1994 Ford Probe GT 2.5L 24v V6

Summary:

An American built leader in a pack of Japanese contenders

Faults:

The transmission decided it didn't want to work anymore about a year after I got it. All said and done, this cost me about $1200. Woopie!

After about 3 years of ownership, the timing belt decided it had had enough as well. This repair cost $800. Woohoo!

Also, randomly likes to get hot. This is due to the coolant going God-knows-where every once and a while, but I haven't been able to quite figure out where this is yet.

General Comments:

When I was looking for a car, I knew I needed one that I could hang on to for a while. I eventually ended up getting a Probe GT. I'm not a huge fan of the slush box automatic that can't quite figure out what gear to be in half the time, but the rest of the car is near perfection. The seats are comfy, good looking, and 8-way power ajustable. The interior is refined and quite stylish- just like the rest of the car. The engine is lively- especially above 4500rpm. I won't tell exactly how fast I've seen this car do, but I can tell you it is well over twice the posted limit in most places. The backseat isn't very useful to anyone over 6ft. tall, but for short people it works out great. The handling is great! It goes where you want, when you want and doesn't make a commotion about it. ALso, for a sports car, this thing has a massive trunk. I have 4 subwoofers and a 1200-watt amp back there and still have plenty of room for all the groceries I'd care to haul. Another plus about this car is the fact that it's a real head turner; one person actually mistook it for a Porsche!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 8th September, 2004

26th Jun 2005, 15:17

The Probe is a leader in the pack of Japanese contendors alright, but that's only because it IS Japanese. At least all the stuff that matters is Japanese. They were assembled in the U.S, but the powertrain and everything mechanical was shipped over by Mazda. Every part on the Probe except for interior and body is interchangeable with the Mazda MX-6, and most parts and whole powertrain of the Mazda 626. You don't think Ford would have actually built a 2.5L 24V DOHC motor that outperformed most V6 engines not German, and only put it in ONE car in their lineup... do you?

3rd Nov 2005, 23:02

I don't know the history or millage of this particular probe, but timing belts don't usually snap for the heck of it.

Timing belts in the Probe are suposed to be changed every 100,000kms, they don't last for ever. Luckily the Probe engine is non interference which reduces the damaged caused if the timing belt happens to go.

2nd Feb 2006, 17:14

OK first all the car was not made in japan... to the first comment it is a Australian car...

7th Apr 2006, 03:28

Ha Ha Ha, uhhhhhh, wrong.

1994 Ford Probe GT 2.5L

Summary:

This is the most extreme car I have ever owned

Faults:

Nothing really, tires have worn out a little earlier, but that's because of the power of the engine.

My windshield cracked, but I don't think it was because of anything wrong with it.

The antenna has stopped going up and down, but I don't care because I have a cd player.

General Comments:

This car is extremely fast. I've pulled up next to earlier Camaros and have outran them before I put a straight pipe and a turbo on. Know I can out run Mustang Cobras with her. The handling is extraordinary she corners like shes on rails. The seats do an awesome job holding me in place while I take some mountain turns at 80 mph.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 30th August, 2004

1994 Ford Probe GT 2.5L

Summary:

Great car if you're looking for cheap performance, and acceleration along with 28 Miles Per Gallon.

Faults:

Timing belt needed replacement

(Like they do).

Seems to have Water-pump Issues

(Works on occasion. On other occasions, she likes to spit.)

General Comments:

At first I was unimpressed by the look and performance of the Probe series. I had no interest in the car what-so-ever, but I was in a car accident with my Oldsmobile, and had to get another car quickly. A friend of mine was selling this one for cheap.

All I wanted was a running car that could get me around and maintain a decent reliability standard (So I bought a Ford??? Whatever) and had respectable gas mileage. Figuring that the Probe GT was still a Probe never-the-less, conclusions drew me to believe that it would be a slow doggy junk heap that would keep me going for a year so I could save up for another car. As so I discovered The, Probe GT, and it was nothing like that at all.

I've always disliked Ford products that I've personally driven mostly becasue well... they sucked, to be blatant. The Probe GT seemed different. It seemed to have more power and response than the other Probes I've driven, and actually seemed like it wanted to turn when I was trying to go left or right. It handled so well in fact, I decided to give it a highway test of my own...

...So I'm doing 115mph on I-95 weaving in and out of traffic with the greatest of ease, tantalizing Mustangs, Eclipses, Talons, Jettas, Golfs, 280ZXs, and a Contour (It was an SVT, don't laugh), etc.. After about ten minutes of ripping through traffic, I decided to actually run the car like it were a commuter car. Probably thirty sports cars that I had passed in my "maniacal extravaganza" that were attempting to keep up, were all passing me now and staring at my new Probe GT on thier way by. Most gave a thumbs up, nodded, smiled, or something of the such. The others tried to give it all they had to waste as much gas as possible in attempt to get their 4 cylinder eclipses to go around my no-longer speeding car. Amusing if not anything else.

The car does have a slight power drop-off at 3300 RPM, and returns at 4400 RPM. This could be normal, but I've never driven any other Probe GTs, so I have no reason to believe that it's an issue with the car. Most likely just a moronic move by Ford. They can't seem to build a car that all-around rocks. They always have to throw something completely stupid into their vehicles.

The asinine item placed into this car by Ford, was a cup holder/console/shift deterent placed directly where any normal human being might have to place their elbow in attempt to shift into second, fourth, or reverse. The thing is so chintzy, just laying your hand on it, gives off this unsettling creaky plastic sound.

That aside, I'm still trying to figure out how to use the "thirty-thousand" seat adjustments to my advantage. I can't seem to make it so I'm comfortable, and be able to fit my legs between the steering wheel and the seat. Even when the wheel is tilted all the way up, and the seat is in a position where I can actually reach the drive pedals, you have to get in the car by caulking your right leg backward into the car, then sliding yourself into the seat as you re-correct your angle.

The water pump is not working, but the cooling system in this car is remarkable. It seems as though the fans will not allow heat to exist in the vicinity of a the radiator. I'm having a little bit of a hard time keeping coolant in there, but when it runs low, the car does not overheat.

And finally, the clutch. It's Ford, so we now have a hydrolic, auto-adjusting clutch. In some cases this is a good thing. In Ford Probes it makes for a different clutch point every time you disengauge or engauge the clutch. Not a huge difference, but for someone like myself, It's a little tricky to get used to, but one you get it down, it's a pretty nice setup.

I hope this has been helpful. The car really is an awesome vehicle.

*Approx. 170 horsepower

*Approx. 212 Ft./lbs Torque

*Plenty of ability to be modified

*Comfy Little Car

*Speedy when you want it to be

*Can be driven easily as well

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 14th July, 2004

3rd Nov 2005, 23:17

Your previous car was an Oldsmobile and your worried about a Ford being slow and sluggish? Ha!

FYI this moronic car's guts are all Mazda, Ford made the interior/exterior, most the electronics and engine is Mazda.

Your power drop of could be due to a malfunctioning system called VRIS, which opens and closes vacuum lines at different RPM'S for added torque. That kick at 4400rpm happens when the second VRIS actuator opens up, but the first is closed/malfunctioning.

HP is 165, Torque is 160, 0-60 in 7.5s & 16.0s 1/4th.