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How much is too much to pay for a metro?
Topic Started: Jan 25 2012, 06:45 PM (2,232 Views)
outlander
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I'm looking for a plain metro lsi 5 speed 3cylinder. I've seen one that lists engine has been fully rebuilt. When i've contacted the owner for receipts/invoices showing the rebuilt evidence I was told he is a retired mechanic and he did it himself. Without being able to inspect the engine internals, How do I know the engine was in fact rebuilt and a proper job was done?

Should I stay away.

He wants $2500 firm for a 93 2 door, 150,000 miles on the body.
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Old Man


Read the "Metro buyers guide" right side of the opening page carefully.

I can only give my opinion--engines can be rebuilt for $400 or less in parts + equal labor. What is REALLY important is RUST. look carefully at the frame where the drive axles go through. beat on the with a hammer.
Rust there is bad bad bad. look underneath at the rocker panels and floor boards. look in the back at the wheel wells. If you cant weld and dont want to learn---if there is rust in those places it will cost you big time.

Otherwise cost depends on what you want, like and can afford.

When considering $$$ dont forget the savings the first year when you are getting 50 Miles Per Gallon
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Horn


Well it really depends on the shape of the car and how nice it is. probably the best way for rebuild would be a compression test. Check for frame rot.

Imo for 2500 it better be in really nice shape....but idk what they run in your area. Can you get pics
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outlander
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I rarely see metros in my area, they usually sell for around 2k.
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68custom


looks pretty good to me, but 2500 is a bit pricey IMO!
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Horn


If it is rebuilt and compression numbers are giid. If it drives straight. If no rust.....then possibly 2500. It does appear to be in great shape and that is hard to find
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mjspiess
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My "rules" when I purchased mine were:
1. "Rust Free" (at least at the frame horns)
2. 5 speed
3. Not to pay over KBB retail value.

Keep in mind, gas prices directly affect the value of Metros & KBB doesn't care about this fact. Ideally, you'd want to pay KBB private party value or less, but when gas prices are up, expect to pay retail/dealership prices or more.
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Robisaurus
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Cherry popped 01/14/12

Looks super clean. As long as it PUUURRRS, and no rust, if you have the money it will be saved greatly in gas. 2500 sounds pricey, but that's because I dropped 900 on one, and I'm having problems. :die
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Way


Unfortunately it is a seller's market meaning that the supply of Metros does not meet the demand. If the price of gas drops, so does the demand. It's kind of a love-hate relationship with our cars. Gas prices up, people admire and love them. Gas prices drop, people scorn and ignore.

Buyer's guide will help you alot but a compression test is probably the quickest way. Being where you are, rust hopefully is a non-issue. You also might want to check to see that it shifts nicely particularly from 1st to 2nd, no catching or anything. Not a deal breaker but certainly a bargaining chip.

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mjspiess
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Private Party: $1,423
Retail: $2,048

+$400 for fully rebuilt engine = $1,823-$2,448

$2,500 firm makes sense based on current gas prices.
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Horn


mjspiess
Jan 25 2012, 07:48 PM
My "rules" when I purchased mine were:
1. "Rust Free" (at least at the frame horns)
2. 5 speed
3. Not to pay over KBB retail value.

Keep in mind, gas prices directly affect the value of Metros & KBB doesn't care about this fact. Ideally, you'd want to pay KBB private party value or less, but when gas prices are up, expect to pay retail/dealership prices or more.
Imo kbb is a joke. I dont compare cars to that. kbb is way high imo. you really just gotta have a good idea what the geos run in your area...

Sometimes you almost have to pay too much if you doubt you will find 1 like it again.
i missed out on a non running geo for 1500.....sounds high but this was the nicest metro I have ever seen before. It kills me I didnt buy it.

If gas gets $4 or $4.50 that could be a $6000 ebay car.
in the end imo if you lose money on that car it will because.....you wreck it. Gas drops to $1. thats if the engine is rebuilt and no rust....

Also find out how long hes had it and why hes selling it
Edited by Horn, Jan 25 2012, 08:08 PM.
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91 ragtop
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It all depends on the demand. In the summer of 08 I sold three Metros for an average of $3400 but I went through them from one end to the other. They all had rebuilt engines,new tires,new clutch ,new stereo,new windshields, redone hubcaps and any little thing that needed fixing. I pulled out the carpet and pressure washed them. I cleaned the seats and even made a new wood piece that goes over the spare tire. I made these cars look good. The last couple of years I've been fighting to get $1800 out of them so I don't even go through all thework that I did before. There's a guy in my town buying up all the Metros so I can't even do that anymore. He has an add on Craigslist right now asking $3800 and lying about the mileage so it looks good. Check it out and see what you think.
http://greatfalls.craigslist.org/cto/2811422970.html



Ken....
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1DCGUY
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Don't be a "Richard"

91 ragtop
Jan 25 2012, 08:07 PM
It all depends on the demand. In the summer of 08 I sold three Metros for an average of $3400 but I went through them from one end to the other. They all had rebuilt engines,new tires,new clutch ,new stereo,new windshields, redone hubcaps and any little thing that needed fixing. I pulled out the carpet and pressure washed them. I cleaned the seats and even made a new wood piece that goes over the spare tire. I made these cars look good. The last couple of years I've been fighting to get $1800 out of them so I don't even go through all thework that I did before. There's a guy in my town buying up all the Metros so I can't even do that anymore. He has an add on Craigslist right now asking $3800 and lying about the mileage so it looks good. Check it out and see what you think.
http://greatfalls.craigslist.org/cto/2811422970.html



Ken....
Hmmm, none of my 92 Metro's have the 6 digit odometer. :hmm
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clarkdw


Check the frame horns carefully and ask the owner to do a compression test while you are present. If it passes those two inspections and is as nice as it appears in the pics $2500 does not seem an outrageous amount. Just how much work do you want to put in to a cheaper version that needs $??? worth of work after a "bargain price"?

Go through the posts on this forum and see how much some have invested in a real bargain. If not in cash, then in headaches heartaches and sweat equity.
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nerys
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Grr

If there is NO RUST and compression does in fact indicate a rebuild was done (numbers around or over 200) then that is a REALLY REALLY nice looking metro. it looks almost squeaky clean.

if you have the cash I would say get it AFTER AFTER AFTER you validate (with your keys) there is no rust. take your house key and JAB the frame horns in a few places really hard. if there is no give (ie rust inside) and you see no rust anywhere else and all else looks good.

well that is a very pretty metro and 150,000 is not a lot of miles and it looks VERY clean.

I can not afford a $2500 metro. if I could I might buy that one.
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