... that has been sitting for 2 years? Assuming no problems when it was parked. Body looks nice enough, but that doesn't say anything bout the mechanicals. Don't know much else about it cept it's only $500.

12/11/2005 10:58:12 AM

transmission and mileage?

i got $300 for one with 250k miles, no 3rd gear (auto trans), shot wheel bearing, and failed inspection

12/11/2005 11:00:24 AM

I figure it has high miles given it's age; this one's a 5-speed at least, so I've got a little higher hopes on the transmission. I'm most concerned with what to expect from the engine and transmission, perhaps steering. Basically, should I be able to get it running after burning off the old gas and giving it fresh fluids, lube the joints, perhaps a belt and a tuneup? All it has to do is last me through August. I might be able to cheat and register it at my parents' house - they don't have mandatory emissions tests in Gates County

12/11/2005 11:04:54 AM

The big issue with the '89 Probes (at least that I am aware of) is that the valves may intermittently tick. Throw some SeaFoam or Marvel Mystery Oil in the oil and drive it. If they intermittently tick, it ain't gonna hurt a thing.

I would get the timing belt replaced just for the fuck of it. Or get somebody cheap like me to do it!

Same goes for the gas. Throw a can of SeaFoam in the tank and drive it.


Gates County? Wouldn't know any Kittrells, now would ye?

12/11/2005 11:08:44 AM

its a pretty solid drivetrain, the weak link is the crappy automatic tranmission but you got the stick so that helps

has it literally been sitting for 2 years? i.e. was it ever occasionally started up and driven some?

mine clicked for as long as i can remember that car

[Edited on December 11, 2005 at 11:11 AM. Reason : never wasted any seafoam on it, didnt want to dislodge anything else]

12/11/2005 11:09:15 AM

^^ actually, my sister works for the Kittrell's. I don't personally know them. None of us are originally from Gates ... I grew up in Newport News, my sister moved down there for horse-approved housing after her husband got back to the east coast (Navy) then after I moved out my parents moved down there to be near her. Marvel's = good idea ... I put that stuff in a 60 Falcon (had a 65 slant-6 Mustang engine) that had been sitting for over 20 years, and it ran for a little while - long enough to burn off the old gas. Assuming it needs a timing belt, what would you charge?

^ I emailed the owner back asking if it had been started at all. They haven't replied yet. By the looks of it, I doubt it. It's covered in leaves. I'm expecting rotten gas at the very least; I wouldn't be interested in this instance, but since it's a stick I might be able to get something decent for cheeeep

12/11/2005 12:03:12 PM

well if you get it checked out and the sitting for two years hasn't destroyed it i wouldn't worry about it lasting for a little while, but sitting forever can make a lot of things go wrong. i used to be part of the nc probe owners club and lots of 1st gens made it 200k-300k+ miles. they ride pretty well and have decent power, i really liked mine.

12/11/2005 5:23:09 PM

there are way better deals out there for 500.

12/11/2005 5:35:34 PM

^

out of curiosity i checked probetalk.com
$800 for a '90 LX with 82k miles and 1 owner, its in ohio though
$500 for a '92 GL with 184k miles, needs transmission. welcome, nc



[Edited on December 11, 2005 at 5:57 PM. Reason : .]

12/11/2005 5:47:48 PM

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/car/113021571.html

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/car/114307435.html

Also, there are 150 other cars on craigslist under $700, many of which run and drive, that you could likely get for $500. An '89 ford probe that has been sitting for a few years is worth at the most $100 to a scrap metal man or desperate and uninformed individual. Your best move is to walk away.

12/11/2005 6:06:46 PM

if that justy was cheaper id consider buying it for shits and giggles

12/11/2005 6:11:53 PM

Hell, I'd like to find a Justy with the ECVT. That would be fun.

12/11/2005 6:18:06 PM

oh, more than a couple times i have put 400 in my pocket and picked up the phone to call the justy's owner, but stopped myself

12/11/2005 10:10:29 PM

has it been previously posted?

12/11/2005 11:26:43 PM

that looks like a fun lil car.... must stop myself from getting another piece

12/11/2005 11:38:44 PM

i dont understand what you mean jon

12/12/2005 12:19:29 AM

^ the one I'm talking about is on CL It's the one that says needs TLC and dashboard and battery. Not familiar with Justys ... but then I'm no mechanic

12/12/2005 12:20:15 AM

wtf, it doesn't have a dashboard?

12/12/2005 12:24:12 AM

Huh? the justy is in running condition as far as i know. you mean the probe needs a dash and shit? im telling you man, walk away.

12/12/2005 12:25:52 AM

yeah seriously

and this thread needs...


[Edited on December 12, 2005 at 12:33 AM. Reason : .]

12/12/2005 12:29:15 AM

get the JUSTY

12/12/2005 12:51:45 AM

i though long and hard about getting the justy...

option #1, stock-it could come in handy during inclement weather BUT i wouldnt stand to make much profit off it afterwards
option #2, swap- requires going up to a suzuki swift (impressive? no.) GTI drivetrain and probably losing the 4WD (its not a modern full time AWD subaru) OR going all out with a flat 4 subaru drivetrain swap (requires some fab but nothing killer) and thats $texas to be putting into a lil shitbox

just too much BS for such a lame ass car. sure with an STi drivetrain, bigger turbos or whatever, and other shit it would be quite the little runner, but no more than an swapped oldschool rabbit or crx. plus the justy has the disadvantage of its shitty suspension geometry, if youve ever driven one you might know what i mean, even if you could make it into a fast car you wouldnt want to drive it much like that. stock, with its 3 hardworking little cylinders and close ratio transmission its not too bad around town but a brake check at highway speeds in that little fucker toting a STi drivetrain would not be fun. and it wouldnt be too much of a sleeper with anything other than 13's or the stock 12 in wheels.... bah forget that shit.

12/12/2005 1:10:19 AM

if it was cheap enough id buy it, grab some friends, have some beer, and find a field

12/12/2005 1:13:00 AM

I do believe you (or someone you know perhaps ?) either bought or suggested buying an old Eagle from me for use as a mud sleigh.

12/12/2005 1:55:50 AM

it imo would be a fun little stock beat around car. the imprezza drivetrain would be a waste in it.

just get a 323 gtx if you want to do that kinda thing.

yeah inclement weather, the whole state shuts down when that happens anyway..although it could be fun to drive in that weather.

i hear that it has "shift on the fly awd" if so that's cool.

get a decent set of cheapo 14-15 rims on there and your set imo




lil justy


[Edited on December 12, 2005 at 2:39 AM. Reason : .]

12/12/2005 2:37:48 AM

Quote :

"the imprezza drivetrain would be a waste in it"

ah unless you wanted a really really fast car, textbook sleeper. i dont think you understand, a properly modded sti swapped justy would be on the level with ira selfs rotory corolla. search on the NASIOC forums for the website of the canuck that did the sti into justy swap and watch his videos, i think his drivetrain is close to stock and he is straigh up walking away from other fast cars.

i think anything bigger than 13's on a justy rubs and you have to start cutting shit. no to mention on such a weak little car increasing the mass of the wheel/tire assembly is only gonna slow it down and hurt its already puny brakes. its shift on the fly 4wd i think, theres a difference.

"just get a 323 GTX" huh? what just bebop on down to arevalos, they should have 2 or 3 on the lot right? those things are just as shitty, and way harder to come across for ~$500. if you really want to go fast with AWD on the cheap everyone knows to get a 1g DSM.

12/12/2005 3:10:05 AM

...so why arent u gettin it again

12/12/2005 3:31:25 AM

Oooookay

btt top

And

btt topic

89 Ford Probe, manual trans, been sitting for 2 years, never been started, no known probs when parked.

Currently, I am expecting:
* Dead battery - can jump with my van though
* Hard start, probably won't turn over the first 2-3 times
* When it starts, it's going to cough and grumble while it burns the old gasoline
* It probably needs new belt(s), oil change, chassis lube, and couldn't hurt to flush the coolant and transmission although the first two are more important
* Potential for dead shocks/struts, but more importantly potential for dryrotten seals
* Tires have sunk into the ground - may be flat and unusable - I can pump them up from my van and find out

Anything else? My dad seems to think every seal's going to be dried out and blow, there'll be water in the engine, yadeyada ... I think he's overreacting and if there's water in the engine it had problems before it was parked.

12/14/2005 9:34:39 AM

me and bcsawyer have pulled stuff out of the woods, messed with it a few minutes and drove it home. You run the risk of all the stuff that you mentioned happening, but you may get lucky. Id pull the dipstick before you do anything to look for water on it. Its not uncommon to have some milky looking oil right after you start it up due to condensation, but there shouldnt be large amounts of water in the pan at any time. if the stick is rusty, its bad. Bring 5 gallons of fresh gasoline to put in it, to dilute the old stale gas thats already there. worry about hoses, filters and all that when you get it home.

12/14/2005 9:54:08 AM

Quote :

"pulled stuff out of the woods, messed with it a few minutes and drove it home"

This is what I'm hoping for I'd love to be able to drive it home, replace a few things, change the fluids, and have a decent car to take to DE with me. She only wants $300 now because she's convinced I can't get it to run before I leave ...

Pics:


[Edited on December 14, 2005 at 10:04 AM. Reason : pics]

12/14/2005 10:00:40 AM

http://richmond.craigslist.org/car/118085958.html

Just drive to RVA and get this.

12/14/2005 10:44:50 AM

i mean it's cool but it's not turbo

(neither of the 2)

[Edited on December 14, 2005 at 11:42 AM. Reason : .]

12/14/2005 11:42:25 AM

so go check it out

12/14/2005 12:11:22 PM