My Orange MSP Is Here! (But I'm Not Buying It...)

[JasonH]

I got the call this morning: The orange Mazdaspeed Protege that I've had a deposit on since September was delivered to the dealership. I test drove it this afternoon, only about 3-4 miles with the salesman. I kept the revs below 4k with a couple of blasts to 4400 or so. I certainly didn't test the limits of the car, but I'm very impressed! Everything was excellent, handling, acceleration, braking, comfort, etc. Most surprising was how loud the bypass valve is. I found myself chuckling after every shift at the chipmunk under my hood. Or should I say the hood...

Yes, it's been a long wait, and I've grown tired of the once fresh and new Spicy Orange, and the styling just seems like an MP3 or P5, and seeing how this will be my first new car and my largest purchase ever (other than my house) I've decided to wait for the titanium 2003.5 Mazdaspeed Protege (guess I should work on a new avatar.) Here's hoping that it shows up in a more timely fashion, or I might be moving my deposit on to a 2004 MSP :D.

But, for anybody still waiting or looking for a spicy orange MSP, you're in luck! There's one available, right now! It's at Nucar Mazda in New Castle, Delaware. Call 800-486-6370, ask for Joe Buccos (pronounced BEW-kohs) and tell him Jason referred you. Thanks.

[Newf]

Your not the only one, I'm moving onto the Titanium as well. Going to make the call tomorrow.

[MSpeed]

same here but just 3-4 miles? why
i test drove mine for 30 kilometres before i said no thanks. very nice car

[JasonH]

Originally posted by MSpeed
same here but just 3-4 miles? why
i test drove mine for 30 kilometres before i said no thanks. very nice car Since it wasn't broken in yet, I wasn't going to get much more out of 20 miles than I did out of 4. I've driven a 2003 ES, so I'm familiar with the Protege. I've driven all manner of turbo cars, so I knew what to expect there. I guess the main reason was I was satisfied that I do want one, and I didn't want to put too many miles on for the person that eventually does buy it.

[Dexter]

and when the titanium comes in, youll be waiting for the Mazda3

[Newf]

Well, I just informed my dealer, so all I am waiting on now is the "yes we can get a grey one for you" and that's it...the orange one is up for grabs.

Wish I could buy both.

Of course, you all realize this color is going to be everywhere next year right? It just looks like one of those colors that is going to get popular quick.

[AutoXer]

Newf, which colour will be everywhere, the orange or the grey?
You weren't too clear...

Congrats on finally making a decision! :)

[Protegars]

Good Call. As unique as that color is, platinum(glorified silver) will age and clean easier.

Call me Mr. practical.

[Protegars]

Sorry I meant Titanium( glorified Grey) I say that with repect of course.

[Dexter]

Originally posted by newf
Well, I just informed my dealer, so all I am waiting on now is the "yes we can get a grey one for you" and that's it...the orange one is up for grabs.

Wish I could buy both.

Of course, you all realize this color is going to be everywhere next year right? It just looks like one of those colors that is going to get popular quick.

yeah probably, and it sticks out like mad i woudl say. its a very exclusive color now, but ill stick with black

[JasonH]

I'm kinda glad that the orange cars weren't around in September/October. I probably would have bought one and now I'd be bored with and/or sick of the color. I think over the last six months I just kinda fell out of love with it. Sorry, Spicy Orange!

[Protegars]

yeah probably, and it sticks out like mad i woudl say. its a very exclusive color now, but ill stick with blackyeah probably, and it sticks out like mad i woudl say. its a very exclusive color now, but ill stick with black

Black... You must love to wash your car..

There I go with my stupid practicality again.

[Grimace]

Its funny. I was just talking to my father-in-law-to-be (enough hyphens for ya?) about how he enjoyed the Detroit autoshow. He asked if I was still waiting for the orange Mazdaspeed, and I said I was still torn between that and the titanium. Then he said two things I would never have expected (keep in mind, this is coming from someone who rejected getting a Maxima SE since there was no spoiler-delete option, and got a silver 3.2TL instead, just for that reason):
1. The colour was too bland for the car. He said with the looks of the car (bodykit), it needed a more eye catching paint.
2. The spoiler "wasn't bad at all."
He's in his 60's. :D Blew my mind.
I'm not saying this to deter anyone, just a funny story to share. I am still waiting to see the grey at the TO autoshow before I decide.
Congrats to those who finally made their decisions. I'll be the wishy-washiest, and hold out the longest.

[Dexter]

Originally posted by Protegars
yeah probably, and it sticks out like mad i woudl say. its a very exclusive color now, but ill stick with blackyeah probably, and it sticks out like mad i woudl say. its a very exclusive color now, but ill stick with black

Black... You must love to wash your car..

There I go with my stupid practicality again.

well its either black or orange...im not gonna wait another X^2 months for gray or yellow. im not a fan of yellow or gray.

[Newf]

I meant the grey would be popular soon.

Black is gorgeous, but I never want to take care of another one again. WAY too much work.

I love the orange, but I have to wonder, in two years or 3, when I sell this one, is the orange going to be as popular? in other words, is the fad going to wear off and make orange a hard sell?

Only time will tell.

I still like the seats/peddles in the orange better though. The shifter is nicer in the grey though.

now, can someone tell me where I can get a good set of Fog lights in Canada that look like the P5's? I'm assuming....praying they still fit.

[Grimace]

I would just get aftermarket fogs/driving lights myself Newf. I don't think the P5 fogs would fit in the front cut-outs of the 2003.5 with the insert.

I thought the seats were the same in either car though? :confused:

[Newf]

Nope, seats are different. Look at the seats of the yellow pics that were posted from the NAIAS cd's.....yellow pics.


ummm here

http://www.protegemp3.com/members/JasonH/2003.5%20Mazdaspeed/fabric%20&%20stich.jpg

See. Not as much silver win between the bolsters, and it's a little square pattern this time

[Grimace]

Damn, you've got a good eye for detail!

[Newf]

here the other ones


see clearly differentseats in orange (http://www.mazdamp3.com/members/newf/_dsc00880.jpg)

[JasonH]

Originally posted by Limited Edition
I believe the material on the seats in '03.5 is different compared to our '03's. I believe it's the same but with yellow stitching instead of orange.

2003:
http://www.mazdamp3.com/members/JasonH/i-8_b_l.jpg

2003.5:
http://www.mazdamp3.com/members/JasonH/20035mazdaspeed6.jpg

It's possible that the 2003.5s seats are just slightly darker, but I think that's just the pictures.

[AGR]

I love my 'Black Mica' MAZDASPEED. My next choice would have been the Titanium.

[Newf]

The Seats ARE different. The Orange has a silver middle section with black and white specs on it

The yellow/grey have a black middle section with silver squares on it.

Sorry, but two different patterns.

[Limited Edition]

newf is right.
the seat pattern is different.....
where you sit on, it's more like mesh....you can actually lift it off the seat a bit....
and the '03.5 seems to be just small silver squares which isn't mesh like....

[impo88]

I saw your car Jason. Very nice. I stopped buy Nu-Car

[impo88]

Sorry i hit something on the last post. I went by Nu car to go talk to my salesman and saw it sitting in front of the door inside. Very nice!!. The seats are extremely comfortable. That turbo is so tiny though. I am trying to make the decision of getting either it or the mazda 6s with the 3.0. I cant make up my mind. Did you notice the paint blemish on the front of the hood? Anyways i just need to make up my mind and figure out what i want. $20,500 or 25,500.??? Just cant make up my mind. If you ever see my car around town its a silver 88 Turbo 2 rxt with the gunmetal rims and the bomex front bumper. Keep an eye out and flag me down so we can chat cars or whatever

[slug420]

spend 25,500 and get an MSP + lip + grill + guages + all mazdaspeed mods when they come out

[JasonH]

Originally posted by impo88
The seats are extremely comfortable. That turbo is so tiny though. I am trying to make the decision of getting either it or the mazda 6s with the 3.0. I cant make up my mind. Did you notice the paint blemish on the front of the hood? Anyways i just need to make up my mind and figure out what i want. $20,500 or 25,500.??? Just cant make up my mind.
I was surprised with the seats as well. I expected them to feel the same as a Protege ES but they were somewhat sportier with better bolstering.

I guess you didn't drive it. It's really a blast, a total grin machine. Think of it this way: the MSP and Mazda 6 V6 are about equal in straight-line speed, the MSP will totally out-handle the Mazda 6 and is cheaper.

What blemish on the hood? The only things I noticed were: the paint on the wing, skirts, etc. seemed to be a slightly different hue (I understand this is because of the flex agents that have to be added to the paint for those parts) and there may have been some of the protective film still stuck between the rear skirt and rear bumper. Everything else looked fine to me.

[impo88]

No offense but 170 hp doesnt make me grin. I drive a 240 hp rx7 right now...I love the way my car handles and no i didnt get to test drive it. I may later this week. I am not looking for an all out performance car. I need a more family oriented car and a 2 seater rx7 doesnt cut it. I like the mazda 6 really just because of the plush interior and new, bold looks. The blemish i saw was on the tip odf the front of the hood. Imperfection in the clear it looked like

[JasonH]

Originally posted by impo88
No offense but 170 hp doesnt make me grin.
I stand by my words:


Originally posted by JasonH
I guess you didn't drive it. It's really a blast, a total grin machine.

Horsepower does not a grin make. Ever drive a Miata?

[impo88]

Yes and my rx7 can outhandle one many times over. I love the handling of my rx7. I have driven and owned many cars. Nothing beats an rx7 on the twisties. I have taken it to a couple of autocrosses and also borrowed a friend of mines miata with a full racing beat suspension and there is no comparison. I really do want to take it out for a test drive. I need something close or comparable to my car in terms of handling and from what i 've heard it may be close. Hopefully i will find out friday.

[Grimace]

Outhandle, perhaps, but "outgrin"?

[Lawerence]

your telling me nothing outhandles your 88 RX7 :rolleyes:

[impo88]

There is probbaly a number of cars that could but not a whole lot. I dove the MSP today too. I had to say i was impressed . Not a lot of power but the ride was alot better than i expected. The car does have very good pep to it though. Much more than i expected also. I am seriously considering it now. I just need to make a decision by this weekend

[AGR]

Originally posted by impo88
There is probbaly a number of cars that could but not a whole lot. I dove the MSP today too. I had to say i was impressed . Not a lot of power but the ride was alot better than i expected. The car does have very good pep to it though. Much more than i expected also. I am seriously considering it now. I just need to make a decision by this weekend

Superformance S1 Roadster

http://superformance.com/s1.asp

[impo88]

I have seen those before....SWEET!!

[AGR]

Originally posted by impo88
I have seen those before....SWEET!!


I drove an S1 with a Mazda 13b motor. Awesome!! I was actually thinking about getting one in a couple of years (or a Beck 550 Spyder), then the MAZDASPEED caught my attention and I traded my Nissan SE Limited. I got impatient, but I really needed a daily driver more than a car that I could only drive on nice sunny days.
,,,,,,,I love my MAZDASPEED!!

[210_ZOOM]

Im very happy with my 2003 Spicy Orange MSP. I have had it now 3 yrs, and continue to receive compliments. I love the its idividualality. Not many orange cars out there. If i had to do it again but another color, i would probably go with the silver also. It looks mean with the mirror tint. I would rate the colors orange, silver, blue, black, yellow. Yellow cause it looks so flat, no spark to it.

[Newf]

wow this brings back memories.

I haven't regreted my decision not once. The orange one I did turn down went up for sale only 6-8 months after purchased by the original owner and it was a hard sell. It stayed on the lot forever. Most people didn't like the orange around here, and the ones who did were too young to afford it. I still like it myself. Still has the best metallic/pearl effect I've seen on a everyday car yet.

Still lov'in my Speed.

[Dr.Sound]

buzump!

[TheMAN]

:wtf:

[Dr.Sound]

(stupid)