Revisiting the past; buying my first car again.

grease

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The first ever car I owned was a 1989 Ford Probe GT. It was rad. Originally intended to be the next generation of Mustang, the Probe had to have a top of the line model. It needed a Mustang GT. Enter the Probe GT. A turbocharged 2.2 liter 4 cylinder producing 145hp and 190ft/lbs of torque made the GT a featherweight punching above it's weight.

My original one:
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I've wanted to replace that car since it left my ownership almost two years ago. So when one popped up on Craigslist for $600, I jumped on it.

And here it is:

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Sure it needs a head gasket, a new exhaust, and other stuff but it's mine. My rad Probe GT.
 
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It's a rebodied MX-6 over here. Not just a rebadge - however, it still didn't go over that well and was killed off after the second generation.
 
The Probe bloodline transferred to the '99 Ford/Mercury Cougar, but threw away the Mazda heritage and made do with Mondeo/Contour stuff. I prefer the Probes.
 
Well, the second generation at least didn't look like a Dustbuster and to be fair the first generation sold reasonably well. The problem was that the cars didn't last and most of them have long since been sent to the scrapyard for blown engines or transmissions.

Dustbuster:
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First generation Probe:
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Note "Dustbuster Mouth".

Second generation Probe:
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More than a little gene sharing with Mazda's last RX7 there, I'd say.

At least parts for this will be cheap.
 
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I like the Probe over the MX6, although a Probe with the MX6 engine is a good thing.
I also liked the Cougar.
 
Um, congrats? If you're happy, then all to you, and screw what other people (myself included, see below) say.

I can't for the life of me figure out why you'd willingly go back to such a rubbish car (I remember them well).
 
Without meaning to be rude ... but how old are you?

Just asking because I wouldn?t even consider this untill (perhaps) close to 50 ... the Memories are still fresh enough.

I'm 25. I bought the car now because I've been noticing they're getting harder to come by. Ever since cash for clunkers over here in the states, a lot of 80s and 90s compact cars are hard to find.

I know the car has a bad rap in Europe because it was overpriced originally and not the greatest European design but I don't care. It's a cheap car (doesn't blue book for more than a grand), parts are cheap, it gets good gas milage, and I needed a second car to drive because I want to cut down on putting miles on my Miata. I've put 20,000 miles on it in six months. It's not a car I want to fully restore and bring to pebble beach. It's a cheap car, that I have good memories of, that serves a purpose of being a second car. It's going to be a driver and nothing more.
 
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...+ pop-up headlights. :D

I always liked how the 2nd gen looked.
 
Back in the day when Chrysler was doing things better than Ford.

Enter the glorious Dodge Daytona...once again a 2.2 Turbo...but delivering 175hp, and in R/T form with Lotus head and 224hp.

In other words - you bought the wrong car :p
 
Back in the day when Chrysler was doing things better than Ford.

Enter the glorious Dodge Daytona...once again a 2.2 Turbo...but delivering 175hp, and in R/T form with Lotus head and 224hp.

In other words - you bought the wrong car :p

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I'm 25. I bought the car now because I've been noticing they're getting harder to come by. Ever since cash for clunkers over here in the states, a lot of 80s and 90s compact cars are hard to find.

I know the car has a bad rap in Europe because it was overpriced originally and not the greatest European design but I don't care. It's a cheap car (doesn't blue book for more than a grand), parts are cheap, it gets good gas milage, and I needed a second car to drive because I want to cut down on putting miles on my Miata. I've put 20,000 miles on it in six months. It's not a car I want to fully restore and bring to pebble beach. It's a cheap car, that I have good memories of, that serves a purpose of being a second car. It's going to be a driver and nothing more.

That's actually a decent reason to rebuy a first car, "I was able to afford it as a broke teenager so I should be able to run one for dirt cheap again."
 
The second gen is really pretty and that V6 has a nice sound. :)
 
I'm 25. I bought the car now because I've been noticing they're getting harder to come by. Ever since cash for clunkers over here in the states, a lot of 80s and 90s compact cars are hard to find.

I know the car has a bad rap in Europe because it was overpriced originally and not the greatest European design but I don't care. It's a cheap car (doesn't blue book for more than a grand), parts are cheap, it gets good gas milage, and I needed a second car to drive because I want to cut down on putting miles on my Miata. I've put 20,000 miles on it in six months. It's not a car I want to fully restore and bring to pebble beach. It's a cheap car, that I have good memories of, that serves a purpose of being a second car. It's going to be a driver and nothing more.

I want to cut down on putting miles on my Miata.

my Miata.


I forgot you have one! AWWW YEEAAAHHHHHH!!!
 
In other words - you bought the wrong car :p

No. It's the correct car. My first car was a Probe not a Dodge Daytona.





:p
I forgot you have one! AWWW YEEAAAHHHHHH!!!

And looking to buy another! I really want a second Miata to track. I have springs and a exhuast for my current one but I just can't bring myself to install them. I like it stock. I have too many things going on though for another project. Plus, the two garages I have access to are full with cars.

But if you see a cheap miata somewhere, I'm all ears.
 
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I always thought the Probe was decently fun to drive. A shame about the name though...

It is a shame but they are fun to drive. I love it when the nitrogen filled gas shocks hunker the car down above 100mph and the steering gets stiffer.
 
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