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Chevrolet/Geo Metro

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Comments

  • steve109steve109 Member Posts: 13
    (Sigh)By quickly scanning the posts, I see #172 had(or has) the same problem I have. Leo, the Geo (My wife's car she affectionately names) is going back to the dealer for the fourth time for air conditioner work. It does not seem to hold a charge of coolant. They have replaced the "o-ring" and have re-charged, only for a couple of months later, to blow hot air. It is a 1996 Geo Metro sedan, with only 25,700 miles on it. The warranty expired last October 1999, but the last air-conditioner repair occurred in April 2000, and GM picked up the tab. Here it is four months later, and the same problem persists. The car really doesn't get driven that much, but I don't think that would contribute to the problem. Any advise, or opinions welcome. I am hoping that GM will correct this problem, since it has been a chronic problem. I even changed GM dealers after the second time it failed, thinking that the first garage had a bunch of goofs there who were incompetent. Advise or comments welcomed!!
  • silver15silver15 Member Posts: 9
    My 1994 Geo Metro, which has 106,000 miles on it, started "pulling back" while I am holding the gas steady about a week ago. It feels like I am letting up on the accelerator even though I am continuing to press the gas. It started in the lower gears, and now does it even on the freeway. It also delays before accelerating when I press the gas. I took it to Pep Boys and the first mechanic said it was due to the front shocks rubbing on the tires. The shocks and tires were then replaced along with an alignment. The problem still persisted. Another mechanic there told me that the first mechanic had not been addressing the "pulling back" problem
  • silver15silver15 Member Posts: 9
    Oops! I guess I hit the wrong button and posted prematurely! Well anyway, the second mechanic, who did the tire/shock work, told me the car needed a tune up and timing belt change. Do I need a tune up if I have changed the spark plugs recently, have checked all the fluid levels, and changed the alternator belt recently? I do need an oil change, but what else would I need besides that? As you can tell, I am new at all this.

    Could the problem be fuel injection? Does the 1994 Geo Metro have a computer which controls fuel injection? What about the exhaust (my Dad mentioned the exhaust system)? Could it be something with the engine? Last time I had the oil changed they forgot to put oil in the car and I didn't notice until a couple weeks later.

    What should I have done first? The mechanic said they would probably have to try things one by one until they found the problem. Unluckily, I cannot qualify for a new car due to BAD credit, so I am stuck. If anyone has any ideas, I would appreciate any help...thanks.

    By the way, the car's name is "The Flea", named by my nephews. I thought the name was great and fitting, so I kept it. They had considered naming it "The Fly", but due to its extremely small size, they named it "The Flea".

    Thanks--Silver15
  • inuvikinuvik Member Posts: 163
    Silver15,

    The most likely culprit of your driveability problems is that your catalytic converter is almost plugged up. I will describe the symptoms of a restricted converter (idles fine, but as soon as you apply more than a little throttle it starts to bog down on you. When you let up on the gas it seems to pick back up). If this is indeed happening then you need to replace your converter ASAP. If you let it go your exhaust valves will overheat and burn due to the excessive temps. The catalytic converter is replaced as a complete front half of the exhaust on the Metro from the manifold to half way underneath the car. I replaced mine in my 1990 this spring and it cost just over $120.00
    Just pull your Metro onto a set of ramps, pull the emergency brake and block the rear wheels and place a couple of car stands underneath the frame just to be safe. Just unbolt the exhaust from the manifold and halfway underneath the car and remove it. Install the new exhaust and I would purchase a new exhaust manifold gasket ($10.00) to prevent possible exhaust leaks. It took me less than 15 minutes to do this.
    I would demand a refund from these rip off artists that were fraudulent. If you paid with a credit card I would dispute the bill!!
  • occupant1occupant1 Member Posts: 412
    these guys are trying to milk you out of your money as best they can or else they simply haven't got a clue what is wrong. If you changed the spark plugs you did a basic tuneup. Make sure your air filter is clean. If it bogs down under acceleration, have the exhaust system checked, go to a real muffler shop to do this, not Midas or some national chain. These guys are salesmen. Go to a real muffler/exhaust shop where they can tell what is up. It is also possible the plugs you put in are improperly gapped. Buying spark plugs and putting them in won't help if you donm't set the gap first. The plugs I pulled out of the Cavalier I am currently loathing...err...I mean driving, were gapped .015" too large, causing the car to advance the timing to make up for the larger gap, keeping it from accelerating faster than a DART bus.

    The 3-cylinder Metro isn't a powerful car, but if it isn't tuned right, all those 48 horses you have start working like 20 or 30 and you can't move too well.
  • occupant1occupant1 Member Posts: 412
    the 1994 Metro has throttle body injection (TBI), which has a single injector mounted in a venturi, kind of like an electronic carburetor. If it isn't clean, it won't run right. A can of carb/choke cleaner will spray the gunk away. Spray while the engine is off to blast off the grunge from the outside of the TBI unit, then spray down the throat while it is running to clean it inside. Don't spray too much, it can backfire on you, just a couple squirts every few seconds will do.

    While you have the air cleaner cover off, check that air filter, if it is clogged your engine isn't getting air...also check to make sure all the vacuum hoses are hooked up and not spongy or cracked. Vacuum hose is 30-50 cents per foot and easy to replace. If any are leaking, this will also prevent you from accelerating or cruising smoothly.

    You can also check your spark plug wires. Any good mechanic can look up the resistance limits for the Metro and test yours with an ohmmeter. If you mechanic tells you this is useless, just replace them, go to another mechanic. If the wires are good, why spend $30-$50 to replace them with new ones that may not be right for your car?

    Another check you can do yourself is to see if your car has a cracked head or bad head gasket. This is a bit messy. When the car is cold in the morning, before you start it, take off the radiator cap. It won't burn you if it is cold to the touch and the engine is off. Of course if it is low, fill it, then start the engine with the cap off. If it starts steaming and bubbling within a few seconds, your engine is blown. If not, you're probably okay. You can still have a blown head gasket without consuming water, though.

    I can't think of anything else, but taking the car to a Chevy dealer may save you some headaches. Call your BBB and see which Chevy dealer in your area has the fewest complaints and start there.
  • silver15silver15 Member Posts: 9
    Thanks for all the responses! I will start setting things straight right away. Do you I should tell them to put the old tires back on? They are worn on the insides only but otherwise good.

    Thanks again.
  • cinemafiacinemafia Member Posts: 57
    On Monday the dealership called and told my wife her car was done. She couldn't bring make it that night so we brought the rental in Tuesday and got the Metro back, filthy as an alley cat. We asked them to wash the car, which the dealership does for free, but they said they had no workers available to do so, so we figured no big deal.

    As it turns out, the issue was a faulty ECM module. Fortunately it was not the main CPU of the unit, but one of the modules that controlled the ocygen sensors. The cause of the disturbance may have been an electrical failure with the module. In all it cost the dealership $1400 to replace the ECM module, at no cost to us of course (thank god for the 36m/36k).

    The next day, my wife calls me frantically telling me guess what, the good 'ol check engine light is back on. So she took her metro back to the dealership again, and got another rental. This is getting to be more than a little redundant. Honestly I hope the main CPU of the ECM is shot, that way maybe we can get the heck out of this lease before it's too late. I mean, honestly should a 16,000 mile metro be having so many computer problems? I have an 8-bit Macintosh SE from 1988 that runs better!

    I'm wondering if we should seriously try to get out of the lease and look for another car? It's been 18 months into a 36 month lease, so we're dead halfway through it, and my wife is sick of the sight of her metro. She loves the fuel economy but is having a miserable time toting the new baby around without four doors and with no a/c in this L.A. heat.

    Any suggestions?
  • occupant1occupant1 Member Posts: 412
    I had a dream last night, I had bought a 1963 Dodge Dart on eBay for $450 and got it home and my Geo Metro that I used to own was there. As soon as I parked next to it, the Metro just rolled out into the street and got hit by a DART bus. Jealousy? Suicide? Do you think our Geo Metros break when they think we take them for granted? You be the judge...
  • mznmzn Member Posts: 727
    ROTFLOL!!!!!!!!

    carlady/host
  • inuvikinuvik Member Posts: 163
    I would cut down on my ice cream intake before bed!!
  • silver15silver15 Member Posts: 9
    I did find a much better mechanic who did not screw me over.

    There, I found out that the Flea had a blocked up fuel filter, dirty fuel injectors, malfunctioning TBI valve (thanks-I tried cleaning it and it helped but needed more help), bad oxygen sensor, sticking EGR valve, leaking water pump, bad muffler, and almost dead timing belt. Thank God I didn't wait any longer for the timing belt because once it pops in a Geo, the mechanic said it can ruin your engine since everything is packed so close together.

    The catalytic converter, spark plugs, and firing system were fine. I think the symtoms differed from the catalytic converter, because the pulling, or "bucking" as someone described, happens when the car is coasting, not accelerating.

    The EGR valve is the only thing that hasn't been taken care of as it will arrive from Dallas tomorrow. This has been a major overhaul but the little Flea is now acting like it is not ready to retire quite yet. The hesitation and pulling still happen so I hope the EGR valve will fix it, as the mechanic said.

    By the way, I learned that the struts and tires did need to be replaced but were not the cause of the problem described. I had run over a parking lot divider and messed up the struts.

    Another thing to note: no codes came up in the computer until the parts were tested separately (as multiple problems existed, one problem was masking another, preventing any codes from coming up on the computer).

    Thanks and hope you can benefit from my experiences (hopefully you all keep up with maintenance a little better than I did. I think I learned my lesson).
  • silver15silver15 Member Posts: 9
    I tested the engine (while the water pump was also leaking). This is what happened: Little bubbles went down but no steam or smoke, then the water stayed level and actually started rising. Is this ok?--Silver 15
  • occupant1occupant1 Member Posts: 412
    yes, that is normal. when it drops a bit it means the thermostat just opened. when it rises again, the engine is reaching normal operating temp and you should put the cap back on before it gushes.

    I also think this mechanic may be putting you on, he is simply replacing parts, did he test drive the car at all?
  • occupant1occupant1 Member Posts: 412
    I looked, there is no '63 Dart on eBay, I think I'm safe
  • power5power5 Member Posts: 2
    I just took ownership of 97 Geo Metro. I was wondering if anyone had any idea's on what I need to do to it. It has 44k on it and runs okay. It rattles when started up and I get vibration from the back left side of the car. I'm going to change the tires. Anyone have a suggestion as to what is a good brand? I know they are very small tires, probably 13", haven't checked yet. Any other suggestions as far making it more enjoyable? My wife and I have 6 mos old twins, so this car is my diaper saver car - the money we saved from the other car pays for the diapers!
    Thanks ahead of time.
  • hbrow00hbrow00 Member Posts: 31
    It's a fleet vehicle. It may only be available through the end of the year too.

    The link is here: http://www.gmfleet.com/na/us/productpreview/car/html/subcom/cmetro.htm

    (should be on 1 line)

    H.
  • lorbeertlclorbeertlc Member Posts: 38
    Hi,
    I've had 3 Metro's and on ALL of them, I've replaced the tires with Michelins.

    My choice of favorites are the Michelin Symmetry P175/70R13. They are a premium, all-season, comfort and mileage tire and I have never had any problems with them.

    If you have a Discount Tire Company in your area, they are about $45.00 per tire (see if they are running them on sale).
    Tom
  • cinemafiacinemafia Member Posts: 57
    Hey again all,

    Guess what? My wife's '99 Metro is still in the Dealership Service Dept. That's right, we first dropped it off there on August 14th, which will be one month ago tommorrow. They've given it back to us 4 times, yet the "service engine soon" light still is coming on about 2 miles after you start driving the car. What's worse, it makes a loud, hissing whine everytime you turn it off after it's been driven more than a few miles.

    So far we've gone through 3 rental cars. As you know, the firts they gave us was a 2k Jeep Cherokee. Well, teh second time they gave us a 2k Ford Escort, which we hated. What an aged piece of junk that is. This time they gave us a k Ford Focus Sedan, wow my wife is in love. She's wanted a Focus since they first came out and now her mission is to dump the lemon Metro and get one however she can.

    Anyway, teh dealkership is bringing a GM Specialist down to check out our Metro and determine whether the car is a definite "lemon", and if so we should be able to get out of the lease. Oh, by the way, another woman who was there at teh same time as we were had just bought a 2k GMC Yukon 10 days ago and the service engine light was coming on...same prob as us. Makes you think twice about the new Cadillac Escalade, eh?

    Well, I'll keep you posted . . .

    = (
  • hbrow00hbrow00 Member Posts: 31
    Browsed through autonews.com and noticed some stories from late August (and one from today) which add a bit of mystery to the Metro replacement.

    Of course, previously autonews.com ran a story that put forward the Vauxhall Corsa as the Metro replacement. (Unfortunately, that story is no longer on the site so I cannot link to it.) So a large grain of salt may be in order.

    Today's link is here:
    http://www.autonews.com/html/main/stories/suzuki914.htm

    "GM and Suzuki also are developing a Chevrolet-branded vehicle for the North American market, but it is not based on the YGM-1." (9/14/00)

    As this is the most recent news on the subject, I'd tend to believe it. So we are back to speculating on the Metro replacement again.

    I also culled through several other stories to come up with the following quotes:

    GM will produce at an "undisclosed date" a "Chevrolet small car jointly developed with Suzuki Motor Corp . . . "

    "GM is not saying much about the Chevrolet vehicle being developed with Suzuki. Although GM and Suzuki are developing the tiny Chevrolet YGM-1 for Asian markets, a GM source said that vehicle will not come to the United States."

    As was the case with the Vauxhall Corsa rumor, I am not aware of any sites other than autonews.com reporting this information.

    H.
  • hbrow00hbrow00 Member Posts: 31
    According to http://www.autonews.com/cgi-bin/gx.cgi/AppLogic+autonews.nab.ShowArchiveArtical?id=266913&type=archive&query=YGM-1

    Following the timeline laid out in the first 3 paragraphs, the Metro replacement will be seen no sooner than 2004.

    H.
  • occupant1occupant1 Member Posts: 412
    I'd be plenty happy with a 1.3 liter hatchback Esteem (Baleno), or why not bring back the old 1989-1994 Metro/Swift which is STILL sold in Japan and the UK?

    I'd also want to have a standard transmission. Seem a 5-speed is listed as standard equipment on the 2001 fleet model, but automatic is a REQUIRED option. Guess I have to stick to used models for awhile. Wonder if the 2001 Swift offers a 5-speed? I almost got a GREAT deal a few months ago on a blue 2000 Swift GA 5-speed but they doubled the down payment on me. Hmm...I might be forced into buying used cars forever...
  • hbrow00hbrow00 Member Posts: 31
    The Suzuki (Japan) English language site has the old Swift, and the Baleno. The Suzuki (Japan) Japanese language site has the new Swift and the Cultus (no Baleno).

    I would assume the English language page is outdated, and that the Cultus is the current model. Or that Suzuki makes some "export-only" models. If the 2001 Esteem corresponds to the Baleno, then it's still in production in Japan (at least for the U.S. market).

    The site is http://www.suzuki.co.jp/ , and you can click directly to the Cultus from http://www.suzuki.co.jp/dom4/lineup/frame.htm . No Cultus hatchback.

    H.
  • mznmzn Member Posts: 727
    Friends, post #342 has been hidden because it contains a link that skews our screen size. To read it, just click on "Hidden." Thanks!

    carlady/host
  • cinemafiacinemafia Member Posts: 57
    Hey folks, my wife's Metro is still in the shop, like it has been since August 14th. Whee, big fun! In the Service Manager's own words, "This car has MAJOR problems."

    This time they replaced the gas tank and then found that all the fuses had blown! Well gee-whiz.

    Let's review...

    #1 Check gas cap (duh!)
    #2 Replace Engine Control Module
    #3 Replace major wiring system and solinoids
    #4 Replace gas tank and do repair to fuel line
    #5 Replace fusebox

    So yeah we're in lemon law territory, however there's two problems. #1, GM refuses to buy the car back until the Service Manager clearly states that the vehicle is "unfixable". Apparently having "major problems" does not equate to unfixable, however in further reflection I'd beg to know what exactly "unfixable" is without having been in a major accident.

    #2 We contacted an attorney here in Glendale who specializes in lemon cases, and from what we told him he was almost positive that we had a case and we'd win. However, we'd need a $1700 down payment for his attorney fees. Now, upon victory GM would pay off all of our legal fees under the lemon law, however we do not have $1700 to throw around in the first place.

    So we're stuck with the lemon Metro. We'll probably be getting it back in a few days, and, assuming the "Service Engine Soon" light doesn't come back on, we're going to head straight for the Ford dealership and try to trade it in. We already spoke to a rep who said they can buy out the lease, especially since my wife only owes about $2500. She's got her eyes on a dirt-metallic Focus ZX3 with the sunroof and 16" six-spoke wheels.

    I'll keep you guys updated!
  • occupant1occupant1 Member Posts: 412
    Remember, your wife owes $2500 PLUS the residual so she in fact is upside down in the lease, because in a lease you are ALWAYS upside down against what the car is worth. Also expect them to deduct for the lemon value and the miles no matter how many there are. You are better off with the $1700 attorney fee then paying off the car's value plus $2500 plus a new Focus. You'll end up owing twice what the Focus is worth. Or wait a little while longer because that Metro is certainly unfixable and it sounds like the dealer is just throwing parts at it, wasting your time and his, trying to mooch off as much warranty pay as possible. It may be time to call your zone office if you haven't already, call your BBB, and if all else fails take the car to another GM dealership and start all over, maybe the techs at another dealer will have maintained a double-digit IQ long enough to get it fixed right.
  • cinemafiacinemafia Member Posts: 57
    I hear ya, we've been to the Ford dealership and found out just what kind of ridiculous debt we'd be getting into due to negative equity. Yikes!

    Well we got the Metro back on Wednesday night, and when they gave it to us we heard a really loud "scrape" coming from the driver's side door as the serviceman opened it. We checked it out, and for some god unknown reason the driver's side door had been miss-aligned and would not even close all the way. We complained to the manager and they kept it overnight again. Thursday morning we picked it up, the door was fixed. Of course we had no explanation as to how it had been miss-aligned in the first place!

    The engine light is no longer coming on so "apparently" the problem has been fixed. Still, I don't feel any overwhelming sense of reliability from the Metro. It seems as if a suit will hold no water now, and trading it in as you pointed out would be an exercise in debt expansion. However, my wife is still fed up with her car, not only due to the numerous failures over the last 18 months but just the fact that she's stuck in a tiny 2-door car with no a/c and 55 horsepower while lugging around a new baby up and down L.A. mountains in the late summer heat. Yeah I know, then why did we get the car? Well I could go into detail as to what led up to getting the Metro, but I'll suffice to say the car we had broke down, we needed cheap, fuel-efficient transportation and we needed it quick. We didn't want to have to worry about the pitfalls of a used vehicle so we went with a new Metro. Oh, and no we didn't plan on getting pregnant. So there you go, our saga...

    I'll let you know what happens as it happens!
  • occupant1occupant1 Member Posts: 412
    make sure the check engine light comes on before you start the car. If it doesn't, then your service people just disconnected the bulb and your car is still broken...it should come on with ignition on and engine not running, then go out when you start it.
  • occupant1occupant1 Member Posts: 412
    so you leased the Metro for 36 months, still owe $2500 plus the residual, and it has no air? Is it broken or does it simply not have air? If it had air I would be more interested. So how much do you owe total?
  • cinemafiacinemafia Member Posts: 57
    The dealership said the exact same thing about the a/c, lol. No it never had a/c, it was a base model Metro. I know, I know, whenever we tell people that they look at us like we're crazy!

    Anyway, it's all over now, my wife went back to the Ford dealership yesterday and struck a deal. It wasn't ideal, but I have to admit it was not bad at all for getting out of a half-done 36 month lease into a car worth more than twice as much.

    Here's what she got:

    2000 Ford Focus SE 4-door, 5-speed, Metallic Autumn Orange, all-Black interior, spoiler, fog lamps, 2.0L 16v Zetec engine (as opposed to the 8v split port), floor mats, cassette, a/c, tachometer, pdl, pw, pm, tilt/telescoping steering wheel, 15" alloy wheels.

    The MSRP was about $15,500 on the car, and originally they wanted at least $2300 down to pay off her car and help get the Focus plus $391 to compensate for the negative equity. We dogged them out for hours, and finally we landed at $350 down and $350 per month on a 36 month lease. That's something like $13,500 total for all payments and the residual will be about $7900. I know, it's kind of high for a lease but the sheer joy my wife has with her new car more than makes up for it.

    You know the funny thing is my wife was really sad to see her Metro go! After all the breakdowns, she really loved that little car!

    - alex
  • cinemafiacinemafia Member Posts: 57
    residual on the new focus was about $7500, so total is something like $21,000 for a $15,500 car, yeah that's high but it's the price you pay sometimes. Actually even though my car was cheaper the percentage was worse, so in ratio she got a better deal than I did.
  • occupant1occupant1 Member Posts: 412
    due to circumstances beyond my control I was unable to replace my Cavalier with a Geo Metro. I purchased a white 1995 Ford Aspire with 75K, cold air, and a 5-speed, for $1300. I got it dirt cheap because it was a flood title and it had been wrecked a few times in the past. But I care not, because it runs like a new one and needs little to be perfect. New tires, new brakes, new clutch, good paint, and it was cheap. Back to courier deliveries for me! And I am saving up for a Metro.
  • seymourjohnseymourjohn Member Posts: 3
    I drive a Chev Metro all day delivering auto parts . It is almost the worst car I've ever drove. The trans sucks its got a 3 speed auto, I would much rather have a 5 speed stick. The engine sucks I get so sick of hearing it roar over everyting and is sooo slugish. It's got a/c too and it works it just slows the car and make it more under powered yet. To make it worse I live in northern Wisconsin and when it snows it makes for one hell of a ride no traction at all.
  • inuvikinuvik Member Posts: 163
    Although I would agree that with a automatic transmission the Metro is a slug it is a totally different car with the 5 speed. I absolutely love my Metro. It's the only car I buy for my 121 mile a day commute. I buy them used on the cheap and rack up the miles to 175,000 or so, sell and start all over again. I have never been stranded by a Metro and I think that they are great in the snow. I have been through snow halfway up the front bumper with no problems. In fact in 1988 one of my old Metro's (a '87 Sprint) with a just a set of snow tires went up a hill with no problem that my 1986 Mazda B2200 pickup couldn't get more than a couple of hundred feet up (I had 500 lbs of ballast in the bed and it was chained up!). So don't be dissing all Metro's because you are driving the hell out of a company vehicle that probably has not been maintained properly at all. But amazingly enough, the Metro keeps taking all of that punishment.
  • covington1covington1 Member Posts: 6
    1998 Suzuki swift (same as metro), had the car for six months. Problem is that when I let my foot off of the gas petal sharply the car jerks, this is noticeable when in second and third gear, more than 4th or 5th gear, although it does happen in those gears also. It can jerk four or more times. Took it to the dealer who checked it out and stated that there is nothing wrong, but that is the nature of the beast, because it has direct drive? Car is a four cyl, 5 speed. It is not enjoyable to drive. I have driven numerous metros and they do not have this problem. Does anyone else have a swift that does this? Any suggestions? I am so disappointed that I will sell this for $3,900. If I ease off the gas petal the vehicle does not jerk, but that is not practical some of the time. Car is located in Fla.
  • andrewn78andrewn78 Member Posts: 1
    Hello, this is my first time doing this, so I'm
    not quite certain how it works. Just wanted to
    ask
    anyone if they have ever had problems with a Geo
    Metro's wheel bearings. I have had my Geo for 6
    years (1994), and the front wheel bearings both
    inner/outer and left/right, go out about once a
    year. It cost about $250-$350 to replace each
    time. I was curious if anyone else has
    experienced
    the same problem, I want to know if it's just my
    car or other Geo's that this occurs on. Thanks.
  • lancerfixerlancerfixer Member Posts: 1,284
    I don't know if you saw my post in the topic you created, but do you have stock wheels, or aftermarket wheels?
  • occupant1occupant1 Member Posts: 412
    I'll ask the same question, are you running the factory 12" wheels or no? A fellow Aspire owner fried his wheel bearings once a year because he ran 13x7 wire wheels. Even a 5mm change in offset can cause premature bearing failure, as can excessive vibrations and loads. If your alignment is off excessively, the load on your bearings changes drastically. Also maybe switch brands of bearings. Or use a better quality high-temp wheel bearing grease.
  • inuvikinuvik Member Posts: 163
    I've been running 14"X6" rims on my '94 Metro for 3/4 year now (24,000) miles and have not had any problems yet. Most of my 121 mile a day commute is spent at 65 MPH or higher. I'm running 185/60 HR 14 tires. If I had to do it all over again I think I would go with a 185/55 HR 14. They are about a 1/2" shorter in height. My current tires never rub but it did reduce my final drive ration by about 7%. This reduced my RPM's but also makes the car a little more gutless. When you have a big whopping 1.0 Litre (61 Cubic Inch) powerplant less acceleration is not that optimal.
  • inuvikinuvik Member Posts: 163
    The sentence in the previous post should read:

    My current tires never rub but it did reduce my final drive ratio by about 7%.
  • chevysprintguychevysprintguy Member Posts: 2
    Hi, my name is Nigel and I have just spent all night (6:00PM to 10:30PM) reading the posts in this group, it is incredible how much I learned here in one night about this car than I have in the whole week of owning my car. :)

    I have a red 1990 Chevrolet Sprint 4 dr auto 1.0 L with only 67,000K oops, I mean KM. (I never did understand why you Americans use the letter K to indicate miles? You think it would be M?)

    Anyway, I bought this car off a little old lady for $1900.00 canadian funds who owned it brand new and only put 6000 KM a year on it. She ended up buying a 2000 suzuki swift to replace this one. Was this a good deal for me you think?

    The only problems I have come up with so far is the muffler needed to be replaced for $58.00 CAD and the transmission (which is going to be looked at this upcoming Tuesday by a GM dealer) has a shift problem. In drive it stays in drive when you start up from a stand still, but if its in 2nd, it starts from a stop in first like it should and shifts to 2nd. Should I take it to the dealer or just a tranny shop? What does everyone think it might be so I have a rough idea on what I could be looking at? Also is this inherant in the metro auto trannies?

    There is also a wearing road sound when the car is in motion, but thanks to this info page I am pretty sure its the tires or the rear shocks. Also, there is a little electrical clicking noise coming from the TB injector, I never thought it would be that noticeable, but it is.

    Thanks to all for reading this and thanks to the regulars who are here a lot helping the new sprint/metro owners.


    Nigel.
  • cinemafiacinemafia Member Posts: 57
    Uh....I think you're a little confused. Americans do not use the letter "K" to indicate miles, they use it just like anyone familiar with the metric system does, to abbreviate the prefix "kilo" meaning "thousand". Thus, 67.5k = 67,500. You may be confused because Americans don't usually use anything to denote miles, so when we talk about a car's mileage we just say it has 67.5k because we already assume that we're talking miles, not kilometers or inches or what have you. 67,000K, as you put it, would be equal to 67,000,000 miles, which even for a Metro/Sprint is alot, LOL. "Km" would be kilometers.... sorry just had to set ya straight my friend.
  • chevysprintguychevysprintguy Member Posts: 2
    Ok thanks on what K actually stands for, but anyway, my perfect sprint car was a total flop, I took it into the dealer today as I said I was going to do in my earlier post #363 and guess what? The dealer informed me that MY car was in their shop Sept 9, 1996 for a seat belt recall and the car had 107,000 KM on the car then, so go figure, the owner must have drove backwards ever since the seat belt recall.

    The little old lady admitted to me today that her SON-IN-LAW was the one who had been driving the car for the last 5 yrs and that he was the one who actually sold the car. Can you say odometer fraud???? They sure coughed up the purchase money quite fast today. The moral is dont trust anyone, if its too good to be true it probably is.

    Anyway, I still have not left the group cause I ended up buying a 1992 red Geo Metro 2dr hatchback 5 spd today for 2300 CAD which is about 1500 USD with only 122 thous original KM which is about 75,000 miles. Once again, I have to thank the group for the info between the automatics and standards economy wise. It greatly influenced my decision.

    So, is this car a good deal and how long do you think I can keep this car running provided I keep a good mantinence schedule anyone???

    As for problems, this one has loose front wheels. What I mean by this is when I grab the front tire from the side (either one) I can physically feel a little bit of play before the steering wheel moves. Its only about 1/4 to 1/2 inch movement.


    Nigel.
  • geoboy22geoboy22 Member Posts: 1
    Hey I have a 1986 Sprint a 1991 and 1997 Metro they have all been great cars for me but i was wondering my Sprint is getting rather loud its not the exhaust because ive had that checked the car has 186,000 miles on it and its running strong its just that its getting really raggedy sounding and I cant figure it out also the carb is wanting to cut out on me only in the mornings though when its first cranked..anyone got any ideas?
  • djmick2djmick2 Member Posts: 9
    okay dig this. I found a 2000 chevy metro with auto a/c and radio that used to be an enterprise rental car at auction for (drum roll please)4500 dollars!now my question is since the car has changed owners and only has 6000 miles on it, is it still under chevys warranty? if not can I go buy a warranty after market?the car has been wrecked and fixed (I didnt know it was wrecked until he told me)and my mechanic friend told me if I didnt buy it he would, any suggestions?
  • seymourjohnseymourjohn Member Posts: 3
    Sorry the metro is what I call a "throw away car" I drive a metro all day delivering auto parts thats just like yours. The automatic is slugish and the a/c slows you down. I have ran the living hell out of mine it has 36,000 miles and its runs terrible. The company I work for bought it with close to 10,000 miles on it to replace a 94 metro that someone [non-permissible content removed] packed and twisted the frame(it don't hold up in accidents let me tell you). My sugestion to you is sell your metro and go out and get a good deal on a nice ford focus instead.
  • inuvikinuvik Member Posts: 163
    Once again you have graced us with your "I have ran the living hell" out of my company owned Metro story. In your previous post you enlightened us on your daily abuse of your Metro. But lo and behold the Metro keeps on delivering. Unwittingly you have given us a good example of how durable Metro's really are. If a Metro can take the day to day punishment of being unmaintained and abused by you then a Metro in the hands of reasonable human being should last a very long time. I can testify that they do last a long time. I have never bought a Metro with less than 90,000 miles and have always racked up another 50 or 60k before moving on to another. I have a friend who bought her Metro new in 1990 and now has currently 212,000 miles on it. She has had the clutch replaced once and has had a tuneup 3 or 4 times. The brakes have been replaced twice and has had the timing belt replaced 3 times. That has been the total maintenance on her Metro. Not too bad considering that the car cost her less than $6000.00 brand new!!! So if you want to dis a rig, why don't you try Daewoo, they're bankrupt!!
  • occupant1occupant1 Member Posts: 412
    I can't wait to see what Daewoos are selling for if they can't make up their loan payments and get their suppliers paid. If they are $9000 now, I wonder if after the bankruptcy they auction them off for $3 or $4K. Might be a good chance to pick up some courier cars.

    seymourjohn, it is a throwaway car, but people like me and many others who own them just hold onto them like pack rats. I'm driving an Aspire at the moment, but I'll unload that salvage titled POS as soon as I find a tachometer equipped Metro I can afford.

    djmick, I would buy the car if you either have the cash or can get a loan. Banks won't finance salvage titled cars (unless the loan officer knows you REALLY well). If you don't, well, I only wish I had enough cash because it's a deal. The best automatic Metro I've seen lately is a 1997 for $3700 here in Dallas with 43K on it. Now as to the warranty, call a Chevy dealer with the VIN# and have them check to see if the warranty has been voided. The VIN should start with 2C1MR22 if coupe, 2C1MR52 if sedan. IF they balk, call another Chevy dealer. It's a free version of Carfax. Odometer fraud, salvage/flood history, and the first owner (which in this case would be Enterprise Leasing) are all in GM's records. My 1995 LSi was an Enterprise rental, it served me through 112K and still drove when I got rid of it.
  • spunkmeyerspunkmeyer Member Posts: 3
    Due to a brief rally in the stock market a few weeks past, I was able to use some of the proceeds to procure a new Metro. Thus far it has been an exceptional motor car for general transportational uses. The pricing did seem a little brisk, however, but the six year financing it should make the cost a little more palletable.
    The sound system is a music connisuers delite, and the climate control could not be more satisfactory.
  • lancerfixerlancerfixer Member Posts: 1,284
    Someone's been reading T. Herman Zweibel...
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