Wanting a Probe

[LTDHO]

Hrmm, title sounds suss!!

Anyway, recently my GF wrote off her Startlet and now wants something more sporty. A mid 90's Probe.

I know nothing about these machines so I posted here to find out everything.

What to know and look for. What fails and their faults.

Cheers,
Wayne

[DRU842]

Thought someone would never ask:

The Aussie Probe scene is really HQ'd http://forums.probetalk.com/forumdisplay.php?f=105 & some good if not detailed history on the Probe era http://www.aus-cartalk.com/probe/history.htm

Australia only received the second generation of the Probe built in the USA. All Probes were based in their Mazda sister MX6 platform, including the first Gen we didn't see here. Mechanically the cars are V6 Mazda 626/MX6/Telstar (reliable, well understood, relativly cheap & plentiful), with stiffer suspension & wider wheels. Body panels & interiors are unique and therefore more expensive.

The Gen 2 were imported from 1993 to 1997 and best number we have is 2010 in total. Just to highlight the newest one you will find is 10 years+ old.

Pricing on the used market seems to have stabilised over the past few year at around the $10k mark for reasonable milage examples.

Other than the usual secondhand issues, beware of 'bloomed' paint and sloppy auto versions. Otherwise the cars were relativly expensive new at approx $45k and were usually well maintained by their orginal owners i.e. me!! There has never been much of an after market for these cars in OZ or the US, so they have slipped under the radar of most ricers.

Our Australian Probes were unique & never directly matched the US GT's for styling or interior spec, its as though they tested items in the OZ market & then rolled them into the US later; so take the following Motor Trend article with a US gain of salt.

Ford Probe GT : 1993 Car of the Year.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Motor Trend

Photo's by Consumer Guide Automotive
Photo's by Global Auto Index


1993 Ford Probe GT


1993 Ford Probe GT

Ford turned to partner Mazda to produce some of the magic installed in the Probe GT, but the result is tried-and-true American beef, built in a factory in Flat Rock, Michigan, just south of Motown. Radically modern cab-forward design turns in a shapely exterior, but rear-seat passengers are necessarily penalized in head room. A driver's airbag is standard. The interior is comfortable and striking in execution, and secure even in hot cornering. Some of the "lightness" inbred in the 2900-pound design is a minus; slamming a door with the window rolled down is not a peak experience. This is a thoroughly road car, with tight, predictable handling on tap in all speed ranges; the darn thing corners like it was only two inches off the ground, yet ride quality is impressive. Whether on the road course, driving through the mountains, or cooking through the slalom, the Probe GT sticks like burnt eggs to a frying pan. Its combination of marvelous road manners and a smooth, torque-drenched powerplant makes it a joy to drive under any circumstance, even in traffic around town. The 2.5-liter V-6 engine is a masterpiece. Churning out 164 horsepower, it provides quick, immediate response and a wide powerband. At the high end of the gear pattern, it gets a touch lethargic on steep climbs, but immediate relief is only a downshift away. Steering communicates with the driver as if connected to the central nervous system. Dive deep into a corner, jam the ABS-equipped four-wheel disc brakes to the floor and crank in the steering input. The Ford rises to the occasion cheerfully. The Probe GT delivers the most overall driving enjoyment you can get in this class for the money.

Motor Trend's 1993 Car of the Year

Ford's new Probe GT is a landmark car. For starters, its the first car from the company's joint venture with Mazda to attain full domestic status, according to the EPA. Thus its inclusion into the '93 Car of the Year field, where no Probe has gone before. It also happens to bring new grace and refinement to its particular slice of the domestic landscape, vaporizing the existing competition with its fine road manners and clean styling. More important, the Probe compares just as solidly with its imported competition; this car stands on its own merits in either context, which isn't something that can always be said of domestic offerings. The Ford Probe GT at last gives the Buy American crowd a chance to enjoy a world-class sport coupe in good conscience, and it gives import shoppers a strong alternative to import and transplanted offerings. One other distinction: The Ford Probe GT is Motor Trend's '93 Car of the Year.

The GT achieved this remarkable goal with consistently excellent performance in every regimen. At its heart, there's a wonderfully smooth 2.5-liter V-6 with sophisticated multi-valve technology that delivers strong and progressive bottom-end power to complement the solid rush on top. The turbocharged four- cylinder engine in the old Probe pales in comparison. Delivered to the front wheels via a five-speed manual transmission (or optional automatic), the Probe puts down its 164 horsepower effectively. Aggressive chassis tuning, along with wide tires, ensures a keen, sporting feel from behind the wheel. Good visibility and nimble, accurate steering response make the car supremely confidence-inspiring on snaking mountain roads.

The price for such capability is a small one- the highway ride is taut but agreeable, and the tires inform you of changes in road surface in a conversational tone. All perfectly in keeping with the Grand Touring role Ford engineers envisioned for the new Probe. Long-range comfort for front passengers is a strong suit, with supportive seats and room to spread out. Compact people fit nicely in the rear compartment, and full-size adults can handle short stints in class-average comfort.

The new Ford Probe GT didn't win Car of the Year without a fight. The American car industry is in a renaissance of historic proportions, and the best of that new thinking is embodied in this year's field of contenders. This wasn't an easy choice for our seven judges, but the result is a clear one: The '93 Ford Probe GT is at the leading edge of a revitalized domestic car industry.



Base Price: $15,174
Price as tested: $19,056
2-Door,4-passenger
Front engine, front wheel drive
2507cc DOHC V-6
164 HP@6000 RPM
156 LB-FT@4000 RPM
5-speed/manual
Wheelbase:102.9 inches
Curb weight: 2900 pounds

0-60 mph : 7.5 sec.
1/4 mile: 15.8 sec./88.0 mph
Braking 60-0 MPH: 117 feet
Skidpad ( Lateral G ): 0.85
Slalom (MPH): 64.3
Fuel Ecomomy City/Hwy: 21/26




1995 PGT Interior

[cpapashley]

Wonderful informative post Dru842...

[aussiblue]

Kang and Kodos will attend to all your probe requirements.

[cpapashley]

Originally Posted by aussiblue

Kang and Kodos will attend to all your probe requirements.