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Metro community is shrinking; ??
Topic Started: Jun 9 2013, 11:58 AM (5,479 Views)
espltd
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Tinkerer

The rust thing must have a whole lot to do with it in other places. I ve only seen one metro with noticeable rust on it out here and that was one at the Reno PnP. They still use salt some over there. Other than that I didn't even realize rust was a serious issue with these cars until coming to this forum, but then again rust isn't a serious issue on any cars on this side of the sierra. These things are as common as many new cars around here.

On a side note I went to look at a geo tracker ( Suzuki of course ) in Reno once, looked a little rough but usuable in the pics and the price was right since they are getting hard to find. Supposedly the girl had numerous people chomping at the bit and she would only hold it to wait for me to get there if I agreed to pay 100 over her asking price which I did. Got there and it initially looked ok until I started looking at the super thick carpet on the floorboard. The entire floorboard and lower body was rotted away, and it was even starting to get into the frame lol. I laughed and said yea I ll pass, she was like ok but you owe me 100$ still, I continued laughing louder at that point and said its ok the itll balance out the cost of gas and the 5 hours I drove out of my way round trip because you lied and said the body was straight...... some people.
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geogonfa
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I have acquired many Metros for little to nothing just because people have moved on to greener pastures and better cars with better creature comforts, some came from members here. But, that's alright with me, it just means that it makes mine much more rare...but luckily here in Texas they don't rust out, they just get parked out behind the garages and barns usually because they don't have much of a scrap value...I know of at least a couple dozen near or in Austin that are still driven as daily drivers as well as a few carport beauty queens just gathering dust.
I myself have 7 verts, 3 4dr hatch, and a 95 3/5/hatch...Btw if anyone needs a non-running 4dr hatch with "no rust" come get it, I'm still need to make room for another couple of verts. :D
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mt999999
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Stubby79
Jul 10 2016, 03:56 AM
Car Nut
Jul 10 2016, 02:52 AM
I almost never see any Metros around here any more. They have mostly disappeared. Only ones left are at TimmyD's place, and mine. :lol
They rust out or something?

Cars don't rust here, and, because we're on an island with nowhere to go, they don't get worn out either...I can find half a dozen Metros within a 2 block radius. Not including my own! ^o)
Lucky! Like Car Nut, I never see any. Every RARE once in a while I see an early style Metro, I'm always looking out for one. I occasionally see a newer style one, but that isn't common either. Not as much the case in Virginia, but I suspect rust would be one of the main issues in my area.
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68custom


I liked my 98 just fine till it started breaking on me, plus it had the dreaded auto. but it did have a stronger frame and airbags. the older gen I and II don't survive accidents which steered me away.
and I stick around in spite of the fact that I replaced mine with a newer Toyota with a stick shift. it does not get quite as good gas milage but it feels safer.(slightly)
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nwgeo


See a lot of em in my area... mostly from outside the city. Driven daily and some multi colored, mostly the hood is a different color.

My PnPs usually several new junker geos every couple of weeks, MK1s, 2s and 3s, but mostly MK2s.
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Bluebomb


I got 2 metros and a 96 tracker and I wouldn't trade them for anything. I actually like working on them when they need regular maintenance. They are not the best looking but they run good and I would drive any of them cross country.
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mt999999
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While the forum here may have shrunken a little bit, I have yet to find a more active and helpful car forum. I have tried several forums to find more information on my Chrysler LHS, to no avail. Most forums, even the main catch-all Chrysler forum, were nearly dead, with no help or friendliness in sight. The only thread of mine that was commented on was in the "new members" section, and it took OVER 2 weeks for one single person to comment. Nothing since then. That was on one of 4 forums that I tried. The others gave no responses what-so-ever. You guys rock - that's why I spend so much time here! :cheers
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Old Man


mt999999
Jul 10 2016, 08:51 PM
I have tried several forums to find more information on my Chrysler LHS, to no avail. Most forums, even the main catch-all Chrysler forum, were nearly dead, with no help or friendliness in sight.
that will teach ya to buy a Crying Chrysler product
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espltd
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Tinkerer

If you REALLY want to find an unhelpful and down right rude automotive forum just try to post an honest question on Pirate 4X4. Theres definitely a lot of great technical info there, but they are downright nasty elitist snobs
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mt999999
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Old Man
Jul 10 2016, 10:24 PM
mt999999
Jul 10 2016, 08:51 PM
I have tried several forums to find more information on my Chrysler LHS, to no avail. Most forums, even the main catch-all Chrysler forum, were nearly dead, with no help or friendliness in sight.
that will teach ya to buy a Crying Chrysler product
Eh, it won't last long. Anything to keep the salt off of the Metros! At least you guys are exempt from that up there. I've been tempted to sell it before winter and buy a small pickup truck.
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cwatkin


Yes, get rid of the Chrysler LHS before something happens to it. Do you have service records on the timing belt? Many of these came with the 3.5L V6 which is an interference engine. It isn't really a bad engine as for most Chrysler products go but it is still a Chrysler. I see more newer model Chryslers broken down on the side of the road than all others combined around here.

As for the Metros, I see a few around here but I suspect rust is the biggest problem in this area for people getting rid of them. There aren't a whole lot in the salvage yards around here either. I suspect that they are too old. Most yards around here immediately crush anything over 10 years old as there isn't enough demand to keep it around. I know of one place with a few that are basically shelled out. There is nothing left and they are open to the elements so basically scrap metal only. There is also a place rumored to have a couple 1996's sitting. One is supposed to have a bad transmission and the other a bad engine so I figured the best one overall could be made a runner with these two cars. They want $350 each and I know of the place and suspect that they wouldn't come down much, if at all. If anyone wants to check these out, let me know and I will call them.

As for other "disposable" cars I see, there are quite a few Festivas around here. I understand these weren't quite as bad about rusting out as the Metro so suspect this is why I see more of them. I have also seen a Sprint or two but think they were just passing through. Then there is the Dodge Omni/Plymouth Horizon. I used to see TONS of these as a kid but they have now gotten quite rare. I do see a few around and the ones still on the road are actually in good shape.

I rarely have any trouble finding parts for my Metros, either online or locally. Sure, the parts stores no longer have the parts on hand and you must wait for them to arrive but I can still get them. This is why I keep good used spares of water pumps, alternators, etc. on hand. The only time I had an issue was when the riots happened in Ferguson. I had ordered parts (control arms) through Autozone and apparently that was the hub store for this area. Since it got burnt to a crisp my parts either got burnt to a crisp or delayed in transit. Either way, I had my parts a few days later so no biggie.

I personally see the Mirage as the logical Metro replacement. There is also the Spark and Sonic line of cars which makes sense as they are the GM segment replacement the Aveo which replaced the Metro. The Aveo was a piece of junk if you ask me but I think the replacements are a huge step up. Then there is the Ford Fiesta 3 cylinder. This is quite a bit more expensive because it comes only as a turbo and other options like this but I still think this car would be a blast. I would only opt for the manual transmission as I understand autos are a nightmare on that line, plus I prefer the manual.

Conor
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mt999999
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cwatkin
Jul 11 2016, 10:31 AM
Yes, get rid of the Chrysler LHS before something happens to it. Do you have service records on the timing belt? Many of these came with the 3.5L V6 which is an interference engine. It isn't really a bad engine as for most Chrysler products go but it is still a Chrysler. I see more newer model Chryslers broken down on the side of the road than all others combined around here.
Even if something happens, I'm covered. I got a crazy deal on that thing! I'd get over twice my cash for parts. The 130k timing belt has likely never been replaced. However, I checked into it, and the '93 - '97 3.5's were NON-interference, luckily. They were the last of the cast iron blocks. There were none made in '98, and '99 and newer models were all-aluminum engines that WERE interference. I was going to change the timing belt, but didn't feel like screwing around with it since I learned it was non-interference.

It's a fun boat to drive, but parking sucks, and the automatic would bore me quickly. I've replaced the power brake booster so it stops now, and I might just list it up on Craigslist for four times what I paid for it, with 4 winter tires mounted on aluminum wheels... B-) The engine is leaking a lot of oil and it smokes, seems to be around the valve covers. That seems to be a common issue, so I might replace the seals before I list it up. The pickup truck wouldn't get much better gas mileage, but I could get a manual, and it would be much more useful.
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sser2
sser2

I believe that our forum is as vibrant as it could be. People come and go, that's normal. That's life.
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cwatkin


Gotcha! I had an LHS that I flipped a while back and it was the newer model with the aluminum block interference engine. I ended up having to file a police report over the guy who bought that one and this kinda ended my hobby of flipping cars.

The nice thing about the Metro is how simple it is to work on. I am sure this has resulted in many being saved from the crusher. It also runs when horribly neglected and in poor condition. It may burn oil and smoke and only do this on two cylinders, but it will continue to run! I happened upon a 4 cylinder sedan version at Autozone one day while I was there. The thing had no oil showing on the stick and worst of all, it had launched a spark plug and sounded like a monster. The coilpack was trashed and shattered by the plug launching. They were driving it around like this and didn't know what to do. Anyway, I took a look at it and found that the noise was caused by a plug being gone from where it should have been. When I checked the oil out of habit and showed them how low it was, they just went inside and bought one quart of the cheapest oil available and dumped it in. I have no idea if this brought it near full or not because they left and drove off without checking and didn't seem to care that one of the cylinders was missing a plug.

The rest of this car appeared to be a basket case as well....

Conor
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Car Nut
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Stubby79
Jul 10 2016, 03:56 AM
Car Nut
Jul 10 2016, 02:52 AM
I almost never see any Metros around here any more. They have mostly disappeared. Only ones left are at TimmyD's place, and mine. :lol
They rust out or something?

Cars don't rust here, and, because we're on an island with nowhere to go, they don't get worn out either...I can find half a dozen Metros within a 2 block radius. Not including my own! ^o)
Rust isn't really a problem here. People are ashamed to be seen driving a Metro. They are too busy playing wanta bes, and keep up with the Joneses They prefer to be seen in their new Lexus, Volvo, Lincoln suv, or Beemer.
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