1994 Geo Metro 4-door 1.0 Liter from North America
Summary:
Can't beat it!
Faults:
Snapped timing belt-replaced.
Replaced rear wheel bearing twice
Replaced front half-axels
Replaced front brake rotors
Replaced head gasket
Replaced heater core.
General Comments:
It is a low performance car, but I don't drive it on a race track. I drive 50 miles each way to work and average about 45 miles/gallon. I'm an aggressive driver and have no mercy on the engine or chasis. The only time it's left me "high and dry" was when I "revved 'er to the moon" and snapped the timing belt... this was at 150,000 miles. The cool thing is I didn't destroy the valves or head. I simply installed a new timing belt and I was back in business; a 1 hour job. The other major problem was caused by a leaky heater core. The motor overheated and I blew the head gasket. I removed the head and, to my surprise, the valve seats were not cracked. I Installed a new gasket without resurfacing the head; a 4.5 hour job. The engine on these cars is bullet proof. I run it hard, I mean hard, and it doesn't smoke or lose oil between the 5000 mile interval oil changes. I do, however, wear out chasis and drive parts (Tires, brakes, wheel bearing), but I can accept that. I bought the thing for $1,500. I am money ahead on the little death-trap. I read on the internet somewhere, the reason GM stopped making these things is because they made them to efficient, there was no profit to them.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know
Review Date: 22nd June, 2006
23rd Jun 2006, 17:30
Let me see if I understand this: they made them too efficient so there was no profit in them? And this made sense to you?