WRX Vs. Mazda Protege

[brandonbeeb]

Hey guys so i was driving out of a parking lot when this guy hears my car go, jumps in his turboed protege and decided to come harass me.
I was in the none racing mood and i had a full car and so did he, he would keep giving it and let off just to get me to go. so finally my friends convinced me to go from 2nd gear roll. Ive never seen a car get beat so bad, felt like i was racing a civic. Didnt no these things where so slow even with a turbo.

[BrianH]

haha, good run

[brandonbeeb]

I except alot more out of cars when they put aftermarket turbos on them, my car was pretty much stock at time except with up pipe and cat back on it.

[boostedimpreza]

was it a regular protege, or a mazdaspeed/

[Griswold]

was it a regular protege, or a mazdaspeed/

And what body style? Some of the old ones has 1.5 and 1.6L motors. Newer ones had 1.8 and 2.0L.

[sadkorean34]

@ least i like the looks of MP3 ones.
I think they're pretty cool looking. =)

[MidKnight]

Was it aftermarket turbo'ed or was it a mazdaspeed protege that comes turbo stock? Either way, The engines in those cars aren't particularly stout and can't take much boost without needing major engine work.
I still miss my MP3 sometimes until I find a straight and step on the right pedal

[brandonbeeb]

it was the hatch back one and it was aftermarket turbo, fairly new to

[davenow]

My wife has a base model 03 protege with teh 2.0

FUN car. Slow, but peppy for a grocery getter with an automatic. Having a 2.0 in it REALLY helps.

The handling, is unreal for what that car is. It handles, IMHO, better than a stock WRX.
Throttle lift oversteer
Easily controlled understeer after an alignment and some decent tires
VERY tossable, almost impossible to lose control of even when getting just plain silly tossing it sideways into an off ramp at 70
And 27mpg for the win.
I want my wife to buy a new car so I can have it as my daily driver instead of always driving the STI (dont get me wrong, I LOVE the STI, but this gas milage is killer)

[GraysonSubaru]

I had a guy trying to impress his girl the other day in his protege 5 with a nice fart can on it. I had one (minus the exhaust) and really liked it but he was trying to race my stage 1 LGT. He tried twice, but it was pretty ugly both times.

[willymopit]

I personally had my a*$ handed to me at a local autocross ('05 wrx stock with toyo proxies) by one of those little mazdaspeed protoges stock with toyo RA1s... impressive, i definately had his power beat, but in the right hands those little orange (was that the only color they were made in??) are great handlers and peppy to boot.

[Griswold]

I personally had my a*$ handed to me at a local autocross ('05 wrx stock with toyo proxies) by one of those little mazdaspeed protoges stock with toyo RA1s... impressive, i definately had his power beat, but in the right hands those little orange (was that the only color they were made in??) are great handlers and peppy to boot.

That's why I bought it...autocrossing in DS. That's the only time we get our revenge considering what you WRX's do to us on the street ;-)

2003 came in Orange and Black. 2003.5 came in Yellow, Blue, Silver and Titanium. Only differences were cosmetic. 03.5 lost the fog lights yet gained a darker finish on the rims and a difference spoiler.

[willymopit]

That's why I bought it...autocrossing in DS. That's the only time we get our revenge considering what you WRX's do to us on the street ;-)

Still kinda a sleeper in my mind, and although never seen one in black, even more so in that color. Everyone knows what the spec V's have been doing out there on the track as far as stealing away the wrx's spotlight.

[army STI]

if it was the wagon than it should be the 2.0l 4cyl. def be careful if the protege has the 1.8l dohc cause those motors are made for boost. my other car is a mx-3 with a bpt gtr motor in it that makes 210hp chp stock and right now with minimal mods makes 222whp and 216tq in a 2500lbs car and trust me it def hauls. id say on a roll it would compare with my sti in speed. i know the sti isnt a highway car but still. the best motor mazda made was th 1.8l dohc bp motor. they live for boost.

[chris1866]

I also have a Mazdaspeed Protege, and bought it with the intention of autoxing in DS.
I used to own a WRX and i do miss the straight-line acceleration, but this little car gets the job done, and the handling is....like someone already mentioned.....unreal. It is this unbelieveable handing that attracts most owners, mostly the autoxing type, but it unfortunately also has it's ricer following......really sad when you think about it.