2003 Mazdaspeed Protege - One Take

[@jacobreed47]

Mazda definitely injects the fun factor in their Mazdaspeed cars. I had one of these before and SO much fun to drive. Now I drive a 2010 Mazdaspeed 3. Another fun car do drive daily. Thanks for testing Mazdaspeed's Thumbs up!

[@mulletsquirrel]

I "upgraded" from a Mazda 3 to a Mazdaspeed 3, but I had more fun in the regular 3. The speed had too harsh a ride and the understeer was horrendous. Now I drive a Miata :D.

[@coltensmith1746]

You fucker thought that was a hair on my screen trying to swipe it off

[@CeeStyleDj]

The Mazdaspeed Protege used to be one of the best reviewed as cars back in 2003. People used to give a praise like they give the FRS and BRZ praise today even though it's a completely different type of car. this seriously used to get 4.5-5 star reviews because if it's fun to drive personality and handling.

[@seantrotter7753]

CeeStyleDj -it still gets n has a 4.5-5 star reveiw. N I still get compliments on my 03.5 MS Pro. I think the main reason why they maintain excellent reviews and still have a coolness edge to them is because b4 04 they were still Japanese cars. They call em sleepers because nobody expects them to be as fast as they are or hug the road like they do. I think its simply HP to weight ratio n knowing how to drive a racecar that allows me to keep up with N smoke some STI's. I LOVE my MS Pro! I'm never getting rid of it!

[@Ashquacks]

Not that much different than a FRS or BRZ, actually kind of the same idea. An affordable car with not a huge amount of power, but handles amazing, super fun to toss around, and a unique personality. Just fast enough to satisfy your needs without getting you in trouble, while still being enjoyable enough to make most drives put a smile on your face :)

[@HyperFragHD]

I drive a protege, pretty stock too and i keep up with the wrx bois through the corners lol.

[@jolmeaki]

People should let you know right away if their car is going to have a power steering problem. I'm sure no one wants to hear Matt ran off a cliff cause the owner of the car didn't tell him the car lost power steering on a turn.

[@gorlaconify]

jolmeaki I thought the same thing. I would be pretty pissed if I was Matt to be honest. You can't really just say "lol nope!" and turn around, but you are now in a very nervous situation. With transmission problems and steering problems, who is to know whether the brakes are solid and the guy isn't just "hoping it doesn't do that".

[@bobbyBallistics]

Ok boomee

[@christopherlastname7638]

Yes you should tell him if you're car is a shit box because you know he's going to drive your car hard ! Mat should have some one do a safety check on the car before he drives it so it's really on mat to judge the car but he's got balls driving cars that hasn't seen an actual technician one day your going to see him off the cliff because the owner didn't tell him they upgraded parts but don't know what they are doing like him rebuilding the transmission and not putting it back together right then blaming the previous owner of the car

[@LittleCD]

I think if you have your car driven for One Take, you should address all known major issues before asking. You know Matt is going to drive it hard and the last thing you want is for something bad to happen. What do you guys think?

[@bonz8489]

LittleCD I hope that he is just trying to work on a budget and not complacent and I like that he is trying to build a well rounded car and not just horsepower

[@twizzy8783]

nah i think its much cooler that Matt can point out the issues just by driving and feeling the car

[@keefjustkeith]

The Mazda "Mazdaspeed Protege" America saw an increase in the OE performance brands that were once exclusive to a certain few select markets. Performance parts & Factory Sports tuned models from TRD, STi, RallySport, Nismo, & Mugen had JDM exclusives not available in the US. Mazda released the Mazdaspeed Protege with support from Calloway Cars, Tokico, Racing Beat, Garrett Turbochargers, Sparco, Kenwood Audio, Racing Hart Wheels, Bridgestone Tires. These things came packed from the factory that way and for $20k flat.

[@wangonguy62]

Cool car and great video as per usual. Side note: when your car regularly looses power steering and pops out of gear maybe it's time to stop "fixing" your car yourself and take it to a shop. Although I do understand it's not always that easy.

[@89ry89]

Vern B you want to pay for a shop to replace my transmission? ill gladly take it to a shop if you do. If i had the money for a new trans I am very capable to change it myself, funds are the issue here, the issue is not that I work on my own car

[@ThexGreatxLTS]

Ryan Wolfe Hey Ryan, I love the MSP! I really wanted one as my first car but after a lot of research I've found the common problems are the diff breaking early on, the motor isn't the strongest and indeed the intercooler is terrible! My cousin has a Spicy orange MSP, he loves it and so do I haha! Have you done any work to the motor? I've read the motor isnt very strong with the factory turbocharger. Love your car though, they look excellent on STi BBS rims.

[@robo1000]

I have the slower 5 door, the Protege5. Great cars.

[@_cam-]

my parents got me an 02 5 Speed. what 16 year old do you know that wanted his first car to be a manual

[@Boomboom13200]

i’ve got the same thing, love the hell out of the little thing

[@Yo-shi-t]

@@_cam- I’m 16 years old and I got a Mazda protege5 from my parents and it’s my first car and manual I learned how to drive it and in 2 hours I was driving in the freeway like normal I love it because it’s a manual

[@_cam-]

@@Yo-shi-t hell yeah dude. Parents want me to use an automatic for my drivers test when the time comes. Might get a manual again afterwards

[@Yo-shi-t]

just took my driving test 3 days ago in the protege5 and my instructor didn't know how to drive manual it was funny

[@user-su9fh6ct4d]

I've watched this video so many times reminiscing on times when I drove a P5 auto and dreamt about swapping this engine and transmission into it

[@veretos7]

Nice! I have a Protege5 I've been waiting for a Protege or the like on here. This guy has all the right stuff! The short shifter, the solid mounts, the 6's brakes, the fmic. I'm really glad Matt noticed the torque of this engine, it's not just the turbo its a fairly long stroke 2 liter. I'm also sure Matt will be very pleased to know that the KF or KL V6 is a direct swap into these Protege's. But as goes for the power steering problem.... time to take off the steering pump and A/C comp! But really though I don't live in CA so I'm sure you want A/C more than I do

[@VMPhilosophy]

The time frame that the MS Protoge is from was a near golden era for FWD econosport vehicles. The Nissan Sentra SE-R, Ford SVT Focus, MKIV GTI and Honda Civic Hatch SI were rejuvenating the small car craze.

[@icemanroyal]

Too bad these Protoges rust as the mere sight of moisure.

[@89ry89]

icemanroyal mine has no rust :)

[@jimmybrite]

Ryan Wolfe Come to Québec and you'll see horrors. My protegé looks like shit, still drives nice though.

[@icemanroyal]

I m from Montreal so I know what you mean lol

[@mathieupainson2780]

icemanroyal 2003 protege 5 from montreal :( mine just started to rust

[@soloryderrr]

icemanroyal Single stage paint. If you are out west they arent rusty like out east

[@zbrembo]

Fun fact, Callaway did the engine modifications for Mazda.

[@ryanbrown918]

The Greatest "Tuner" IMO. But im Biased as I own an '89 B2K Twin Turbo Corvette. Those guys in Old Lyme, CT really know their Forced Induction setups!

[@ultramarine13]

As the only owner of a series 2 (basket handle wing vs the early MP3 style wing) I was glad to see this review. The MSP seems to have been forgotten about sometimes, so it's nice to see others appreciating it. I'd love for you to try mine once I have the funds to modify mine the way I want. Oh, and btw, the curb weight is listed at 2,843 lbs.

[@trevorwray]

"Like my lemons race car" that's never a comparison you want to hear about your car...

[@TheSmokingTire]

Trevor Wray hey man, our Lemons car is a 1998 Honda Civic that's finished over 25 Lemons races on the same engine. It's a beast.

[@trevorwray]

That is indeed a beast!

[@socberttrucker3598]

D series or B series?

[@ianm432]

I had this in my watch later for 7 years. Just watching it now

[@Nick58094]

Just bought a manual Mazda Protege ES! Thanks for the video. These cars are cheap and fun to drive :)

[@TheCoolStuffHD]

I got a 2001 protege lx. It's a fun car.

[@iamstd2]

You'll also discover that they're incredibly easy to work on and everything makes sense.

[@Thefreakazoids]

Ha where do you find cheap?!?

[@mikegregory2535]

I have a P5 5 speed without a turbo. Braking and using the side of your foot on the gas going through the gears like a mad man, and never even exceed the speed limit. Great fun, a great car for goofing off.

[@oregonborn9769]

One thing ive noticed is these proteges are the most front wheel drive feeling car ive ever driven. You can tell the front is steering and powering so that steering gets stiff under speed in a corner

[@KRBY555]

Man, why did they stop making the 4wd models. The Familia GTX sedan was sweet. 1.8 DOHC Turbo with a viscous LSD!

[@Tool0GT92]

I had a Protégé5 with the non turbo 130hp engine and it was a blast to drive

[@smohan123]

Ah, the memories. I had a Protege5 until recently. Paint is on all Proteges is dog**** and rusts horribly if it even looks at a car wash, but the motor was solid and the shifter had that lovely bit of notchiness that is missing in all new cars. Glad to see some are even found out there in Cali.

[@zacharykarr]

How often do you get scared when you do these runs? Sometimes you seem really worried, like the first half of this video.

[@TheSmokingTire]

ZeeKay only if the car is acting up. I have no idea what some of these people have done with their cars.

[@alexlam24]

TheSmokingTire Wanna drive a Reliant Robin down Mulholland?

[@Gasinduced]

TheSmokingTire I get genuinely concerned sometimes. You have no idea what may break :( It's a great series but has its risks.

[@EvlEgle]

***** That v6 in the odyssey is nice. Would love one in a small car light a s2k or fc rx7, mx5 etc.

[@BadBandar59]

I use to own a Black Mica MSP. Very cool car. The only issue I had was the tuning. But I loved that car. Got totaled and I upgraded to a M3. Nice to see a review on the MSP.

[@OilBarron84]

He seems like a good guy. When these cars were new i remember looking at them with a bit of envy while driving my Neon R/T. The 180hp or so seemed like a lot. My, how times have changed in the car world.

[@Mooselover1011]

The power steering pump often has on smaller motors what's called an "Idle compensation switch." And it's because the power steering is engine driven, so that the engine doesn't get over loaded, it raises the idle. On older 4 cylinders, it'd be possible for them to shut off if you turn it to the stops on the power steering pump.

[@trollonme]

Omfg this one take is what I've wanted for a while

[@francistheodorecatte]

My 9-5 pops out of 2nd and 4th around tight corners if you don't have your hand on the shifter. And if you're parked on uneven ground, it's impossible to shift into reverse. #manuellyfestyle

[@zacharykarr]

FrankTheCat That's just a Saab thing apparently. My 900c is really moody. Replacing the motor mounts helped a lot though.

[@Dinty51]

FrankTheCat Try letting the car roll backwards or forwards a little before you try going into reverse. That worked for me.

[@francistheodorecatte]

Dinsdale Drummond Basically what I have to do. Of course, it always does that when there's no room to roll forward and I can't roll backward because the car's pointed downhill. Gotta love my Swedish cars.

[@lejink]

FrankTheCat Could be the linkage? Of course it could be the trans itself, but I always check the cheapest parts first

[@Beer_Dad1975]

FrankTheCat It's not "just a saab" thing - it means something is worn out. Generally if it pops out of gear when accelerating, it's worn syncros, if it pops out of gear fairly randomly eg going around a corner, it could just be the transmission and/or engine mounts, but more likely also too much shaft play in the box. If replacing the mounts doesn't fix it, then it's going to require gearbox rebuild or replacement (on most cars, it's cheaper to try and find a good transmission than to repair your existing one)

[@BookofJob3XVII]

Mazda created a beautiful car. Swap a 2.3 ecoboost rwd from the mustang into this good looking car and you'll have a well-rounded performance car.

[@thatgaykid420]

No, you’ll ruin the car. Hear me out, but there’s a reason Mazda doesn’t build rear wheel drive cars: THEY ALREADY HAVE ONE. If you want a protege you should get one because of that engine, not to just rip it out and chop the whole shell to pieces to make a Frankenstein build.

[@christopherjohnston6343]

@@thatgaykid420 yeah you could go to all this effort in a protege - Or you could just K swap a Miata. Even turbocharged 1.8 BP miatas make decent power

[@thatgaykid420]

@@christopherjohnston6343 or just buy an S2000? Sorry Honda did it better 👀👄👀

[@christopherjohnston6343]

@@thatgaykid420 fair point but probably just as expensive as a K swap now - at least where I live.

[@thatgaykid420]

@@christopherjohnston6343 in what country does an s2k cost as much as a k swap? I can get a k-series for like 700$ USD.

[@whatsindansgarage2542]

It must be a dream driving these road.

[@Greengulchleaves]

Looks a lot like a mix between a Lancer Ralliart and a Civic

[@solidbravo6873]

i know this wont be high priority for you to do matt, but is there anything you can do about the audio quality? its like 90% bass from the engine.

[@TheSmokingTire]

cuntdestr0yer We're constantly trying to mess with audio to find something that works. Unfortunately, with just GoPro's, options are limited, and because we shoot 4 of these a day, whatever settings I choose, for better or worse, have 4 videos attached to them. The only way I've found to improve it is to use a separate audio recorder, which is something I'm not going to do. The most recent 2 videos I've shot, my C5 video from last week and the S3 which I'll post later, I ditched the lav entirely and just used internal audio and it actually sounds better.

[@_J0hnny]

TheSmokingTire I'm not sure what 1320 video uses for their mics but their sound quality is pretty good on their go pros. They might know a good mic for you to use.

[@MyStonerMind420]

FatCatJohnny sometimes even better mics have the same issues. Running a high pass filter on most recordings however, is free and can clear up a lot of unwanted lower end noise ;)

[@TheSmokingTire]

My Stoner Mind That doesn't help in this case. The problem is that the audio quality is fine when we are sitting there, and then the second we start driving, you get all this noise distortion. I've tried high and low pass filters, and various compression settings, and nothing makes it better. Granted, manipulating audio isn't my specialty, but I've tried everything I can do and had no help.

[@DenverJohnBradley]

TheSmokingTire Pretty sure MotorTrend's found some good answers. If you guys don't mind asking your own competition for help, that'd be wicked. And a Smoking Tire-Drive-MotorTrend collab would be awesome

[@bryanleverett2830]

Its a neat little car, but I really disliked them when they were new because, despite the "Calliway" name, mazda took a plan ole protege motor and bolted a turbo onto it, gave it the thumbs up, and hoped for the best. Weak rods, weak pistons, compression that was too high. That being said, I'd like to have a protege5 with turbo motor in stock form. You guys never know... These Cars maybe very very rare in 10 years and worth a good amount. How much would you guys pay for a mazda 323 GTX in stock perfect low mileage shape? I've never even seen one.

[@StoweGarage]

I’m gonna comment 4 years later and say these cars will never be worth a “good” amount of money

[@jcfrmovc1332]

Bryan Leverett I have a 2003.5 mazdaspeed protege with work done to it 90km

[@MyStonerMind420]

Don't take this the wrong way Matt, but you wouldn't by chance have an older brother who goes by the name 'Elpresador', would you?

[@TheSmokingTire]

My Stoner Mind negative on that.

[@RasmusAlmlundMusic]

My Stoner Mind The exact same beard and head type :D

[@SeanAnirudhsingh]

My Stoner Mind lol EL PRES, dance puppets dance !!! lol

[@pex3]

My Stoner Mind hahahahaha BIBLICAL

[@NicolasCageisGod]

"Elpresador Farrah", sounds like a terrorist name, doesn't it?

[@Joe-eg7ml]

use to race msp with my b15 sentra SER SPeC V..know them very well!

[@XenomorphLV426]

***** Someone needs to offer a decent B15 Spec V for him to drive. Matt, would you be interested?

[@Joe-eg7ml]

Yea turbo or vq swap would be nice

[@XenomorphLV426]

***** Found a guy with a Turbo one: www.wheelwell.com/profile/552c036a2018b7cc55554b5b/vehicles/552c03b12018b7cc55554b66/specs/ MATT REVIEW IT PLEASE!!!

[@Joe-eg7ml]

Do it Matt. Spec v is one of the most under rated cars.

[@MrInfernalStorm]

***** VQ35de Sentra's are awesome, I would love to see Matt review one.

[@cdmwwf]

He's being very generous with the comments!

[@wilkiedriver]

Didn't the Mazdaspeed Protege have well known power steering issues? It feels like I've heard of this before. Still love it.

[@Spanky221985]

Yo when I use to live in AZ one of buddy had a SpeedProtege, I absolutely loved that car. Great power great handling and nice and spacious surprisingly. My buddy's was pushing out 400hp, was so a sleeper. Hard car to find though in decent shape :/

[@FeelingShred]

One of the most surprising unsuspecting cars in Gran Turismo 2

[@ItsJustBrenton]

These are great cars with a few big faults. Rust is number one and the reason I no longer have my Protege5. There are a few interchangeable parts you can get from other Mazdas/Fords, they responded alright to modifications, of which there were a fair number and they handle fantastically. The stock transmission is a bit weak, but it comes with a limited slip diff. It wasn't up go handling the power too long, especially once modified. All in all, good car, relatively rare.

[@95superstang]

His power steering rack just has a tight spot in it, probably from sitting for a long period of time. The "sensor" the owner is referring to is a p/s high pressure switch. The shifter may pop out of gear from a misadjusted short throw, it should have a couple stop screws/bolts that can be adjusted.

[@sixteenseven123]

I've always been interested in this car but could never see myself actually spending the money on one, I have a hard time trusting mazda's. Love these videos and love seeing a legit reviewer do modded cars :D

[@j2z1000]

Concerning comments about the audio quality, try viewing via a different device. On my Samsung Note 3 the audio sounds just right. Its a nice blend of vehicle noise and narration, neither overpower the other.

[@A13U53D]

I was thinking the same thing, I am using a Samsung s4 and the audio sounded 10/10

[@GlazzedDonut]

My favorite car

[@WeAreN1nja]

I wish he had gotten to drive a healthier example. The fact that he took issue with the steering is proof that the car needs work. The MSP's steering (and subsequent handling) is EASILY it's best asset. It's one of best handling FF's out there.

[@doug186]

Used to own the same car 2000 model. Loved that thing.

[@domsimonf]

About time a mazdaspeed protege got on this .

[@a2xd94]

The GT25 was by a good margin NOT the smallest Garrett turbo made that was ever put into a stock car...the Saab 9-3 with the B207L 'base' engine has a GT2052. Now that's a tiny turbo. Still a fun daily driver though even with that little mini-snail...

[@Patrickboudreau54]

a2xd94 of course not, he said that the GT2554r is the smallest BALL bearing turbo garrett makes

[@hotboii6262]

a2xd94 gt20 smallest garret turbo

[@s0n1cm0nk3y]

Please put up that GLI video soon :) . Side note I've had both a Mazdaspeed Miata and Mazdaspeed Protege. The Callaway kit was a great start but ultimately the FSDE just wasn't terribly power friendly. The BP in the mazdaspeed miata was definitely easier to squeeze power out of. Overall great start for his MSP.

[@kurtrusellpatrickswayze]

It's funny how a little car on the US, plain and simple is a big car where I live. (Not the case, this would still be medium).

[@xboy4331]

Where do you live?

[@Beer_Dad1975]

Trygve Germo Lilliput is my guess.

[@Antifaith29]

robmanueb2 Location location location. Australia and NZ have good imports from japan thanks to being so close. Our laws are a little more relaxed than the US too. I was surprised when I first heard how incredibly rare skylines are in the US, theyre everwhere as you know.

[@anonymzs]

Antifaith29 when i see a skyline in canada i snap my head like its a ferrari

[@xXturbo86Xx]

anonymzshonestly ferraris and porsches tend to be more common than skylines nowadays

[@deltaflyer1997]

This car is actually pretty cool besides the drone...was it as noticeable in the car as it is in the video?

[@YouOnlyIiveTwice]

yeah they aren't kidding about that tiny turbo. My brother's is fun and relatively quick in second and third gear if you really get on it, but that power seems to taper pretty quickly in 4th and 5th gear. I've only ever driven his so idk if it's just his car or they are all like that, but it's still a sharp little thing.

[@RedneckMechanics]

its not that small, its a t25 garrett. Bigger than many volks turbo

[@Tonikaine]

I can barely hear a thing they're saying from that loud exhaust.

[@FeelingShred]

That means things are working ss they should xDDD

[@themoley91]

I learned to drive in one of these, it was my dad’s car. Thing lasted forever, he only just got rid of it 2 years ago.

[@brendanfitzpatrick3653]

Really enjoying these (One Takes) keep doing them, then come out to the east coast and do some here!

[@dannytorres308]

That's a brave man romping on a bone stock MSP transmission...... Diff is mandatory on any MSP. I love/hated my 2003.5 MSP, felt so relieved to get rid of it. Still a good car with great potential if the proper precautions are taken prior to up'in da boostz

[@HawaiianKong]

My mom used to have a pretty basic, non-turbo 2003 Protege and I thought it was a fun little car to drive around in. I remember reading somewhere that Mazda tuned the chassis to be as stiff as a 3-Series. I never got to drive a Speed though...I bet it's a fun little ride. As for audio...sounds fine on my TV's speakers (connected to an HTPC).

[@iamstd2]

I agree. I drive a 99, which to me looks better in the front and the handling surprised me so much when I got it. Too bad mine was an auto :(

[@lejink]

830sxz Yea my grandma had one, she drove like a fucking race car driver in that thing.. Accelerating til the last second before hitting the brakes for a line of stopped traffic ahead.

[@22laith22]

"I Love Girls That Have Cars"

[@BluDragon76]

22laith22 I think it says, I love girls that love cars

[@louisauto2071]

22laith22 Or "I Have Girls That Love Cars" lmao

[@89ry89]

22laith22 it says "I Love girls that love cars"

[@89ry89]

it was a very odd joke then. the shirt genuinely looks like it says I love girls that have cars

[@Raytarded66]

I always liked the styling of these cars. Kinda plain but has a sportyness to it

[@codygaudet9842]

I've got a Protege5, I love the way the it looks so much, I really wish they would have made a turbo model.

[@PANTYEATR1]

I have a 1997 dodge neon coupe that's pushing about 400whp and weights 2600lbs full stock trim. I would love to polish it up and drive it to the west coast for a one take...

[@freddiems]

Hey Matt! Congrats for you great job. I was wondering if your able to review a 2005 SRT-4 (Neon)? One of my favorite car of all time (budget car). Keep up the amazing work!

[@frazierlong2471]

TheSmokingTire I have a 2003 Ford Focus SVT, but I'm all the way in Tennessee. I'd love to see you do a one take or review one of those! I think you'd be impressed. Thanks!

[@StoneParanormal]

Don't mind me I'm just here in 2022 watching this before going to test drive one

[@darvinmitchell]

how’d it go?

[@StoneParanormal]

@@darvinmitchell it's pretty great, def not stock so some little quirks to figure out but the forums are full of information for dummies so it's easy for me lol 😂

[@darvinmitchell]

@@StoneParanormal that’s wassup i’m planning on buying one soon. how’s the engine holding up?

[@StoneParanormal]

@@darvinmitchell pretty good, but Its def making a lot more then 170. It hung with a 2020 C class up to 3rd. Its a hodgepodge though like the radiator is the wrong one and only had the A/C fan hooked up when I bought it, despite minor overheating it's still running great. Has the wrong plugs in it for how much it puts out and it's still getting me to work. I'm fixing another car to be a daily then I'll build this for the track, they are very great cars. Insanely slept on. Don't go over 400hp though unless you wanna swap to a Toyota transmission.

[@darvinmitchell]

@@StoneParanormal sounds good, but how many miles do you have on the motor?

[@DMX-PAT]

I had a chance to pick one of these up fully airbrushed and low mileage and i passed, damn it!!

[@codyclark9057]

I've got an 02 Protege with the 2.0 (NA) and the 5 speed and it's SO fucking fun to drive. It's the exact same color as this but it blends in to traffic and is a little more discreet haha

[@gyulanagy5910]

Should fill some oil to the PS tank. It's audible (hissing sound due to air suction) when it runs out of oil. It doesn't make any good to the PS pump either.

[@acemacgruber6593]

Imo, the Protege was like the old Datsun 510. A boxy sedan that had great handling.

[@steveedmondson9651]

I want one of these so bad. My goal is to maybe trade my 93 protege up to a msp

[@sage11x]

Protégé was a fun car but they weren't built to last and this one looks like it hasn't been particularly well cared for. I had the first version of this (sans turbo) and it always felt faster than the 140bhp would lead you to believe-- mostly because it was so light and handled so well. Around the turn of the century it was understandably over shadowed by cars like the civic Si and svt focus but if you needed a four door and couldn't quite afford a wrx this was a much better choice than the gli or spec Sentra.

[@hartsickdisciple]

sage11x 02-06 Sentra SE-R Spec V was a blast to drive. The torque steer was outrageous, but the car was great.

[@seantrotter7753]

sage11x - That s in fact quite wrong... Forget what some know it all dip-stick tells ya, do some research look n see how many MS Protege s are out there with 175k+ miles,stock with original equipment,turbo clutch shocks etc. Check wiki for the specific build of the 2003.5 MAZDASPEED Protege and try 2 tell me "they just slapped a tiny turbo on" ha lol. That couldn't be more false. It was Japanese Mazda last time to build a sport eco racer(sti lancer ECT) before mazda went American/ Mexican. So they went all out for 99-03 specificly 02-03.5. They even have an even more rare mazda speed protege special edition LIMITED numbered 001-500. 250 stayed in Japan 200 to US 50 abroad. They were n are very proud of this design. But people please don't believe everything u hear n read do ur own research. People often make opinion appear as factual! God bless u all

[@ballmode]

Speaking of sport compacts that were "rare" which holds up the best out of these three over time? I've heard the Prelude SH had trans issues, the SVT was a pain to work on due to a cramped bay, and I'm reading comments on this protege below... So folks - Prelude SH, Contour SVT, or this Mazdaspeed Protege?

[@SSC3034]

The Prelude SH never had trans. issues because it wasn't availible in automatic, the normal automatic ones were awful

[@Tw1g007]

ballmode Mazdaspeed Protege, great value for money. And so much fun to drive!!

[@TransAmsandDashcams]

Power steering pressure switch: GE4T-32-230 Expensive little bugger. But I doubt that's the issue.

[@89ry89]

+Bad Drivers of SE WI dude i think you are actually on the money. thanks for the tip and part number

[@whoohaaXL]

+Ryan Wolfe Us Mazda guys help our own, lol.

[@ervin7178]

Such a good looking car

[@blackjackjwh]

I have a 02 protege and want to do something like this it make it fun. Was the first car i bought ($1700) and want to make it exciting again.

[@codyclark9057]

jack h Do what I did on my 02 LX 5 speed with the 2 liter! Aggressive summer tires, intake, exhaust and a tune really turn these things into 4 door Miatas

[@blackjackjwh]

yea?(will look into that) well mines an auto sadly want to see if i can find a cheep manual replacement. also thinking for trying to snag a fiero as a project car.

[@codyclark9057]

jack h Even so I think those mods really wake these cars up. I've put so many miles on this thing I'm almost jealous of the automatic. is the transmission decent?

[@blackjackjwh]

oh yea i feel its more solid then most other auto transmissions out there. it really does hook up the power it makes.

[@blackjackjwh]

my friend who works on cars said that "it would be cool to throw in the drive train from a junked evo or something like that to give it awd."(cause the rear end has so much space in it)

[@davidmousa4354]

Dude I love this show

[@JDsHouseofHobbies]

I almost bought a Protégé back in 2002. Nice looking cars, but I went with a Nissan Sentra. It was a close decision.

[@Ben-Rogue]

I'd love to see one of these done up like a Evo V

[@nblax41]

2nd gen DSMs had that same turbo factory in 1995 until 1999.

[@KeatonChristensen]

I felt for ryan so bad on that 3rd gear. If you push it too much after it starts to slip out youll explode the 3rd gear syncro ring and wont bea ble to shift or stay in third at all. I could see hi cringing the whole time when Matt shoved it back in 3rd without double clutching first.

[@leslie7872]

this car sounds great . i want one. it seems like it handle well and its really cheap

[@truthman8302]

it looks like a fun car

[@TheCoolStuffHD]

I got a regular 2001 Protege lx for $1,800 but it had 152k miles.

[@acidoblivion]

best car ever!

[@Bloxyz]

Almost lost my driver lisence the other day while drive my Mazda 323F N/A, I realized after a minute or so of going to fast there was a cop car behind me so I chose to speed a head and ruin their "record" of how fast I were going for a certain speed since they couldnt keep up. In Norway the cops have to follow you for a certain amount of time in kilometers, so I jumped out at my friends house close by and waited for them to come, three cops arrived! And after some "serious talk" one of them fucking raged and got mad and told me he were going 150 kmh(90mph) and still didnt manage to keep up, so I said "Oh..really? I didnt realize that, how fast were I actually going though", "I didnt manage to keep up over a certain period so I didnt manage to get your aprox speed", I smiled and said "okay :)" FUCKING REKT! Never give them an opportunity to catch you or to get something on you!

[@Sonic_1000]

Love these vids!

[@MikaOwns]

Still waiting for that Integra video:)

[@vinnybruce2874]

I have a Mazda3 but it looks much like a protege of the 2.3 liter and it's a 2006 sport next thing want to do is put a bolt on Mazdaspeed turbo

[@southphillyhustler6184]

The old 88 mx6. Will beat on that with the f2t come on man bring the blast From the past I got one sitting right in my garage I had it for 33 years

[@ammaralfuzaia4933]

great video

[@BensleyH]

I once forgot my brakes in my 85 pickup were out and I just got so used to ebraking and slamming it into first gear it wasn't a big deal..... well sorta

[@ajprice6595]

Randomly pops out of gear? Intermittent power steering loss during mid turn? Sounds kinda dangerous on a winding mountain road.

[@CephasCastle]

when is the review for that 1LE going to be up??

[@bigsqueek-guidry]

well its rolling with camaros and shit so it must be pretty quick just got my brothers for $450 needs a airduct and insurance do you have the EGR hose plugged for wide open idle

[@scottcooneymusic6736]

My MS3 has been decent. The 2.3 is a way better motor than the 2.0. I realize now, that there are about 5 other cars that I should have bought for the money though.

[@Petey1378]

Hi I like your videos. I have the Same car. The only difference is mine is the none turbocharged engine ES model protege. You should a comparison between his an mine.

[@whoohaaXL]

Considering when the stock FS-DE blows (and it will, KL SWAP!)...OR...you can just stick in another bone stock FS....is easy replacement....That's exactly what Callaway did......They designed the Turbo system for this vehicle and did nothing with internals....Doubt they even lowered the compression ratio....Kids get these and stick boost controllers on and go past the stock 7psi and grenade these all day long....Go on craigslist, you'll see...AND THERE'S NO OIL PRESSURE GAUGE! DAH! Why, Mazda? All Performance and Turbo cars need Oil/volt readouts!!! And I also use the same brakes on my 94 Ford Probe GT. Mazda 6/Ford Fusion G platform brakes (calipers, brackets and rotors) bolt on. Matt really does need to drive this same car with a KL swap.

[@ftffighter]

dayton.craigslist.org/cto/5595762336.html like this lol?

[@whoohaaXL]

ftffighter Its an anomaly, lol...just kidding.Obviously I didn't mean EVERY one, but there are a few that slip through unabused.

[@ftffighter]

whoohaaXL Note 15lbs of boost lol new turbo but he didn't say anything about a swap or rebuild.

[@kevinweatherholtii6560]

So why exactly is this special besides the power steering issue and the gears poppin out

[@alyssaburkart5180]

Have you guys driven a Mk3 GTI VR6? Interested. Im in Fresno. Koni Coilovers and Neuspeed parts.

[@cancinoevil]

Matt Farahs butt dyno says 200 wheel horsepower.

[@thebigdille]

Did he just say he prefers electronic power steering over rack and pinion?

[@Col1nMC]

Get Honds Civic Si 1999-2000 to the canyon!

[@TheSmokingTire]

Col1nMC I'd love to do one of those if someone offered one up

[@flatbedder]

TheSmokingTire Even after the one you crashed? Haha, too soon. I'd like to see an 06+ supercharged Si if you could find one.

[@RedneckMechanics]

+TheSmokingTire This Mazdaspeed protege was lame and didnt work right, if you come near montreal canada someday try mine, look at it on my chanel, all self built from a bare shell

[@bhearing7681]

+TheSmokingTire my 1998 prelude would do some work. too bad I'm in Missouri