Advice on my new '00 Protege

[webchaos]

Hi all,

New to the forum and ive recently purchased a '00 Protege and looking to improve on it. Its pretty much stock right now and wondering about some of the best ways to spend cash on it to improve performance and looks. Thinks like filters, oil types, tires, body addons, and addons to the interior. Also would like to know the best places online to make purchases of the stuff. Im in eastern canada if that matters. Ive included some pics below:

Thanks

[Matthew]

first things first, get you some rims and some lowering springs...what is in your budget?

[webchaos]

Im not sure of my budget. but since my car is my only real expense (livin at home still), i dont mind spending a decent bit.

[webchaos]

Also one thing id like to do on the interior if possible, is set up a speed on my intermitent wipers. Hate not being able to slow them down or speed them up.

[Matthew]

definately look into the rota rim group buy

[mountjonas]

Also one thing id like to do on the interior if possible, is set up a speed on my intermitent wipers. Hate not being able to slow them down or speed them up.

http://mazdastuff.com/product.cfm?ProductID=1423

should be plug and play

[webchaos]

definately look into the rota rim group buy


Whats rota rim group ? that a section here on the forums?

[BadBandar]

rims/drop kit would be a good start.

just go to search ontop and type in rota rims. it'll show you. its the best way to find things on this forum. k good luck man.

[Nalar]

rims/drop kit would be a good start.

just go to search ontop and type in rota rims. it'll show you. its the best way to find things on this forum. k good luck man.
Don't get rims if they're going to slow you down. I know Rota makes some good lightweights, don't remember the name though.
I'm not a protege expert, but I'd check into getting a short ram or cold air intake - They usually yield some nice power gains and a kick ass sound. You could then follow the usual run-of-the-mill bolt ons, like an underdrive pulley, exhaust pieces, throttle body, etc.. Of course, it doesn't matter if you're just going for looks.

[Captain KRM P5]

be sure to click the link/banner below and have a gander at the protege stuff we carry;

http://www.mazda3online.com/index.php?cPath=27&osCsid=49050aaff15f50e2523abd3513b04006

[Captain KRM P5]

Don't get rims if they're going to slow you down. I know Rota makes some good lightweights, don't remember the name though.
I'm not a protege expert, but I'd check into getting a short ram or cold air intake - They usually yield some nice power gains and a kick ass sound. You could then follow the usual run-of-the-mill bolt ons, like an underdrive pulley, exhaust pieces, throttle body, etc.. Of course, it doesn't matter if you're just going for looks.
i agree with all of this except the throttle body - won't make any difference on the protege without engine management

[Babygirl]

definately an INJEN CAI... i love the way it makes my car sound... but most def get some rims and lower that bitch!!!!

[BadBandar]

yea. injen is a good mod. i agree about rota. im going to purchase some myself soon enough. but a drop is essential plus to make it look unique(not ricey). :D just my .02

[ZoomZoomH]

http://mazdastuff.com/product.cfm?ProductID=1423

should be plug and play
this is NOT a plug and play for a Protege SEDAN.

for the sedan you need to find an E-Spec 626 wiper stalk, which is quite difficult if you don't have contacts oversea.

btw nice sedan, looks quite familiar ;)

[ZoomZoomH]

btw, all true Protege enthusiasts should read TheMan's Protege FAQ to get the basic facts in about the car:

http://web2.airmail.net/theman/protegefaq/

it should answer pretty much ALL the questions you have for now.

btw note that there IS some minor differences between the 99-00 Proteges and 01+, keep that in mind when looking at parts.

[webchaos]

Thanks guys,

ZoomZoomH, ya i love the color. Thanks for that FAQ as well. Ill have a look at the Rotas. I use my car a lot for work, and ive already got 6000+ km on her since i got it 3 months ago (but ive been out of town for a month since i got it). I also do a lot of highway driving for work. Can someone recommend a good set of shocks? When you guys say drop kit do u mean skirts or dropping the height of the car itsself?

[mountjonas]

this is NOT a plug and play for a Protege SEDAN.

for the sedan you need to find an E-Spec 626 wiper stalk, which is quite difficult if you don't have contacts oversea.

btw nice sedan, looks quite familiar ;)

oops. that's right.

[99toppro4u]

All right kid I see you need some help..... I too was at a spot once like you are now..

The first thing you need too do, is think about what you want to do with your car>
like if you want to make it into a show car or if you plan one racing it.. or whatever, but I guess your like most people who start out doing this so I'm guessing your just wanting to make it an all around better car. But even at that how good or how much better do you want to make the car? Really that pretty much depends on how much your looking to spend $$ making it a better car.

There's what I like to call "Departments" of modifications

1) Performance
This would be anything under the hood, although can be related to almost every "mod" department. Some of the most basic mods in this department would be an intake, exhaust, etc.

2) Suspension
Add-ons in this area would be springs, wheels, strut brace's, etc. again these are some of the more basic things you can do, to improve on.

3) Exterior
Here alot of people are different, some like to go almost completely stock and others want it to look almost like a completely different car. Again some say form follows function and other's function follows form. Alot of people don't really know the difference between the two. But it's fun to watch them think they know.... but anyhow this department is about how you want your car to look, body kits, spoilers, lights, and what not.

4) Interior
Pretty much the same as above but on the inside. Although if you were going to make this into a racecar, you pretty much wouldn't have an interior, because of the weight you would be trying to get rid of. Some things you could get would be seats, shift knobs, and trim kits.. and so one.

Now these are pretty vague and I can go into more detail if needed. These are just something's you can think about, and decide what you want your car to do.
The key question would be how far do you want to take your protege?? That way I could maybe better guide you to what you want and are looking for or in your protege

[webchaos]

What i want out of my car is 3 things i can think of:

1) because i do a lot of highway, i wanna be able to take advantage of the open roads i sometimes drive 4-5 hours a day. This means more juice under the hood. Also because we have what seems like NO BUDGET for roads here i want a good suspension to cusion me.

2) i want it to look nice on the outside. Im very happy with the color, so i think rims and dropping it down would be nice.

3) I also want it to look good inside. I like the stock colors(grey with silver) inside but maybe a trim kit could be nice. Also a good sound system.



All right kid I see you need some help..... I too was at a spot once like you are now..

The first thing you need too do, is think about what you want to do with your car>
like if you want to make it into a show car or if you plan one racing it.. or whatever, but I guess your like most people who start out doing this so I'm guessing your just wanting to make it an all around better car. But even at that how good or how much better do you want to make the car? Really that pretty much depends on how much your looking to spend $$ making it a better car.

There's what I like to call "Departments" of modifications

1) Performance
This would be anything under the hood, although can be related to almost every "mod" department. Some of the most basic mods in this department would be an intake, exhaust, etc.

2) Suspension
Add-ons in this area would be springs, wheels, strut brace's, etc. again these are some of the more basic things you can do, to improve on.

3) Exterior
Here alot of people are different, some like to go almost completely stock and others want it to look almost like a completely different car. Again some say form follows function and other's function follows form. Alot of people don't really know the difference between the two. But it's fun to watch them think they know.... but anyhow this department is about how you want your car to look, body kits, spoilers, lights, and what not.

4) Interior
Pretty much the same as above but on the inside. Although if you were going to make this into a racecar, you pretty much wouldn't have an interior, because of the weight you would be trying to get rid of. Some things you could get would be seats, shift knobs, and trim kits.. and so one.

Now these are pretty vague and I can go into more detail if needed. These are just something's you can think about, and decide what you want your car to do.
The key question would be how far do you want to take your protege?? That way I could maybe better guide you to what you want and are looking for or in your protege

[Captain KRM P5]

What i want out of my car is 3 things i can think of:

1) because i do a lot of highway, i wanna be able to take advantage of the open roads i sometimes drive 4-5 hours a day. This means more juice under the hood. Also because we have what seems like NO BUDGET for roads here i want a good suspension to cusion me.

2) i want it to look nice on the outside. Im very happy with the color, so i think rims and dropping it down would be nice.

3) I also want it to look good inside. I like the stock colors(grey with silver) inside but maybe a trim kit could be nice. Also a good sound system.
1. header, intake, exhaust and pulley. or if you have a lot of money, go turbo!
http://www.mazda3online.com/index.php?cPath=27_33
http://www.mazda3online.com/product_info.php?cPath=27_46&products_id=271
http://www.mazda3online.com/product_info.php?cPath=27_46&products_id=88
http://www.mazda3online.com/index.php?cPath=27_42
http://www.mazda3online.com/index.php?cPath=27_99

2. there are a ton of springs available for the car;
http://www.mazda3online.com/index.php?cPath=27_41

3. DG motorsports has CF trim that we now carry;
http://www.mazda3online.com/index.php?cPath=27_104

[ZoomZoomH]

Thanks guys,

ZoomZoomH, ya i love the color. Thanks for that FAQ as well. Ill have a look at the Rotas. I use my car a lot for work, and ive already got 6000+ km on her since i got it 3 months ago (but ive been out of town for a month since i got it). I also do a lot of highway driving for work. Can someone recommend a good set of shocks? When you guys say drop kit do u mean skirts or dropping the height of the car itsself?
i love the color too, only available for the sedan in the 2000 model year too (very rare!)

when people say lowering, they mean getting a set of lowering springs to physically drop the ride height of the car.

as for available choices for springs and shocks, as well as a whole bunch of other goodies, read the FAQ, you'll be surprised how much detailed information is in there.

[webchaos]

Well from the links i got from Captain KRM im starting to learn of some of the costs for the parts. Of course i have to convert to canadian $ to find out the real cost. Anyone know of good canadian sites to get parts from? And since im starting from stock, which performance addon is best bang for the buck?

[Captain KRM P5]

Well from the links i got from Captain KRM im starting to learn of some of the costs for the parts. Of course i have to convert to canadian $ to find out the real cost. Anyone know of good canadian sites to get parts from? And since im starting from stock, which performance addon is best bang for the buck?
i do ship to Canada, if thats your concern. EssentialSpeed is a good canadian protege source as well

[ZoomZoomH]

best bang for buck performance mods are suspension mods, you can really feel the difference once you swap on some suspension upgrade pieces.

[99toppro4u]

Ok.
To start off giving you some added hp.
1). I would get started by getting a new intake system. There are a couple different types; one is a CAI, which means Cold Air Intake, meaning its drawing cold air into the engine. Another would be a Short Ram intake, Meaning it's ramming the air into the engine as short and as fast as possible. The second would be a full cat-back exhaust system. These two items will greatly help the air flow in and out of the engine.

2). Rims.... well you pretty much got to find out which ones you like and see if you can get them in the size you want. 16", 17", 18", 19", 20".. All of these will fit the 99-00 but some with modifications.... and some with other aftermarket parts, such as camber plates....and what not.
Now if your planning on dropping it and you have pretty bad roads you might have a bumper ride if your going to get lowing springs. Why? Because lowing springs have a much higher rate then stock. Meaning it will take much more force to move the spring than the stock spring. Now there is another way you could go but it would be alot of dollars.. you could have an air bag setup. This setup would allow you to change the ride height with a flick of a switch and a couple of other things too. The only problem here is that I don't know if there is even a kit out on the market for the protege... It would have to be all custom I think...

3). All right on the inside you can go a couple different ways.... fiberglass, carbon fiber, or you could paint your trim pieces your self...

with all that said... I'm tried....lol

Here’s a good site to find alot of things you may want... www.corksport.com
There’s alot of other sites out there, this is just to get you started and to let you know what your options are.







What i want out of my car is 3 things i can think of:

1) because i do a lot of highway, i wanna be able to take advantage of the open roads i sometimes drive 4-5 hours a day. This means more juice under the hood. Also because we have what seems like NO BUDGET for roads here i want a good suspension to cusion me.

2) i want it to look nice on the outside. Im very happy with the color, so i think rims and dropping it down would be nice.

3) I also want it to look good inside. I like the stock colors(grey with silver) inside but maybe a trim kit could be nice. Also a good sound system.

[ZoomZoomH]

Ok.
To start off giving you some added hp.
1). I would get started by getting a new intake system. There are a couple different types; one is a CAI, which means Cold Air Intake, meaning its drawing cold air into the engine. Another would be a Short Ram intake, Meaning it's ramming the air into the engine as short and as fast as possible. The second would be a full cat-back exhaust system. These two items will greatly help the air flow in and out of the engine.

these simple engine bolt-on mods only help the engine marginally, it's mostly for the cool sounds it make. Turbo kit is the only way to gain noticeable power on this motor.

again like i said, best bang for the buck performance mod is suspension mods (read my reply below)



2). Rims.... well you pretty much got to find out which ones you like and see if you can get them in the size you want. 16", 17", 18", 19", 20".. All of these will fit the 99-00 but some with modifications.... and some with other aftermarket parts, such as camber plates....and what not.
Now if your planning on dropping it and you have pretty bad roads you might have a bumper ride if your going to get lowing springs. Why? Because lowing springs have a much higher rate then stock. Meaning it will take much more force to move the spring than the stock spring. Now there is another way you could go but it would be alot of dollars.. you could have an air bag setup. This setup would allow you to change the ride height with a flick of a switch and a couple of other things too. The only problem here is that I don't know if there is even a kit out on the market for the protege... It would have to be all custom I think...

anything larger than 17" is a waste of metal IMO.

some good tires will do you really good in improving the handling of your Protege, but if you get nice rims with summer performance tires, make sure you use your current steelies and get some snow tires in the winter (if you don't have those already)

performance suspension mods WILL make your car's ride harsher. It will NOT make the ride softer (well you shouldn't have gotten the Protege if you wanted a softer ride ;) ) Airbags don't make sense in your application since you're not gonna 'slam' it for shows or have a massive sound system in the trunk or anything.



3). All right on the inside you can go a couple different ways.... fiberglass, carbon fiber, or you could paint your trim pieces your self...

with all that said... I'm tried....lol

Here’s a good site to find alot of things you may want... www.corksport.com (http://www.corksport.com/)
There’s alot of other sites out there, this is just to get you started and to let you know what your options are.
fuck fiberglass, just get those CF trim kits that make your car look spiffy, since you already like the gray interior.

and i'd actually tell you to stay away from corksport, they are notoriously known for overpricing EVERYTHING they sell. There are plenty of other vendors that post on this forum that can get you parts for a good price, not too sure about Canadian vendors though, you may have more luck posting in the Canadian sections?

[99toppro4u]

Yes they help even if only a little, you have to remember that anything you can do to add hp even if it's only 1 hp they all add up. They may not give you as much hp gain as a turbo would. But they still up your hp number. The only reason I didn't mention a turbo is because of the cost, which may run anywhere from $2500 to $4000 depending on the kit, not including installing it.

[steve_protege]

Like 99toppro4u said, there is a lot you can do to bump you HP and torque up. Even if that includes a lot of minor things.... You also have to decide whether you want to stay N/A or go F/I. A turbo kit would a great way to see some immediate gains. You can always build up your own kit or buy a pre-designed kit from companies like Wagner Motorsports, Hi-Boost and Flyin Protege. You can always check em out just to research em.