250 to spend

[MikeyClutch]

hey i have a basically stock 00' protege ES and i got like 250 to spend this week and another 150ish next week, whats a good buy to kick everything off with? Header? Intake? Save for exhaust? Springs?

[Captain KRM P5]

www.protegegarage.com

[MikeyClutch]

ive been there, great site, and thats where i basically decided to get either the obx header, eibach springs, injen cai, so on so forth, no idea where to start, if i get the eibachs i need to spend money on coilovers and struts soon after and rims, if i get a header its gunna lead to the exhaust and intake, i mean its just the route i choose first, eventually its all gunna be done.

[jbiird317]

if youre going to keep having this kind of money to spend, go with performance first, then style....I went, intake, wheels, springs/struts...next is exhaust then maybe skirts and lip kits

[JOMO]

Most people go with the intake first, then go on from there. I went Intake, exhaust, springs, header, shortshifter and so on. But it will get expensive so keep that in mind.

[Brian MP5T]

Intake Sounds Cool!

[zerocover]

My very first mod was a set of rims a week after I got the car. Then exhaust then springs (not installed yet) most recently intake. The rims were by far the most rewarding for me esp if you get a set of high preformance tires. Nothing can compete with better rubber.

[MikeyClutch]

thanks bro's i guess ill look into a intake or the header. Whats the best intake and header for the money

[hello2000]

first you need to think about your overall goal for your car. I made this mistake; I spent $1600 on my car and new parts came out from mental addiction. Now I am going to get the thumper kit and now I have to try to sell my hiboost FMIC. In reguards to your question, I would save your money and probably get a new exhaust.

[nautical2086]

I did mine zigzag, Bought the car with the intake , lowered and tint, got it bought the clear corners, spoiler, rims, NGK plugs and wires, New rims and tires, CS exhaust, Body kit, Dark corners, Then planned on getting my header and cams, but as you know...... thats delyed a while, so you can say, i went looks first, but yeah with about 250, id get the springs, cuz to me thats performance/handling and looks as the same time.

[Brian MP5T]

Yes, Final goal, then buy parts that will get you there...

[protege02]

i went mazda sport axelback(mazdastuff.com), springs/shocks, twm short shifter and kartboy bushings, mp5 strut bar, k&n typhoon intake, mp3 rear sway bar, awr front motor mount, and wheels. im getting window tint, header, and some new rotors when my stock brakes are worn. i'll be done with the car. that's my goal. definitely plan what u want to do before u go out and buy things. the only mistake that i made was that i bought the stabilizer bar kit, had it installed at a friend's shop, and had it taken off. i should have kepted it because i ended up buying the mp3 front/rear sway bars. i sold the front sway bar, and the rear sway bar is on my car now. also, it doesn't really matter what intake u get. i got the typhoon intake because i like the fact of knowing that i have a quality product on my car, such as it comes with brackets to make sure ur intake doesn't hop around and hit things such as the master cylinder, and i can convert it to short ram or cold air. it's $220 for it at vividracing.com if u are wondering what's the cheapest place to get it. definitely plan out what u want for ur car though. it saves money, time, and heartache. well, catch u laters.

[Brian MP5T]

$250.00 is a start but i don't think that any one $250.00 Mod will make massive HP gains. It's a collective of simple mods that make better gains.

[SIBalla23]

I would say get intake first, then in the next 2 weeks or so, get the obx header. Whatever you get, I'll be more then happy to help you with the install.

[lasermp5]

awr 21.5mm rear swaybar? obx header? hooker?

[Brian MP5T]

Oh, Shit. Yes, The AWR 21.mm is a stellar mod!

http://www.msprotege.com/members/Brian%20MP5T/AWR%20-%20%282%29.jpghttp://www.msprotege.com/members/Brian%20MP5T/AWR%20-%20%284%29.jpghttp://www.msprotege.com/members/Brian%20MP5T/AWR%20-%20%285%29.jpg

[MikeyClutch]

GREAT info guys thanks so much so far, but letme give you a better idea of what im looking for in my car. my goal of my car is stupid really, its cause im a young stupid niave kid. but it still my goal none the less, i wanna be able to slam my gas on a hot day and spin my wheels, i wanna goto a strip and make people go damn not bad for a protege. but nothing nuts, since i live in nyc the audio systems here are nuts, and i dont got the cash to compete with it so i want the same response as the drag strip, dam not bad for a protege. siballa will back me up there are trucks and cars here that have more bass than a ludacris concert. So letme outline my plans really to give u guys a better idea

Exterior-
Sport 20 body kit w/ front lip
Custom Grille with 01 Protege logo mounted (i wanna be different)
darkened clear corners and headlights
m3 style mirrors (no l.e.d.)
Fog lights
Tints
MP3 Factory Spoiler (the one with the 2 supports that are like slanted, its also on some msp's)
Motegi Rims

Interior- i have gray interior so i have no idea what to do with my interior PLEASE suggest SOMETHING i was thinking red neons, and save to get seats refinished in black, also was thinking to take apart my entire interior and sand off the factory color and spray interior spray and clearcoat and re-do the entire interior to black with silver accents and silver speaker grates and stuff, but im lost on what to do with my steering wheel and passenger console area with the airbag.

I.C.E
Head Unit - Pioneer DEH-P7700MP
Speakers -
Front Doors - 6.5 Components with custom mounted tweeter
Rear Doors - 6.5 Full range
Rear Deck - Nothing
Trunk - 2 Diamond Audio M3 10'' subs 500w RMS, havent decided amp

Stiff Stuff
Tokico Shocks and Esplier Springs
Front and rear sway bars

Stoppers
Brembo cross drilled/slotted Rotors
Hawk Brake pads
steel braided brake lines - if i can get them
painted caliper- prob red or black but mazda will be written in white

Engine -
OBX header
J-spec and mazdaspeed cams
Injen or K&N CAI
Corksport Power Series Exhaust
NGK spark plugs and wires
OPTIMA battery
custom mounted hi-flo cat located close to headers
Dress up Kit and odd and end polised bits from ebay
wish i could do more here but im gunna stay N/A because i dont have the money for a turbo kit. but i would like to do like the fuel regulator, and better fuel pumps, and fuel rails and all the stuff they do to racing cars but im not sure can be done to our car. id like to plan to do whatever possible to make the Zoom Zoom thing real. There is that corksport throttle body. all that.

hope this helps you guys. comment on ANYTHING i want all the help i can get from you guys, and maybe this post should be put into its own thread, letme know ill repost or w/e needed i dont wanna be on any1's bad side. THANKS BRO's

[Brian MP5T]

You Don't need "Front Bar" The car is bias towards the rear as it is.

[jbiird317]

ha i hope you have a little more than just $250 to spend

plans sound good tho

[MikeyClutch]

yeah this will prob take me like 8-10 months to complete unless i get more computer repair jobs then like 5-6 months :) but please comment on the plans and add your lil quips

[Brian MP5T]

The suspension is a great investment. It has the possibility of making the car click and grunt. So you have been warned.

[jbiird317]

The suspension is a great investment. It has the possibility of making the car click and grunt. So you have been warned.

dont forget the squeaks! it all is made up for in the way the car handles tho, im in love with my new suspension, definately my favorite mod so far

[Brian MP5T]

dont forget the squeaks! it all is made up for in the way the car handles tho, im in love with my new suspension, definately my favorite mod so far

http://www.msprotege.com/members/Brian%20MP5T/AWR%20FIX%20-%20%283%29.jpghttp://www.msprotege.com/members/Brian%20MP5T/AWR%20FIX%20-%20%282%29.jpghttp://www.msprotege.com/members/Brian%20MP5T/AWR%20FIX%20-%20%281%29.jpghttp://www.msprotege.com/members/Brian%20MP5T/AWR%20FIX%20-%20%284%29.jpg

[jbiird317]

and no more squeaks??

[Brian MP5T]

and no more squeaks??

Yes. Squeaks are DONE!

[jbiird317]

i think i may have just found my next mod....lol

[Brian MP5T]

i think i may have just found my next mod....lol

AutoZone has them...

CLICK THIS LINK BIACH! (http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=106761)

[Sarspanky123]

sounds like a lot of money going to be put into your ride. i would start with an intake and then get lite weight underdrive pully then go for the header and then save for an exhaust system or a short shifter but thats my thought on it. and if your wondering if i have done anything with my protege unfotunatly no i just got it a couple of weeks ago. Also i have to perfect my driving with stick (first manual car). But i probably will start getting parts for my car in a couple of months. At that time i should have enough money saved up to buy most of the mods i want to put on my car that are in a sense cheap (the mods are the ones i listed above. I wont start getting the more expensive mods for awhile (like turbo or body kit) or atleast until i go to the military and get through basic and advance training

[MikeyClutch]

this is my first car, and its an auto :(

[Sarspanky123]

Dont feel sad my first car was an auto and i loved it to death (lituraly). It was a 99 Mercury Tracer it was slow i couldnt beat crap and there were little to no mods that i could find for it. The protege is a good car for a first car.

Take pride in the car you have and you will never lose...wow that's gay even gayer than the pile of guys fucking each other...back to the pile i go

[Brian MP5T]

... i would start with an intake and then get lite weight underdrive pully...

No To UDP, We had a thread about it and the cost was not worth the 2 WHP...

[Brian MP5T]

...its an auto :(

Then I would not plan to go above 20 HP with that tranny. It simply can not take turbo HP gains.

TRANNY SWAP LINK BIACH (http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=81179&highlight=tranny+swap)

[MikeyClutch]

i bought my car wholesale, so i was considerin saving, selling my car car, and then buying a 01 ES manual....it just seems easier but i like had the 99-00 body style isnt as common and i can really make it my own...but then again it an auto and its gunna cost 2 much 2 swap it and when all is said and done im gunna kill my re-sale.....i can still turn a profit on this car if i fix my rear bumper, it has a scratch on it from something i hit first week driving.

[Sarspanky123]

if your thinking of selling the car and then buying another one that is manual then i would go with your idea of saving and then buy a mazda speed protege unless you find a real good deal on a regular one

[jeffmsp]

id say the opposite, buy a ES, make a turbo kit for it, pick up MSP suspension used on this board for like 500 for everything and you are laughing. I see msp springs bars and struts go for dirt cheap all the time.

[cplagge]

my 1st car was a manual honda prelude. everyone wanted to race me in it, and i seemed to beat everyone in it... it was an oldie too, only way i could afford it. 86 i think, with like 250thousand miles and still running smooth. but it was like a 1500 lb body and had a 2.0L engine.. so it had some speed.