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93 geo metro; slow to accelorate, vibrates at stop lights
Topic Started: Sep 20 2011, 08:22 PM (809 Views)
billianna
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Hi, please forgive me if this is not in the right part of the forum. I will happily move if redirected. I loved my '90 geo manual that I purchased new from dealer in college and drove for 6 years until it was too small for all my kids. I am looking to purchase my third geo. I got a beat up 96 metro sedan 4 cyl for $400 two months ago. It starts everyday, just looking for a hatchback with a/c that works or is repairable. We have one teen just learning and one that turns 15 in Nov.
I just test drove a 93 geo 4 door hatchback 3 cylinder, automatic. It has 74k original miles, prior owner was an elderly woman according to dealer that took in trade. The inside is like new. Carpet, seats, plastic, belts etc immaculate. The original sticker on the shift about putting pressure on brake to remove from park was still there. The paint has a few scratches but overall clear coat is in great shape. I was not able to find any rust on inside of engines painted surfaces. The paint inside engine compartment was a lighter color in most places than the exterior but not everywhere. Two spots were almost the same color as outside which was a rich royal blue not the powder puff blue of inside. The headlights, and trim better than 98-2000s I have seen. Clear car fax. No accident ever. Looks garage kept to me. All hoses, cables and plastic inside the engine were sparkling clean and nothing showed signs of wear. One bolt on engine had minor rust, others were not new but no rust, just a bit discolored with age.
Radiator, fans, and a/c components looked like new. No oil near top of engine. Some oil, but not major amount, in few place near the bottom of the engine. After driving at 60 for 10 minutes or so, hubby and I swapped. I could smell oil but not strongly. Car did not overheat. A/c blows, but not cold. A/c fan is very loud, we turned it off. Good tires, matching, lots of tread, no signs of uneven wear.

It drove straight, no shimmy at high speeds, harder to turn than my 96 geo (dealer said due to not having power steering). We drove it for thirty minutes including getting onto the interstate. We had three men and me in car. Combined weight about 750. So we were over the 688 lbs recommended. Normally it is just me and one or two teens. If all 4 of us go somewhere we will take the saturn wagon. Slow to accelerate from a dead start, but as we hit 25-30 miles per hour it seemed to pick up power. When we were parked it vibrated. I could feel the vibration in the steering wheel and the door when getting in it. This vibration did not stop when I placed in neutral. Dealer (sells 5-6 cars at a time on corner of his brake and a/c repair shop) said that it was worse when going into neutral. He said, "I think it is a motor mount." He said that he had not repaired anything and at $1300 was just selling as is.

I was looking for a 98-2000 with 90-130 k miles but this lovely 4 door fits my tall kids better. My teens are protesting climbing into a two seater. My non-negotiable for my next geo are ac, no rust, or accident damage, hatchback. I drive on highway a few times a month for 70-80 miles round trip. Most of my 20k per year is around town. If the lack of pick up is normal for this geo, not a limiting factor for me. Should I take a mechanically friend with me or use a local to dealer shop for any type of inspection. If so, what? Also any ideas about vibration? Dealer is an hour from me.

Also is the price fair for so low of miles? Will I have considerably more trouble finding parts when I need them than for a newer model? Thank you for your time. I am not a mechanic like most on this board so appreciate your wisdom and experience. In 3-5 years if money permits would love to convert a light car to electric and this one has great bones in my unprofessional opinion. In mean time looking for dependable, great gas mileage.

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Memphis metro


Welcome to the forum.
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billianna
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thanks. both of my regular honda, saturn mechanics don't love geos like I do so figured I would look for advice from other fans.
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Memphis metro


billianna
Sep 20 2011, 09:00 PM
thanks. both of my regular honda, saturn mechanics don't love geos like I do so figured I would look for advice from other fans.
Goes to show you, you are smarter than them. You get the last laugh when you go to the gas pump.
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billianna
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any advice on vibration or slow excel? are these normal? can I get parts for a 93?
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Memphis metro


I am not familiar with metro automatics but there are many here that are. You are at the right place for information and parts. Just hang on.
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dayle1960
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Fastest Hampster EVER

With four people in a metro, it will not have any kind of acceleration, PERIOD. I would not be worried about that fact.

The price is right, if you can talk him down a couple of hundred, all the better.

The shaking/stumbling might be cured with a new cap and rotor with some spark plugs. Also there might be a vacuum hose leak, seeing how the car is almost twenty years old and nobody probably has replaced the hoses. If the car still has a "newness" about it and was driven by a little old lady, I would jump on it in a heart beat. Little old ladies do not trash cars.

See if the salesman will take $1100 and then sign the paperwork. Little things like a shaking/vibration can be tracked down easily, but keep in mind if there is something terribly wrong with the engine you might have to rebuild the engine.

Remember that 90metro just sold a 93 metro in Ohio for $3000. So $1300 isn't too far out of the ball park. If you really want to have your eyes pop out of your head, just look how much metros are selling for on Ebay. $1300 is a steal comparted to some of those prices.

Oh yea, run a can of Sea Foam into the gasoline tank. The fuel injector might not be spraying a misty pattern and that could cause vibration. While your at it you might want to pour a can down the throttle body while you keep the RPM's high. It will clean out some carbon deposits.
Edited by dayle1960, Sep 20 2011, 09:37 PM.
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Bad Bent
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Facetious Educated Donkey

Welcome to your new forum, billianna! :coffee

I agree with dayle1960 :thumb A good price if it is rust free, and a Florida car usually is. Automatic is not so good on gas as in 40-45mpg?

And yeah, that much weight and it shouldn't accelerate at all. :-/ and my guess would have been the engine mounts or just in need of a tune-up. Mounts can be fixed with a tube of 3M's window weld.

Clean hoses is a sign of detailing, steam cleaning the engine and maybe a little water still in the electronics. :dunno

We have a lot of VERY knowledgeable Geo lovers here that will help guide you through repairs if needed. :banana
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