Would you get a Geo Metro?

[Rogue]

Metro's are junk, but Geo Prizm's are great. It's a rebadged Corolla with about half the resale value. I drive a 96 for work. 201k on the clock with a manual tranny. It get's between 1k and 2k per week added. It's not quick, but it does about 36 mpg.

And it only cost $300.

 

[DenverCruiser]

Uhhh, NO! You might as well drive a motorcycle, just as safe in my opinion. All I see when I see those cars is "DEATH TRAP" your life is worth more than a few bucks on gas isnt it?

 

[gbell210]

Any helpful info on a Daewoo Lanos?

LOL.. nevermind... just looked at Consumer guide.. they actually give 1's? http://auto.consumerguide.com/Auto/Used/reviews/full/index.cfm/id/2448/act/usedcarreviewreliability/

 

[G_Stratton]

My mom bought a GEO Metro new in 93 and is still using it. It has always been her only car, is still getting 45mpg and I think it has about 130k miles on it. She is also fanatical about having the maintenance done on it.

I have a 97 model, Ford Escort Wagon I bought new in 96. I have 170k miles on it and am getting 35mpg out of it. I'm also a little fanatical about the maintenance on it too.

I've been told that both of these cars are crap and should have died long ago. I guess a little maintenance over time can go a long way to keeping any car working well.

btw - neither car has had any major work done to it.

I would consider both of these again if I was looking for a cheep gas-miser car.

What I’m really saying is buy a new car with good gas mileage, keep up on the maintenance and use it for 200 to 300K miles. Get your value out of using it not re-selling it.

Guy

 

[cary]

No way is a 525 gonna cost you less to keep than a corrolla. The maintenance and regular repairs will drive the cost of ownership way up.

I was recently looking at putting an engine in a 535. Common advice was to replace all the sensors as they would all need replacing before long as well as all the suspension bushings. It's a shame as it's a nice looking car, but it's not worth putting a $600 used engine in it.

This one ate a valve seat due to an overheat. Fairly common to see these things overheat and blow HGs.

$2000 is pretty common for a 3 or 5 and even high mileage 7 series around here. What makes a car only worth a couple of grand for a 10 year old model? That's the question to ask.

Gumby, who was talking about a 525? I was talking about an E30 3 series, not an E28, or E34, or E39 5 series. Cost of maintence? Are you talking about the $250 every 60k to replace the timing belt on a 325e? Or would you be discussing the $40 rotors and $30 brake pads?

Contrary to popular belief, BMW parts are often less than Japanese parts. The E30 BMW's were among the most reliable cars ever made. Talk to any BMW mechanic and most will tell you that if you want a car that runs forever, that is the one to buy. The next generation 3 series (E36) starting in 1991-1992 was much more modern, but a piece of crap and dropped through the floor in reliability. The 1998-2004 E46 3 series is better than the E36 but still not up to the level the E30 was.

 

[Colorado Boy-74-FJ40]

Geo's are like Mopeds and Fat ladies.
It's ok to ride in/on them as long as no one sees you doing it!

 

[97 FZJ80]

The Geo Metro was a rebadged Suzuki Swift. They share mos major parts except the Geo Metro had a 1.0l 3 cylinder motor while the Swift had the 1.3l 4 cylinder.

I owned a Swift GTi (the first year of the GTi in the US) for 7 years. It was a reliable, fairly roomy, great gas milage, fast, and great handling car. It's not cruiser as it was a "disposible" car. I highly recommend this car as a economical and fun commutor with the only exception being that most Suziki dealers doesn't stock any parts beyond filters and plugs.

I put over 100k miles with minimal repair and maintaince. Some repairsI can remember are:
Headlight switch failed. The traces on the circuit board melted. Instead of repairing it, I opted to replace the entire switch cluster - no too expensive part but had to wait a week for the part to come in.
Clutch activation arm on the bell housing broke. This might be a early model problem as the replacement part I received was casted instead of stamped steel.
Clutch replaced at 65k miles. This might be related to the high HP, low torque, and high redline

That's all I can think of right now.

 

[alkaline747trio]

SUBARU JUSTY!! Selectable FWD/4WD, 5 Speed, 1.3L 3cyl, 35+ mpg!!! I bought one for $200 just today, needs the waterpump rebuilt and could use a tune-up, but it drove home.

 

[Enigma]

"I can't, it's a GEO"

Ned Flanders

 

[Drinkin40s]

those new Honda Fit's look pretty neat - don't know how they would hold up against the Mom driving the Hummer on the cell phone while drinking her iced mocha latte while controlling the kids in the back

 

[subspd]

Gumby, who was talking about a 525? I was talking about an E30 3 series, not an E28, or E34, or E39 5 series. Cost of maintence? Are you talking about the $250 every 60k to replace the timing belt on a 325e? Or would you be discussing the $40 rotors and $30 brake pads?

Contrary to popular belief, BMW parts are often less than Japanese parts. The E30 BMW's were among the most reliable cars ever made. Talk to any BMW mechanic and most will tell you that if you want a car that runs forever, that is the one to buy. The next generation 3 series (E36) starting in 1991-1992 was much more modern, but a piece of crap and dropped through the floor in reliability. The 1998-2004 E46 3 series is better than the E36 but still not up to the level the E30 was.

I have owned several BMW and Yotas and I would have to say that the Yota parts cost me more! I was a little shocked too. I had an 88' 528e same motor as the 325e and it would not die, it was even COMPLETLY flooded and after replacing the CPU ($100) and rebuilding the starter and some cleaning EVERYTHING worked including the power windows!!! Sold it at 240K miles for what I paid and my friend is still driving it. My 89 735 never had any mechanical problems only the lower control arm bushings had to be replaced... at 220k miles... anyway I love Yotas but BMW also has built some of the best cars ever. Just don't get an E36 they are all ragged out and can't handle the abuse. If you are looking at BMW's look at the 2.5e motors or 1.8i motors for gas savings and oh yeah they are ALL rear wheel drive! The way God intended! IMO

 

[Gumby]

Uhhh, NO! You might as well drive a motorcycle, just as safe in my opinion. All I see when I see those cars is "DEATH TRAP" your life is worth more than a few bucks on gas isnt it?

You think a 40 is safer than a modern unibody car in an accident?

 

[Gumby]

Gumby, who was talking about a 525? I was talking about an E30 3 series, not an E28, or E34, or E39 5 series. Cost of maintence? Are you talking about the $250 every 60k to replace the timing belt on a 325e? Or would you be discussing the $40 rotors and $30 brake pads?

Contrary to popular belief, BMW parts are often less than Japanese parts. The E30 BMW's were among the most reliable cars ever made. Talk to any BMW mechanic and most will tell you that if you want a car that runs forever, that is the one to buy. The next generation 3 series (E36) starting in 1991-1992 was much more modern, but a piece of crap and dropped through the floor in reliability. The 1998-2004 E46 3 series is better than the E36 but still not up to the level the E30 was.

Sorry. Read 325, brain processed 525. Isn't it the same motor (M20?). When I was researching putting the one I have back together the parts were adding up fast. $2-4K for a rebuilt head. $5-700 for a piston set. A multitude of sensors that were suggested I replace while I was in there. Then I was told the suspension bushings were suspect and the automatics were iffy.

THe Acura with the blown HG I also have was admittedly worse. That one was just stupid.

Not a fan. Not an afficianado that could tell you when they were good and when they were crap. seen just enough of them to be wary. Owned a couple of BMW scooters and was not impressed. The guys that like 'em like 'em a lot. In my viewpoint they can't hold a candle to a Honda. Both my R80 and my K100 left me walking way more than my CB550 ever did.

Talk to any multi brand mechanic about which cars will run forever and they'll say Honda and Toyota.

 

[cary]

The 525i came with two motors, the M20 and the M50 based on the year and body style. In the US the 525i was a M20 for 89-90, becoming the M50 in 1991 (there were several M50 variations).

The 325e and 528e are the same block (M20) but use a different top end set up for fuel economy. The M20 motor was really overworked in the E34 5 series. My sister in law has one with 250k, and it has been very reliable, but is a pig. My wife's 525i with a M50 is much faster.

Motors get expensive for BMW's, but so to Japanese motors. Auto trannies are mostly reliable, but they do go bad. I blew the tranny in my wife's 525i (1994). The replacement price was very reasonable, the Dealer sold me a factory remanufactured one for $2200 and my mechanic charged $600 to install it.

If you were to grenade a motor in an older BMW that was used only as a daily driver, I would always recommend just buying a used one rather than rebuilding, but I would recommend that in any 15+ year old car (unless it is something special, i.e. muscle car, collectors item, etc). Generally it shouldn't be an issue. My mechanic just rebuilt the motor in his 1987 325is (M20). It wore out after 350k miles. What finally pushed it over the edge was he was using it as a driving instuctor car as sears point and the rings couldn't handle it so the pistons started to rattle and get losts of blowby.

 

[green73]

How about an older 2wd toyota diesel truck? Yeah a little tough to come by, and the bodies are usually buckets, but.... it's an option.

 

[gladly]

mid 80's golfs can be had cheap, are easy to work on and parts are cheap, UNLESS you go to a VW dealer. and they are a lot nicer handling and more solid than a metro/swift/etc.
metro can be OK. not the 3 cylinder. not the auto. swift is better, both will nickle and dime you, but generally work.
corrolas are good, but gutless.
somebody mentioned daewoo, I had one (badged as a pontiac lemans) that cost me $500 on the other side of the country 5 years ago. sold it in january, he's still driving it. I did not maintain it, (except for its biannual oil changes) and had very minimal/expected repair only
one note about domestic rebadged cars is that it will be a bitch sometimes to get parts for the older ones, whereas if you stick with a longer running model/manufacturer, you'll have a better chance of getting support later

 

[gbell210]

OK.. so I spent a little more $3650 to be exact and got a 2000 corolla VE
5spd with 135k on the body and 85k miles on the engine. That should give me around 31-38mph I hope. I just had to wait and watch for the right price and car.

 

[Cruisin'Carolina]

The engine was replaced at 50K?

 

[mudpaws]

Yeah, what happened there by 50k?

My 2 cents and change- Someone mentioned the VWs (if you can find an older Golf, Dasher, Fox) they are good cars that won't nickle and dime you. The Corolla, Tercel are great bets. I've worked on the German hi-end cars (namely Mercedes) and I'd run, if I were anyone, from those "low number" model Benz/Beemers. Like someone earlier said, read the fine print- there's a reason they're selling so cheap. The Geo Prizm will run forever as long as you change the oil, etc. cheap maintenance. Stay away from any Slaab, as they will KILL your pockets and are built like crap. I had a '91 900S once, and I've never seen a car fall apart like that one did (interior/electronics/fit & finish) with only 100k. In NY here, the land of the BEAT-ON cars, I actually see some Swifts and Geo Metros around, so I will deem them an OK car for a commuter. In my 18 years as a technician I can tell you that, far as reliability, value for your money, fit and finish, and road safety, Toyota is better than any car, even Honda.

 

[PabloCruise]

I would pass on the Geo...

I like my Civic very much. My little sister had a Tercel which rocked, but when I stretched it out on the interstate the front end got a little light and floaty. My Civic stays nice and stable @ 75+.

BTW, I am renting a brand new Corolla right now, and I can't say I am overly impressed... First thing that annoyed me was a passenger side seat monitor that started beeping at me cause I put my courier bag on the seat w/o buckling it in. It is very easy to hit the windsheild wipers when you go to adjust the cruise. The radio is too far away. I wear 42 long, so I have some gorilla arms and I still have to stretch to reach the muthaf*cking radio. I think the weirdest thing is that when I drop/raise the DS sunvisor, it hits the rearview mirror and knocks it out of adjustment! I was amazed that Toyota did that!!! It has 13k on it, so I guess someone could have broken off the orig, but it looks like a factory mirror. Brakes are adequate. Suspension/steering are not overly stable at 80 MPH - there is body roll. On my only fill-up I logged 32 MPG. It is transportation, but I would rather roll out in my decade old Civic that likes to be beaten like a red-headed step child.

Good luck!