1994 Ford Probe GT from North America - Comments

Dented Catalytic converter, previous owners fault - $250.

Bent rim, previous owners fault - $120 used.

Water pump - $320.

Clear coat flaking off spoiler - not repaired.

I have wanted a second generation (93-97) probe since I started driving at 16.

Slewk sexy unique styling, in my opinion.

Excellent handling. turning and lane changes are effortless.

0-100kph in 7.5 seconds. That will beat the pants off most stock ricer cars, such as honda / civics.

Power seats with lumbar and side support make this the most comfortable car I've ever driven.

Stock sound system sounds great, in dash EQ / spectrum analyzer is cool for gadget types.

Cup holder is in an odd place, in manual versions it would impede shifting slightly.

To try and sound a little more unbiased in my review here is a list of common issues with these cars:

Frame-less windows can cause water leakage if the seals go, and makes the car more subjective to break ins.

Flip up lights can be a nuisance if the motors in them go. During the winter they must be set in the up position to prolong the light motor life.

Lower engine mounts, when/if they go, will cause the car to vibrate excessively at idle.

Although made by ford, the engine/internals were made by Mazda, this can cause repairs to be more pricey. Using aftermarket parts can reduce those costs tho.

All probes years/makes can be subject to wiper issues. The motor ceases or malfunctions causing the wipers to become stuck in an up right positions.

Finish / clear coat tends to flake off on the spoilers.

Common rust areas are the trunk / hatch area.

I love this car and plan on keeping it for a long time :)

If you want a unique stylish and peppy compact, this would be a great drive.

Very honest and a good review. Thank you.

**Update**

Id like to update this entry a bit. Since I can't edit it, Ill post it here.

~Car now has 151000kms.

~Peeling clear-coat on spoiler and rust on hatch was repaired $610

~Car has not developed any new rust spots since our first (Canadian) winter together. Many of the lower panels and bumpers on these cars are plastic so rust around the wheels and such is not an issue.

~Check engine light comes on and off as the car drives, this is due to an exhaust oxygen sensor. Almost all Probes (or any car really) of this age will need these replaced by now. Not a large issue, reduced gas millage and an annoying orange light in the dash. A new one is about $120 and an hour of labour to install.

~Rear caliper pistons seized when brought in for a brake job, $320 (this includes new calipers, labour and Wagner brand brakes). Mechanic partially to blame as he didn't soak these when he removed them so they would not go back in.

~Radiator went (got clogged if I remember correctly), was causing the car to overheat, that was a $340 job.

~New engine installed at 142000kms, I found out there is a direct drop in engine (called KL-ZE, original is a KL-DE) for these cars that are 197hp & 200tq. No problems with the old one, just wanted more power. $900 and 18 hours shop labour.

Id suggest visiting http://www.performanceprobe.com/ it is an excellent information resource on Probes and also has an active forum

Feel free email me at boo_guy@hotmail.com with anything Probe related.

Nice job on the KLZE, but they're not 200tq. They put out 197hp and 165tq, only 5 more than the stock GT engine. Also, I doubt an automatic Probe GT will do 0-60 in 7.5, that seems to be a pretty typical time for the manual version, which is significantly faster. Yours probably would do at least that though, with the ZE. Good review though, and sounds like you've got a pretty sweet car! (I have a white '94 GT 5spd myself and I love it!)