What up guys? My 2003 Pro ES is just over 4 months old and I must say its quite the handler...love the stiff suspension feel...very solid...
Anyhow, I need some extra oomph tho, as my friend has a 180HP VW GTI thats just crazy in comparison to my car...drove it couple times, its mad quick! Im not lookin into that kinda performance yet, but I would like a little added zip and I was wonder, whats a better purchase: the Mazdaspeed exhaust sold at the dealers and an Injen Race Division CAI, or just the Racing Beat catback exhaust? Money is definitely an issue, but i think the MS pipe and CAI are equivalent to the Racing Beat pipe alone.

So whats better for performance gains?

 

i say go with the injen and then save the rest until you have enough for the catback. otherwise, you'll spend another $200 on something that doesn't quite give you anything more than sweet looks and a nice sound. everything from the axle forward will still be stock. we need to enlarge the stock pipe a little to realize any performance gains. however, if you really want to make it breathe, i believe you would have to get a new downpipe, as that is our biggest restriction along with the two cats.

 

aaaiight...sounds good. I mean, I'd really like to upgrade that crap stock exhaust now cuz its so *****, but if the CAI increases performance better, might as well go with that.

The other choice is to get just the catback instead of the CAI...should I do that instead?

 

I agree with tonkabui, even though it looks like hes smokin some ****, I would definetly go with the intake first

 

I agree too, if you want a little extra power just get the intake now, then go with the Racing Beat later. Looks as good as the MSP exhaust, but has better breathing and better sound IMO...And as he said the down pipe is a joke...Take a look at that thing some time and you will see what we mean, and that shield is NOT the pipe itself...

 

I have a 2002 Mazda Protege5, with the injen CAI.. It sounds hella good.. I get so many compliments on the whistle it makes and the roar it makes when getting into the throttle. I am also saving $$$ to purchase a full Cat-Back system.

I would definately get the CAI first, and then a Cat-Back exhaust system.