My 1989 Probe is dying a bitter death. Now the question is, should I get the newest model available, which is still over a half-decade old (1996) or should I just get a different car?
Reasons to buy a Probe:
I vowed I would always drive a Probe. Love that name.
I can get one with all sorts of nifty crimeifighting tools. My '89 had a supercomputer that could tell me the external temperature, estimated time of arrival, distance left to travel, average and instantaneous speed, average and instantaneous mileage, and switch between metric and imperial… didn’t have a clock, though, which was always humourous to me. Plus, it’d have stereo with seriously ass-fisting bass.
Have a reputation to maintain. Re: my name and point number 1.
Shouldn’t have to spend more than eight grand.
Probe
Reasons to buy a new car (2002 Kia Rio RS):
“Only” fifteen thousand dollars (cheap, compared to other new cars) with an incredible warranty. Sounds like an all-inclusive, five year deal including hotels and restaurants should it die somewhere. No maintenance fees for five years. How great is that?
Very spacious. My Probe is cramped.
Great mileage. 35mpg in the city, 42mpg on the highway.
It would just be kind of nice to own a new vehicle.
Reasons to not buy a Probe:
My 1989 had a few factory defects that were always hellish. (Does anyone know of a website where I can find a complete list of problems for various model cars? Searching has turned up a lot of gibberish.)
The last year they produced Probes was 1996, and that’s still some time ago.
Reasons to not buy a Kia:
Really expensive.
Little or no sexual innuendo. My sodomy jokes will seem kind of unsophisticated.
Insurance will be the same for both cars, which I don’t quite understand (still not used to Manitoba’s weird insurance stipulations) and I live in a place where my car is guaranteed to be broken into regularly.
So let me know what you guys think. (I’m a poor student, btw. I can swing a new car on a lot of financing, but… neh.) The most helpful response I could get is some info on finding problems common to both cars.
One thing to consider, even though a new car is expensive, and will hurt when it gets broken into, they have warranties for that sort of thing. Kia has dandy warranties too from what I understand.
Also, after 10 model years, parts for a particular model that is 10 model years old or older are no longer produced. (I was told this by the man who is currently repairing my wrecked ride.)
Just thoughts to consider.
Myself, I would test drive one of each. A prove and a Kia, and whatever else you think you might want. Get whichever is the best combination of fun, practicality, and value.
JMHO here, but no matter how much I liked a name, I wouldn’t let that turn me away from every other possible choice out there.
Does Anal’s Probe come with a crop circle & a tinfoil hat to complete the set?
The Truth is Out…somewhere or other, probably in the dryer’s lint screen, or maybe in the sofa cushions, I’ll go check…
My '95 probe recently died. Something wrong with the engine (head-gasket or something, I didn’t know much beyond a couple thousand dollars to replace).
I got a 2000 mustang to replace it.
I’d sell you the Probe for cheap. It’s even got hookups for a computer, including an lcd monitor on the dash, and a sony headunit with aux inputs.
I don’t expect you to actually be interested in it, what with the fact that it’s already got 100k miles, and a bum engine. Still, you’re welcome to make an offer.
Comments like these are why I got rid of my '89 Probe when it started dying three years ago.
You know, it wasn’t my idea to have a probe. In fact, I first got the probe when I got married–it was actually her probe and she was glad to share it.
But seriously, Anal, the last straw was the transmission: it really started screwing up. I’d start driving the car and it wouldn’t upshift–not until after it warmed up a bit and I started wiggling the probe (sorry) between Overdrive and Drive. Then it’d work fine… until I stopped the car and re-started it, then it was back to jamming the probe (sorry) between the different gears. I took it to the local mechanic to have the transmission fluid and filter changed but he couldn’t do it–said that it was designed such that I’d have to take it to a Ford dealer.
So, I said: "Fck the Probe" (sorry) and we traded it in for a '98 Chevy Malibu. It’s better than the Probe and nobody says to me anymore: “What kind of guy drives a… (snicker)… Probe?” Eh… fck 'em!
Toyota Echo? Maintenance package? I’ll look into that…
I’m rather fortunate that my parents are living in rural, drought-stricken Alberta. They’re finding some $25000 cars for $15000 due to farming economics.
Sigh… I don’t think I’m going to be getting another Probe. Which is really sad, because it was a huge part of my identity, as well as a constant source of entertainment when we were bored.
Just some of my fond memories…
“Oh my God! Look what your Probe did to my dog!”
“All right, who parked a Midget this close the my Probe?” (Midget is a little convertible; I once had a dream to posess a Midget and a Probe simutaneously.)
(looking back to see what we hit) “Oh… wow… I just probed a manhole.”
sorry!