A great economical car, nothing fancy except getting from point A to point B
Leaky gaskets at 150,000 miles.
The most reliable car I've ever owned.
Great gas mileage, still getting 40-45 mpg.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know
Review Date: 26th May, 2007
Very comfortable and dependable
I purchased this car new from the dealership back in the summer of 1991 and can't seem to get myself to part with it.
The lights on alarm went faulty within a few months of ownership. (I have had to request assistance from friends for a jump-start more than once.)
One button from the windshield wipers popped off after about six months.
The drivers side door sagged a bit so now it can be rough to open and cannot be unlocked except from the inside. I usually don't lock it now and have to pull up while opening the door to get in.
The back plastic window went bad after about five years. (cracked) I just used tape to repair it. Finally someone decided to help it along and pulled down on the crack while I had it parked so I bought some heavy gauge plastic and did a decent repair job on it.
The muffler has rotted through on it twice. Most recently I have used some JB weld to seal it up.
Overall the car has been exceptionally good for its age.
I have had to go to work at twenty-thirty below in Alaska and had no issues with the car starting. (With no oil or battery heaters too.)
I have driven the car in very deep snow without any issues. In fact I drove it in a parking lot which hadn't been plowed with snow halfway up the side of the tires. I couldn't go forward once I had stopped so I threw it in reverse and the weight of the engine enabled me to free myself.
The car is a bit light in the back end. I had the back kick out on me a bit while going downhill and breaking. (I just let off the break and it corrected itself.)
Currently the car isn't running because it needs a new fuel filter. (I think.)
I also need to replace the drivers side mirror, front drivers and passengers turn indicators, tires, exhaust and possibly a new top if I can ever afford it.
Absolutely one of the most comfortable cars I have driven in. Truly surprising.
Excellent gas mileage. About 35 mpg throughout the cars history.
It is a little scary to drive next to semi's and SUV's though.
I would like to know if anyone has replaced the top manually. I believe you can, but I'm not sure if you need a special stretching device to get it in or not.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 12th September, 2006
I replaced the top in a day and needed no special tools. You'll need a small screw driver to align the holes back up. Take a screw from the trunk deck and get some new ones a size bigger, some will be rusted.. start at the rear. be sure to "Un-snap" the brace above the window. it's the part you fasten AFTER you latch the top down...That's why so many people have to have 2 people to latch the front, the "Tensioning Brace" is snapped. any questions? rabbit76009@yahoo.com $179.00+Fr.
Economical masterpiece
Windshield wiper buttons fly off when using them.
There is a high pitched noise that comes from behind me when I am accelerating - I'm told it may be the fuel pump about to go.
One headlight dims slightly when I put the high beams on, even after I changed the bulb. It may be a bad connection.
Convertible roof leaks where the windows meet the roof. Bad rubber strip design.
Manual steering can be tough when trying to park.
I purchased this car two months ago because of the ever increasing gas prices. I paid $2500 for it, and I felt that it was a good deal because these Metros are in high demand now. They were selling on EBAY for over $3000 in the same shape with higher miles. Mine however had only 39k miles on it... proven with accurate paperwork.
I am amazed at how quickly this little car can keep up with other vehicles. It does have a little difficulty getting up hills really quick though.
This Metro surprisingly has a lot of room in it. I am 5'11" and people are amazed that I get in and out of that car. This car is so small, it would fit in the bed of my pickup truck. I call this car my little rider lawn mower, because that's what it reminds me of.
I am very happy with the purchase. It has a 10 gallon gas tank and with gas at $3.00 per gallon, I'm doing alright. I consistently get 30 mpg whether on the highway or in the city traffic. I would like to know what I can do to get the 40 mpg that the car is supposed to get. Should I replace/clean the fuel injectors and/or replace the fuel filter and fuel pump?
Could some mechanic out there tell me what I might be able to do?
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 28th July, 2006
The 3 cylinder automatic Geo was rated by the EPA as getting 36 city/39 highway, the 3 cylinder 5 speed model was rated 46 city/50 highway. 30 mpg average is a bit on the low side. Replace spark plugs, wires cap and rotor, front O2 sensor, change oil and all filters. Make sure you're running your tires at their maximum rated pressure, check your alignment, reduce un-necessary weight in the car and drive a bit slower. If, after all this, you find that your fuel mileage hasn't improved, then I'd venture to say that your engine is just showing it's age. If it still runs good at that point, drive it til it dies. If not, then locate another lower mileage engine, or rebuild it if you can. Oh, one very important thing. Remove and clean your EGR valve and clean the carbon out of the EGR passages!! Plugged/dirty EGR valves and passages often leads to burned valves on these little 3 cylinder motors, and that can lead to greatly reduced engine power and fuel economy. Send me an email if you'd like to talk more about your car. jason.bright@gmail.com
MPG of 30 means his timing needs to be advanced until he hears pinging during heavy acceleration. $10 says this will raise the MPG up up 42 or so min. And it will give a lot more power too. Just put it back to pass the smog test. And re-advance it after.
Unbelievable cars... biggest car factory in India makes these at the rate of over 2400 a day. No wonder they sell so well... they last longer than any old classic American car. Seriously good cars.
BTW: change the fuel pump at 150k and the filter every 30-40k, and clean the EGR if you have one every 100k. That's it! Easiest timing belt change of any car made... it's a great car...
13th Sep 2006, 17:02
When I wrote this I totally wrote in the wrong size engine specifications. I meant it has a 1.0 (I believe) manual. (Not automatic.)
My bad.