MP3 vs ES.20

rosendo192000 · Feb 12, 2002

i agree "PatProtegeGT" i my self have a 2001 protege gt and im that guy that lost the mp3 on the freeway(if u read what APEXistud said)but not to long ago i just raced a mp3 on the street ,from light to light and let me tell u ,the driver from the mp3 did not turn and look

at me on the next light (i smoked his ass)and the wrost thing i have a auto.

APEXistud · Feb 12, 2002

Originally posted by ROBERT:
i agree "PatProtegeGT" i my self have a 2001 protege gt and im that guy that lost the mp3 on the freeway(if u read what APEXistud said)but not to long ago i just raced a mp3 on the street ,from light to light and let me tell u ,the driver from the mp3 did not turn and look at me on the next light (i smoked his ass)and the wrost thing i have a auto.

Damn, there you are man, I've been wondering where you've been. I might be out at In-N-Out this Friday night after I get off work. Hopefully we'll have some good weather. The WRX Wagon will be back out again with some new goodies.

PatProtegeGT · Feb 12, 2002

The Protege5 of my friend was stock but he remove some extra weight for the drag (passenger seat, back seat and carpet)

For the one who say that the ES handle just like a 4 door. It can be true, but I add Racing beat coil spring + a strut bar and my ES handle a LOT BETTER now.

rosendo192000 · Feb 13, 2002

well i will see u there on friday at inout
"APEXistud " i hope alot of people show up

erictho · Feb 13, 2002

Originally posted by PatProtegeGT:
The Protege5 of my friend was stock but he remove some extra weight for the drag (passenger seat, back seat and carpet)

For the one who say that the ES handle just like a 4 door. It can be true, but I add Racing beat coil spring + a strut bar and my ES handle a LOT BETTER now.

The biggest difference in handling between the ES and the MP3 are the tires/wheels. If you put the 17" rims and tires from the MP3 on an ES, you'd find the ES nearly the same as an MP3.

Newf · Feb 13, 2002

The biggest difference in handling between the ES and the MP3 are the tires/wheels. If you put the 17" rims and tires from the MP3 on an ES, you'd find the ES nearly the same as an MP3.

Ummm, no. I've said before I'm pretty close with my Mazda dealership.The manager is a good friend of mine, and it's not uncommon for me to just go up for a visit. Therefore I've had the luxery of seeing just about every mazda inside out.... or more importantly on a ramp.

Anyhow, there's quite a bit of difference underneath the two cars. Tokico's, swaybars, the linkages etc etc etc. Yes the wheels play a big part, but their not the biggest part believe it or not.

I've got winters on mine now. 4 steelies. Even with the steelies on and bad winter studs, the car handles amazingly well. The winter tires I have on, and rims, are the same ones every mazda here has, and I've driven the ES with the same exact winter tires and rims, and I'm telling you....BIG difference. The suspension is a lot stiffer on the MP3, and there's just no where near as much body roll. I find the tail end on an ES just to light and eager to come around on you, and almost bounces over some bumps. Whereas the MP3 sticks much better.

Don't get me wrong. The ES is damn fine handling car. And their very sleek looking. They remind me of the old civics when Honda gave a damn about superior handling vs "practical"

But, the MP3 is in a class of it's own, and the tires aren't the ONLY reason. I remember the first time the mechanic at Mazda lifted her up just to take a look underneath.....and his jaw dropped. Next thing he's calling in every other mechanic/sales person in the store to look at it.

I've owned a couple of high end preludes over the years( 90' SR, 94SR, 97 SH), and I'm amazed at how well the MP3 handles...especially for a 4 door. You push it at it's limit, it handles far better then the ES.

As for the guy that has an ES and added the Racing Beats, and s*** to it. I'd love to see that car. I thought About doing the same thing, but then factored in the cost and just bought the mp3. By the time I bought wheels\ground effects\shocks\swaybars etc etc....getting the mp3 just made more sense.

anyhow, enough on this topic for me.

erictho · Feb 13, 2002

Newf,

You make some good points, but I disagree with some of them.

While I know exactly what Racing Beat and Mazda added to the MP3 in terms of handling upgrades, none of the additions helped more than the upgraded rubber.

I've driven my co-workers MP3 and compared it back to back against my buddies P5 with Dunlop SP8000s. The P5 handled a little different than the MP3, but ultimately, it gripped as hard and reacted to transient manoeuvers just as well. In fact, in a straight line, we found them to be very similar in acceleration as well.

Changing tires on a P5 or ES gives you a better MP3 imitation than MP3 owners want to admit.

kep0ne · Feb 13, 2002

i have a hard time believing that changing tires on a p5 can make it handle just as good as an mp3...if that was the case, you'd see more p5s making a killing at autox...which isnt the case. how hard did you push the p5 and mp3? if you pushed the mp3 as hard as i do, you'd find it takes a lot to reach its limit.

PatProtegeGT · Feb 13, 2002

The MP3 handle a lot better then a ES or a P5.

On my ES, I have the Racing beat coil spring and the difference is MAJOR.

For the rims sizes, I prefer 16 inch wheel because they are lighterthan 17 inch wheel.

Next summer, I will buy Tokico strut and I will handle like an MP3

APEXistud · Feb 13, 2002

Originally posted by azzkikr:
While I know exactly what Racing Beat and Mazda added to the MP3 in terms of handling upgrades, none of the additions helped more than the upgraded rubber.

Changing tires on a P5 or ES gives you a better MP3 imitation than MP3 owners want to admit.

So, you're telling me that you actually believe that the swaybars, springs and upgrade to the Tokico struts don't make the MP3 out handle the ES or P5. Wow, what were we all thinking when we bought the MP3. We should all trade our cars in for the ES and opt for the MP3 wheel package.

Ummm, how about NO. I've got a ride in Rishie's car before the SR Motorsports rearsway and I will admit that his P5 is quicker than my MP3. But, I'm not sure about it out handling my MP3. Of course his lower ride height and light weight 18's will definately help him.

Us MP3 owner won't admit that the P5 out handles the MP3 because......well I guess because it just doesn't. Of course this is just my .02 cents

gonzoATX · Feb 13, 2002

did i just read someone ran high 15'z in there protege or mp3 or i just cant read somone help me out here...

cmx1204 · Feb 13, 2002

how do I find out what number my MP3 is? And where can i get a turbo and altezzas and new rims cuz i scuffed 2 of mine

rosendo192000 · Feb 14, 2002

ABS sucks for track driving and autocrossing anyway and I'm not too crazy about a sunroof. I'll find that one guy with the ES and ask him to run with me one night. We both have the same mods, so it could be interesting.

HEY APEXistud HOW ABOUT WE END THIS TOPIC WITH WHICH CAR IS BETTER AND FASTER BY RUNNING OUR CARS OF FRIDAY.

kep0ne · Feb 14, 2002

i dunno...i thought someone on this board said they ran like a 15.9 once or something...maybe im mistaken.

AZxMP3 · Feb 14, 2002

Originally posted by ROBERT:
ABS sucks for track driving and autocrossing anyway and I'm not too crazy about a sunroof. I'll find that one guy with the ES and ask him to run with me one night. We both have the same mods, so it could be interesting.

HEY APEXistud HOW ABOUT WE END THIS TOPIC WITH WHICH CAR IS BETTER AND FASTER BY RUNNING OUR CARS OF FRIDAY.

--------------------

01 es protege
-1.3 H&R
-MHP CAIw/ AEM bypass valve
-RedCalipers
-APR carbon fiber gt-II spoiler
-autometer tac w/shitlight
-PIAA Super Plasma
-arospeed muffler
-removed catalytic converter and res.,Custom 2.5 inch piping
-strip interior (for awhile)

Robert,
I would have to believe, and the facts may show. In a straight race your ES, and the mods you say you have, considering weight and all that B.S. You could/can beat the MP3. But DRIVING SKILL is another completely different factor. So I would never ever count out Apexi in a race against you. I did not notice any post disagreeing with you that the ES would beat the MP3 in a drag race. The posts that did not agree were talking about suspension and handling mods. Why dont you challenge a race on a track? As in SCCA solo???? Im sure Carson Black ( Not speaking on Carsons Behalf

) Apexi ( Not speaking on Apexi's behalf

) or any other willing MP3 owner including myself could beat you on a SCCA course. If Carson could blow away a couple Subaru WRX's I dont see him having any trouble with you. I would be happy to race for best time on a REAL RACE TRACK. Where there are no If I, or I coulda.. Just Flat out timed trials, you and your car on a timed course run.

p.s. you may want to upgrade your mod list from a " s*** LIGHT" to a " SHIFT LIGHT "

erictho · Feb 14, 2002

Originally posted by kep0:
i have a hard time believing that changing tires on a p5 can make it handle just as good as an mp3...if that was the case, you'd see more p5s making a killing at autox...which isnt the case. how hard did you push the p5 and mp3? if you pushed the mp3 as hard as i do, you'd find it takes a lot to reach its limit.

What limit? You mean the lateral-g limit?
Besides, last time I checked, handling wasn't defined by auto-x times.

Any autocrosser knows that the biggest difference in auto-x times comes from changing the rubber.

Look, I'm not saying that the P5 outhandles the MP3, merely that with upgraded rubber, a P5 can keep up with an MP3 just about anywhere, and put just as wide a grin on the driver's face.

erictho · Feb 14, 2002

Originally posted by PatProtegeGT:
The MP3 handle a lot better then a ES or a P5.

On my ES, I have the Racing beat coil spring and the difference is MAJOR.

For the rims sizes, I prefer 16 inch wheel because they are lighterthan 17 inch wheel.

Next summer, I will buy Tokico strut and I will handle like an MP3

Ok, let's see... you went out and purchased Racing Beat coil springs for your car. You put them on your car. If you didn't feel a major difference, then obviously you would feel like an idiot. I call placebo...

If you want your car to handle like an MP3, go buy one. If you want your car to perform as well as an MP3, go get some decent tires.

erictho · Feb 14, 2002

Originally posted by APEXistud:
So, you're telling me that you actually believe that the swaybars, springs and upgrade to the Tokico struts don't make the MP3 out handle the ES or P5. Wow, what were we all thinking when we bought the MP3. We should all trade our cars in for the ES and opt for the MP3 wheel package. Ummm, how about NO. I've got a ride in Rishie's car before the SR Motorsports rearsway and I will admit that his P5 is quicker than my MP3. But, I'm not sure about it out handling my MP3. Of course his lower ride height and light weight 18's will definately help him. Us MP3 owner won't admit that the P5 out handles the MP3 because......well I guess because it just doesn't. Of course this is just my .02 cents

Look, I don't pretend to kow what you all were thinking when you bought your MP3s. I never said P5 will out-handle MP3. I said P5 with better rubber offers performance and handling comparable to MP3.

You bought an MP3, and obviously get defensive about it quite easily. How much of what you say is emotion and how much is reason?

rosendo192000 · Feb 14, 2002

thanxs "AZxMP3" for correcting me

shift light not s*** light

PatProtegeGT · Feb 14, 2002

Azzkir

To handle like an MP3, I don't need to buy one.

I need Tokico Strut, Larger Sway bar and better Tires on my 16 inch wheel. Thats it.

I will have all of these next summer

MP3 vs ES.20

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