the mp3 ecu mod isn't really a mod so to speak
it's actually the oem ecu from the mazda protege mp3 which also came with an intake manifold that doesn't have the vtcs system, as well as an axleback exhaust tuned from mazda.
With our cars, they are little puzzles. There is no one pcs that is crazy rediculous.
I think the ecu is the biggest, followed by a header, but, those are still only minimal gains.
If you want the best bang out of the car, i say just go with a turbo setup from a mazdaspeed protege.
If you want to go n/a with it, go with the ecu, intake, header, highflow catted midpipe, and catback exhaust.
If you want to go further, you can remove the vtcs from your intake manifold and do a mild port and polish.
If you want to dig deeper, you can get teh jdm intake and exhaust cams as well.
Put all these parts together and you're lookin somewhere between 115 and 120hp total
is that much gain for all you've spent? No
will it be faster than a kid with a civic and just an intake? No
will it go like stink when compared to how it ran stock? Yes!
Something to help the shifts a little, pick up a mazdaspeed protege short shifter.
You could go with another branded shifter for $100 plus, but, for $15-30 you can normally find a mazdaspeed shifter, it'll do dang near the exact same thing
now, if you have come to realize it is a gutless pig in the power dept, here's where the fun begins
suspension:
I personally am running the eibach prokit with tokico blue struts and love it
as well as a progress rear sway bar and awr adjustable endlinks.
Throw this or a comperable setup on, and some sticky tires, and i promise you'll get out of your car with a smile every time you go around a corner
then there are always the cosmetic mods.
Wheels, mazda tribute washer nozzles, mazda6 rear wiper, hid's, interior bits like gauge rings, gauges-just because i don't trust the stupid stock dummy lights) pedals, shift knobs, stereos, etc.
The list goes on
