it can reach 300 if you have the right clutch (300$+), a decent turbo (1000$+) unless you want to run your stock turbo to the usable limit, forged rods (900$+), injectors (350+) and pistons (500$) on top of what you have. After 300hp that's the territory of blown transmissions and broken LSDs. There are far more accessible cars with far better aftermarket than this car out there. Also this being a low volume car doesn't help. I say this car is only for those that aren't afraid of the hardships of dealing with an obscure car like this. It's all shines and rainbows until that dreaded rubber water elbow decides it has had enough, until you need new brake parts (and then decide to go with Mazda 6 brakes to save the hassle next time) and other MSP specific issues. I won't deny that the car is very fun to drive when it doesn't have issues, I definitely enjoy driving it, but as a "starter tuner car" like this video refers to it, it is a poor choice.
@@Hartbreak1 Yeah you're right as a starter tuner car it isn't the best choice, but you can always take normal protege parts pretty much everywhere so if you want to keep it stock it isn't that bad. Fun fact: it was my first car and learned a lot of it knowning how hard they takes mods. But when it was stock never had any problems on it. I also learn to find my own parts.
I had one, handled like it was on rails.
I want one so bad but its so rare.
This is not a starter car, THIS IS FINISHER CARRR
I just want to know if it’s reliable
"the closest that even comes close to it was the neon SRT 4" Dude, the srt 4 beat out the protege with the exception of better interior and handling. Coming from an srt 4 owner who always literally liked the speed protege. I'm actually looking at one right now for 3k.
Additionally, those engines aren't bulletproof. I'd say 90% of the MS proteges I've seen for sale have a rebuit engine. You know what has a bulletproof engine up to 450 whp reliably on stock internals? You guessed it, the neon.
u mad ? 🤣
@@rafaelmajano6623 Using a meme from 2012? 👏
I guess i gotta learn stickshift🧐
What’s catch? What is the reason why there were so cheap are they still cheap in 2024 and does the engine have rare hard to find parts?
For 170hp you also have focus svt. In europe it was all the rage at the time for mini hatch like renault clio RS peugeot 206 RC and seat ibiza cupra and vw polo gti cup. Compact hatch where more likely beetwin 200 240.
ive hade mine for a while now and built it up a bit. stock these things are not bullet proof.. at all. the diffs on these things are super weak and break easily. but there are after market solutions for that. the MAF issue can also be solved using an aftermarket ecu and converting it speed density. and the power stearing issue, just take it out.
Moi j'avais la bleu
great video bro
I don’t think we got this in Australia. I got a 2.0 litre NA model which is fun to run around in. Wished we had the turbo.
I know Japan got a Speed version of the Mazda like the US but Japans model didn't have a turbo yet it still had more horsepower & was faster. On paper it didn't look like it'd be enough to make much difference im thinking it was either 3 hp or 7 hp more the Japanese model had but it was faster. Performed better being all motor with similar hp & not having to rely on boost like the turbo models in the States.
So I’m thinking of getting one of these for a first car, any tips or which year is better? Or this car is reliable? Or anywhere I could look to really learn about this car
Probably the 2003, I think thats the last year they were made.
@@Raiugabe you must not know much about the MSP... Considering 2003 was the only calendar year they were made! Mazda offered a 2003 MAZDASPEED Protégé & later in same year offered 2003.5 (03 & a half) MSP in which were only minimal changes that were so subtle average folk wouldn't even notice the difference BUT true car enthusiasts would!! Me personally I prefer the 2003 over the 03.5 as I think it visually just looks better! Just my preference though. I think alot folk prefer 03.5 though.
@Fluffy they were only made in 2003. Although they had 2 year models in that one year with the 1st MSP (MAZDASPEED Protégé) being a 2003 year model & the 2nd MSP being a 2003.5 year model. Very subtle changes nothing really important enough to be a make or break over purchasing either one. Myself, I personally prefer the 2003 MSP in the color "Spicy Orange" mainly because I prefer the rear wings on the 03 much better than the spoilers they switched to on the 03.5
Fluffy hopefully that will help you some in your search for a MAZDASPEED Protégé.
*TBH I think the 3 best colors on the MSP were: 1. Spicy Orange (no contest best color by far) 2. Blue 3. Yellow
And the WORST color on the MSP imo would be the gray/silver (not that I think they are ugly or anything, I just do not think the color compliments the car as phenomenally as the other colors do. Spicy Orange makes them stand out the most. Complimenting every curve &fr body line perfectly.)
I had a blazin yellow. Miss my msp
David Lizarraga I had a Spicy Orange 03 MSP back in 05-06. I've missed the car ever since... Great cars & crazy handling for a sedan right off the production line. I've been thinking about buying another one, especially since the prices have fallen out from under them. I'll only buy an orange, blue or yellow like you said you had. Unless I find a good deal on a very low mileage protege in extremely good condition will I buy any other color. I never did like the gray/sliver speeds & the black ones looked good but just didn't stand out like the spicy orange did. Lol back in 05-06 90% of ppl didn't even know what kind of car I had. They would stop me everywhere I went asking what it was & saying how much they loved it. (I will add that I had debadged my entire MSP. Took emblems off trunk, had holes filled in & trunk repainted. Removed Mazda emblem from front grill.) Gahh makes me miss it so bad!
Sadly they are NOT bulletproof like he stated in this video. My opinion has always been that's the only place Mazda dropped the ball was by using the engine out of the base protégé & then just slapping a Calloway turbo on them. Pitiful how weak the internals were. (Though I'm the type who does enjoy putting a vehicle through its paces, turning boost up etc)
I bought a 2003 MSP, and I'm currently struggling to keep it on the road. There are 0 parts available and it's stock tune and cooling setup is dismal and makes it wildly unreliable
Until you snap your lsd or throw a rod bearing... even after all the problems with mine - i loved it and regret selling it. If anyone has production # 1082, tell her i miss her. Bought a elantra sport because it reminds me of it so much.
I’d say even a Chevy Cobalt SS, Ford ZX2, S/R, Civic EX, would be a great first car, or a second cheap commuter with these insane gas prices.
They arent bulletproof lol. I have one trust me on this
I disagree 😂😂😭
Joel Wachter you're exactly right!! I was ROFL at his ignorance when he said the MSP were bullet proof! If I were him I would take this video down asap! No near as smart as he would like to think. The poor lil 2.0 in these proteges are extremely weak!
@@austinmartelo4516 and how old are you 15?? Were you even alive when these cars came off the assembly line? Seriously tell us what year you were born?
*Also tell us why you disagree with the statement that the MSP is NOT bulletproof??
*BTW yes I am a former MSP owner & I do love those cars & will own one again but I'm fully aware of their shortcomings unlike you & the guy in this video FULL of misinformation!!
*No disrespect just seems like you need to gain a bit of knowledge about MSP platforms.
@@austinmartelo4516 well i mean they are fun to drive i will say but i also abuse my cars. So its a solid platform if u dont race it stock hitting rev limiter all the time. May i ask what colour yours was?
Amazing car
I hate to say but as an NA Protege owner, definitely would not call these engines bulletproof. Callaway worked on the turbo stuff I believe, but the engine is identical in every way to the NA version. Great cars for sure, just not Honda reliable.
If anyone knows what the 2001 Mazda Protege MP3 was, I had a Yellow #1,344 out of 1500 ever sent to the US. I cry to this day I dont have her anymore :(
@tim vigil I hope you were lying about crying to this day about something like that. Seriously that'd be ridiculous for a grown man to cry everyday for years over something so unimportant AND EASILY FIXABLE!!
tim vigil why don't you just buy another MP3? They don't cost a fortune. So go buy you another one to replace your old one that way you can stop crying everyday.
I’ve got the blue MP3...
I had one and loved it but it was the most unreliable car I’ve ever owned.
Why ? What were the problems ?.
I am so confused why they axed this beauty of a car...
C'est ian de la boîte.
Hey man I’ve wondering what kind of air filter you put on the $20 diy crown Vic, please let me know or send link
spectre cone filter from autozone part# 9732
hey i had one its a great car i do agree!
@4:50 he forgot to add you have to be practically a midget to drive that car! I been in one! I couldn't get in the driver side and passenger side I made it in barely that is, I had my boy helping me out getting out of it once I was in. But out of all that, it was a great 2min joyride riding shotgun, that car is quick.
I'm 6'1" and I fit just fine.....how fuck'n tall are you? 😂😂😂
none of your buisness Seriously bullshit anybody can fix in the carr ,unless you are 7 feet tall..
William Warren right ,that dude its a nut man i am 6 feet and i drive fine in tha carr.
@@jmr6117 you 100% right!
That dude 'none of your business seriously' is completely lying his as* off! Dude couldn't afford a MSP even now after the price has fell out from underneath them! Lol if he told the truth he would comment back admitting that he'd never even rode in the back seat of a MSP let alone driven one.
@none of your business seriously YOU ARE A LIAR & A POSER!! My cousin is 6' 8" tall & never had a complaint while riding with me in my MSP, he even drove my car on many occasions and never mentioned the 1st thing about the car being too small or seat not going back far enough or anything else! Go sell your fairy tales to Disney because we ain't buying your bs here!!
It's like a wrx meets evo and then slowed WAYYYYY down.
Wish they'd made Rwd and 4/AWD version/conversion kits. Fwd is nice, but could be a bit more versatile with other drivetrain options.
Adding this to list of cars I want _(but know I'll probably never get cause I'm *BROKE*)_
Anybody know how many are still registered and on the road?
amazing broo❤️❤️❤️🔥
How rare are these now? I have an 03' spicy, 128k, bone stock( except for exhaust/still have the original). Im gonna sell very soon. No rust, new clutch/fly/PP, two sets of wheels, two rear swaybars, and a box of brand new parts to do a complete timing belt change. New alternator,plugs, wires, battery.
@js92css how can I get in touch with you? Hoping you haven't sold your msp yet. Could you provide me with your email address or some way of contacting you? I'm interested in buying your car... Holler back soon as you see my comment. Dang wish there was a way to message you right here so I could contact you now because you might not even check back seeing this message. I can provide you with my email if you prefer, just lmk.
@@itdoesntmatterwhatyourname6128 it sold a month ago within 1hr of posting locally. 1st person who inquired got it. Sorry
@@js92css if you don’t mind me asking , how much you sell it for ay ?
@@js92css I have one same year 🤔
@@2potbacj617 $4100 with lots of extras
what is mazdaspeed protege? theres mazda protege and mazdaspeed 6 and 3
A Mazdaspeed version of the Protegé.
An this is why I drive a Protege 😎
Im shocked a 95 mustang GT🤔 beat a 99 Si......
Id like to see that happen again. With a different driver 😁...me
The Si probably didn't know they were racing. Unless the driver was just 14 years old. Never had any GT Mustangs beat me back when I had my blue em1. And a stock boost MSP isn't beating a em1 neither. I don't really watch this guy's vids or follow his channel but I'm guessing he isn't very familiar with Hondas. Put him in a proper integra gsr & he'd be making Honda fanboy vids on his deathbed considering how hype he acts over a MSP.
*I'll add that I owned a MSP in 05-06 & I love those cars but their engines are very WEAK! The factory internals cannot handle 400hp like a b16 or b18.
Speed owner here #552 of 2500
765
1383. Spicy.
I still got this...first!
🤣
Great, I said sarcastically
👀👀👀👀👀👀
Mr Random Reviews you know it
Great cars limited production sadly, only 2750 where made.
Mazdaspeed6 is the real winner....
But it's just a ford with higher part prices ... any Mazda
Lol that's where you're wrong. Ya might wanna spend more time at the library instead of believing everything you hear.
All Mazdas are NOT Ford's with higher part prices. Do you not realize how stupid your comment is? But hey ignorance is bliss, right? I'd bet your life is very blissful! 🤣
@@itdoesntmatterwhatyourname6128 i should say ford took mazdas original and just made their own with the focus.... miss mazdaspeed
Hah have fun finding very many for sale!
yep...lol !! they are hard to find..luckly i still own mine with 110 k only and no rust
@@kalaphonic that’s awesome I’d prob keep one forever if I stumbled upon one
@@E_tiBEAMERBOY they are worth it, those engines are cast iron, of course if u want to boost it like crazy u need to change a few internals, at least thats what ive seen on forums, but for daily i keep it between 7 and 10 psi
@@kalaphonic pretty good car doesn’t weigh very much either!
Yeah i have a 2003 but no speed lol good little car tho got 190k onit
I have one for sale in Louisiana
Damn things fall apart
Yeah but how do you get one? The don't exist
176hp with a turbo.. lmaooo
They only made 4,500 mazda speed versions. Not Easy to find a real one at all
I had one it was boots😂😂😂
This was all fluff. No cons. All pros. The same thing we are able to read on stock ads from the internet. Not to mention, a mass amount of ad libs.
Was your mustang automatic? Or gt?
Really? "Automatic or GT"?? I'M GONNA TAKE A STAB IN THE DARK & GUESS ENGLISH IS NOT YOUR 1ST LANGUAGE!?!?
@@itdoesntmatterwhatyourname6128 two separate questions that I was referring to.... just was lazy 😴
It’s a pitty Mazda stopped making them!!
I liked the video... just a short comment this time :-)
My mom used to have a 2005 Mazda 6 and looked about the same not a fast though
An 05 Mazda 6 does not look about the same as a MSP!! Wake up, you must not be much into cars. 😆 the ignorance on the internet, this is why the U.S.A. is in the condition it is. A dumbed down population full of ignorance!
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍nice
Since then he upgraded his protege to rx7 ls swapped haha 😂 jk jk
Back when Japanese automakers weren't afraid of budget performance cars
a high 15 ... Takes out your Mustang? You must have had a real toilet.