True. At least name it a silvia and equip it with 1.8 turbo from the megane RS (being nissan is friends with renault) or a new 2 liter turbo for its top trim or juke's MR16 turbo for base model, RWD drivetrain and 6MT and a twin clutch auto option. Oh i also want the style a tribute to the S15 at least and have an LSD.
I owned a drove a used 91' Probe GT 5-speed for several years. I bought it with 90,000 miles already on it, and it still ran very strong and with virtually no problems up to 160,000. Good car.
I had a 91 probe lx, with the 3.0 v6. The thing was in the shop all the time. I was a teenager running it hard so that probably didn't do it any favors.
I remember when my dad brought home a low mileage probe GT back in the 90's. He smoked the front tires all the way up our long driveway. He always had sporty and fast cars but he had a blast in that probe. It was one of his favorites.
My dad always had quick trucks. When these came out he went the Pontiac route and got a Grand Prix. He had an oil pressure issue and sold it and got the new Grand Prix wide track white with the white rims. Then he got the newer GTO in 🍊.
I love my Nissan 240SX SE with 230,000 plus miles on it. Bought it brand new in November of 1988. This year it got a face lift, with a SR20DET engine, new paint, lowered more, wheels, Type X Kouki Body kit, and upgraded brakes. What a fun car and bang for the buck! (Plus they are going up in Value! One of the Top 10 import cars to buy)
rigofarachjeffs Yes, the Turbo is fun. I have 250 HP From the Nissan SR20DET engine. SO much more then the KA engine that was in my 240SX. How much HP did the 1.8 Liter Turbo have?
I had an '89 fastback, stock performance, with a 3" drop and a 300ZX LSD. wicked fun out in the canyons for practically no money. got the suspension off an autocross car
My best friend owned a 1990 Eagle Talon, which was the counterpart of the Laser. He gave me one ride in it and I never want to get in a fast car again. The Talon Laser Eclipse was a hell of a car.
I went there while I was on vacation with my best friends family at the time and it was awe inspiring! I recommend everyone go check it out especially the Submarines and how those sailors lived back then it is something to behold and really injected even more admiration and respect 🫡
I had an 89 Probe GT Turbo in that exact color......black cherry metallic. It was a great little car. I enjoyed my ownership over 5 years and many modification. Many HKS engine upgrades made their way under the hood, along with lowering springs, bigger sway bars, better struts, wheels and tires, and a great upgraded stereo. Loved the car.
But then even the 1.8L had 92HP and 105 ft-lbs of torque. A NA 2.0L 4G63 back then had 135HP and 125 ft-lbs of torque. The 1989 Plymouth Colt GT Turbo with the 4G61T had 142 Ft-lbs of torque. I guess they somehow mixed that up.
Twisted numbers , they knew ,if they tested they knew the power of the 89 4g63, they were afraid to know that a dsm mitsu have better hps and torqs than a mustang or camaro those days..
It’s sad that all of these legends have gone away. Miss the days of the Celica, Prelude, MX-6, Eclipse...hell, even that damn Ford PROBElem. So many great memories.
@@theterminator6121 I'm sure it's a fine car, but my dad had one in the mid 90's and I thought it was so cool as a little kid, but the fuel pump went out on the highway and left us stranded. I doubt that car had many miles on it at all at the time. He didn't keep it around long.
@@christophers707 That never even crossed my mind but you are right. The USS NC is a pretty cool ship, and I love learning about WW2 and what it must have been like to serve on a ship like that during such an important time in history. (The USS Massachusetts in Fall River, MA and USS Missouri in Pearl Harbor, HI are also great choices to visit. I'm sure there are others around the country too.) I remember when my father bought a new VW in 1980, my great uncle on my mom's side (who served in WW2) made some comments to the effect that he would never have bought a German (or Japanese) car. He didn't like people from either country. I was a kid but thought that that was pretty ridiculous. In hindsight, WW2 had only ended 35 years earlier! By 2020, however, I think we can move on...can't change history but Japan and Germany are peaceful countries now.
4:13 - I actually live in Wilmington, have all my life, so it's kinda funny seeing them walk around a place I've crawled over, in, and around ever since I was a kid. Been on that ship more times then I could count, over the years.
Remember seeing tons of 240sx's back in the day. For a while they were even rental cars with the big chains, which of course fried their resale value at the time. Could've scooped up dozens of them at low prices, store them in a warehouse, then auction them off today.
Only really the Eclipse (and second gens at that) are sought after. Nobody cares for the Eagle and Plymouth rebadges. The Probe was great, but horrible aftermarket. That killed the enthusiast support. Mazda never really did play well with others. The 240 is Japan's drift baby. Self explanatory.
I miss my Probes. For many many years I had a 1990 Ford Probe LX and it was a stick shift. Very rare version of the Probe. It had a 3.0L V6 from the Taurus.. that's not what made it unique. It was that it had a stick shift. They produced the 3.0L with the manual option for only 2 years from 1990 - 1992. I may not have pulled like the GT but it had a very nice torque curve and it just felt like you always had power. I also had a 1993 GT for a couple years.. but I really preferred the 1990 LX with all of it's bells and whistles. Although the 1993 GT was super nice in it's own right. My 93 was like a sky blue color and my 1990 LX was midnight blue. Man I miss them babies
The first time I watched this I didn't notice you guys came to good ole North Carolina on a road trip during this review. Shout out to my fellow North Carolinians.
I had a 1990 240SE SE hatchback w the 5 speed manual. It lacked the raw power to impress in a straight line, but it had great balance. The easy to modulate non-ABS brakes saved my bacon at least twice- once I even swerved to the gravel shoulder to avoid a crash and still managed to stop under control. Great chassis- no wonder they became drift darlings. Wish I had found a manual 91 for the DOHC 16 valve engine, but those were rare even in the 90s. And all those automatic convertible versions.. sheesh. The earlier 350Z concept (1999 Z Concept) was actually a 240SX replacement versus a heavier and more expensive V6 coupe. I wish they had stuck with the 240SX replacement idea since affordable rear drive lightweight coupes were rare.
Had an 89 probe GT in high school. Still probably the most fun car I've ever had. Didn't hit 60 until 3rd gear and had nothing below 3000 rpm but once you hit that the turbo kicked in. More fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow.
My first car was a black 89 Probe GT. Awesome car. I now drive a black 17 Fiesta ST and it feels like a great modern update to that old exhilarating feeling of those old 90s Era pocket rockets.
Wow! I didn't know back in the day the Ford Probe was a big deal. Nevertheless; since 1998 my commute car is a Ford Probe 1991, it was a gift from my mom and grandpa it is a great car indeed, very reliable, comfortable, and nice car to drive. Its design still holds today, and I love that sucker!
Man, I wish I was old enough to drive during the late 80's and early 90's...it seems that these were very much the heydays for fun and and affordable sports/sporty cars. Now, almost none of the manufacturers want to invest in building cars like these, because they can't build them cheap enough, and not enough people will buy them. Finding an unmodified example of one of these three cars today is becoming virtually impossible. I love these old Motorweek episodes though!
There is no way the Laser had a turbo AND less torque. Those things were crazy quick for a 4 banger. I should know- owned 2 of them (89/90 turbo & 92 awd turbo). Never got beat by a Probe, ever.
Had a Laser Rs that was shelled out, no AC, a tune and more boost. The car ran 14.4s in the quarter and beat every stock Mustang I ever raced. I miss that car.
The Probe had a very nice interior and the seats were the most comfortable of all 3 (except for the GL model). Unfortunately the MX-6/Probe auto transmissions weren't long-lasting and failed. I owned both cars, the Probe and it's sister the Mazada MX-6 coupe. The 2.2L Mazda engine (also used in their pickups) was very reliable and a great little motor. Also, some Probe GTs came with a digital dash display and trip computer. (I pulled power door locks & windows out of a junked GT one time and put them in a base model Probe GL).
The sad thing is, there are almost no sporty coupes left anymore. Once you get past the BR-Z/FR-S and maybe the Genesis coupe, what else is there? Acura ditched the Integra, Mitsubishi stopped making any kind of sporting cars, Ford and Mazda no longer have their shared coupe, and Nissan never replaced the 240SX.
Fiat Abarth, VW GTI, Nissan 370z and Chevrolet Corvette are all 3-door sporty hatchbacks. You could even throw in the Hyundai Veloster Turbo (1 driver's side door, 2 passenger side doors, and a hatch).
***** Nissan is soon getting rid of the Altima coupe linup due to low sales. They already taken the v6 and manuals out of the market, and the 4 cylinder will follow.
I love my Genesis Coupe. I used to own a Stealth R/T. I had forgotten the superiority of RWD...and I drive it year around in the snow without any problems. The sales of the Gen Coupe and the Toybaru twins are poor which does not bode well for the future of inexpensive sporty coupes. My coupe is trouble-free and reliable. I am approaching 60k miles and I drive it like a stole it.
I owned an 89 Probe GT and miss it terribly. I'm not sure why the higher 0-60 times in this test, but mine would do it in 6.5 seconds bone stock. That motor was vastly underrated by Ford.
i had an 89 mazda mx6 gt turbo. same guts as the probe gt. i believe they under rated it for the sake of the rx7 of the time. the hp and torque ratings listed were at the wheels. they ran out great with just the stock 8.7 psi but could be turned up easily
Rec Pro nope. It's still a hot steaming pile of dog shit. There's a million reasons why the Probe sold like shit. One big one is they look like shit. Another, the fit an finish was laughable(Geo like). Mechanically you're driving around a ticking time bomb with one of the worst clutches I've ever driven. No bro, they weren't awesome. The furthest thing from it, actually.
it makes me wonder if this american owned publication went with the american built car for american type reasons. because I remember all 3 and without a doubt, the probe gt was the bottom feeder of this group.
Fektthis The Laser was made in Illinois, and came in last place. The Probe had better handling, more power, and was more comfortable. The only thing it didn't have was a respectable aftermarket.
fwd cars are very easy to drive on track and imo make for a better learners car than a miata or 3 series. it requires good fundamentals to drive fwd effectively. even after owning rwd (fc rx7) and awd (gd wrx) my current track car is a fwd dc integra. rx7 was too precious and the integra is way more fun than the wrx. not to mention cheaper, faster and more reliable than both.
That 190 lb/ft of torque made that Probe GT wicked quick with a 5-spd. We used to kill IROC-Z’s back in the day all day long. Still a modern looking car and does not look 29 years old.
Agreed, your average Iroc either wasn't a TPI, or was the 5.0 version. A normal very low 7 second 0-60 run on the Probe GT would kill any of those. It was one of the cars I feared in my 89' Sunbird GT Turbo. Even after some modifications (open K&N air filter, pillaged from my dad's leftover parts bin - came off a Paxton Supercharger for his 85 Vette. Dynamax Turbo muffler, MSD ignition, and a custom PROM. With the same Vericom computer used here for (dad bought one for his cars) I could muster a best of 7.34 0-60, and that was with the automatic!
The f2t ford engine is almost indestructible with high hp applications as long as you tune it right, it's not unheard of to get 7-800 hp on stock internals
Chris Doyle they certainly will, but be prepared to break them constantly. Had a 92 Laser RS AWD and did all the things you said and then some, and I think I’m STILL paying off the repair bills.
@@johnhilton9023 they're actually pretty reliable. A lot of the problems like high idle at start up, and surging rpm is caused by the throttle body. Mitsubishi gave it wayy too many jobs to do.
I had a 90 Laser turbo. It came completely stripped with no power options and even without AC. Sooo it was a few hundred pounds lighter than most. It was pretty quick and I beat quite a few Mustangs and Camoros. Loved that car and I miss it.
Had a 91 240 Coupe.. Loved it. One of the most perfectly balanced cars out there. It took corners like a Race Car. The only 7thing I did to it was put 17 inch wheels and low profile performance tires on it.
Had a 92 240 Coupe. The only thing I did was put some wider 17 rims and low profile tires and man could that thing take corners at high speed. 240s are rumored to have almost perfect 50/50 weight balance. It was truly a great car!!
The 240SX is the best value (and the best platform) by _far_. The 12V engine will spit out 300HP with a bolt-on turbo (with, say, an Apexi S-AFC, don't even need a new ECU) and you can _bolt on_ the brakes from the 300ZX, plus it was offered with limited slip. If you get it into some seriously twisty canyons it will completely embarrass both of the turbo cars. Plus, it's super duper easy to work on. If you can still find a 240SX fastback that hasn't been mangled, buy it immediately
Yeah, said who? The DSM community has something to say about that. I'd take an awd dsm any day over a 240 and its truck motor. Now a 180sx or Sylvia, different story.
Well, the AWD DSM will cost you at least twice as much, and it will never handle as well as the 240SX because it's heavy and because it has inferior suspension design. That's a FWD car with AWD tacked on as an afterthought. Meanwhile, the JDM engines PLUG IN to the 240SX. Literally. The engine room harness attaches at the firewall at the Super Multiple Junction. Also, 2nd gen Eclipse CRANK WALK. All 240SX engines are as reliable as the day is long (including the JDM engines) and the stock KA will do 300rwhp on stock-internals with a bolt-on turbo. If you want AWD, buy a Subaru. A 1.8 liter subaru with WRX turbo piping and STi injectors will hang out with STis and absolutely poop on DSMs for far less money. DSMs were made like dookie. That's why they all disintegrate. 240SXs last until you tree them
I had a 90 240sx coupe (sadly rusted badly from the Lier kid who sold it to me in Orillia, Ontario, Ryan something or other, I hope you got paid back in Karma for ripping of a student you jerk) the KA24E actually pulled pretty well for the weight of that car, interesting they cite insurance costs as a reason Nissan did the bigger 2.4 instead of a 1.8/2.0 Turbo. A friend had a 260hp boosted Talon FWD turbo, that thing was silly torque steer, quick though! Those Probe\MX6 were a whipser away in boost from 180hp too, nice cars!
Both old cars now, I think the non turbo 240sx was a lot cheaper in insurance then even your base FWD solid rear axle turbo DSM, both cars have + and - right?
Had a '91 Ford Probe GT Turbo. Insanely awesome and fun car. Especially when that turbo kicked in when you hammered on the throttle, if I'd try to guess, was around 3,500 RPM.
Grip Limit my friend has a JDM SR20 black top in his 240, personally I would’ve just got a 180sx if I wanted that, but it’s a pretty cool, if extremely raw, little drift car.
Other markets got the SR20 and even got it with a turbo. Nissan seemed to be " all over the map " with the specifications of this car changing things around with each generation.
I actually like these old videos, especially with the side show (USS Charleston). I would image the test drivers had other things to do and to see while driving the East Coast.
Motorweek, Thank you! These retro reviews have been amazing to watch and rewatch. It's awesome to see how, cars that are all but junkyard queens, used to be cutting edge new... I was a small child when this review was done! Lol I aquired a stack of playboys from the late 70s, early 80s, (I'm born in the mid 80s) the ads are amazing. 240Z ads, home audio systems, CB Radios, MG Midget ads, like.. oh man! Hehehe. You just don't see ads for booze and smokes anymore. Good times...
I LOVED the Chrysler Laser, I had a friend when I was in the Army who had one and parked it on base, we all used to put our pocket change together and pay for gas to go out shopping, etc... on weekends and it was a great, reliable car- he had it for the whole 11.5 years I was at that particular base and he never had any issues with it except for oil, lube and filters etc...
I love these retro videos but where is the Dodge Daytona Shelby Turbo or the Chrysler Conquest TSi. Just showing My Mopar love even for the rebranded mitsu.
240sx se 1991 one owner 78000 miles only replaced fan belt and plugs. Always garaged highway miles candy red AC never been charged works great ! Made In Japan 17000$ brand new in 91 My granddaughter gets it when we buy new but my wife loves this car.
My uncle has the same exact Probe GT. Bought it new and it's still kicking! He loves his and refuses to sell it. Drives it more than his C6 corvette lol.
+mannymmv I remember have a Probe GT in high school I think it was a 1990 I graduated in 94. I lived about 5 minutes away from the plant where they made it.
If the american market haded had traded in a high and happy reving 16 valve head engine, turbocharger, intercooler, ABS, rear diff oilcooling system, 30hp and 15lbs for a 600cc bigger truck engine, than the nissan would be way ahead. The euro version is able to easily reach 145mph with no problem.
It is so interesting that Mazda teamed up with Ford, while Mitsubishi teamed up with Dodge. Toyota and Isuzu ended up trading a little bit with Geo Metro/Chevorlet. While Nissan and Honda mostly stayed independent
The American company at the time was far behind on engineering fuel efficient fwd cars so they reached out to the Japanese for help. The Japanese sold the Toyota Corolla to gm . Suzuki sold the swift to gm as a metro. Mazda sold the mx6 to Ford as a probe. Mitsubishi sold the eclipse to Chrysler as the laser and talon.
I owned Ford Probe and I thought that it was an awesome car. It drove nice and was very reliable. I eventually had to sell it to buy a truck. I became a family man with responsibilities and a house. The good old days. 😆
yeah sure... your expert opinion based on either being a fanboy or "i saw one a year ago". And someone dumping 20 grand into a shell does not count as "still going strong". Some riced out car with a shitty body kit that's got 3 different colors of primer and can't drive over an envelope without ripping out the undercarriage doesn't count either....
My first car 1989 coupe 240sx I drove it 200k miles! 240sx with a truck motor in USA market. My back differently hurt after driving more than 2 straight hours in those seats. Ford probe 240sx wannabe.
The Nissan was a legend. There was a video with a kid drifting in a parking lot and throwing a rod. Kid then proceeds to keep driving the car for another good few minutes with a hole in the engine ! Nissan was the king of the engines, along with Honda.
of the 3, the 240sx is still a desirable car thanks for the japanese aftermarket and ddrift scene.. its a really good platform if you want to build, stuff any motor swap in it, suspension mods galore.. can make it look however you want due to huge bodykit support. Really cant go wrong with japanese rear wheel drive cars. So when i look at new cars, i try to think "Will this thing still be desired in 10-20 years? or just a pile of crap?"..
The only reason the 240 is more desired (or was) was because of RWD and being the cheapest sporty japanese car you could buy. Sadly nowadays people are trying to sell them off for 20-30k (same with the AE86), whilst you can grab a Laser RS/Eclipse GSX or Probe Turbo GT for a fraction of the price.
Younger people loved to Nissan… easy to modify and rear drive made it a legend for tuner car enthusiasts. I agree that the Probe was the best but I never really liked the look until the second generation came out a few years later, those were sweet looking. After a few years the Eclipse and its Chrysler variants got better with AWD and stronger performance.
So... According to the judges, the Plymouth was the most powerful, the fastest, the best styled and had the best interior. It literally was the best outside, inside and under the hood. And it came in third... Anti-Chrysler bias at its most blatant.
The 240sx is the only one that stood the test of time though, I've never seen a probe in my entire life and I've seen maybe two lasers. I feel bad for the guy that bought the probe after seeing this and had it fall apart on him.
I love how they go from talking about 3 brand new sport coupes on road trips to a WW2 battleship without any seams or abrupt change in topic.
Ikr
I can dig it. I have pics of all of my fleet next to the battleship Texas. It just seems appropriate somehow.
Yea it only added to how badass MotorWeek was back then! These days car reviews are a dime a dozen but back then MotorWeek was the Cat’s Meow!
I'm addicted to these retro reviews.
I know, right?
Y'all got some more of them Retro Reviews? (scratches neck)
You're not alone...
Word🙌
Shows how far cars have come.... now we can get 30 mpg and 465 ponies ( C7). Times are good.
Nissan really needs to reinvent the 240sx and compete with the FRS/BRZ.
call it the 280sx
+Tyler Viall Why would they call it that? You think they would put a 2.8 liter in it?
Jay Gilling because I didn't know what I was talking about when I posted that, and yeah they would have to put a 2.8 in it if it was the 280sx.
True. At least name it a silvia and equip it with 1.8 turbo from the megane RS (being nissan is friends with renault) or a new 2 liter turbo for its top trim or juke's MR16 turbo for base model, RWD drivetrain and 6MT and a twin clutch auto option. Oh i also want the style a tribute to the S15 at least and have an LSD.
aquateen77723 Nissan has totally lost it's mojo
I owned a drove a used 91' Probe GT 5-speed for several years. I bought it with 90,000 miles already on it, and it still ran very strong and with virtually no problems up to 160,000. Good car.
A 91 foot Probe?
I had a 91 probe lx, with the 3.0 v6. The thing was in the shop all the time. I was a teenager running it hard so that probably didn't do it any favors.
@@TheMICMusicInspirationChannellol
I remember when my dad brought home a low mileage probe GT back in the 90's. He smoked the front tires all the way up our long driveway. He always had sporty and fast cars but he had a blast in that probe. It was one of his favorites.
I remember riding in my dad's the very short time he had it in the mid 90's and the fuel pump giving out on the highway and leaving us stranded.
My dad always had quick trucks. When these came out he went the Pontiac route and got a Grand Prix. He had an oil pressure issue and sold it and got the new Grand Prix wide track white with the white rims. Then he got the newer GTO in 🍊.
I love my Nissan 240SX SE with 230,000 plus miles on it. Bought it brand new in November of 1988. This year it got a face lift, with a SR20DET engine, new paint, lowered more, wheels, Type X Kouki Body kit, and upgraded brakes. What a fun car and bang for the buck! (Plus they are going up in Value! One of the Top 10 import cars to buy)
I had a ´91 240sx and then a ´93 200sx with the 1.8 liter turbo. loved them both, but the 200sx more cause of it´s more powerful engine.
rigofarachjeffs Yes, the Turbo is fun. I have 250 HP From the Nissan SR20DET engine. SO much more then the KA engine that was in my 240SX. How much HP did the 1.8 Liter Turbo have?
rigofarachjeffs
I kinda think the SR20DET is a 1.8 but not sure. It was just put in my car. Is that the same engine you had?
I had an '89 fastback, stock performance, with a 3" drop and a 300ZX LSD. wicked fun out in the canyons for practically no money. got the suspension off an autocross car
.
My best friend owned a 1990 Eagle Talon, which was the counterpart of the Laser. He gave me one ride in it and I never want to get in a fast car again. The Talon Laser Eclipse was a hell of a car.
I like the surprise battleship review.
It reminded me of a road trip to NYC some 35 years ago, with an old girlfriend. We drove all night and stopped there around dawn.
No voltmeter gauges and a 60-0 time of a couple miles!
I went there while I was on vacation with my best friends family at the time and it was awe inspiring! I recommend everyone go check it out especially the Submarines and how those sailors lived back then it is something to behold and really injected even more admiration and respect 🫡
The days before drifting even existed in the states. That 240 sure is a beaut even in stock form :)
4:20 screw the cars, lets go look at the boat.
+Mr. White 420 boat it
😂
I had an 89 Probe GT Turbo in that exact color......black cherry metallic. It was a great little car. I enjoyed my ownership over 5 years and many modification. Many HKS engine upgrades made their way under the hood, along with lowering springs, bigger sway bars, better struts, wheels and tires, and a great upgraded stereo. Loved the car.
You guys got the non turbo torque number with the Laser from the 1.8. It actually has 60 ft lbs more. 27 years later but hey.
+Jay Gilling agreed, would be a nice touch if John Davis voiced-over in this retro review that he erred and apologized for it even decades later.
But then even the 1.8L had 92HP and 105 ft-lbs of torque. A NA 2.0L 4G63 back then had 135HP and 125 ft-lbs of torque. The 1989 Plymouth Colt GT Turbo with the 4G61T had 142 Ft-lbs of torque. I guess they somehow mixed that up.
Jay Gilling 4G63T making 142 lbs ft of torque 😂😂 I laughed so hard
No kidding..I knew that torque figure sounded way off.
Twisted numbers , they knew ,if they tested they knew the power of the 89 4g63, they were afraid to know that a dsm mitsu have better hps and torqs than a mustang or camaro those days..
It’s sad that all of these legends have gone away. Miss the days of the Celica, Prelude, MX-6, Eclipse...hell, even that damn Ford PROBElem. So many great memories.
The Probe and the MX6 were the same car, built on the same.line by the same people.
Why would the probe be a problem.
@@theterminator6121 I'm sure it's a fine car, but my dad had one in the mid 90's and I thought it was so cool as a little kid, but the fuel pump went out on the highway and left us stranded. I doubt that car had many miles on it at all at the time. He didn't keep it around long.
extremely slow and unsafe pigs, yeah i dont miss those
@@clayjones2370 Very same for the Eagle Talon/Mitsubishi Eclipse/Plymouth Laser...
That random sidetrack about battleships was really weird.
I dunno, I kinda liked it. Keeps you interested, cause it was a nice small break from numbers and graphs.
Especially when you consider they visited the WW2 battleship in Japanese made cars
@@christophers707 That never even crossed my mind but you are right. The USS NC is a pretty cool ship, and I love learning about WW2 and what it must have been like to serve on a ship like that during such an important time in history. (The USS Massachusetts in Fall River, MA and USS Missouri in Pearl Harbor, HI are also great choices to visit. I'm sure there are others around the country too.)
I remember when my father bought a new VW in 1980, my great uncle on my mom's side (who served in WW2) made some comments to the effect that he would never have bought a German (or Japanese) car. He didn't like people from either country. I was a kid but thought that that was pretty ridiculous. In hindsight, WW2 had only ended 35 years earlier!
By 2020, however, I think we can move on...can't change history but Japan and Germany are peaceful countries now.
That battleship is about four miles from me.
Whatever you pinko commie!
I miss small sport coupes. They've almost disappeared.
Probe is 4400mm long, 1700mm wide and 1300mm high , not really small... ;)
They’re making a comeback.
Yeah my probe feels small nn is low but looks bigger
The 86, Miata, V6 Stang’ and Camaro’s are the modern day sport coupes.
I was sad when Accords lost the coupe version
Funny that you can't even find a probe on the road anymore. Plenty of dsm's and 240's
Ryan Villeneuve Cause nobody wants to mod a Probe to drag/drift
Ryan Villeneuve It's front wheel drive so it's not really a sports car... so no one cares. ;)
StratMatt777 Nissan GT-R LM Nismo is FWD
Daniel Westerfield I was referring to the Ford Probe.
The Nissan GTR is AWD.
I know this. I once owned a V6 Ford Probe LX one and it is a great underrated car for what it was. The new LeMans prototype is FWD
4:13 - I actually live in Wilmington, have all my life, so it's kinda funny seeing them walk around a place I've crawled over, in, and around ever since I was a kid. Been on that ship more times then I could count, over the years.
probe won...20/20 hind sight is a powerful thing. The 240 and DSM cars are what everyone wants now.
Thats because the probe wasn't in any fast and furious movie
Oh, and the name.
Remember seeing tons of 240sx's back in the day. For a while they were even rental cars with the big chains, which of course fried their resale value at the time. Could've scooped up dozens of them at low prices, store them in a warehouse, then auction them off today.
Only really the Eclipse (and second gens at that) are sought after. Nobody cares for the Eagle and Plymouth rebadges.
The Probe was great, but horrible aftermarket. That killed the enthusiast support. Mazda never really did play well with others.
The 240 is Japan's drift baby. Self explanatory.
@@LynxStarAuto lol everyone wants a 1g talon they were the best looking lol
@@LynxStarAuto rather take talon over eclipse
It's hard to believe that the Probe was slated to be a replacement for the Mustang. Good thing Ford didn't axe it, would have been a big mistake.
Yeah, the Mustang Foxbody was really nice, but it's cool to have another flavour option !
I miss my Probes. For many many years I had a 1990 Ford Probe LX and it was a stick shift. Very rare version of the Probe. It had a 3.0L V6 from the Taurus.. that's not what made it unique. It was that it had a stick shift. They produced the 3.0L with the manual option for only 2 years from 1990 - 1992. I may not have pulled like the GT but it had a very nice torque curve and it just felt like you always had power. I also had a 1993 GT for a couple years.. but I really preferred the 1990 LX with all of it's bells and whistles. Although the 1993 GT was super nice in it's own right. My 93 was like a sky blue color and my 1990 LX was midnight blue. Man I miss them babies
These retro MotorWeek reviews are the Bees Knees!
The first time I watched this I didn't notice you guys came to good ole North Carolina on a road trip during this review. Shout out to my fellow North Carolinians.
woo...
woo woo
woo woo woo
Ok and they were in my hometown
They should have taken a vacation in Ocean Isle.
I had a 1990 240SE SE hatchback w the 5 speed manual. It lacked the raw power to impress in a straight line, but it had great balance. The easy to modulate non-ABS brakes saved my bacon at least twice- once I even swerved to the gravel shoulder to avoid a crash and still managed to stop under control. Great chassis- no wonder they became drift darlings. Wish I had found a manual 91 for the DOHC 16 valve engine, but those were rare even in the 90s. And all those automatic convertible versions.. sheesh. The earlier 350Z concept (1999 Z Concept) was actually a 240SX replacement versus a heavier and more expensive V6 coupe. I wish they had stuck with the 240SX replacement idea since affordable rear drive lightweight coupes were rare.
Had an 89 probe GT in high school. Still probably the most fun car I've ever had. Didn't hit 60 until 3rd gear and had nothing below 3000 rpm but once you hit that the turbo kicked in. More fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow.
My first car was a black 89 Probe GT. Awesome car. I now drive a black 17 Fiesta ST and it feels like a great modern update to that old exhilarating feeling of those old 90s Era pocket rockets.
David Hooper my first was a silver GL. Not as fast, but equally underrated. The Mazdaspeed 3 imo was the closest thing to the PGT in my eyes.
Wow! I didn't know back in the day the Ford Probe was a big deal. Nevertheless; since 1998 my commute car is a Ford Probe 1991, it was a gift from my mom and grandpa it is a great car indeed, very reliable, comfortable, and nice car to drive.
Its design still holds today, and I love that sucker!
LOVE the '81 Impala wagon at 3:32!!!!!!
Still common the roads in 1989! Can't say I've seen one in a long, long time though...or any of these three cars, for that matter.
Man, I wish I was old enough to drive during the late 80's and early 90's...it seems that these were very much the heydays for fun and and affordable sports/sporty cars. Now, almost none of the manufacturers want to invest in building cars like these, because they can't build them cheap enough, and not enough people will buy them. Finding an unmodified example of one of these three cars today is becoming virtually impossible. I love these old Motorweek episodes though!
That gen Probe turbo was quick considering the power it made.
Its power was underrated. Literally. It's well known that the turbo models put out more like 180+ hp
Man this video sure did get off topic for a second.
I went to a USS North Carolina battleship video to learn more about the cars.
Be careful, you might learn something.
Nothing wrong with that. Knowledge is power. And USS NC is cool AF.
Almost felt like an ad for tourism lol
I mean, this DOES air on PBS stations (or it did before at least). So you might as well learn a little extra :)
There is no way the Laser had a turbo AND less torque. Those things were crazy quick for a 4 banger. I should know- owned 2 of them (89/90 turbo & 92 awd turbo). Never got beat by a Probe, ever.
Had a Laser Rs that was shelled out, no AC, a tune and more boost. The car ran 14.4s in the quarter and beat every stock Mustang I ever raced. I miss that car.
The Probe had a very nice interior and the seats were the most comfortable of all 3 (except for the GL model). Unfortunately the MX-6/Probe auto transmissions weren't long-lasting and failed. I owned both cars, the Probe and it's sister the Mazada MX-6 coupe. The 2.2L Mazda engine (also used in their pickups) was very reliable and a great little motor. Also, some Probe GTs came with a digital dash display and trip computer. (I pulled power door locks & windows out of a junked GT one time and put them in a base model Probe GL).
I had an 89 Probe GT and it was bullet proof! Fast and comfy plus reliable... Sold it at 165k miles still running STRONG!
I love these Retro Reviews! Thanks for posting them.
The sad thing is, there are almost no sporty coupes left anymore. Once you get past the BR-Z/FR-S and maybe the Genesis coupe, what else is there? Acura ditched the Integra, Mitsubishi stopped making any kind of sporting cars, Ford and Mazda no longer have their shared coupe, and Nissan never replaced the 240SX.
Forgot about those, thanks.
Fiat Abarth, VW GTI, Nissan 370z and Chevrolet Corvette are all 3-door sporty hatchbacks. You could even throw in the Hyundai Veloster Turbo (1 driver's side door, 2 passenger side doors, and a hatch).
mini cooper s john cooper works. there is a coupe fiesta ST in Europe. then the american trio.
***** Nissan is soon getting rid of the Altima coupe linup due to low sales. They already taken the v6 and manuals out of the market, and the 4 cylinder will follow.
I love my Genesis Coupe. I used to own a Stealth R/T. I had forgotten the superiority of RWD...and I drive it year around in the snow without any problems. The sales of the Gen Coupe and the Toybaru twins are poor which does not bode well for the future of inexpensive sporty coupes. My coupe is trouble-free and reliable. I am approaching 60k miles and I drive it like a stole it.
I owned an 89 Probe GT and miss it terribly. I'm not sure why the higher 0-60 times in this test, but mine would do it in 6.5 seconds bone stock. That motor was vastly underrated by Ford.
That s because it was a Mazda Engine
They never wanted it to be competitive with the mustang, so they underrated the numbers.
i had an 89 mazda mx6 gt turbo. same guts as the probe gt. i believe they under rated it for the sake of the rx7 of the time. the hp and torque ratings listed were at the wheels. they ran out great with just the stock 8.7 psi but could be turned up easily
That Probe didn't get a lot of love back in the day. Back then I though it was an awesome car. Guess I was right.
Rec Pro nope. It's still a hot steaming pile of dog shit. There's a million reasons why the Probe sold like shit. One big one is they look like shit. Another, the fit an finish was laughable(Geo like). Mechanically you're driving around a ticking time bomb with one of the worst clutches I've ever driven. No bro, they weren't awesome. The furthest thing from it, actually.
you are wrong my friend....
i am happy with my probe Gt 1991....
and still look nice....
you and yours fucking stupid post...
it makes me wonder if this american owned publication went with the american built car for american type reasons. because I remember all 3 and without a doubt, the probe gt was the bottom feeder of this group.
Fektthis The Laser was made in Illinois, and came in last place. The Probe had better handling, more power, and was more comfortable. The only thing it didn't have was a respectable aftermarket.
The Laser had a Mitsubishi engine in it. So it wasn't a true "American" car.
"trendy fwd" ..."old fashioned rwd"..... man that was a different time, sooooo glad I have rwd waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay more fun
On a track sure, but fwd is better on the streets
fwd cars are very easy to drive on track and imo make for a better learners car than a miata or 3 series. it requires good fundamentals to drive fwd effectively. even after owning rwd (fc rx7) and awd (gd wrx) my current track car is a fwd dc integra. rx7 was too precious and the integra is way more fun than the wrx. not to mention cheaper, faster and more reliable than both.
That 190 lb/ft of torque made that Probe GT wicked quick with a 5-spd. We used to kill IROC-Z’s back in the day all day long. Still a modern looking car and does not look 29 years old.
Agreed, your average Iroc either wasn't a TPI, or was the 5.0 version. A normal very low 7 second 0-60 run on the Probe GT would kill any of those. It was one of the cars I feared in my 89' Sunbird GT Turbo. Even after some modifications (open K&N air filter, pillaged from my dad's leftover parts bin - came off a Paxton Supercharger for his 85 Vette. Dynamax Turbo muffler, MSD ignition, and a custom PROM. With the same Vericom computer used here for (dad bought one for his cars) I could muster a best of 7.34 0-60, and that was with the automatic!
I believe the 2+2 sport coupe will make a comeback in the years ahead. I miss these cars!
The f2t ford engine is almost indestructible with high hp applications as long as you tune it right, it's not unheard of to get 7-800 hp on stock internals
Nope...they don't sell. The market for such cars is young guys and most young guys these days are drowning in debt or they prefer trucks.
@@ohayes6419 that is true but it’s not a ford engine it’s a mazda engine
Get an AWD Laser/Eclipse/Talon and put a boost controller (@20 psi), K&N filter (with hacked air box), test pipe and these cars will come alive!
Chris Doyle they certainly will, but be prepared to break them constantly. Had a 92 Laser RS AWD and did all the things you said and then some, and I think I’m STILL paying off the repair bills.
@@johnhilton9023 they're actually pretty reliable. A lot of the problems like high idle at start up, and surging rpm is caused by the throttle body. Mitsubishi gave it wayy too many jobs to do.
@@Turshin what's the solution to the Throttle body? Aftermarket i assume?
@@90FirstGenPGT either a rebuild or an s90 throttle body
S90 tb should do the trick I own a 90 1g a/c and everything outs but about to be heavily modified I'm keeping my a/c cruise control
I had a 90 Laser turbo. It came completely stripped with no power options and even without AC. Sooo it was a few hundred pounds lighter than most. It was pretty quick and I beat quite a few Mustangs and Camoros. Loved that car and I miss it.
Had a 91 240 Coupe.. Loved it. One of the most perfectly balanced cars out there. It took corners like a Race Car. The only 7thing I did to it was put 17 inch wheels and low profile performance tires on it.
The 240SX is legendary. My first new car ever is a 240SX hatch. I wish I still had it even though it's an automatic.
Had a 92 240 Coupe. The only thing I did was put some wider 17 rims and low profile tires and man could that thing take corners at high speed. 240s are rumored to have almost perfect 50/50 weight balance. It was truly a great car!!
That skid of the laser into frame was the shit. We need good film work like that again.
The 240SX is the best value (and the best platform) by _far_. The 12V engine will spit out 300HP with a bolt-on turbo (with, say, an Apexi S-AFC, don't even need a new ECU) and you can _bolt on_ the brakes from the 300ZX, plus it was offered with limited slip. If you get it into some seriously twisty canyons it will completely embarrass both of the turbo cars. Plus, it's super duper easy to work on. If you can still find a 240SX fastback that hasn't been mangled, buy it immediately
Yeah, said who? The DSM community has something to say about that. I'd take an awd dsm any day over a 240 and its truck motor. Now a 180sx or Sylvia, different story.
Well, the AWD DSM will cost you at least twice as much, and it will never handle as well as the 240SX because it's heavy and because it has inferior suspension design. That's a FWD car with AWD tacked on as an afterthought. Meanwhile, the JDM engines PLUG IN to the 240SX. Literally. The engine room harness attaches at the firewall at the Super Multiple Junction. Also, 2nd gen Eclipse CRANK WALK. All 240SX engines are as reliable as the day is long (including the JDM engines) and the stock KA will do 300rwhp on stock-internals with a bolt-on turbo. If you want AWD, buy a Subaru. A 1.8 liter subaru with WRX turbo piping and STi injectors will hang out with STis and absolutely poop on DSMs for far less money. DSMs were made like dookie. That's why they all disintegrate. 240SXs last until you tree them
I had a 90 240sx coupe (sadly rusted badly from the Lier kid who sold it to me in Orillia, Ontario, Ryan something or other, I hope you got paid back in Karma for ripping of a student you jerk) the KA24E actually pulled pretty well for the weight of that car, interesting they cite insurance costs as a reason Nissan did the bigger 2.4 instead of a 1.8/2.0 Turbo. A friend had a 260hp boosted Talon FWD turbo, that thing was silly torque steer, quick though! Those Probe\MX6 were a whipser away in boost from 180hp too, nice cars!
***** $5k for 500 whp is not too impressive. You can do that with an SR20DET, too, including buying the motor.
Both old cars now, I think the non turbo 240sx was a lot cheaper in insurance then even your base FWD solid rear axle turbo DSM, both cars have + and - right?
If anyone out there has a low mileage 1989 Probe GT, I'd happily buy it! Been looking for one for YEARS
really want a 1st Gen PGT
Good luck finding a decent one that is for sale
Had a '91 Ford Probe GT Turbo. Insanely awesome and fun car. Especially when that turbo kicked in when you hammered on the throttle, if I'd try to guess, was around 3,500 RPM.
Man that Nissan is gorgeous.
this 240sx is bottom barrel compared to its Japanese counterpart, and I would still take it over anything today, well within a reasonable price range.
Grip Limit my friend has a JDM SR20 black top in his 240, personally I would’ve just got a 180sx if I wanted that, but it’s a pretty cool, if extremely raw, little drift car.
Yeah, they really screwed us (or themselves, really) with that truck motor.
FLIP UP HEADLIGHTS! Awesome!
HEADLIGHTS GO UP
HEADLIGHTS GO DOWN
HEADLIGHTS GO UP
HEADLIGHTS GO DOWN
UP DOWN UP DOWN UPDOWNUPDOWNUPDOWNUPDOWN
Pop up headlights!
Now imagine if we had the SR20 Super-Hicas S13 back when these were reviewed.
Other markets got the SR20 and even got it with a turbo. Nissan seemed to be " all over the map " with the specifications of this car changing things around with each generation.
I actually like these old videos, especially with the side show (USS Charleston). I would image the test drivers had other things to do and to see while driving the East Coast.
Motorweek, Thank you!
These retro reviews have been amazing to watch and rewatch. It's awesome to see how, cars that are all but junkyard queens, used to be cutting edge new... I was a small child when this review was done! Lol
I aquired a stack of playboys from the late 70s, early 80s, (I'm born in the mid 80s) the ads are amazing.
240Z ads, home audio systems, CB Radios, MG Midget ads, like.. oh man! Hehehe. You just don't see ads for booze and smokes anymore. Good times...
and the only one you may still see on the road is the 240, the other two are long since crushed.
My first car was a Ford Probe Turbo, the upgraded version of the model shown here. Super forgiving clutch, great car to learn stick. :)
nice, probe did it again, probing the competition..lol
I LOVED the Chrysler Laser, I had a friend when I was in the Army who had one and parked it on base, we all used to put our pocket change together and pay for gas to go out shopping, etc... on weekends and it was a great, reliable car- he had it for the whole 11.5 years I was at that particular base and he never had any issues with it except for oil, lube and filters etc...
I love these retro videos but where is the Dodge Daytona Shelby Turbo or the Chrysler Conquest TSi. Just showing My Mopar love even for the rebranded mitsu.
Were they still in production in 89?
@@210SAi yes
I do love the probe but wow it was way more money than a mustang LX 5.0
Came here for advice on which to buy but thx to all the info , I ended up buying the battleship
Wow, what a unicorn!
A stock 240!
I love the classic road tests! I always look forward to them
I owned a 1990 Probe GT and loved the car so much.
The laser turbo had way more than 142 lb ft of tq. The laser turbo actually had 203ft lbs of tq.
FYI the Probe GT Turbo was d-rated. It was 145hp at 6psi. Most probes were over boosting to 12 giving you 195+hp and 250tq.
Yeah right the non intercooled probe would not have handled much more boost then 6psi
240sx se 1991 one owner 78000 miles only replaced fan belt and plugs. Always garaged highway miles candy red
AC never been charged works great ! Made In Japan
17000$ brand new in 91
My granddaughter gets it when we buy new but my wife loves this car.
The Probe looks quite nice in that color.
Who's here for the brief glimpse of a mid-'80s Chevy Caprice wagon towing a UHAUL trailer?
this times a lot
My uncle has the same exact Probe GT. Bought it new and it's still kicking! He loves his and refuses to sell it. Drives it more than his C6 corvette lol.
I've always loved the 89 Probe. It was pretty advanced for its time.
+mannymmv I remember have a Probe GT in high school I think it was a 1990 I graduated in 94. I lived about 5 minutes away from the plant where they made it.
If the american market haded had traded in a high and happy reving 16 valve head engine, turbocharger, intercooler, ABS, rear diff oilcooling system, 30hp and 15lbs for a 600cc bigger truck engine, than the nissan would be way ahead. The euro version is able to easily reach 145mph with no problem.
I bought a new 89 probe, not the GT. I loved the Mazda 12v engine, smooth shifting 5 speed. Way better than the Ford engines at the time
It is so interesting that Mazda teamed up with Ford, while Mitsubishi teamed up with Dodge. Toyota and Isuzu ended up trading a little bit with Geo Metro/Chevorlet. While Nissan and Honda mostly stayed independent
Toyota gave Chevrolet the geo prism not the geo metro. The geo metro is a Suzuki swift. The geo prism is a Toyota Corolla. Get your facts straight.
The American company at the time was far behind on engineering fuel efficient fwd cars so they reached out to the Japanese for help. The Japanese sold the Toyota Corolla to gm . Suzuki sold the swift to gm as a metro. Mazda sold the mx6 to Ford as a probe. Mitsubishi sold the eclipse to Chrysler as the laser and talon.
GM was all in with Isuzu
Miss this show.
I owned Ford Probe and I thought that it was an awesome car. It drove nice and was very reliable. I eventually had to sell it to buy a truck. I became a family man with responsibilities and a house. The good old days. 😆
Probe GT
The 1990's the last time it was actually reasonable to buy a NEW car
Im 17 and the only time my family got a brand new car was 2008 my mom bought a saturn ion
The eclipse was a much better car than the other two
I had a 89 probe gt back in high school I miss that car a lot. Been looking to find a clean one.
I had a 240sx that same exact color except mine was a 90. Miss it to this day. Ended up selling it to help my brother get out of a jam.
I grew up near a race track. I can’t even count the number of Nissan 240’s with LS/LT conversions. That’s the real pick here.
The time when the USA sadly got some of the crappy versions of the imports.
Love these retro car reviews, so amazing, and also nostalgic. Big like!
I just got a 89 probe gt such a cool unknown car. I saw a picture and fell in love with the design. Happy to know it was actually a good car
29 years later, the probes and lasers have been crushed and 240SXs are still going strong.
yeah sure... your expert opinion based on either being a fanboy or "i saw one a year ago". And someone dumping 20 grand into a shell does not count as "still going strong". Some riced out car with a shitty body kit that's got 3 different colors of primer and can't drive over an envelope without ripping out the undercarriage doesn't count either....
I still own an 89 and 90 probe gt it hasn't give out yet I got about 350 or so ponies pretty good cars in my opinion
Love the retro reviews and this was an excellent 1. U boys didnt disappoint.
That Nissan 240sx se would make a great first car. It’s got sick wheels. I just love those wheels the Nissan and the Plymouth had
Gotta Love the good ole KA i just wished they had turbocharged it woulda been fun forsure
My first car 1989 coupe 240sx I drove it 200k miles! 240sx with a truck motor in USA market. My back differently hurt after driving more than 2 straight hours in those seats. Ford probe 240sx wannabe.
The Nissan was a legend. There was a video with a kid drifting in a parking lot and throwing a rod. Kid then proceeds to keep driving the car for another good few minutes with a hole in the engine ! Nissan was the king of the engines, along with Honda.
I would love to have one of those Lasers! There is one in my town, faded red, but still awesome to look at.
of the 3, the 240sx is still a desirable car thanks for the japanese aftermarket and ddrift scene.. its a really good platform if you want to build, stuff any motor swap in it, suspension mods galore.. can make it look however you want due to huge bodykit support. Really cant go wrong with japanese rear wheel drive cars. So when i look at new cars, i try to think "Will this thing still be desired in 10-20 years? or just a pile of crap?"..
The only reason the 240 is more desired (or was) was because of RWD and being the cheapest sporty japanese car you could buy. Sadly nowadays people are trying to sell them off for 20-30k (same with the AE86), whilst you can grab a Laser RS/Eclipse GSX or Probe Turbo GT for a fraction of the price.
The Probe and Laser almost forgotten, the 240SX became a legend thanks to being a rear wheel drive.
Younger people loved to Nissan… easy to modify and rear drive made it a legend for tuner car enthusiasts. I agree that the Probe was the best but I never really liked the look until the second generation came out a few years later, those were sweet looking. After a few years the Eclipse and its Chrysler variants got better with AWD and stronger performance.
So... According to the judges, the Plymouth was the most powerful, the fastest, the best styled and had the best interior. It literally was the best outside, inside and under the hood. And it came in third... Anti-Chrysler bias at its most blatant.
+Robert Tepedino well best outside, inside and under the hood, yet not on the road actually driving.. at least they said so :D
The 240sx is the only one that stood the test of time though, I've never seen a probe in my entire life and I've seen maybe two lasers.
I feel bad for the guy that bought the probe after seeing this and had it fall apart on him.
Even if I spot a 240Sx on road, they are usually trashed. These 3 definitely didn’t hold up well
They really named it “probe” didn’t they 🙃
2019 now. In my country u can find dirt cheap probe... Or eclipse.... Nissans costs A LOT... And prices going up n up..