altezza tails - worth it?

[wrkngmanByTor]

easy install/ stock fit? just wondering anyones experience with these. thanks.

[KronixKid22]

Not at all! lol You'll probably get a lot of criticism for asking that. Not many people like them and fitment is usually sub-par. They also have a weird shape to them.

Sorry to say, but altezza's are very 1998. lol Most people will suggest you look into the JDM taillights for the Protege5. Personally, I don't like the look of the JDM ones, and think stock look the best. If you want to chenge the look, try for Blue Batmobile overlays or tinting the taillights yourself. I think the smoked stock tails look the best, espically on a silver P5.

[mountjonas]

yes it's an easy install, and for the most part they fit fine. but they have a different shape to them (they stick out further).

buy an intake instead.

[clicknext]

They don't look nearly as good as stock in my opinion.

[wrkngmanByTor]

yeah now that I think about it I think I'd rather stay with stock or maybe slap on some Rockblocker tint and put the extra money on something else.
JDM? thats the factory ones for the Japan market, the ones with the horizontal reverse/turn signal lens, right? If so, I like mine better.
Good point, mj, about the intake. Whats that worth? I'm not planning on tweaking the performance too much, but a few extra horses or ft/lbs would be nice to have.sorry I'm wandering here...

[mountjonas]

i sold my injen for $100. not sure what other used ones are going for.

[wrkngmanByTor]

hmmm.. ok, thats something to think about. what about a cai, is it a good h.p. per dollar investment? Is it even applicable to n/a engines?(sorry if I'm asking any stupid questions, I'm just learning about modding/ tuning through this forum site).

[mountjonas]

well, it'll give more hp than altezzas. i had it on my old p5. honestly, the butt dyno felt the same. i'd venture to say that it gave me a few hp...tops. the sound was pretty nice, though. intake/headers/exhaust would give better numbers than intake alone.

[wrkngmanByTor]

well, it'll give more hp than altezzas. i had it on my old p5. honestly, the butt dyno felt the same. i'd venture to say that it gave me a few hp...tops. the sound was pretty nice, though. intake/headers/exhaust would give better numbers than intake alone.

haha, thats funny right there.
yeah, intake/exhaust would be nice for sure, but short on the play money right now. Oh, and speaking of butt dyno(low end torque, right?) I got NONE, thanks to my "Sportronic, or Sport Shift" slugomatic tranny. (I wonder what sport they're referring to - bowling? or curling?) Man, I'm kicking my ass now for not getting a 5spd. oh well. life goes on oo bludee oo bludah.

[i12drivemyMP5]

Go get you some if that's what you like. So 1998 is just as close to the car's actual age as trying to make it be so 2007 is. Different ones look better on different cars depending on the rest of what's going on & what color the car is. Not one style looks best in every situation so decide for yourself. Everyone else has theirs to do that very same thing with - which is whatever they feel like doing. Public service message # 23934654785463921322

[musiclikscreams]

yes it's an easy install, and for the most part they fit fine. but they have a different shape to them (they stick out further).

buy an intake instead.
i agree, spend the money on performance parts

[CTt3P5]

Go get you some if that's what you like. So 1998 is just as close to the car's actual age as trying to make it be so 2007 is. Different ones look better on different cars depending on the rest of what's going on & what color the car is. Not one style looks best in every situation so decide for yourself. Everyone else has theirs to do that very same thing with - which is whatever they feel like doing. Public service message # 23934654785463921322

I agree...I know a lot of people don't like them but my black tails with Blue Batmobile smoked turn signal and reverse overlays fit right in with my blacked out headlights, tinted bumper markers and Rockblocker smoked fogs. All depends on what look YOU are going for.

[i12drivemyMP5]

Exactly, mine match my front headlights & go with silver & I like that not many others have them for whatever reason.

[XxaltezzaxX]

Hey do what you like, in the end it's your car. You build it for your self and no one else. If you like the altezzas then get them and be happy.

[Brian MP5T]

easy install/ stock fit? just wondering anyones experience with these. thanks.

With visual mods use this guideline...

"If You Have To Ask If It's A Good Idea.... It ISNT"

[KronixKid22]

All depends on what look YOU are going for.

Exactly, do what YOU want! If you like it, it doesn't mateer what anybody else thinks! :D

[CTt3P5]

Now that I am home and have access, here is a pic of fitment and one with the overlays. Not exactly 'stock fit' but it will give you an idea.

[ProtoType5]

hmmm.. ok, thats something to think about. what about a cai, is it a good h.p. per dollar investment? Is it even applicable to n/a engines?(sorry if I'm asking any stupid questions, I'm just learning about modding/ tuning through this forum site).

best h.p. per dollar....turbo...

reasonable hp per dollar....header alone is the single largest increase...

[musiclikscreams]

Exactly, do what YOU want! If you like it, it doesn't mateer what anybody else thinks! :D
amen

[speed5hornet]

yeah im a fan of carbon fiber taillights, especially on the yellow p5's

[wrkngmanByTor]

I guess I should clarify myself a bit, I don't necessarily want Altezzas, persay, but just saw a few sets on protegegarage, Altezza happened to be one of them. Actually the set that stood out for me were ones with a clear outer lens and a gunmetal greyish backing. Anyways, thanks everyone for your input. Redhot, thanks for the pics. I'm still also thinking, "yeah, but that would be X more dollars towards better performance." Do I want to be the sweet frosty side of the mini wheat or the nutritious wheat side? Hmmmmmm.......

[mountjonas]

i'd rather put that money toward springs/struts

[mpf1v3]

well, i'm assuming you have a silver p5 by your sig, and so do i, and here's a pic of mine with altezzas just to give you an idea what it looks like on a silver p5

http://img212.imageshack.us/img212/592/img16198ue.th.jpg (http://img212.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img16198ue.jpg)

[Canadianzoom]

I'm picking my gun metal Altezza's up this weekend, and now that i've seen what they look like on mpf1v3's ride, i'm that much more psycked. Call me rice, i like um!

p.s. Redhotp5...love the Spazchicken Sticker! (bowdown)

Edit: ah hell, I was too asleep to even notice mpf1v3's got the toprotege.com on there. Well done sir.:cool:

[wrkngmanByTor]

mj - another good suggestion. looks and handling.
mpf - thanks for the pic. I've got a silver 03 too so that realy gives me a good idea of what it would look like.

[wrkngmanByTor]

OMG - am I a ricer if I get those? Should I pick up some chrome double wipers and plastic spinner wheel caps and bullet hole stickers too?

[Falango]

IMO, there are no altezzas out there that suit the Protege/Protege 5. The only style that I liek besides the stock look, is the EDM/JDM P5 lights, and the redout Protege sedan lights, which I plan on doing.

[mpf1v3]

OMG - am I a ricer if I get those? Should I pick up some chrome double wipers and plastic spinner wheel caps and bullet hole stickers too?

honestly i dont see why you should care, its been said before on this thread that if you like w/e it is you did, then it doesnt matter what others think, i've been called a ricer before when i put the altezzas, never took them off (until last week because the car is going back to dealership this weekend) and in fact i liked it because it matched the black headlight, i especially like the bulge on them, a very nice touch, but thats just my opinion, its my car, and i love it, you should take your time considering and see what you like better and then go with it :)

[i12drivemyMP5]

WooooHooo, Altezza party breakin out! http://www.msprotege.com/members/i12drivemyMP5/Attachments/WING3.JPG I couldn't handle it so somethin had to change.........new muffler is oval instead......rice rice wattdaphaqevar!

[wrkngmanByTor]

Hey thanks again everyone for your input. I've given it alot of thought and I decided there are some things about my car that can be improved, and other things that don't really need improvement. Other than the mismatched front markers, I think they(Mazda) did a pretty good job with the lighting(read: article about the Pro5 tested with best stock headlights). I think as far as visual improvements go, I'll look at dropping her, tint, front markers, cx7 antenna, m6 rear wiper. Well, thats a pretty good start, I think... oh wait, now I gotta look under the hood...(sigh)....ah, sweet obsession!

[mpf1v3]

appretiate that decision :) good luck with your modding and keep us updated, i like seeing new pro5's getting modded, good luck :)

[5PADZAM]

Hey thanks again everyone for your input. I've given it alot of thought and I decided there are some things about my car that can be improved, and other things that don't really need improvement. Other than the mismatched front markers, I think they(Mazda) did a pretty good job with the lighting(read: article about the Pro5 tested with best stock headlights). I think as far as visual improvements go, I'll look at dropping her, tint, front markers, cx7 antenna, m6 rear wiper. Well, thats a pretty good start, I think... oh wait, now I gotta look under the hood...(sigh)....ah, sweet obsession!

Ah, good decision there. I agree that you are free to do what you want on your car, and if you like how it looks that's great. But I have to admit that when I see a P5 go by with altezza's, or any form of rice really, I am a little bit embarassed for them. Say what you want, and I am not trying to insult anyone here, but I like to think that people who chose to purchase a P5 are a little bit more discriminating than the normal import buyer, and want to own something that reflects that. If we wanted rice, we all would've bought civics and gone to town on ebay.

[Akaveli]

Just stop! get the JDM ones :) They look muuuuch better

[musiclikscreams]

i only put on cf (look) altezza's cuz one of my tails had a nice hole in it and altezza's were cheaper than a new stock tail