IllaNoizeTV
Member
- :
- 2003 Mazdaspeed Protege
I would recommend tuning it back to 325hp but it's completely up to you. I know it's gonna work out either way!
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What have you done to your MSP today?
- Thread starter baconbitz
- Start date
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ZealoustheEnder
Contributor
- :
- 2003 MSP
I have a forge sport waste gate. I know you can swap springs in that model.
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IllaNoizeTV
Member
- :
- 2003 Mazdaspeed Protege
Today will be the moment of truth. The moment where I find out if the msp's head Gasket is blown. If it is, the wife says get rid of it. If it isn't then I get to keep it. In the 2 years I've had it, it's given me smiles filled with joy but more problems than I ever imagined. God please send me a sign on what to do.
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hornsfan10609
Certified Mazda Tech
- :
- 2003.5 Mazdaspeed Protege x2
Your problems haven't been uncommon, things like that happen to any 13 year old car. And a head gasket is not a major repair, can easily be done in a few hours and less than $200 in parts.
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ZealoustheEnder
Contributor
- :
- 2003 MSP
I didn't even know your car was in the shop last I talked to you you needed ignition coils.
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IllaNoizeTV
Member
- :
- 2003 Mazdaspeed Protege
Exactly my point. I drive less than 5000 miles a year and it's always breaking down on me.
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ZealoustheEnder
Contributor
- :
- 2003 MSP
Has it cost you when a car payment would? No! I heard that the average American car payment is $450 a . Start saving $450 a month until you have enough for a replacement car.
The miles you drive it's better to fix it when it's broken.
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thepope540
Member
- :
- 2003.5 Yellow Speed - Sold, Spicy - Sold, #639 Black Mica
Along the same lines as Chris's: there is always a cost of ownership. It can be a payment and a warranty or upkeep, I find the upkeep to be significantly cheaper. You could go get a Camry and the upkeep will certainly be cheaper than the msp, but the old saying is true.
You can have fun, save money, or have reliability. Pick two.
The msp is a lot of fun per dollar. To have as much fun with better build quality you'll be shopping for slightly used bmw m cars at 5 times the cost of the msp.
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You can have fun, save money, or have reliability. Pick two.
The msp is a lot of fun per dollar. To have as much fun with better build quality you'll be shopping for slightly used bmw m cars at 5 times the cost of the msp.
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IllaNoizeTV
Member
- :
- 2003 Mazdaspeed Protege
This is true. I don't mind the cost of repair, it's just the frequency of it breaking down. I wouldn't buy a new car and get into payments. I would buy a used acura, lexus, or nissan for cash. My uncle in law has a 06 Mazda3 he bought from the auction for like $2800. We might check it out. The msp is at my other uncles house and he's busy today so we're gonna tackle it next weekend
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Yeah definitely one of the drawbacks of running an internal gate.
I'm thinking this is for a pro, shade tree mechanic would take way longer...I know I would take more than a few hours to do a head gasket
So here's a little project I did over the past couple weeks...
After losing control in a patch of sand on a hard right during a spirited run with my buddy Colin in his GTI, I had the choice of smashing into an oncoming car on the left or putting it into the curb on the right. Picking the latter left me with a bent front wheel and a severely rashed rear one.
Not wanting to drive around on a bent wheel, I got 4 new Momo's and rode around on those for the past 7 years. Always had a soft spot for them stock 5-spokes though, so I ordered a replacement for the bent one from a wrecker yard in Minnesota, and then my friend Chris and I gave all 4 a full restoration. On to the pics...
~~~
Major rashing on the rear wheel from the wreck.
The other 2 were in very good shape, with only a couple minor rock nicks on the mags. The replacement from the wrecker yard was pretty nasty on the inner rim, and had several minor scratches and gouges on the face, but I somehow missed snapping any pics of it.
Sanded down all the high spots with 180 grit, then started to build up the glazing putty to restore the lip/edge.
After about 5 layers of putty/sanding.
Putty repair completed, and entire wheel sanded with 600 grit. Ready for primer.
Metal etching primer on the bare spots, then build up primer on the entire wheel (including the inner rim that was previously unfinished).
First shot of color. I went with Mercedes "Diamond Silver Metallic" urethane shot from an HVLP gun.
Second coat of color and now ready for clear.
2 shots of clear from the gun and she's all fixed. The base color is pretty close to the original, but the new stuff has quite a bit of grey mica in it that will give it some extra pop in the sunlight.
BFGoodrich G-Force Comp 2 A/S in 215/45/ZR17 ready to be mounted up and complete the project.
Close up shot in sunlight.
All mounted up and done.
(rockon)
After losing control in a patch of sand on a hard right during a spirited run with my buddy Colin in his GTI, I had the choice of smashing into an oncoming car on the left or putting it into the curb on the right. Picking the latter left me with a bent front wheel and a severely rashed rear one.
Not wanting to drive around on a bent wheel, I got 4 new Momo's and rode around on those for the past 7 years. Always had a soft spot for them stock 5-spokes though, so I ordered a replacement for the bent one from a wrecker yard in Minnesota, and then my friend Chris and I gave all 4 a full restoration. On to the pics...
~~~
Major rashing on the rear wheel from the wreck.
The other 2 were in very good shape, with only a couple minor rock nicks on the mags. The replacement from the wrecker yard was pretty nasty on the inner rim, and had several minor scratches and gouges on the face, but I somehow missed snapping any pics of it.
Sanded down all the high spots with 180 grit, then started to build up the glazing putty to restore the lip/edge.
After about 5 layers of putty/sanding.
Putty repair completed, and entire wheel sanded with 600 grit. Ready for primer.
Metal etching primer on the bare spots, then build up primer on the entire wheel (including the inner rim that was previously unfinished).
First shot of color. I went with Mercedes "Diamond Silver Metallic" urethane shot from an HVLP gun.
Second coat of color and now ready for clear.
2 shots of clear from the gun and she's all fixed. The base color is pretty close to the original, but the new stuff has quite a bit of grey mica in it that will give it some extra pop in the sunlight.
BFGoodrich G-Force Comp 2 A/S in 215/45/ZR17 ready to be mounted up and complete the project.
Close up shot in sunlight.
All mounted up and done.
(rockon)
So another used car wont have any problems either? I would keep the msp theres not too many of them around.
ZealoustheEnder
Contributor
- :
- 2003 MSP
That Mercedes silver is perfect on those racing HartsSo here's a little project I did over the past couple weeks...
After losing control in a patch of sand on a hard right during a spirited run with my buddy Colin in his GTI, I had the choice of smashing into an oncoming car on the left or putting it into the curb on the right. Picking the latter left me with a bent front wheel and a severely rashed rear one.
Not wanting to drive around on a bent wheel, I got 4 new Momo's and rode around on those for the past 7 years. Always had a soft spot for them stock 5-spokes though, so I ordered a replacement for the bent one from a wrecker yard in Minnesota, and then my friend Chris and I gave all 4 a full restoration. On to the pics...
~~~
Major rashing on the rear wheel from the wreck.
The other 2 were in very good shape, with only a couple minor rock nicks on the mags. The replacement from the wrecker yard was pretty nasty on the inner rim, and had several minor scratches and gouges on the face, but I somehow missed snapping any pics of it.
Sanded down all the high spots with 180 grit, then started to build up the glazing putty to restore the lip/edge.
After about 5 layers of putty/sanding.
Putty repair completed, and entire wheel sanded with 600 grit. Ready for primer.
Metal etching primer on the bare spots, then build up primer on the entire wheel (including the inner rim that was previously unfinished).
First shot of color. I went with Mercedes "Diamond Silver Metallic" urethane shot from an HVLP gun.
Second coat of color and now ready for clear.
2 shots of clear from the gun and she's all fixed. The base color is pretty close to the original, but the new stuff has quite a bit of grey mica in it that will give it some extra pop in the sunlight.
BFGoodrich G-Force Comp 2 A/S in 215/45/ZR17 ready to be mounted up and complete the project.
Close up shot in sunlight.
All mounted up and done.
(rockon)
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hornsfan10609
Certified Mazda Tech
- :
- 2003.5 Mazdaspeed Protege x2
Those rims look awesome, can't believe how they turned out. Would like to do that to my 03.5 wheels one day.
ZealoustheEnder
Contributor
- :
- 2003 MSP
I had my dented Hart fixed at a shop for 80. It even balanced out by its self.
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hornsfan10609
Certified Mazda Tech
- :
- 2003.5 Mazdaspeed Protege x2
Yeah I have had a couple of my wheels repaired as well after minor accidents but they did a crappy job and the paint is too thick/doesn't match very well. I would like to have them redone properly.
fatti03msp
Contributor
- :
- 03 MSP & 91 RX-7 & 00 1500
got the car retuned after putting some miles on the old tune.
361 whp and 372 tq on a mustang dyno.
Still rocking the stock exhaust with no cats haha. This was at 17.5psi
361 whp and 372 tq on a mustang dyno.
Still rocking the stock exhaust with no cats haha. This was at 17.5psi
thepope540
Member
- :
- 2003.5 Yellow Speed - Sold, Spicy - Sold, #639 Black Mica
Solid! I'm almost certain my car will make about the same once its tuned, but I totally underestimated how much clutch I would need so I'm going to have to leave quite a bit of power untapped until I use up the South Bend or upgrade.
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