Faults:

Very minor dings on body (paint is very easy to scratch).

Oxidation on front bumper.

Wear and tear on seats, small crack on dashboard.

Radio antenna broken, not repaired.

Axle shaft on manual transmission broken; $140.

Radiator hoses broken; $40.

Valve cover gaskets broken; $40.

Tires treads are worn, to be replaced soon.

Alternator blew; $750.

Steering alignment off; $150.

General Comments:

STYLE

It grows on you; at first I was not necessarily the biggest fan, but you start to appreciate the sleek lines and sexy curves. Looks great in Rio Red (my car) or in black. I find the 1994 Probe GT to be the most attractive sports coupe in its class, and one of the most attractive cars on the road today. The styling is more modern than half of the 2007 models they are coming out with today.

MECHANICS/RELIABILITY

First things first, make sure that you have a mechanic that is very familiar with the Probe model; it is essentially a Mazda in a Ford body, and the engine is very complicated to work on. When my alternator blew, the first mechanic I took the car to had no idea what was wrong with it (luckily I have found a mechanic that has worked on these cars since they came out). The Probe (especially the GT model) is becoming quite rare, and many mechanics have never seen/worked on one before.

The GT's engine (2.5L 24V V-6, 165HP) is considered "high performance", so the repairs on this model cost a premium. Parts are hard to find as well - you will most likely have to get aftermarket replacements.

The Probe GT itself is not a very reliable car, but as far as sports coupes go, it can be considered a bit below average. Make sure the previous owner did not trash the car, because it really shows when you own the Probe for a few months. It is a touchy car.

INTERIOR/QUALITY

The interior is nothing to be excited about, but is not at all horrible or extremely cheap. The build quality, however, is quite low; the Probe GT rattles ALL the time, and when you shut the doors, it seems like the windows will fall out/shatter and there is a "tin can" noise.

The plastics in the interior are flimsy, and the dash cracks easily. I always feel like if I press something too hard, it might snap.

The cup holder is basically useless, and impedes shifting.

The seats, if you have the power option, have TONS of seating options; so many that it seems you can never find the right position. The seats are comfortable, however, and hold you in place when driving hard. An aftermarket radio is a plus, mine works perfectly.

PERFORMANCE/MPG

This department is where the Probe GT really shines. It is truly a quick car, and will definitely blow the doors off any V-6 sports coupe; Integras, Preludes, Eclipses... none stand a chance. However, you must know how to utilize the power in this car; the power doesn't truly come alive below 3,000rpms; but when you punch it over 3,000, the thing FLIES.

To drive the Probe fast, you have to go easy until the RPMs are high, and then floor it. The GT will get to 60 in around 7 seconds, and will top out at 133mph. The car doesn't lose speed until well past 4th gear. Acceleration is stunning in first and second gear; it pushes you so far in your seat that it feels like a turbo.

And the GT's handling is truly SECOND TO NONE. This car will out-handle ANYTHING that is not a supercar, and I mean anything. You can take corners at insane speed - this car hugs the road and inspires confidence in the driver. I cannot explain how well this car handles; you just have to drive it to understand it. I'd put it in the same handling class as the Lotus Esprit and other similar exotics; and the turning radius is just insane.

To sum things up, the Probe GT is a fast car above 3,000RPM and can run with the best; you just have to know that the car prefers high RPMs. Just make sure to stay away from modern Mustangs with V-8s.

The gas mileage is pretty impressive; I get around 25-27 MPG around town, 30 upwards highway.

OVERALL

The 1994 Ford Probe GT is a truly capable sports coupe, and by far the quickest and best looking in its class. However, owning one is not as easy/reliable as owning a similar sports coupe (Integra, Prelude, etc.) You will pay more for the GT, and it is much more touchy and flaky than a Japanese coupe.

Faults:

Had to replace both sides of axles as the cv joint boots were torn.

General Comments:

I like the car. It handles great gets about thirty miles to the gallon and still looks very good.