Anyone know this titanium MSP in Chicago?

[Dean2]

Hi all. I drove a titanium (pretty sure it wasn't silver) 03.5 MSP last week. It's on a lot in Chicago for sale at $6k. I absolutely loved the car. However, it's been modded. I'll probably pass on it unless I can find the previous owner or someone who knows the car and can fill in some details. Since these are so rare, I figured it's worth asking here.

This is the car. It has an AEM cold air intake and AEM stickers on the wing. It also has a pounded out dent on the left rear fender. According to the VIN, it's been registered since new in Streamwood. The only paperwork with the car was a receipt for a boost controller.

There are pics of the engine bay here. What can you tell me about what's been done to the car? I REALLY liked the car and will be looking at other MSPs. I'd like to have some idea of what I'm looking at. My car is N/A and has carbs, so I'm at a loss with this newfangled modern stuff.

Thanks in advance for any light you can shed.

 

[theEZV]

it has an aem cai, forge bpv, street unit hotpipe, and some sort of mbc. not sure about the exhaust since there are no good pics of the rear end. but that mileage is scary. you can get an msp with under 100k for that price.

use the vin to find hte production number and see if the owner has been on this forum

 

[Dean2]

Spasibo bol'shoi.

The mileage is scary. Non-functional gauges (oil pressure and AF ratio on a-pillar) don't inspire confidence. Original rods in the engine are what really worries me, obviously.

Thanks for the info on the mods. The car sounded like it had a blow off valve, unless a bypass also makes a loud phhht sound when you let off. Where's the boost controller?

The car is #1268. I've searched a number of different ways - number, locations, color - and gone through the Illinois section looking for recent for sale threads, but came up empty. Are there any other MSP forums I could search?

 

[theEZV]

i looked through the registry thread and it doesnt look like the owner was on here. honestly i would look for another one. or offer like 4.5k and see what they say

 

[blue-sun]

Spasibo bol'shoi.

The mileage is scary. Non-functional gauges (oil pressure and AF ratio on a-pillar) don't inspire confidence. Original rods in the engine are what really worries me, obviously.

Thanks for the info on the mods. The car sounded like it had a blow off valve, unless a bypass also makes a loud phhht sound when you let off. Where's the boost controller?

The car is #1268. I've searched a number of different ways - number, locations, color - and gone through the Illinois section looking for recent for sale threads, but came up empty. Are there any other MSP forums I could search?

The stock bypass valve with a CAI will make a fairly quiet PSHHT sound. A BOV will make a LOUD PSHHHT sound. If it's loud, then it's a BOV.

There's a modified mazdas forum and a mazdapseed forum. I think the URLs are blocked here. A quick google search should find them for you.

Good luck, that's a clean looking MSP. I would say if you've got the tools/knowledge, do a compression check on it (or have a shop/dealer do it) before you buy the car. and ask for a carfax from the dealer.

 

[blue-sun]

Hi all. I drove a titanium (pretty sure it wasn't silver) 03.5 MSP last week. It's on a lot in Chicago for sale at $6k. I absolutely loved the car. However, it's been modded. I'll probably pass on it unless I can find the previous owner or someone who knows the car and can fill in some details. Since these are so rare, I figured it's worth asking here.

This is the car. It has an AEM cold air intake and AEM stickers on the wing. It also has a pounded out dent on the left rear fender. According to the VIN, it's been registered since new in Streamwood. The only paperwork with the car was a receipt for a boost controller.

There are pics of the engine bay here. What can you tell me about what's been done to the car? I REALLY liked the car and will be looking at other MSPs. I'd like to have some idea of what I'm looking at. My car is N/A and has carbs, so I'm at a loss with this newfangled modern stuff.

Thanks in advance for any light you can shed.

That pic you linked to:

The light blue anodized piece is a Manual Boost Controller.
The silver piece to the right/bottom of that is a BOV also.

 

[Dean2]

Thanks. It was definitely a loud phht. I'll check out the forums you mentioned.

I'd do a comp test before purchase (or watch while their mechanic does one) and check the plugs.

The pictures in the ad make it look much cleaner than it is. The interior seems pretty worn, but not badly ripped up, and the shell is dinged, scratched and has the dent in the rear fender.

If I can't find any specific info on the car, I may give it a couple of weeks and see if they'll trade me for the family truckster and $500-$1000 cash. The original cars.com ad I saw last week was 31 days old. I imagine most people would be even more skittish than me about buying something that may need an engine, turbo, and/or diff in the first month. Maybe they'll get tired of looking at it.

 

[Blackrose]

Manual Boost controller on an MSP can be bad news. You definatly are gonna want to check the compression on that car.

 

[43975]

Take it from a MSP owner....steer clear. Unless you find a stock low mileage one. I personally would never buy a modded MSP. These things are soooooo picky that they are more trouble then they are worth when your trying to piece together what someone else did.

 

[Dean2]

Thanks guys. I think I may start looking at MP3s, too. The handling of the MSP is much more important to me than the power. The MP3 seems to be pretty close in that department and should be much more reliable. It doesn't hurt that they're cheaper as well.

 

[blue-sun]

Thanks guys. I think I may start looking at MP3s, too. The handling of the MSP is much more important to me than the power. The MP3 seems to be pretty close in that department and should be much more reliable. It doesn't hurt that they're cheaper as well.

I miss my MP3, it was by far the best handling car I've ever had, even more than the MR2.

 

[blue-sun]

Side note: I spotted a very clean and stock looking Titanium MSP on 88W tonight.

 

[Maxx Mazda]

Meh. The quality of the mods isn't good. What I mean is, non-working gauges and a manual boost contoller that's duct taped to the engine aren't good signs. Driver's door is starting to rust, etc. I'd throw in a cheap offer, or keep looking.