This may become a long post- please stay with me, and weigh in if you have significant experience or knowledge on the subject. I really want feedback from those who are not shooting from the hip.

My 03 P5 was wrecked last Sunday. A young woman ran a red light, I hit her- she was found at fault, her insurance will presumably pay for damages. Estimates running right at $5K, KBB.com gives a retail value of about $7500 with the wheels I have ("custom wheels- 19 inch." Mine are 17's, but I will go to the mattress about that with her insurance company.) Not sure if it will become a total or not, we shall see.

I am considering several paths:

I'd like to upgrade to the MSP, but stay with the P5. MSP's with blown motors seem to be fairly common- good and bad news there! I am thinking of buying one, and "harvesting" brakes, suspension, LSD, turbo setup, exhaust, and maybe little bits like pedals and shifter. I am assuming the turbo on a blown-rod motor will still be usable, btw. Thing is, this is not a cut-and-dried thing:

I read that the MSP suspension is a bit harsh. I am in my 50's, just so you know. Not interested in a slammed ride, you understand, but I am a life-long gear head- a little discomfort won't bother me. The P5 is about 100 pounds heavier than the sedan, the MSP also about 100 pounds than the sedan- I am thinking a MSP5 would be about 100 pounds heavier than a MSP sedan- wondering if the ride would thus further suffer.

This is a BIG one- I have read quite a bit about reliability issues with the MSP. I know the engine is basically stock, internally, and there are several reports of throwing rods and such. Also some issues with the LSD breaking (what happens? Do the diff gears get chewed up? LSD stop being limited slip?) Thing is, I wonder, do these things happen because the drive train is not up to the 170HP, or because drivers are exceeding the capabilities of the motor? Put another way: if one kept the motor stock/170HP, kept things sane when driving (I don't mean "grandpa," I mean "adult,") will the car enjoy a long life? I suspect the problems with the drive train may really be just too many boy-racer antics.

Or, is it truly necessary to replace the con rods for the motor to go 100,000-200,000 miles at the 6pis boost (or whatever it is, stock) without incident? Anything else? Doing the work myself, how much will parts cost? I am assuming little machine work would be necessary- honing the cylinder walls, checking main bearing wear. We are talking an engine (currently in my P5) with about 130,000 miles on it, by the way. If I DO replace internals, I MIGHT go a little more boost, to get HP up to about 200-225, but that would be ALL.

One thing- maybe nuts- about the LSD- is it possible to install a spool in that diff? Will it usher in any problems, long-term? I am talking a street car, and only if the LSD would not live long term. I know what a spool DOES and how it WORKS, what I am not sure of is what ill effects it might have on a FWD car.

BUT- I have an alternative to the MSP turbo setup. I have a turbo setup sitting on my shelf- it came out of a Mazdaspeed/Oakley-sponsored P5 show car, and had a HUGE turbo on it (but a reasonable t3/t4 mount.) I did not get the turbo or wastegate, and there was also apparently no aftermarket engine management system, or I missed out on it, but I got everything else.. From what I can see, it is similar in size and scope to the MSP setup, except the exhaust pipes are all larger in diameter and it has an CAI or SRI. Sensors are all present, it appears.

Maybe that would be better? But, I'd need to find a turbo. And will fuel/ignition management be a bear? I suspect I would need at LEAST a MSP ECM- which points me back at a blown-rod MSP donor car. If the answer to the F/I management question is "You gotta go aftermarket," I think I would sell this setup- that is just more work than I am interested in doing. I don't want to spend several weekends, or even days, sorting out an aftermarket system- once this car is put back together, I want to drive it, not continue to wrench on it.

So, to sum up and post the questions, again:

1. How do you think I would like the ride of a "MSP5?"

2. In stock trim and not flogged, will a stock/170HP MSP-type car have a long life?

3. Can con-rod disaster be averted simply by replacing the stock con-rods (and bearings while I'm in there,) or would more internal mods be needed, to get long life out of a stock/170HP or mild mod/225HP motor?

4. What's the best thing to keep the diff alive, well and doing it's job?

5. What is the best thing to do with this turbo setup I have? (If "Sell it to me" is your answer, I will consider doing just that, at a fair price.)

Thanks. I am setting this to "instant email responses," btw.