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Why a Metro? Your Opinion
Topic Started: Feb 14 2009, 11:53 AM (2,768 Views)
JAMES
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;) I drive the geo i call the geo gasser,shown in the picture section,I got this car to drive until,i rebuilt the motor in my 79 El camino.8 years later i still have both cars,The geo is my main driver now. I started fixing up the geo as a project to teach my boy how fix up cars without spending a lot of money,So far this year i have put the car in two car shows,it always draws a crowd, If you think your car is ugly than change it .your not going to please everyone.I dont think i could ever sell it .
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owlafaye
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Dr. Cool
[ *  *  *  * ]
My 89 4dr Geo 1.0L 5spd cost $300 running. It is grey and had a blue door. Rattle canned the blue door approximately original grey. The driver's window rolls down but needs assistance (outside assistance) up. The passenger window is wedged shut and handle removed...it goes neither up nor down. I "hazed" the rest of the paint to appear normal...looks good from the road...like haystacks. Rattle canned the top black...got rid of the rust. Clean it once a year. I went through the mechanicals thoroughly upon purchase. All lights work and the car is safe. Alignment, tires and a tune...change oil every 5000 miles. Yes, I have to add transmission oil every 5000-8000 miles...so what? $2 isn't much. Takes 10 minutes. No radio, weak heater and I have to double clutch into 1st gear (only) but HEY! $300 and I get 46 avg. mpg and 51 on hwy. at 55 mph!!! Beats the hell out of my 3 vans and one pickup, all with 318 ci engines that get 14 to 17 mpg. Seldom drive them now. So, I can't haul a sheet of plywood in the Geo...so I have to put the parking brake on every time or the wind will blow it into another car (happened)...so, it is small...yeah, but I can turn around on any street without backing up. It is tight, quiet, small and economical...I love it.
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owlafaye
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Dr. Cool
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I forgot...it is fun to drive. Rowing the transmission in my hilly countryside is a gas. I get 43.3 mpg in the hills...that is about the lowest ever. In 3rd gear, it is a demon, an absolute demon. Mine tops out at 85 mph+ and has 194,000 miles on it so far.
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fernwood
Fresh Fish
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Cheap to buy.
Cheap to drive....love the mpg.
Cheap insurance.
Cheap to maintain.
Wife loves it.....#1 reason.

Bought my first Metro last year when gas prices were high. Got a '97 hatchback with 5 speed 3 cylinder. Drove it to my 40th high school reunion this fall. Car I had when I graduated was 300+ hp 4 speed. Now driving a 55hp 5 speed. Time does change us.

Just this week bought a '91 Metro convertible. Little rough around the edges but it will be a project for me. Guy I bought it from also threw in a '90 Metro 4 dr parts car for the same money. Wife always wanted a convertible but not sure this was what she had in mind........but she does like the idea of having a cute convertible for under $2K dollars. At least that is my goal for the total cost of putting it in good shape.

Hope to pick up some good suggestions on restoring the convertible on this forum.




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owlafaye
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Dr. Cool
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fernwood
Mar 12 2009, 11:30 PM
Cheap to buy.
Cheap to drive....love the mpg.
Cheap insurance.
Cheap to maintain.
Wife loves it.....#1 reason.

putting it in good shape.

Hope to pick up some good suggestions on restoring the convertible on this forum.




Sure:

1- Change the timing belt first chance you get.
2- Wear a warm coat
3- Don't run with scissors in your hand
4- Floss
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Ghino
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fernwood
Mar 12 2009, 11:30 PM
Hope to pick up some good suggestions on restoring the convertible on this forum.




Yeah, another convertible from 91 on this platform :thumb
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PushnFords


Cheap....really my only reason for buying mine. I bought a '94 Civic to have as a good mpg commuter car. When the engine went we were making do with other vehicles. I'd looked at Metros before but couldn't find anything that ran under a grand. Found out the owners were selling mine for $400 and jumped on it. I just bought it to save money and be economical...so far it is in gas but not in repairs.....
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Ghino
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PushnFords
Mar 14 2009, 10:44 PM
Cheap....really my only reason for buying mine. I bought a '94 Civic to have as a good mpg commuter car. When the engine went we were making do with other vehicles. I'd looked at Metros before but couldn't find anything that ran under a grand. Found out the owners were selling mine for $400 and jumped on it. I just bought it to save money and be economical...so far it is in gas but not in repairs.....
Well now you know why it was so cheap.

when a car is much cheaper than the rest there is always a reason for it(mostly mechanic).
The trick is to buy one, repare it under the price of a good one.

(with more exclusive/rare cars its much more risk)
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tmaxmetro
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Ghino
Mar 15 2009, 06:17 AM
Well now you know why it was so cheap. when a car is much cheaper than the rest there is always a reason for it (mostly mechanic). The trick is to buy one, repare it under the price of a good one.
(with more exclusive/rare cars its much more risk)
I think you've stumbled onto an interesting conversation : i.e. what is a good "value" when purchasing a Metro? I use the term "value" and not price, because those can be very different numbers. Many of us know, through experience, that low price "fixer-upper" vehicles with lots of issues = time and money, and often more time and more money than we originally expect.

What did I look for when purchasing my Metro :
- rust : unfortunately, I have neither the equipment, skill or time to perform major bodywork or major frame repair : finding vehicles with low amounts of rust in this area means later model Metros, those which were oil sprayed yearly or those, for whatever reason, which were not driven heavily in winter
- how well was it maintained : did the previous owner just drive the crap out it or were repairs/maintenance actually done
- how does does it run and how many miles : neither of these is a perfect indication of anything, so its just a basic indicator (I didn't do a compression check)
- how did it shift (synchros) and could I hear any trans. noises
- what did it need in obvious repairs - and what would that cost approximately

The Metro I recently purchased basically had no muffler, so it was difficult to hear much of anything - it ran poorly but has relatively low miles - some maintenance had been done - it was oil sprayed yearly so minimal rust - and it was relatively low priced. How will it turn out value wise when all the dust settles? Who knows.

Also : some vehicles requiring major repairs can be a great value - eg. trans is shot but the rest of the vehicle is great : usually means very low purchase price. If you have the ability to change the trans., you're golden.
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unadilla
New Member
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I like things that get the job done in the simplest, most economical fashion, while still being reliable and well made. While I wouldn't say that our new-to-us Swift is as well made as our '66 Volvo (will there be any Metros on the road in 2039....? assuming there is gas available....? or assuming there is still a human race...?), it seems as well made as any of the bigger $$ cars various friends have, and as far as getting my wife and I where we want to be in simple comfort its pretty great. It is the closest thing I've ever come to buying a new car, actually. Anyway, it was fuel economy, tiny size, simplicity, ease of working on (reported, that is- I haven't had to do anything yet) and relatively cheap price that was the 'why' for us. I'd much rather be the two of us in a Metro/Swift with the back seat filled with crap than that single person (jackass) tooling around in an Escalade who I was stuck behind this afternoon!
Edited by unadilla, Mar 15 2009, 07:36 PM.
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Cobb
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I got one for 100 bucks. I bought it for the fuel economy and recaro sport seats the previous owner upgraded it too. Otherwise, as a 6 ft 4 tall person who weights over 350lbs, it would not be in a list of cars I would want to drive or own.

I tried to buy a prius a few times, but the local toy dealer was not interested. My previous car was a 240d mercedes, which had tons of leg and arm room. Then an e250 van. I ended up with a scion xa, price was right, got 37mpg til i dropped it, then 40+. I traded that for an automatic, the xb and man, lots of leg and arm room, plus a lot of features and 31mpg with the camry drivetrain.
Edited by Cobb, Mar 15 2009, 08:26 PM.
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