Starting a P5 out right

[delavp5]

I'm a new guy here to this forum, and I'm looking for a bit of tribal knowledge not knowing the Mazda scene well.

I've currently got a stock 2002 Protege5 that has served as my grad-school commuter car. It has 165,000 miles on it and runs terrific, still returning ~28 mpg combined. Really a great little car for the money. I've transitioned from grad-school into a new engineering job and was looking forward to passing the P5 along to a new owner in exchange for something newer ('11 GTI). Common sense has gotten the better of me with winter approaching in NE, and a new car is on hold until we've got a place with a nice garage. I've also owned a WRX and a Volvo 850 Turbo in the past, both of which I had fun modifying... as of now I've just kept the P5 running well in stock form.

So... I'd really like to make the P5 a bit more engaging to drive for the time being. Can those with experience in these cars lend a hand on options that are good starting points (products, vendors, what to avoid)?

What I'd like to do:
- General maintenance (fluids, tune-up, etc)
- Tint & body work (scrapes, bruises and scuffs fixed this week)
- Springs, struts, sways and links
- Intake, exhaust manifold and exhaust system
- Wheels and tires

Thanks to those who take the time to read and post, I'll be searching and cruising as I learn here.

Here is the obligatory car picture:

 

[cojsl]

Personal experience with these products on my P5.

Suspension- Tokico HPs (blues) with Eibach Prokit lowering springs. Firm ride without being jarring, great body control, they work well together. Get a good alignment after doing struts and springs.
Wheels and tires:
- Mount a good set of winter ties on your stock wheels, install them when it's around freezing.
- Add a set of UHP summer tires summer tires on light wheels for the biggest handling improvement you can make. 215/40/17s Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Specs are spectacular performers and a decent value. The Hankook R-S3 only comes in a 215/45/17, but are comparable performers for less $$s. Falken Azenis RT-615K are also less expensive (but not quite are killer as the Z1s or 'kooks), and come in 215/40/17.
If you've not used uhp summer tires before, DO IT! Again, the best smiles-per-dollar of all upgrades.
As a regionally competitive autocrosser (different highly prepared trailered r-comp tired vehicle), I'm a decent judge of how well a car is set up, and how well tires work.

Intake- was pleased with a ~$80 generic ebay SRI with real K&N filter. Needed to fab an extra brace, and a bracket for the recir valve. Probably get what you pay for in completeness and install ease.
Header- OBX header is well made and bolts up- around $170 shipped several places. Get the OEM "cone" shaped gasket between the header and cat. The "flat" ones that were the only option at several local parts stores didn't seal right.

Can't speak from experience on cat-backs or rear sway- should only need to swap the rear sway. Upgrade struts before swapping the rear swaybar, apparently the stock strut mounting tabs are weak. Stock endlinks are fine.

 

[delavp5]

Thanks for the advice. I think wheels may wait until next spring unless a great deal comes along... I'll move over to snows on the stock 16s sometime in Nov/Dec depending on the winter here.

The Eibach Prokit springs seem to be a popular choice. Did you put a K&N cone on the end of a generic eBay intake?

Also, can anyone recommend a rotor/pad (stock size) combo and vendor that has been a good value of price and performance? I hope to replace the brakes and fluid this week.

Thanks,

Adam

 

[cojsl]

Did you put a K&N cone on the end of a generic eBay intake?

"generic" SRI was offered by the same seller with and without the K&N. Adding the K&N added the same amount as buying the K&N separate elsewhere, figured might as well get it with a matched filter.

 

[jalohafan]

swaybar recommendation

I had the Progress rear sway bar on my P5 for a while and it handled excellent! I recommend replacing the OEM end links because mine broke while driving up a driveway once. After I put on some MOOG end links from my local O-Reilly auto parts, the end links were ok, but the mounting tab on the strut broke off. So, like mentioned before, replace end links and struts for better handling

 

[HKPRO5]

+1 to the Progress RSB one of the best mods that I have done to my P5.

If you are looking for an Ebachi Pro kit, let me know PM me your zip code and I can get you a shipped price through SpeedCircuit.

 

[tweety2300]

If you havnt already look into the mp3 ecu. As far as exhaust I believe most people go with corksport or racing beat. Btw I know a 08 gti is fun to drive but it doesn't stand a chance against an ms3 unless your set on the gti of course