Once you get past a certain age or down to a certain price range, one-owner cars get very rare. Not many people hold on to the same car for decades, and most cheap cars have changed hands more times than a bong at a house party. That makes today’s choices kind of special: they’re both sporty coupes, in rather fetching shades of blue, and they’ve both only had one name on the title.
Yesterday, we asked the question: Is Toyota always the answer when it comes to reliable used cars? You all responded with a resounding “No,” as the Pontiac Grand Am, for half the price, beat the low-mileage Tercel by nearly three to one. When you get down to the cheap end of the market, cash is king, and the Grand Am simply requires less of it.
Personally, I’d never even look at the Tercel if the Grand Am was sitting right there ready to go. It runs well, it has working air conditioning, it isn’t about to break in two from rust, and it costs less than fifteen hundred bucks. That’s a fantastic deal these days, even if it’s sort of a mediocre car.
Of all the used cars I’ve bought over the years, I can only think of one that was a one-owner car: a 1989 Cadillac Coupe DeVille that I bought for $1,000 from the original owner back in 2015. It came with a thick folder of receipts and records going all the way back to when it was new. Compare that to the car that replaced it two years later, a Saturn SC1, which somehow came back with twenty-eight previous owners when I ran a Carfax on it. (It had bounced around through a bunch of dealerships a couple of times, but still.) They were both decent cars, but I felt more connected to the Cadillac, having a record of its history. Is it worth extra money to find a car with only one previous owner? Probably not, but if you do find one, consider it a bonus. Both of today’s cars are being sold by their original owners. Let’s see which one you’d rather have.
1989 Ford Probe LX – $2,500
Engine/drivetrain: 2.2-liter OHC inline 4, five-speed manual, FWD
Location: Christianburg, VA
Odometer reading: 170,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
I have to be honest: I’m going to find it hard to be objective about this one. I absolutely love this car, and if I were in a better position time- and money-wise right now, I’d be seriously considering it for myself. I had a Probe almost exactly like this one, in black over a red interior, for the first couple of years we lived in Portland, and I thoroughly enjoyed driving it. In fact, I only sold it because I found a cheap Miata that I wanted. No regrets; the Miata was a blast, and I had it for a long time, but I still miss that Probe. And the guy who bought mine flew in all the way from Florida and drove it home, because it was exactly like the car he had in high school. The first-generation Ford Probe might be the best example of an “if you know, you know” car.
This example of the would-be Mustang replacement comes with a Mazda 2.2-liter inline four making 110 horsepower. Like mine, this one has a five-speed manual, and it’s one of the nicest-shifting FWD manuals I’ve ever driven. It has 170,000 miles on it, and the seller says it has no mechanical issues, and they have service records going all the way back to day one. I see a little oil seepage from the valve cover gasket, but that’s not a big deal to fix.
This Probe also corrects the one complaint I had about mine: it has an analog gauge cluster instead of the hard-to-read digital one. The interior is a little worn, but overall it looks good. Also, if it matters to you, 1989 was the only model year in which the first-generation Probe did not have automatic seat belts.
I have always thought that most sporty cars look best in their lower trim levels, without extra spoilers or ground effects cluttering up the lines, and the Probe is definitely one of them. The GT version just doesn’t look as clean as this LX does. I do like the GT’s three-spoke alloy wheels, but there’s nothing wrong with the LX’s steel wheels and plastic wheel covers. And as a bonus, this one even has new tires on it.
1999 Pontiac Firebird – $5,500
Engine/drivetrain: 3.8-liter OHV V6, four-speed automatic, RWD
Location: Sanford, MI
Odometer reading: 139,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
The ad for this base-model Firebird says it has been “owned by a 93-year-old man since new.” I find that unlikely; he can’t possibly have been 93 that whole time, can he? (I couldn’t resist.) He would have been 66 when this car was new, which probably means it was a nice little retirement gift to himself. The ad also says it has never been driven hard, which is also unlikely. If you have a Firebird, even a base model, you have to have stood on the gas at least once, right?
Standard power for the later fourth-generation Firebird came from the famous 3800 Series II V6 engine, more commonly seen driving the front wheels of various Buicks. It puts out 205 horsepower here, more than all but the most potent of Trans Am engines of the previous generation Firebird. I’m sure it’s capable of a burnout or two, if you really want to. The transmission is the 4L60-E automatic found in countless other RWD GM products. It works fine, though a five-speed stick would make this car more fun. With only 139,000 miles on the clock, the engine and transmission in this car should still have a lot of life left.
It’s nice and clean inside, and looks like it has been well cared for. The ad doesn’t mention it, but it looks like this car does have T-tops, which I know is important to some of you when it comes to evaluating F-body cars. I wonder how often the old man took them off? The ad does say it was garaged its whole life, so hopefully the seals are still OK.
One would hope that being kept in a garage has kept the rust at bay, too; this is a Michigan car. It’s hard to tell much from the photos, since it’s such a dark color, but I don’t see any problem areas. Better be prepared to poke your head underneath and make sure, though. I really like this car in dark blue; it’s nice to see something besides red, black, or white.
Few of us manage to hold on to cars as long as these owners have. (My personal record is nine years, and that barely counts, because it was my MG and it didn’t run for half that time.) I’m sure both sellers want to see these cars go to someone who will hang on to them for a good long time, and not just flip them. Could that someone be you? If so, which one is your pick?
A one-senior-citizen-owner Firebird since new is impressive, but that Probe is the winner today. V6+auto RWD vs. I4+ manual FWD, each is let down a bit by its variables in the formula. Both were capable of ticking some nice boxes on the options sheet and didn’t, which as far as I’m concerned simply means a lot of optional BS that could have failed was never present to go wrong in the first place. That’s a win. What’s left is just the car, working, without a fuss.
Either would be good, but I think the Probe is better and at that low-low price point is a far easier risk to take.
I thought I was going to pick the Pontiac for a 4th day in a row. I really like that bodystyle. I can’t abide by both a V6 and an auto though. I’d be just fine with the 3800 backed by a 5-speed, and I could deal with a LS V8 with an auto, but for less than half the price, the lovely Probe (with the cooler interior) is the clear winner here.
Pretty much my exact thought process on this one.
I drove one of those V6 automatic equipped Camaros, and it was nothing to write home about. And the T tops leaked. I think theose Camaros/Firebirds look cool, but if I was to get one I’d want the V8 and a manual. That Probe looks like it would be a lot of fun though.
Saw the Probe, scrolled down, and voted. Now back to the article…
If I saw a Probe that clean on the road I’d be shocked. If I saw that Firebird, I wouldn’t even notice it. Nobody cares about V6 F-bodies.
The Firebird is just a clean shell for an LS swap. The Probe is awesome as-is.
I have a soft spot for the Firebird, I always liked them. This one is quite clean but I’d always be dreaming of a trans am rather than enjoying the car for what it is. The probe isn’t a turbo or V6 but I don’t feel the FOMO on it. So Probe it is.
The Probe is really a Mazda, so it’s a better car. I voted for the Probe because it’s the winner by default. If you don’t think so, read on.
OMG the 4th gen Camaro/Firebird is one of the worst built cars ever made! Cheap shitty Chinese and Korean and third world cars have better build quality and materials than those, like WTF? Horrible even by 90s GM standards. If you’ve never driven one or anything, you just can’t comprehend how BAD they are!
That dash WILL crack, even if it’s already been replaced a few times. It’s about $150 to replace.
There is no trunk space in the Firebird at all! The only thing you can fit in the trunk is the T-tops.
It is impossible to do the spark plugs on these cars, though a better exhaust manifold came in 2000 which goes around the plugs giving you access to do them. The window motors were riveted on, so you have to drill out the rivets, though the new window motor comes with nuts and bolts. Also, good luck getting that door panel back on without breaking it, though it’s probably broken already.
There’s a nice cupholder in the passenger side door, but not the driver side, which is kind of silly, They should’ve put one in both doors. However, you still get 5 cupholders for 4 people, the only redeeming feature this car has.
So, I have to vote no on the Tesla Model F. Yeah even Tesla has better build quality than this. Ludicrous speed and awful build quality. Simply a piece of shit even with T-tops.
The Nissan NX is the F-Body Done Right. A real car with real engineering behind it, half the size on the outside and twice the space on the inside. And of course, the T-tops 😀
so If I have this right you don’t like the Firebird? 😛
such a disappointment, too
I wanted to like it, but unfortunately, it really is that bad 🙁
Tough call. I prefer the second gen Probe, but I’ve also owned several V8 fourth gen F-bodies. I think I’ll go with the stick this time and vote Probe, mostly because if I’m getting an F-body, it will have an LS1 in it.
The manual tilted the decision towards the Probe, but man that Firebird is clean!
The Probe is the more interesting car to me. At that price you could have a hell of a lot of fun throwing aftermarket steering and suspension components at it to make your own track go cart out of it. I’ll embrace the fun of slow car fast today.
This is harder than I expected, also for some reason my brain said Porsche 928 when I saw the thumbnail, and was surprised when I clicked into the article.
IF the probe was in teal, it would be a hands down win over the Firebird; and with the manual it’s still a pretty solid winner. However I have wanted to play around with boosting a 3800 with a cheap blower from a Regal for years, and no one would be mad at me messing up this Firebird.
So I’ve talked myself into the Pontiac, AGAIN. Aside from the power bump I’d do my typical audio system refresh, including a pair of 10″ subs to consume the hatch area. I’d find some nice used Corvette wheels, lower it on some modern coil overs, and put some underglow on it for late-night cruises to Dairy Queen.
The Probe has a similar issue as the Miata for me. It’s not designed for tall people (or wearing boots and operating the pedals, for that matter).
This is a no-vote scenario.
RWD > FWD
T-Tops > Hardtop
Purple > Blue
Tough call today. The Probe is definitely attractive, but I’m going with the Firebird. I always wanted one of them back in those days. This one is so well kept that I wouldn’t be afraid to drive it across the country to get it home. The auto trans doesn’t bother me. Sure, a manual would be more fun, but so little of my driving is fun that it makes little difference.
100% the Probe. I do really love the second gen one, but the first gen still looks like a blast. Plus, it’s got a manual!
This is hard! I like the Probe a lot as a time capsule and underrated car. For the ‘Bird, I’ve been thinking a lot about one in this exact configuration as a hobby car. It’s got outrageous styling, t-tops, and the 3800. A screaming chicken detail on the hood wouldn’t be “correct” but it would be fun and reversible. So the bad taste is tempered by a sensible powertrain. You wouldn’t win races, but it would be fun to drive around on weekends and take road trips with cheap sunglasses and blasting Van Halen. I picked the Firebird.
I don’t feel like partying like it’s 1999 at the moment, so Probe me all you want.
While I prefer GM products over F*rd products, the Probe is a 5-speed, as well as less than half the price, so I picked the little anal probe today.
And to me, both of these cars are more hatchbacks than coupes, but I guess they’re both 2-doors, so maybe they qualify.
Dead men have the nicest cars. Old men — and especially perpetual 93-year-olds — have the second nicest. Firebird for me.
If only they had posted the RPO code list. If the Firebird doesn’t have the Y87 i’d say it’s a skip.
Such an easy choice today. Probe of course. No automatic belts, manual, not an automatic V6 firebird/camaro.
Firebird for me! Even at twice the price!
T-tops are boss, sure, but that body style isn’t. That gen’s Camaro still looked good but the Firebird looked liked something current Dodge buyers would love b/c mean n’ angry.
Meanwhile, a first gen Probe still looks like a spacecraft as its name is supposed to invoke. These look even better in person and that blue was one of the best colors offered then.
I wanted to vote for the Bird, had two 3rd gen Camaros back in the day and always liked the Firebirds.
But with the V6, auto and twice the price? Not today.
The Probe is cheap, a manual, and the first car I drove in a rallycross (we had a rental for $20 and even as an auto that thing was fun to sling around).
I will be probed today. I liked the look of the Probe when it came out and that one still looks darn good. Plus with the stick shift, it’ll be fun to drive.