5 Reasons Why The Ford Probe Isn't As Horrific As Everyone Makes Out

I once owned a 16-valve 2.0-litre Ford Probe, one of the most derided cars on the internet. Sure, they aren't the most reliable things in the world, but my ownership experience was almost entirely positive... here's why I think you should allow a little Probe into your life!
5 Reasons Why The Ford Probe Isn't As Horrific As Everyone Makes Out

I passed my test shortly before my 18th birthday, and it was time to buy a car. Because I live in England, worked in a supermarket 10 hours a week, and didn’t have ‘top one per cent’ parents, for the first two years of my driving life I could just about afford to run a car that nearly had triple-digit horsepower figures. Score!

Then I quit college, went full time and started on my retail management career. My plan was to save up for something cool when I turned 21 (the Toyota GT86, which had just been revealed in FT-86 form, was what I would treat myself to), however I became disillusioned with working in supermarkets (you’ll be surprised to hear), went back to working part time, and used my savings to pay for a second stab at college.

With the very little money I had left, I decided to buy something interesting at the very least, and on impulse bought a cheap Ford Probe on eBay after absolutely zero research. I spent a bit of money (probably too much) getting the engine sorted and voila, I had something cool on my driveway. And do you know what? Despite all the horror stories, I absolutely loved that thing, so I’m here to stick up for the poor, bullied Ford Probe… just excuse the terrible quality photographs and my apparent attempts to make my photos look professional by taking them at a quirky angle!

1. It has pop-up headlights, because awesome

5 Reasons Why The Ford Probe Isn't As Horrific As Everyone Makes Out

It is a matter of fact that if a car has popup headlights, its coolness increases by a factor of eleventy million. I used to love driving home after a late shift at work, seeing the headlights rise out of that long bonnet to light the way ahead. Sure, the way the headlight was constructed meant that barely any light seemed to escape the housing, but whatever, it looked great!

Oh, and since the Ford Probe is based on a Mazda platform, it stole a few bits from its Japanese partner. The headlight motor is taken from an NC Mazda RX-7… how’s that for some sporting pedigree? No? Okay. I tried.

2. It looks great

5 Reasons Why The Ford Probe Isn't As Horrific As Everyone Makes Out

I seem to come up against a lot of people who think the Ford Probe is about as attractive as an overweight Gollum. I, on the other hand, think it looks great. Especially the front end, which is full of wonderful swooping lines; it’s a real 90s vision of the future, and I think that’s awesome.

Admittedly, the back end is a bit frumpy, but I think the car carries its weight well, and looks much prettier than the Mazda MX-6 with which it shares so much.

3. They're so rare, you'll probably never see another

5 Reasons Why The Ford Probe Isn't As Horrific As Everyone Makes Out

One of the advantages of owning a car that many people mock, and that has a tendency to not actually work, is that their values drop quite quickly, resulting in many people not bothering to repair them after crashes (or catastrophic part failures). Therefore, there aren’t many on the road; according to the brilliant HowManyLeft.com there are only 763 Probes left on British roads.

That’s so incredibly low that you’d be lucky to ever see another one on the road. That makes them super rare, and thanks to their unique styling, quite the head turner.

4. The interior is spacious and comfortable

5 Reasons Why The Ford Probe Isn't As Horrific As Everyone Makes Out

This car doesn’t pretend to be something it’s not. It might look a bit sporty, but it knows it’s no go-kart in the handling department. The Probe’s interior reflects this, with loads of space and big, comfy seats. I regularly travelled huge distances in this car, and never found the interior to be anything other than relaxing.

5. It's a fantastic mile-muncher

5 Reasons Why The Ford Probe Isn't As Horrific As Everyone Makes Out

It wasn’t just the interior that made this car so brilliant for long journeys, it was the fact that the Mazda-sourced 2.0-litre engine delivered its power in a deliciously creamy way. With 118bhp, it was by no means fast, but it was spritely enough when it needed to be and once up to motorway speeds, it had more than enough about it to keep up with all but the most determined of commuters.

Have you owned a car you’d like to defend from the haters? Create a post about your ride, and we’ll feature the best!

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Comments

Anonymous

I love these. My girlfriend’s dad has 3 - all 96 GTs, and all with the Mazda 2.5 V6. I’m trying to convince him to sell me one but he won’t part with them for the world!

12/11/2015 - 10:48 |
10 | 2
Anonymous

I know these cars inside out, I’ve owned three Mazda 626’s (my first 3 cars) with the 5 speed manual and 2.5L V6. Just purchased a custom turbo’d Probe V6 manual that’s the project car with a friend. My Mazda has not done 340,000km and counting on the original motor and gearbox. Been a great inexpensive car to learning on and have fun with (it also gets me to and from college here in Australia). Hand painted it myself due to the old terrible paint job.

12/11/2015 - 11:11 |
10 | 0
Anonymous

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

This is the Probe, needs a lot of tlc but has 90% of the turbo goodness to make a lot of power already done.

12/11/2015 - 11:12 |
4 | 0
Patrik Bai

I have a 93’ GT, 1st Gen which has 148hp it’s amazingly quick from until like 50mph :) Ever since I have it, I can only think about another GT car as next.

12/11/2015 - 11:11 |
0 | 0
tunnelvision

Some owners fitted Mustang badges on their probes. Not cool, but historically it’s sort of accurate. Yours looks to have been well-cared for.

12/11/2015 - 11:22 |
0 | 0
CZ 69% Muscle

Waiting for AOTC…

12/11/2015 - 11:25 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

There is a pretty beat up (on the outside at least) white one round the corner of my house. Catches my eye every time I go past

12/11/2015 - 11:37 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

A local guys 1st car. He went to all the Jap shows with it. Combination of the loudest.com and vibe audio he though it was the loudest in town. Such a head turner…. awayer.

12/11/2015 - 11:38 |
0 | 0
H5SKB4RU (Returned to CT)

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Got rice bro?

12/11/2015 - 11:40 |
2 | 0
James Bacon

Please defend the other iconic 90s coupe, the Opel/Vauxhall Calibra. This baby is my pride and joy, Hammond called Calibras, Probes & Celicas embarrassing on old top gear and even to this day that’s damaging their prices. The Cavalier(Vectra A) which was a bog standard saloon is worth more!? Fifth Gear called the Calibra a future classic and I hope one day she can be. There’s not enough of them left.

12/11/2015 - 11:43 |
42 | 2

Did Calibra’s have sharks too?

12/11/2015 - 12:31 |
0 | 0

Love to see a nice calibra, always looking for that turbo unicorn :)

12/11/2015 - 12:35 |
0 | 0

It’s great but only 4WD version. I can’t even imagine how awesome they would be if they were RWD

12/11/2015 - 13:55 |
2 | 2

Calibra IS AWESOME. I love it, cheers mate!

12/11/2015 - 18:01 |
4 | 0

A friend of mine has 2 one FWD to 4X4 V6 project and one daily. He saysit a really good car and he loves it to death.

12/12/2015 - 16:38 |
2 | 0
The S80 Rallyist

AOTC be like…

12/11/2015 - 11:56 |
24 | 0

I havent seen him in forever… he doesn’t have a computer or good working phone yet?

12/11/2015 - 13:19 |
0 | 0
Ridgerunner21

Also if you look through clips of OLD Top Gear, Jeremy Clarkson’s review was pretty favorable to it.

I owned a 2.2L Probe GL automatic. (When I say ‘I’ I really mean my dad and I drove it regularly when I moved to Alaska and he got his big Econoline van to drive instead.) It had dead struts, they froze in the winter, the mounts for them were also shot, and the trans refused to go into reverse. But oh my bloody god was it a fun car to drive, and I did until the trans refused to shift at all. I would go bombing around Anchorage every weekend night in that heap, and I loved every minute of it!

We still have this car sitting. Even after about six years now, it still starts and revs, but try to shift it and it won’t, put it and power shift and the engine will chug like it’s got a vacuum leak. I’m waiting on my chance to get it into a garage and get it running again, I just don’t have the place to do it right now.

12/11/2015 - 11:59 |
10 | 0

“Just do it”

12/11/2015 - 14:24 |
0 | 0