31st Dec 2006, 06:41
Hello.
I live in the Pacific Northwest (Seattle area). I have a 1990 Tracker with a 5-Speed, 4X4. Had to have the top end rebuilt about a year after I bought it (I bought it used, had 123,000 on the O.D. when top redone). Nice to be able to park where others can't, great mileage too. The turn signal/ headlight switch broke (No lights), saw another tracker (1997) for sale, bought it for $3,999. This one is an AUTO, which, in the older years were slow as heck. This one seems to have some get up and go, 4-Speed Auto, manual hubs, power steering AND cup-holders in the center. This one sits a little lower than my other one (Design change height from tipping). Nice commuter AND still easy to park, has the 16V motor vs. my other one had 8V. Having problems finding out what bulb fits in the dome light. Checked the local parts store and their bulb list. Nothing there. Had to replace the dome light cover and a few other things (Nice also to be able to find pieces on-line). Anyways, Got a used steering column light switch/turn signal cluster for $35, including shipping. Should be able to replace it myself and have 2 working trackers (both convertibles). One word of caution. A friend of mine works on these rigs and it is a pain in the butt to adjust the 16V motor valves. Other than that? Nothing bad to report.
30th Jun 2007, 17:20
I had a 4 speed manual 1995 4x4 Geo Tracker for almost a year before a girl ran a red light speeding at 45mph. She rammed the drivers door. It sent me for a mental loop, but I was OK! It bent both the body frames and actually bent the door outward. For a Wisconsin car it had NO rust and had just gotten a new soft top. I was sorry to have to trade it in for a 1997 4x4 Geo 4-door automatic. I found I lost the pick up and go the manual had. The automatic cruises right along and I find it sticks with most traffic conditions unless it is real windy. I have had this tracker for almost 2 years now and I am looking for a newer one. Manual transmission only! 2 or 4 door does not matter, they are both small enough to enjoy off road. I run aggressive tread and whine about not being able to play the CD player because it rides rougher, but it rode too rough with normal tires too. I got 32-37 mpg with the manual tracker and get 23-26 mpg with the automatic. Overall the tracker makes for a great vehicle on road and off road for me.
2nd Aug 2007, 17:15
Hello, I just wanted to say I just bought a 97 Geo Tracker a few months ago. I wanted something fun to drive, and boy it is great driving it. It is a little slow, but it will keep up with traffic. It is lowered a little, and has after market wheels wider than the ones that came on it, so it makes it a little harder to steer at real slow speeds. But overall, it's a great little SUV.
17th Dec 2008, 06:21
I live in Detroit where we seem to endure pretty much every and any type of road condition possible. Having an 02' SVT Focus as my daily driver and a Toyota Supra weekend driver, I never thought I'd find myself buying a Geo Tracker. With quite a few years of racing and simple day-to-day driving in Detroit I can honestly say that I have never driven something quite as fun nor as impressive as the 4x4 Geo Tracker.
A buddy and I bought this 1990 tracker with 153000 miles on it for $150 three days ago. The little 4x4 stick-shift has the looks of a $150 car complete with rust nearly everywhere on the body, leaking engine gaskets, and a hood with broken hinges being held on by nothing but the latch itself. This all due to poor care by previous Michigan owners.
When we came to look at it, the owner explained he was selling due to the clutch cable mount ripping through the fire wall (due to rust of course). The car wouldn't start due to the clutch switch not being depressed because the now ripped-through cable mount took the tension off the pedal. I was able to throw all my doubts aside when we manually depressed the switch and, after 3 weeks of sitting, the rust bucket started up and purred with no problems what-so-ever.
In the past three days we have towed it home, welded up an exhaust with a $20 Cherry Bomb muffler, fabbed up a bit of 1/8" plate for the clutch mount to bolt to and welded it in place of the ripped firewall, replaced the oil pan and valve cover gaskets, changed the oil and filter, installed new spark plugs, and replaced any blown driving lights.
With only putting about $50, yes only $50, into this Tracker, I was able to plow through the unexpected 8" of snow we got last night with ease. I felt FAR more comfortable and safe driving the $150 beater in only 2wd through snow than I ever had in my Focus.
This was just going to be a winter car but with it's easily removable soft top and it's fantastic gas mileage (30-33mpg), I'm sure I will need to be careful not to neglect my other toys in the summer months!
I know I have said a lot but that's because there really is a lot to be said of this seemingly under-appreciated vehicle. I would recommend a Geo Tracker, offering reliability, summer AND winter fun, and it's cheap operating costs, to everyone and anyone.
Cheers!
13th Sep 2005, 08:53
My husband bought a 1997 Tracker 4X4 to use as a hunting vehicle, but with gas prices skyrocketing, he uses it every day. We love it. We live in the deep South and the only thing with it is that it gets really hot with the soft top. Of course, everything gets hot here in the summer, so that's not really its fault. We had rented a backhoe which was on a trailer to do some work in the yard. It was attached to our full size extended cab 4X2 truck and the whole outfit got stuck in the low part of our yard. I got the little Tracker and it pulled the truck, trailer and back hoe out of the mud. It was pretty impressive to me.