I bought a Probe....

[CortinaDave]

Well it was stupidly cheap and I've always quite liked them. 76k and drives as new....

 

 

 

 

 

 

So is this proper shite or not? Driving about in it It seems to attract either rapturous appreciation or utter derison in equal amounts. Always wanted a car with poppy up headlights, even if it does make it look like a frog.

[Guest]

I'd say it's not shite, more in that awkward stage where due to cheapness people buy them and cover them in stickers. It'll be shite in another, ooh, 5-10 years.Looks quite nice in white, don't fancy those wheels much though!

[carlo]

What are they like to drive, Dave? Is the ride really bouncy or is it quite comfortable?I've always fancied trying one, seem really cheap.

[bigstraight6]

Looks sweet Dave, but the white bodywork is definately a canvas

[Milford Cubicle]

Get it on the standard three-spokers!I think the combination of cheap aftermarket alloy wheels and even cheaper NI plates marks out mild cretinism in the owner.

[CortinaDave]

What are they like to drive, Dave? Is the ride really bouncy or is it quite comfortable? I've always fancied trying one, seem really cheap.

It's pretty decent to drive I think... a bit more wallowy around the corners than my calibra but a smoother ride. Its one of these great cars that seems to manage to blat over speed bumps without you actually noticing.It has funky electric lumbar support and a button that makes the side of the seat come in and hug you Its not as fast as it looks, seemingly the 2.5 is the one to go for for speed, the official 0-60 for the 16 valve is 10.5 sec... once you're up on the revs it does go quite well though and would happily cruise all day at licence losing speed.Interior is very mid 90s jap.. theres not a hint of ford-ness about it. lots of grey plastic. i have to say in that respect the calibra wins hands down with the cream leather.Its a decent all round motor though, and being more or less all mazda they are apparently pretty bulletproof.For the sort of money they're going for now its definitely worth a punt on one.The cars on NI plates as its a belfast car originally apparently as opposed to them being slapped on by a pikey... I quite like the wheels too.. kind of goes with the car I cant be doing with the swirly ones they had as standard.

[retrogeezer]

Looks good, I think the wheels are o.k too...How much was it??I really fancy a Cougar, are they pretty much a Mondeo underneath?

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Not a fan of these to be honest, well actually I quite like the styling, but unfortunately as Hirst says they do seem to attract a particular kind of 30+ yr old 'sticker barry' halfwit who love Steven Seagal films. Check your local Ford Probe internet forum for more details.

[MrRegieRitmo]

Looks quite nice in white, don't fancy those wheels much though!

Why does nobody ever like spoke alloys?

[MrRegieRitmo]

I really fancy a Cougar, are they pretty much a Mondeo underneath?

I think I'd opt for the Cougar too, they seem a bit classier than the Probe. Interestingly it fills the same segment as the Probe and presumably has the same engines or certainly no smaller (the Puma's got that covered) but the insurance figures for the Cougar are less than the Probe!?

[Volksy]

I had a 2.5 V6 24v one come into the garage one day as a none runner.. The Distributor electronics 'black box' had failed, apparently a common probe-lem, at just over 65k. This was replaced, but you could only replace the entire distributor unit at around £600+. When i asked how many they had in stock at the dealers, they said 10!!!

[CortinaDave]

I like spoke alloys...actually of all the alloys available i would probably choose spoke ones.I particulary dislike three - spoke ones though...for no good reason It seems to be very much a marmite car - love it or hate it. as i said earlier its amazing the amount of people who've had a strong opinion either way when ive been out in it.I agree on the cougars though... a classy motor. even the early ones seem to still fetch over two grand though, whereas a decent probe's only about 500-700 sods.Distributors are shite on these... thankfully the one on mine was replaced just before i got it.You can get them for £150 through probestore now tho

[MrRegieRitmo]

It seems to be very much a marmite car - love it or hate it. as i said earlier its amazing the amount of people who've had a strong opinion either way when ive been out in it.

What, shouted at you in the street as you drive past? How many Probes were there in the range & where does this one fit?

[pompei]

How much does it share with the Mazda MX6?

[Mr Lobster]

I think the Probe could have been a really good car, I remember seeing them when they first came out and being really impressed by it. But, somehow its missing a cetain something, not quite sure what but I've always felt it wasn't quite what it could / should have been.As for the Cougar, well, a few years ago I worked for a Ford dealer. Come the day I was due for a change of company hack, the general manager announced he had something that I would like...It seems that one day he had been stood in the bodyshop and seen an Impreza under repair and announced "that would look good on a Cougar" - meaning gold wheels, gold stripes running from the front to the rear over the roof and then get the whole thing lowered. The result was predictably hideous and was absolutely horrendous to drive with the added result of attracting all the local knobheads who wanted to race....Put me off them somewhat after that.

[CortinaDave]

Apparently it pretty much IS a mazda mx6 with a different bodyshell and ford badges, like a calibra has loads of bits nicked from the cavalier.I don't know that much about Probes as yet, just started finding out about them when i was thinking about buying this one... from what i can gather though, theres only two basic specs... Probe 16v and Probe 24v.. then an options list where you add on what goodies you want.Mine's the 16v - the more basic of the 2... with an electric sunroof, air con, remote locking and the boot spoiler from the options list. 24v by all accounts is the one to have - 0-60 in 8.5 secs with more toys like cruise control and leather as standard on the later cars, but obviously v6 running costs as well.

[MrRegieRitmo]

Apparently it pretty much IS a mazda mx6 with a different bodyshell and ford badges, like a calibra has loads of bits nicked from the cavalier.

At least the latter is fair enough seeing as the Calibra is basically a Cavalier coupe!

I don't know that much about Probes as yet, just started finding out about them when i was thinking about buying this one... from what i can gather though, theres only two basic specs... Probe 16v and Probe 24v.. then an options list where you add on what goodies you want.Mine's the 16v - the more basic of the 2... with an electric sunroof, air con, remote locking and the boot spoiler from the options list. 24v by all accounts is the one to have - 0-60 in 7.5 secs with more toys like cruise control and leather as standard on the later cars, but obviously v6 running costs as well.

So basically there's two engines 2.0 & 2.5 then you mix & match what you want on the inside & the outside, bar the engine? Like a blank canvas! So you could end up with a 16v that's got every luxury of the 24v but without the consumption & insurance (and the upside of more power)? What's the 0-60 of yours? It seems the Probe is not a car that looks natural with a boot spoiler, unlike say an MR2 or Celica.....

[wuvvum]

From what I've seen looking on eBay, V6's are far more prone to head gasket failure than the four-pots. Four-pots seem to be reliable enough as long as you keep on top of the cambelt.

[CortinaDave]

So basically there's two engines 2.0 & 2.5 then you mix & match what you want on the inside & the outside, bar the engine? Like a blank canvas! So you could end up with a 16v that's got every luxury of the 24v but without the consumption & insurance (and the upside of more power)? What's the 0-60 of yours?

Pretty much yeah... you took the basic car then specced it up how you wanted it, which is actually a nice idea... bit of a pain when buying secondhand though, as you've no idea what the car you're going to see will or wont have.There was a 16valve on ebay last week fully loaded with the cruise control etc, but they seem to be thin on the ground... ideally though, thats what you would want... I'm keeping my eye on ebay for a decent leather trim for mine, annoyingly they did them in some horrible colours... pavement grey and "tobacco" are particularly nasty.16v does 0 -60 in 10.5 sec, so lively enough day to day, but not exactly pin-in-your seat stuff. Drop down a gear and give it some welly and it does pick up quite well.. plus It gets far better MPG than a v6 and seems to be a less temperamental engine overall

[Mr_Bo11ox]

sig pic off a probe forum:

 

[KruJoe]

^ Quality research, Mr B ^ When we got a top of the line V6 in the yard with the swirly whirly three spokes and that snazzy blue/purple/red flip paint, and light damage to one door, we couldn't hardly give it away. And that was 10 years ago now! ...we thought XMs depreciated...

[CortinaDave]

Depreciation's hardly an issue now though is it? If you've paid with three barrs bottles and a curly wurly, are you really going to complain about resale? as a £500 bracket car.. they really are a good deal.

[Guest]

As previously mentioned, it's weird how the Probe seems to attract a certain sort of owner.

 

Some ideas for you Cortinadave.....

 

Viper stripes!

 

Dragon stickers AND a Firebird bonnet logo! Wow.

 

Everything!

 

And a freshly TWOC-ed one.

[Volksy]

Well your atypical 80's Capri owner had to buy something....

[retrogeezer]

I like the wheels on the 1st one (with the GT40 stripes)

[KruJoe]

 

When we got a top of the line V6 in the yard with the swirly whirly three

spokes and that snazzy blue/purple/red flip paint, and light damage to one

door, we couldn't hardly give it away. And that was 10 years ago now!

...we thought XMs depreciated...

^ Just a probe anecdote...

 

Depreciation's hardly an issue now though is it? If

you've paid with three barrs bottles and a curly wurly, are you really going

to complain about resale?

 

as a £500 bracket car.. they really are a good deal.

Absolutely -- I realise it's done all it's depreciation, and I agree that (like

the XM) it is a top value piece of shite if you like the look of it etc.

 

Looks like you got a good deal, and if you like it, you're right to be proud.

Well done for taking the plunge into Probe ownership, sir - it's interesting

to read about.

I wasn't having a go; I'm right with you buddy.

 

 

Hirst:

Great choice of pictures for us there.

 

 

Retrogeezer:

Don't be shy! You're not alone...

I like the wheels on thiat blue-striped one, too!

[CortinaDave]

Yes there are some horrifically modded ones out there Calibras are possibly worse in that regard. I set you a challenge to seek out, photograph and post a pic of an utterly standard calibra. No such beast exists anymore.. every one you see is barried up to some degree.I like them too though.. when i got mine i had to look beyond the barried-up ness of it to see a decent car underneath.First to go was the shopping trolley spoiler, then the stupid "eyebrow" thing on the headlights. Just got the wake the dead exhaust to change now and itll be respectable again and ill be happy.An unbarried one is a great buy though. Hilariously the best way to have a totally unique one these days is to leave it standard.

[KruJoe]

Wow, you're up at a funny time! Working shifts or something?

 

Not many Calibras here (and no Probes), but it's the same story here with

these Lancers:

 

 

They're not all this bad, but an unriced example is a rare thing, indeed.

(This one was at Tesco's yesterday - to go with your ace sig!)

I'll post some more such hideousness in my thread sometime.

 

Good luck on the Calibra front!

 

KJ

[Volksy]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1997-VAUXHALL-CAL ... dZViewItem

 

or

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1995-VAUXHALL-CAL ... dZViewItem

 

Glad to see there are still the odd one about...

[Mr Livered]

I think Probes represent something Ford is actually quite good at, but we don't usually get to see over here.

 

I lived in the States for a while and had a 1985 Ford Thunderbird:

 

-which was a seriously fun car with a 5 litre V8, not even as bad as you'd expect around corners. Americans visiting me have been horrified that Ford is known for Mondeos and the Ka over here whilst Detroit keeps all the fun stuff for its own.

 

So yeah, I quite fancy a Probe, I just don't like the idea of being pulled over by the old bill every ten miles...