Episode 43

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Published on:

16th Mar 2023

The Mazdaspeed Protege - Hidden Gem of the Sport Compact Genre

00:00 - SHOW OPEN

In a world where the average new car costs more than $48,000 and the average used car costs more than $27,000, an affordable price truly matters if you’re looking for a something fun to drive on a budget. And the focus of today’s podcast episode is on a car from Mazda that’s a performance bargain today, because the average used car buyer likely doesn’t remember that this car ever existed. 

00:58 - Today's Focus: The 2003 Mazdaspeed Protege Sport Sedan

While today’s episode will focus on the 2003 Mazdaspeed Protege, it is also about being open to possibilities - like, the possibility that a less-known, but still really interesting and desirable vehicle, that could be perfect as your next used car, might pop up for sale at any moment on Craigslist, Facebook market place, Autotrader, or wherever you shop for used cars.   

You simply have to: A) know what to look for, and B) be open to the idea that this could happen.  If you do that, the next time you search for a used car, you might be surprised by what you find.   

04:35 - The 2001 Mazda Protege MP3 - The first performance Protege

Now if you are a real Mazda nerd, you may remember that the Mazdaspeed Protégé isn’t the first Protégé that got a performance upgrade.   That distinction went to the 2001 Mazda Protégé MP3. Yes, there really was a car named after music audio file.  

05:50 - Details and Performance of the Mazdaspeed Protege

In 2003, the Protégé’s final year before being replaced by the Mazda3, Mazda decided to turn up the volume by releasing the turbocharged Mazdaspeed Protégé – the company’s first Mazdaspeed-badged car.  

And in spite of being overshadowed by many other awesome sport compact offerings available at the time, such as Subaru’s WRX, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution and the Neon SRT-4 from Dodge, the Mazdaspeed Protégé was still a stunning farewell performance for the Protégé sedan. 

06:25 - Mazdaspeed Protege Upgrades From Callaway Cars, Inc., Racing Beat, Tokiko, Racing Hart Wheels, Sparco and Kenwood

  • Performance
  • Suspension & Brakes
  • Interior Upgrades
  • Kenwood Audio System
  • Exterior Upgrades
  • Colors Offered
  • Total Number Built

11:20 - What To Look For In A Mazdaspeed Protege

When looking for a special edition vehicle like this, you really want to find one that has been owned and well cared-for by an enthusiast.  That’s the best way to guarantee that it will still be a Mazdaspeed Protégé you want to own. 

Try To Find One With The Following Attributes:

  • Low miles is good, but condition matters more
  • Look for an example with only one or two owners
  • Should have extensive maintenance records
  • Make sure it as all it’s original factory Mazdaspeed parts (Racing Hart wheels, side skits, rear wing, stereo, etc.)
  • Still in its factory color

13:10 - Prices For The Mazdaspeed Protege

Kelly Blue Book values cars like the Mazdaspeed Protege lower than what they typically sell for on the open market, but there aren't many cars to choose from, so prices vary widely.

That said, you might expect to pay $8,000 to $10,000 (or more) for one in excellent condition with lower miles and one or two owners. Of course, owners can ask what they want for their car, so you may find examples of the Mazdaspeed Protege with much higher asking prices.

However, since there are many interesting and desirable sport compact cars from the early 2000s era, including the Subaru WRX, the Lancer Evo, the Dodge SRT-4 Neon, Honda's Civic Si, Ford's SVT Focus, etc.), having more interesting cars for buyers to choose from may help keep prices for the Mazdaspeed Protege lower than expected.

16:55 - Wrap up

Let this episode be a reminder that if you keep your mind and your eyes open, you can find limited or special edition used cars like the Mazdaspeed Protege that are still in excellent condition. 

You just have to know what to look for. 

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About the Podcast

Better Than New
Find a cool used car, truck or SUV at a price you'll love
The average new car sales price in the US is nearly $50,000, and the average used vehicle sales price is close to $30,000... I think that's insane! Well if you're like me and you don’t want to pay these crazy inflated car prices, I believe you should still be able to drive something fun. That’s the idea behind Better Than New – a podcast to help you find a cool used car, truck or SUV at a price you’ll love.

I’m Gary Crenshaw, host of Better Than New and a long time automotive enthusiast, and I want to inspire car buyers on a budget to think differently about what they can actually afford to drive. My goal is to introduce listeners to the broad array of interesting, fun-to-drive, enthusiast-friendly used cars, trucks and SUVs available at prices just about anyone can afford… vehicles from the 80s, 90s, 2000s and beyond that offer buyers a wide range of interesting choices. Each week we’ll explore a specific vehicle or vehicle category, tell you what to look for and what to avoid, and give you practical tips to help you find your next cool used car, truck or SUV and keep it on the road for years to come.

With a little work, the joy of owning a cool used car at price you’ll love is within reach and this podcast is here to help you find it.

So hop in, buckle up and let's go for a drive!

About your host

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Gary Crenshaw

A lifelong lover of all things mechanical, Gary has spent the majority of his existence driving, dreaming about or wrenching on cars, motorcycles and even the occasional airplane.

It started with mini-bikes and go-karts as a kid, progressed to 2-stroke dirt bikes, followed by his first car… a 1969 Volkswagen Beetle. Then came the Yamaha era with several RD400s, RZ350s and a Canadian RD350LC (should have kept that!). A pilot’s license was next with some memorable hours flying a 1946 Aeronca Champ low and slow around the Pacific Northwest. While in college, his brother-in-law who sold high-end cars hired him to deliver BMW, Mercedes and Porsche vehicles to customers.

Those early experiences led to a lifetime of owning an eclectic mix of interesting used cars, including a ‘65 Mustang GT, a ’72 Datsun 510, a Porsche 914, a Celica Alltrac Turbo, a Mini Cooper S, a couple of Miata’s, two Audi S4 Avants, a Galant VR4, a Fiat 850 Spider, a 1983 Subaru 4x4 GL wagon and a first gen RX-7, along with dozens of daily driver cars and SUVs from Acura, Honda, Toyota and Mazda. And his favorite? Depends on when you ask, but that distinction likely goes to the Mazda RX-4 station wagon he learned to drive in. That fun-to-drive car combined Gary's passion for wagons, rotary engines and manual transmissions all in one.

So what about you? Which used car, truck or SUV would you love to own? Let’s find it together!