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Chevy Aveo Hatchback

SylviaSylvia Member Posts: 1,636
For those who own or are considering the purchase of the Aveo hatchback - Welcome!
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Comments

  • fastdriverfastdriver Member Posts: 2,273
    AVEO HATCHBACK pics from the Providence, RI car show 2/1/04. Enjoy. It was just a base model.

    http://f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/fastdriver2_99/detail?.dir=/81c4-&.dnm=eb46.jpg

    Here is the response from Chevy RE: new transmission warranty:

    "Thank you for contacting the Chevrolet Customer Assistance Center. We appreciate you taking the time to write us in regards to the updated warranty information for the Chevrolet Aveo.

    The following letter was sent to dealers on 1/15/2004:

    We are pleased to announce the addition of a 5yr/60,000 mile Powertrain warranty for the 2004 Chevy Aveo. This warranty coverage will be retroactively applied to vehicles already delivered and it has a $0 deductible and is transferable at no charge.

    We are currently updating our warranty booklet information and working on details for getting new warranty books to vehicles in dealer inventory, in-transit and to current Aveo owners. We will be integrating the new warranty information into consumer communications very shortly.

    We understand how important the extended warranty is for our Chevy dealers to effectively compete against the Aveo competitors. We look forward to seeing the entire Chevy dealer body aggressively promote Aveo and its innovative features (including the Powertrain warranty) in marketing communications in the near future."

    That's it. I told them that if they REALLY wanted to compete with the competition, they should also consider changing the 3/36 warranty! We'll see.

    fastdriver
  • csandstecsandste Member Posts: 1,866
    and the sedan ugly (IMHO) I'm glad to see this board being opened. Still only seen the sedans in real life-- will try to drive the hatch when and if it hits St. Louis.
  • drivinisfundrivinisfun Member Posts: 372
    Is this Aveo a rebadged Daewoo?
  • hudraheadhudrahead Member Posts: 169
    drivin: Yep, it's a Daewoo !

    HUD :):)
  • iluvmysephia1iluvmysephia1 Member Posts: 7,704
    got an Aveo hatchback in metallic blue. I've only seen the one hatch and it has the $1,000 marked on the windshield for the early rebate Chevy is offering on it. Looks small but an interesting design, indeed.

    2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick

  • chrisducatichrisducati Member Posts: 394
    The hatch is the only model I'm interested in as the sedan looks like a retirement car to me. If you go to the Chevy site and build your own it will do a dealer search for the model you want in your zip code area. I'm in St louis. There were some hatches that came up but none that matched my options. All were in the $14325.00 range! As usual one will most likely have to order a hatch with options and a 5 speed. All the ones in this area are automatic trans. Can you imagine 103hp and an automatic?! Also, from what I have been hearing at the water cooler, GM is going to have a hard time selling in the midwest. People here are already making jokes about it. Asked if they had seen one they say no, just on TV. They laughed and asked if the wheels would fit on their lawnmower! Chevy should offer wheels like Toyota does. Scion gives a person a huge number of accessories to choose from. Also Has anyone seen if Chevy will sell the body kits that GM Canada does for its Chevy Aveo? At the price GM is marketing this car I have grave doubts. Kia will undercut its price by thousands of dollars. My sister did this last fall. She bought a new 2003 Kia Rio loaded with options for just $8000, Basic models with no a/c or radio were $5995. You see the problem. If the car is marketed in the $14000 range it had better have something special to offer.
  • hudraheadhudrahead Member Posts: 169
    chris: I read that GM has bumped the warranty to 50K on the Aveo. I'm sure they realized that they MUST be a little more competetive in the "warranty wars" if they want to move any amount of the "nee Korean" iron. Actually if they had any brains they'd MATCH Hyundai & Kia in the warranty dept. Even then I'd think long and hard before I put my money on the table for the GM iteration of a Daewoo.

    HUD :):)
  • iluvmysephia1iluvmysephia1 Member Posts: 7,704
    but Daewoo was in the process of collapsing and was bought out by GM Daewoo Auto & Tech.Co. Most of us are aware of this but I'm wondering just how much GM tinkered with this design and manufacture process before it got shipped to America. If it was up to me, I'd be feeling safer about the car if GM had NO HAND IN IT'S MANUFACTURE, ONLY DAEWOO PEOPLE AND FACTORY METHODS, EH?

    2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick

  • hudraheadhudrahead Member Posts: 169
    iluv: Plus it's been our experience with Chev. rebadged imports that the dealerships treat them like red headed stepchildren ! Don't really like to work on them and stock very few parts @ the dealership. Always have to "order" what you need and it takes forever to get it. We had a few in our business fleet and quit buying them for that very reason.

    HUD:):)
  • iluvmysephia1iluvmysephia1 Member Posts: 7,704
    the reason I don't care for GM and those like them. If they were smart, or good businessmen, they would treat the people who buy small well, if that means having Aveo replacement parts on hand and not having to order them, then that's what it means. GM's too big and too greedy and their cars are just too bland overall. A lousy combination and one to avoid. That having been said, I hope those that do buy Chevy Aveo's receive decent treatment from their Chev dealers and GM overall. Nuff said.

    2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick

  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    I went into my local Chevy dealer the other day as I was in the neighborhood and asked if they had any Aveos in yet. I explained I had been in about 6 weeks ago and was told they should have some in 4-6 weeks. The salesman said that the only one they had was just sold right off the showfloor. I waited to see if he would say anything else, like, "What kind of Aveo are you interested in? When are you looking to buy one? Have you driven one yet? No? How about if I check our orders and find out when we'll be getting some more in, and I'll let you know when one arrives so you can come in and drive it? Would you like a brochure?" But he said no such thing. Since I already had a brochure from a previous visit, I thanked him and left. How do people like that get jobs as new car salespeople?
  • hudraheadhudrahead Member Posts: 169
    backy: It is just the fact that there is not a lot of money in a Aveo even @ the best deal for the dealer. I would suspect that a salesman would a whole lot rather spend his / her time peddling a loaded-up Monte Carlo, Impala or some hulking overpriced SUV. The old sales adage that "you can't do any business with people that don't have any money" applies here. Anyone buying a Aveo is not a very good prospect for a lot of profit unless they really get ripped-off by the F & I guy on the "back end" of the deal.

    HUD :):)
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    How do they know that I would buy only an Aveo from them? Maybe I need an Aveo for my teen-ager (which is not far from the truth) and down the road I'll need a Silverado or Tahoe or Impala or whatever for me or my DW? A good salesperson doesn't just think about one transaction, but about creating a lifetime, repeat customer.
  • iluvmysephia1iluvmysephia1 Member Posts: 7,704
    above, hudra. That is NOT a good Chevy salesperson, if they just grunt out a quick, NO, WE DON'T HAVE ANY OF THOSE, and look the other way. That's the equivalent of all the bonehead American drivers who prefer to do the slow drift into your lane in front of you without signalling their intention to change lanes. Boneheaded, short-sighted thinking that leads nowhere. I've heard people say that the reason they don't signal IS THAT THEY'RE AFRAID SOMEONE (YOU)WILL SPEED UP IF THEY SIGNAL AND NOT LET THEM IN. How stupid! We are that paranoid and devoid of fellow feeling towards one another that we omit a turn signal because we're afraid that we'll lose our spot on the freeway if we do? Ya gotta be kiddin' me! This thing is deteriorating fast IMO.
         Chevy's fortunes are not going to improve with service like that. Dumb and impersonal treatment from the person that represents Chevy doesn't make a good impression on a potential buyer at all.

    2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick

  • hudraheadhudrahead Member Posts: 169
    backy & iluv: You are exactly right. No GOOD salesman would operate this way. How many GOOD salesmen have you run across lately ? This is the typical attitude with most car dealers. Live for today. Sell, sell,sell and worry about tomorrow, tomorow.

    This is why my business long ago gave up going eyeball to eyeball with the sales weasels. We have purchased the last 10 or twelve vehicles "on line". We get the lowest price we can and move on to the next purchase without actually ever seeing anyone face-to-face. Works for us and as far as I can tell it works for them. Never get any tins of cookies, "birthday cards" or even a short "thank you" but that's show biz LOL !

    HUD :):)
  • iluvmysephia1iluvmysephia1 Member Posts: 7,704
    LOL, you guys are better off buying the way you are, I think. I am going to strongly consider buying online when the time comes to pull the trigger again. I'm a Kia buyer(2 in a row)and I have noticed a general lack of overall brand knowledge from the lot salespeople. Who needs them then? I mean really, we may as well buy from Internet car-pushers then!

    2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick

  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    is the way to go; I've purchased/leased two of my last three cars that way. But I've got to drive the cars first to figure out what I want to buy. That is the salesperson's one chance to demonstrate why I'd want to come back there to buy the car. I guess I am a little sensitive on this subject because I am in sales, and I really appreciate good service from a salesperson when I get it--which isn't too often these days.
  • exzurexzur Member Posts: 166
    GM tells dealers to stop selling the AVEO.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    The temporary halt is over. GM determined the cars were not at fault for five crashes. But they decided to play it safe and halt sales until they could investigate.
  • fastdriverfastdriver Member Posts: 2,273
    all is well again. Link thanks to "bigdaddycoats" in AVEO Sedan topic.

    http://www.mlive.com/newsflash/michigan/index.ssf?/base/business-- 2/1077209644176322.xml

    What I find REALLY strange is that the AP writer John Porretto, who wrote the first article in YAHOO earlier today is the same writer who wrote the above article. These two URL's were given in the AVEO sedan TH topic. When you click on the Yahoo news article now, it does NOT give you the story from earlier today. I'm sure the earlier article said that GM notified dealers TODAY to stop selling AVEOS and that no further info was available. Could it be that between the first story and the second one the AP writer got new info or did he know it all along? Why would he find out before GM dealers who were told that they would find out the reason TOMORROW?

    Just curious. I knew there was nothing wrong with the car itself.

    fastdriver
  • hudraheadhudrahead Member Posts: 169
    iluv: yep, you are right. The cookies were always stale (one tin actually was "wormy") and the cards had my age wrong. Points up just how much the dealers really care. They just want it to look like they care LOL !!

    HUD ;);)
  • iluvmysephia1iluvmysephia1 Member Posts: 7,704
    refuses to bribe auto writers from magazines. I read this a coupla years ago. I remember discussing it at a chat site or two...Edmunds may have been one of the places. If they do it's something simple like a mint or two on their pillows(LOL!) or plate like up at the counter at a restaurant when you're paying...they'd rather just build their business honestly and not rely on the fakey way with trinkets. What backy said was true, though, it's always good to still test drive before you buy, if you're gonna buy online later, eh?

    2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick

  • mht_in_lamht_in_la Member Posts: 23
    Just bought a 2004 Aveo hatchback last weekend. Color black, automatic transmission, A/C, radio with CD/MP3. I took some photos immediately (see link below). Yesterday I had window tinting done so it looks slightly different now. Here's the photo link, hope it works.

    http://f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mht_in_la/album?.dir=/b13a&.- - src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//photos.yahoo.com- - /mht_in_la
  • fastdriverfastdriver Member Posts: 2,273
    mht_in_la-

    Great pics. Thanks for posting them! Although I'm partial to the sedan, the hatchback looks nice in black. Please be sure to give us your thoughts/likes/dislikes about the car as you drive it. Maybe as a reference point, you could tell us what you were driving before. This would give us a better perspective of where you're coming from.

    Do you want to see heads turn with that color? Black is not known for staying its best minutes after cleaning it. However, if you purchase ZAINO polish, you will NOT believe the shine that you will achieve. Go to http://www.zainostore.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc and read EVERYTHING about the product that is there. It all may sound complicated and difficult at first, but it's really not. It lasts like NOTHING else you have ever used and shines like NOTHING else you have ever used. Trust me. The more coats you put on, the better it looks! If you want to see how it looks on red, click on my name above and check out the links on the FORMER 99 Chrysler 300M and the current 01 Acura CL-S. I have been using Zaino since the summer of 98. You will thank me once you see the results for yourself. There is a Zaino topic here-
    "Zaino Car Polishes/Products--Your Experiences (Part 2)" Feb 19, 2004 8:36am

    Make sure you don't go into the OTHER NO ZAINO POSTS topic or they'll JUMP all over you for just MENTIONING the Z word! ;-))) They think we're all NUTS, but we're not out there polishing 24/7. Our cars look great month after month. However, once you see the shine, you'll want to be out there 24/7 seeing if you can get it to look "better"!

    Good luck. I have a fully loaded AVEO LS on order in silver.

    fastdriver
  • mht_in_lamht_in_la Member Posts: 23
    After driving it for a week, these are the things I noticed --

    1. Aveo has small exterior but inside it's relatively roomy. The curve that goes from the hood to the roof creates lots of head room.
    2. Although a small car, its sitting position is relatively high, higher than my old Camry.
    3. The tires are one of the smallest (185/60/14). Combined with its light weight, the ride is a little bumpy. I wish the tires can be one size larger.
    4. Aveo hatchback is one of the shortest. Compared with my old Camry, at red light I have to get used to the car behind me parking awfully close to my butt!!
    5. The good thing about being short is that it's very easy to U turn, even in narrow streets.
    6. The backside looks better than the front, in my opinion. I like the shape of the tail lights. The front lights design is quite plain. But it's better simple than ugly.
    7. It has a fixed mast antenna on top of roof. It looks hip, but I wonder how I can find a car cover if I need to.
  • fastdriverfastdriver Member Posts: 2,273
    mht_in_la-

    "...I have to get used to the car behind me parking awfully close to my butt!!"

    LOL.. That can be a bit unnerving compared to the Camry. It's like they're in your back seat!

    I like the faceted/jeweled design of the lights. As for the front, I like it's simple, clean design. It's not overdone and it's not ugly for a car in this price range.

    fastdriver
  • mht_in_lamht_in_la Member Posts: 23
    Thanks for the Zairo tip. I'll check it out. Although it's not my intent to turn heads (especially the cops'), that may be exactly what I need, because --
    1. I park outdoor all the time, and in southern California the sun can be harsh in the summer.
    2. I plan to keep it for long term, yet I don't plan to spend too much time babysitting it.

    When I was with the dealer, the salesman tried to sell this "dealer polish" thing to a Malibu buyer. He never tried to sell that to me; Aveo is low-end so we don't get the same treatment. Also, when I park my brand new Aveo next to my friend's 3-month-old black BMW, I do notice BMW looks more shining and black. I guess I get what I pay for.
  • fastdriverfastdriver Member Posts: 2,273
    mht_in_la-

    You're LUCKY the salesman didn't try to sell you his "dealer polish". You're ahead of the game!

    "I do notice BMW looks more shining and black. I guess I get what I pay for."

    Not necessarily. After a few coats of Zaino, your car will look just as shiny as the BMW if not shinier- UNLESS he uses Zaino too! ;-)) You'll see. It's the PERFECT thing for a car left outside 24/7. Every rain storm will be like a FREE car wash with NO brushes!

    fastdriver
  • iluvmysephia1iluvmysephia1 Member Posts: 7,704
    in black. I really like how Daewoo designed the taillights. The headlights/front turn signal lights are plain but designed intelligently. It's really a sharp looking car and one you can be proud owning. IMO it looks better than anything else Chevy is selling right now except possibly that SSR retro-truck. That's a little costly, though, so the Aveo makes a lot more sense. Hold your ground-don't let the bullies in the large pickups try to intimidate you at the stoplights! How is the stock stereo in Aveo? Does it get that little import rockin' nicely?

    2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick

  • chrisducatichrisducati Member Posts: 394
    My local dealer finally got a shipment but they were all automatic gearbox cars. I still like the design after seeing it in person. Still the dealer is not very smart on selling this type of car. I doubt I will buy one because of the price and warranty. From reading posts on this topic we have all had the same experience with GM/chevy dealers. I suggest everyone read the Book "End of Detroit" by Micheline Maynard. It talks about sliding market share. The dealers have helped put a hole in the ship that is the U S auto industry. GM is like the Titanic. They think they are unsinkable. Funny ,I see the water creeping up the lower decks now. But back to the nice car the Aveo, One of the myths with this type of car is what someone earlier talked about. They stated that there was not much profit in small cars. Yes ,true if that car is made here in the USA, but the Aveo was made in Korea with NO UAW and low wage workers. At $14000 GM is making a Huge profit. Kia can sell basically the same type car for $6000 less and is still making money. GM has priced this car lower than its other cars but not so low as to call attention to how outlandish auto prices have gotten.
  • dispencer1dispencer1 Member Posts: 489
    Actually, the story about the salesperson who didn't go out of his way to help an Aveo buyer is not relegated to Chevrolets. I went into the local Honda dealer recently to ask about a Pilot.(The one my wife wants for real estate work is the $32,750 EX-L with the DVD player) The conversations went like this:
    Me - I'd like a Pilot brochure.
    Salesperson - Let me look - Gee we are out of them.
    Me - When will you get one in?
    SP- Gee, I don't know. I guess you could try the Internet.
    Me - Do you have any Pilots in stock
    SP - Oh no, every one that comes in is sold immediately -nothing in stock at all.
    Me - Do you expect any in the near future so I could drive one?
    SP - All that come in here are ordered and delivered immediately. We don't have demos.
    Me - If I ordered one how long would it take to get one?
    SP - Oh gee, I guess three months or so. I really don't know.

    I went to Albuquerque to Garcia Honda. They keep one of every model as a demo, plenty of brochures, took a test ride, met a very accomodating salesperson, got a 4- 6 week time schedule for an order - "less if you really need it immediately and we can find one within 500 miles or so", etc. Guess where I'll buy one when I get around to it? We are in the real estate business. Realtors who treat buyers of inexpensive houses with disdain are big losers. The parents or relatives often purchase 300k houses from salespeople who treated their childen right on their 75k house purchase. Same with a salesperson who treats Aveo buyers with disdain. Wish I owned the dealership when this happened. The guy would be looking for another job immediately.
  • mht_in_lamht_in_la Member Posts: 23
    I had very bad experience with sales people. A few years back when internet was booming I was hoping that, one day we don't have to deal with dealers anymore and buying cars will be similar to buying grocery. Unfortunately that day never came. Today, there's a dealer behind every internet auto site.

    I also agree that GM cars are over-priced. All their cars are priced (MSRP) with incentive built-in. After incentive and about $2,200 GM card rebate, I paid a couple hundred over $10,000 out-the-door for my Aveo. If it's not for the rebate I would go for other brand with better warranty.

    The overall atmosphere in the dealer is all about SUV. SUVs are big moneymakers for GM, either new or used. There are those who like to trade in their 3-year-old SUV for a new model. They are sales peopel's favorite customers.
  • frenchcarfrenchcar Member Posts: 247
    Great hatchback and if any of you owned a Daewoo Lanos you will recognize the engine and it comes from GM of Austrailia.
  • jlgoldenjlgolden Member Posts: 32
    All new cars are overpriced, and American brand cars have not earned the respect to sell near sticker price. So, they are artificilly priced high and then sold with large rebates, which puts the price somwhere close to where it deserves to be. The Aveo too, is overpriced, and already has a $1000 rebate. Anyone who bought an Aveo before the rebate came along was screwed.
  • 5port5port Member Posts: 395
    Aveo got a review in April Car and Driver. The reviewer is biased against Korean cars. That was obvious. Four pages long and chock full of info. Here is "The Verdict" from said article:

    Highs: Decent fit and finish for the price. Roomy interior, not a penalty box. Charming "chirp" when you lock it.

    Lows: A couple thousand more gets you into a nicer used car or a new Ford Focus. Not developed at the Nurburgring. Embarrasing "chirp" when you lock it.

    The Verdict: Its a better transportation pod than the Kia Rio.
  • muffin_manmuffin_man Member Posts: 865
    I thought that overall the review was pretty positive. The Verdict doesn't do the article justice.
  • fastdriverfastdriver Member Posts: 2,273
    jlgolden-

    "All new cars are overpriced...."

    Isn't that true of most everything? Don't know if you have any "Target-like" stores in Texas called KOHL'S or BON-TON, but every other day there is an ad in the paper or something in the mail or an insert in the newspaper- 20-40% off. Sometimes more. Use their charge card and get another 10% off. Come on the right day and you get a senior citizen discount. Some days they'll make an announcement on the store PA about additional discounts for that day! By the time they get through, you get clothes for almost nothing- BRAND name/designer label clothes too! It's not just cars! Look at the mark-up on jewelry! Is that any different?

    fastdriver

    PS Just happened to see this in my Yahoo news right after posting this-

    http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/040305/55481_1.html
  • robert4380robert4380 Member Posts: 8
    I find it strange that GM would launch this car and aim it at competitors such as Hyundai, Kia, and Suzuki when based on the numbers it fails in almost every way. Don't get me wrong, I like the look of the hatchback model (I wish this was a more popular body style here in the US!), but for a student on a limited budget there are much better offerings out there for the money. First, even though the Aveo engine warranty was just bumped up, it doesn't match Hyundai/Kia nor Suzuki. Next, why would I pay 13.5 for an Aveo LS when for 12.9 I could get a Suzuki Forenza S with power everything, heated mirrors, substantially more power, and an 8 speaker cd... not to mention that the Forenza doesn't look like a tin can on wheels. No, I don't work for Suzuki... I've just done a lot of shopping around and can't justify paying that kind of money for a car that only has one power mirror and rear speakers that sound as if they belong in a clock radio. Moving up from the "special value" model to the "base" model only gets you air conditioning, and that's about a $1200 jump. $1200 just for air! Rap your knuckles on the Aveo's door panels and you'll hear everything that's missing in this car. All I see is another Geo Metro.
  • frenchcarfrenchcar Member Posts: 247
    Robert, I just drove an Aveo and was impressed. I have driven a Rio, my sons Metro,, a Golf, a Vibe and my wife has a Suzuki Aerio SX and I have a Sidekick. The Aveo may have thin doors but it drives solid, rides better than most small cars and is fairly quiet and is zippy and comfortable. I prefer the hatchbacl to the sedan but want to wait to see the Kia Cerato 4 door hatchback in June and the Suzuki Reno hatchback version of the Forenza in August as the Forenza sedan sits too low for my taste but it is a nice car. The Aveo is far superior to any small car GM has ever made before and I think Daewoo got a bum rap in some ways. Go and drive them all before you criticize them. Im not sure GM is aiming this car at anyone in particular but the truth is they have to sell so many economy cars to offset the gas hog trucks and SUVs under the CAFE standards. They are aimed at commuters and young people but several old fixed income people are buying them too. Dont just pay attention to price. Drive various cars and then decide. Too each his own.
  • 5port5port Member Posts: 395
    in this class of cars (subcompact). I love the look of the hatchback and the concept but GM is doing it again. Pricing themselves out of the market. There are too many other choices in the 12K to 14K range. The last great buy from GM was my 1987 Chevy Sprint Turbo. $8000 with no AC. I had aftermarket AC installed for $700. Great car.
  • muffin_manmuffin_man Member Posts: 865
    GM has been over-stickering things for a while, and offering huge rebates. The loaded Aveo LS goes for $8999 just about everywhere in Los Angeles.

    Of course, prices are different in each city, but don't compare cars based on MSRP, especially GM cars.

    What's wrong with the Geo Metro? Unbelievable gas mileage, simple, reliable transportation. Bad reputation just because it's so small, but as soon as I can find a stripped 3-cylinder for the right price, I'm going to buy it.
  • mht_in_lamht_in_la Member Posts: 23
    << The loaded Aveo LS goes for $8999 just about everywhere in Los Angeles >>

    I find that hard to believe. Don't believe the special deals offered in the newspaper. Read the fine print.
  • dispencer1dispencer1 Member Posts: 489
    Metro was a great car for small town shopping trips or commuting on traffic clogged streets but was a death trap on an Interstate. I made the mistake of renting one once (I used to request an economy car and then take the cheap upgrade - once they didn't have an upgrade without waiting so I got a Metro). I pulled out on the San Diego Freeway and pushed it to the floor. The pedal stopped about an inch down and nothing much happened. I ended up riding on the shoulder for a half mile or so until I could get it up to 60, got off at the first exit and took it back immediately -scared as hell. I got a Corolla which was fine. I assume that the Aveo is a bit better than the Metro!
  • frenchcarfrenchcar Member Posts: 247
    My sons 97 Metro, 3 cylinder, 5 speed now has 120,000 almost trouble free miles until just recently and now has an electrical mystery problem. He operates it at high altitude in Colorado and often goes to the mountains in wintertime. It will cruise at 70 to 75 but you have to downshift if there is a head wind or steep hills. A K&N air filter and special spark plugs made a big difference. However I have driven an Aveo and they are much more car and similar to driving a Sentra, Rio or Corolla. The Metro was a bare bones car but good on gas, fairly trouble free but many cheap plastic parts and knobs would break off.. Much of the world goes for basic bare bones transportation. The Aveo is a big step up.
  • muffin_manmuffin_man Member Posts: 865
    I would love to buy the Metro to drive around town. I get about 27mpg in my current car, so I might save like $30 per 1000 miles driven in a Metro. It would take a while to make the money back, and repairs, insurance, etc. But I might get one anyway, just because it would be cool.
  • dispencer1dispencer1 Member Posts: 489
    Don't get me wrong. I live in a small city and a Metro would be fine but there is no "universal" car. Some, like my Cadillac, get great mileage on the road and horrible mileage around town. Metros are not for interstate drivers. I guess my Malibu is a good all around car. You can pass somebody with it, it gets good gas mileage, and is relatively comfortable. The Aveo costs less and may do about as well - I haven't driven one. Actually I'd really like to get a Fiat 600 like I had in California in the '60's complete with my wife's vinyl flower on the side. Top rolled down and if you needed to rebuild the motor you could carry it over to a workbench and rebuild it. It would run forever on a couple of bucks worth of gas.
  • I drive my Metro every week on the interstate, because I have a 125 mi round trip and it gets 45-50 mpg. It has 120 thousand mi (and a 5 speed stick, so I have never had difficulty getting it up to speed on ramps). The 3 cylinder automatic is only good for around town. Good as it's been, it ain't gonna last forever, and so I have been thinking of the Aveo hatch. But I'd be giving up over 10 mpg. Used to be several choices in cars with over 40 mpg. None anymore, except for diesels and hybrids. Guess gas has to get way more expensive before a significant number of people will buy or drive a gas saver.
  • moparbadmoparbad Member Posts: 3,870
    44 mpg highway and 36 mpg city Honda Civic HX Coupe. More mpg city than the Aveo will get highway. Aveo is less cost short term due to lower initial purchase price.
    The diesels are higher mpg, though they are costly as only VW, Mercedes and London Taxi are selling diesel cars in North America.
    Perhaps Aveo will have diesel someday.
    quote-GM Daewoo will invest 1.74 trillion won (around $1.5 billion) in the expansion and restructuring of its production facilities, new models and diesel engine development, the company's president said on Thursday. -end quote
  • chrisducatichrisducati Member Posts: 394
    Americans have this bigger is better mentality. The Metro was a good car. The one I drove was peppy. I have already heard the SUV set making jokes about the Aveo. Funny because I think their huge boats are stupid looking. Anyway, On the price. "8999" sounds about top dollar I would pay considering I know you can buy a Kia Rio fully loaded for under that price. $81xx plus tax and license to be exact. My sister bought one last fall. As for the small print. Bull hockey. If the dealer wants to move the car he will. My sister was dealing with a huge dealer with hundreds of cars on their lot. I think there were about ten Rio sedans to pick from. She didn't have a trade in or any money down. The dealer knocked the price down from over $12000 to 9600 and then there was a 1500 buck rebate from kia. Don't be fooled when they say "we aren't making a profit because it is a small car". If you pay sticker they are making a huge profit. The Kia dealer my sister bought from was top notch. They will have a return customer in my sister.
  • chrisducatichrisducati Member Posts: 394
    It has puzzled me why Daewoo's get lower then expected mpg. GM supplies the engines and if they can make a boat of a buick get close to 30 mpg why can't they make the little 1.6 in the aveo get close to 50. Someone pointed out on another board that koren cars seem to always get lower mpg. With Gas prices shooting over $2.00 in my area 50 mpg would be nice.
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