The RARE Mazda Enthusiast Car You FORGOT About! | Mazdaspeed Protege

[@livelyjay]

I owned two of them (sunlight silver and black mica) and went to the autocross national championship with one, and earned a trophy. Phenomenal car for the time period. It was a great shootout between the SER SpecV, and SRT4 back then. Only drawback was lack of aftermarket suspension parts and the design of the rear sway bar mounts. There was a pretty big following in online forums back in the day too. Both of mine ended up with bad door panel rot, as explained in the beginning of this video. It handled amazing in the snow too because it had a true helical front diff. For the time period the sound system was pretty good too. Not sure where the $27k is coming from. MSRP was maybe $21k in 2003 and they were often purchased for under $20k. The Spec-V was similarly priced and my friend got his for maybe $17k. Maybe the $27k is in Canadian dollars?

[@SteffanJohal]

Ahaha the 27k is Canadian I was so confused why everyone was saying 27k but I see it now lol. That's super cool that you had 2 of em man. The srt-4 and ser specV are similarly cars id want to own, and make videos on too. What a fun time!

[@steve8803]

@livelyjay You should always get your vehicles sprayed with Krown rust protection in the Great White North. They spray the inside of the panels which will prevent the rusting from the inside out. Best time of year to get it sprayed is spring when the weather warms up.

[@livelyjay]

​@@steve8803With some cars it doesn't matter. Bad paint or bad application of paint it's just a matter of time. My silver was not coated at factory. It rotted. My black one was coated at factory, it also rotted. My Focus ST was not coated and since I rarely washed it, it took longer to rot than other Focus SR owners that coated theirs and washed weekly.

[@steve8803]

@@livelyjay I am talking about rotting from the inside-out. Krown will 100% prevent that. As for rotting from the outside in, make sure you touch up any paint chips asap to prevent that.

[@steve8803]

@@livelyjay Krown drills holes to use for access points to spray the inside of all the panels and doors. Your "factory coating" does not do that. Krown is superior.

[@goodrobby]

I had a 2003.5 MazdaSpeed Protege in Titanium Grey. I was shopping with a friend who was interested in a Mazda 3 but this grey beauty caught my attention. It was 2004 and dealer had problem with selling this car (and other 2003s) due to SARS back in 2003. At the time, I already had a protege 5 and I loved the way it handled. To make a long short, I ended up with 2 Mazda Proteges in my garage. It handled like a dream and it felt weightless on the highway. I kept this car for about 9 years and it had NO rust at all - unlikely other proteges.

[@albertorodriguezjr2642]

I have a Sunlight Silver modified with all new internals, 3" downpipe, 3" manifold exhaust, and new solid pipe intercooler. This thing runs quick. 80mph is just a peaceful purr. Best aspect of the car is the steering, handling, feel of the car.

[@SteffanJohal]

Sounds like a freakin fun car to drive! Sweet!

[@velldt]

i feel like mazda and honda have a alot of design similarities

[@SteffanJohal]

In some aspects I can see it

[@Econo.rocket]

I love my MSP!!! I have the GT28 turbo, 3" cat back from crooksport, forge motorsport BOV, injen intake, and race land coilovers ( racelands are worse than you think don't do it😅) It will definitely tear up a Winding Road. Its my first project car, and i think a clean example is worth the money.

[@SteffanJohal]

Bet it rips! Glad to hear!

[@samlee1802]

I have a 07 mazdaspeed 6 and my girlfriend has a 10 mazdaspeed3, we both love mazdaspeed

[@SteffanJohal]

Plan to make videos on both cars! Must be fun having those two

[@popemobile12]

Spicy econo boxes such as this, the Srt4, Cobalt SS and Spec V are nowhere to be seen nowadays.

[@SteffanJohal]

In my areas, they have all rusted away, except the srt4 I see kickin

[@popemobile12]

​@@SteffanJohal For sure, I see the occasional SRT4, or SS, but in 5 years, only two MSP's. I miss the days where manufacturers weren't afraid to release silly/fun simple cars like that.

[@raylenmeissner7174]

Gonna be my first car, saving for one right now. love cars, love this car, and I need to be smart, I don't need a car that's going to cost me more to get to work than I will be making at work.

[@SteffanJohal]

incredible first car it would be

[@maxbrunet4195]

Shout out to the first pic of a crusty mazda3 Thats a Legend even in quebec 😂😂

[@tf_jorge2133]

My friend has one and it’s such a fun car

[@SteffanJohal]

Dang sweet bro!

[@maxbrunet4195]

My grand dad baught the 03 OG orange beand new when i was 10 Man always dreamed of it being my first car sadly he passed away before i got my licence Making great memories with the old man resurface❤ He took so much care of it.. Always clean and dealer serviced wish i could find one worth putting time on it ... Quebec loved them.... salt devoured them in quebec...

[@niqcantswm]

i dont think all mazda has is the miata, the mazda 3s are really nice

[@SteffanJohal]

I guess I mean, sports car wise. The Mazda 3 is indeed a nice car.

[@dentpulla]

27k Man stop playing😂 Not being funny but Mazda just wasn't around like that and I knew zero ppl with a Mazda. Maybe it was a regional car back then in my neck of the woods. 27k I would of messed with a Volkswagen gti or Audi A4 used of course and most definitely 5 speed but NOT MADZA SPEED😮

[@SteffanJohal]

Mazda made some cool cars back in the day bro!

[@dentpulla]

@@SteffanJohal my friend I am most definitely not knocking the brand but it just wasn't in my era my friend. My era was Volkswagen.bmw, Nissan, honda and of course acura. No one had a Mazda my friend. Not even a Subaru

[@SteffanJohal]

@@dentpulla you ever own any of those German cars?

[@elfishcoder7287]

@@dentpulla Dude, how small minded and simple minded are you? Are you the main character? Your experience doesn't apply to all the world.

[@dentpulla]

@@SteffanJohal no I had a Nissan maxima. My friends had Audi, Volkswagen, honda, acura and various other cars but no Mazda sorry