Nerd Alert! Geo Metro: the new "it" car?
It's not uncommon for owners of the late, lamented Geo Metro XFI, which USA Today refers to as "nerdy," to report fuel mileage rivaling and sometimes beating hybrids such as the Toyota Prius. The lightweight structure and very small engines - just three-cylinders and 49 horsepower for the Metro - allow these little runabouts to post great mileage figures. With gas prices at an all-time high, the efficiency of vehicles like the Metro, Ford Fiesta and Apsire and Hyundai Excel is raising their prices to levels sometimes above what they cost new. Don't believe us? Check out this recent eBay auction for a low mileage Metro and see for yourself.
So, should you be running out and purchasing a used fuel-sipper of your very own? Maybe, but consider that these vehicles would not be able to meet the safety regulations required by law today and the fact that they would likely not pass current emissions requirements. Additionally, the fuel savings of these vehicles makes for pretty poor performance. At AutoblogGreen, we're apt to overlook some of these deficiencies in the name of efficiency, but we also recognize that older vehicles such as these can present problems to their future owners. Our advice, therefore, would be to look hard in order to find a good deal if you're really interested in the ultimate in fuel savings, and remember not to discount the first-generation Toyota Prius in your search.
[Source: eBay Motors, U.S. News]
Reader Comments (Page 2 of 6)
Marianne 2:59PM (5/19/2008)
I too owned a great 1993 Ford Escort which ran 240,000 miles until it cried for mercy. Very low repairs (I take good maintainance care) and gas mileage mid thirties in the city. Why can't Ford just duplicate that car now? Also, I have a 2001 Saturn SC2 which gave me 40 mpg highway and 30 mpg city until recently (age is showing at 165,000). Why is it that Saturn cannot produce that mpg in its current models? These American car manufacturers don't have an ounce of common sence. Be smart, boys, and get those old model plans out of the file cabinet and make decent mpg cars!
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kenstroh 3:24PM (5/19/2008)
I laugh (or should I cry) when GM boasts about how great the MPG of some car is, and it turns out to be 28 or 30! An American Revolution - hah! The Metro Xfi was around in the early 90's and got 53 CITY / 58 HIGHWAY. If GM could produce that great MPG 15 YEARS AGO, then with more modern technology, why can it not exceed it now? By the way, to get 53/58, you had to get the Xfi version of the Metro, which means stick, no A/C and a plain radio. But if you can deal with that.... good mpg!
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Bill 3:28PM (5/19/2008)
I owned a 1995 Geo Metro. It legitimately got over 30 mpg but I was afraid to drive it. The small engine was seriously too small. The car couldn't get out of it's own way! It was a "tin can - on - wheels". The construction was shabby and it felt like you were riding in something made in your father's garage. It's lack of torque made it impossible to pull out into traffic. I was constantly hearing the horns of other drivers.
I never had a good day driving it !
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Pam Stevens 3:40PM (5/19/2008)
I've been driving a 96 Geo Metro for 6 1/2 years. It had 72,OOO miles on it when I got it, and is now at 125,000. It had been totaled once when I got it, and I totaled it again, and it's still a great little car. I haven't checked the mpg lately, but I used to get 35/41. I love this baby, tho it sure is little!
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will 3:42PM (5/19/2008)
I bought a new '91 Geo Metro imported by GM from Suzuki (3 cylinder, 5 speed manual, no air conditioning - this is the version that got the best mileage).
After 180,000 miles in 13 years, my cost to purchase (cash), taxes, insurance, fuel, and repairs came out to be 15 cents per mile.
Every penny I saved from doubling my fuel mileage went to higher property taxes and insurance for between the 7th and 8th year with fuel starting at $1.50, dropping to $.85 and rising to $2.00.
My highway mileage started at 50 m.p.g. and climbed to 60 m.p.g. at 30,000 on the odometer and came back down to 49.9 m.p.g. at 177,000 13 years later. The stop and go mileage was between 40 and 45 m.p.g..
At 28 m.p.g. stop and go, 34-35 m.p.g. highway - the used '99 Suzuki Vitara 4WD I bought last year pencils out better than a new car (Hybrid or otherwise) and makes restoring the '91 Geo Metro affordable, only because I still have it.
Just depends on what you can afford.
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fotowmann 3:39PM (5/19/2008)
It seems everybody is missing the point here!!! A 3 cyl Metro can get 45 t0 50 miles a gallon!!! G.M. HAD THE ABILITY TO DO THIS TWENTY YEARS AGO!!!! But they sold us 10 miles per gallon SUV's
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David 3:39PM (5/19/2008)
I'll drive one when everybody else downsizes. After being hit by an SUV lately, I discovered the SUV's win.
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Bernie 8:59PM (5/19/2008)
I own '89 Accura Integra. A/C doesn't work but I am getting over 30mpg and it is fun to drive.
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hankrose29 4:22PM (5/19/2008)
I drive a Citroen 2CV6. Look it up
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Leslie David 4:39PM (5/19/2008)
I drove an 89 Ford Escort for 10 years--it got about 32 mpg on the highway. Traded it in for a Honda CRV, drove it for 7 years and when gas hit 3.50 a gallon back in 2006, traded it in for a 2005 Ford Focus which gets the same mileage as the '89 Escort--not surprising since it's really the same car, but it's disappointing that the auto industry hasn't made any changes since then.
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terri44 8:55AM (5/20/2008)
I have a 1990 Honda CRX with 180,000 miles that still gets 45 mpg. I would buy another in a heartbeat if they were still produced - even without any modern safety features. Yes, I have to pay attention when I drive - look out for the other guy,etc. But everyone driving tanks just so we can drive like idiots isn't a great solution. Slow down, pay attention, and don't assume the other people are going to do what they should.
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mistermac 4:47PM (5/19/2008)
Almost makes me wish I had one of the 3 used Ford Pintos I bought for my kids when they were growing up.Required the odd repair ,however they could "Take a lickin and keep on tickin"and weren't all that bad on fuel.
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kewj2448 4:52PM (5/19/2008)
I used to own a 1992 metro that I bought for 50 because it didn't run. I ended up buying a used engine for 450. So it cost me 500 altogether. Anyway, I remember having to turn off the air conditioning whenever I wanted to go up a steep hill or when I would get onto the highway because of lack of power. LOL. It however did get around 50 - 60 mpg without a problem.
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George 5:00PM (5/19/2008)
I have a 1990 mustang convertable 25th aniversary ed. I get 22mpg. city & 29mpg. highway with a 2.3 liter 4 cylinder automatic. I am going to rebuild my 1982 escort exp. for 36 mpg.hwy.
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John Palazzini 4:59PM (5/19/2008)
more American junk...i've owned Toyotas since 1985 and woulnd't buy anything else.
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JeepGuy98 5:02PM (5/19/2008)
We recently took my wife's 1999 Saturn SC with an automatic transmission on a trip to Galveston, and we averaged 38 mpg on the way there, and 34 driving in town; and it has plenty of power getting onto freeway ramps. All I did in preperation for the trip was spend less than 20 dollars to change the air filter.
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Al Schrader 5:11PM (5/19/2008)
I invented a way to drill for oil inside a cavern.
It makes possible drilling in Alaska because it has no impact on wildlife or plants.
I'm the only one that has this, but you can email me with offers.
Al Schrader
alfredschrader@aol.com
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James Oldham 5:14PM (5/19/2008)
The auto makers and the gas companys are in cahoots with each other. They don't want to produce any cars the get great gas milage because they might lose money......
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Bob 5:29PM (5/19/2008)
I had a 1.8L Sentra in 1984 that 42/mph. I rented a new one last summer and it did the same. Why is it not advertised is beyond me!
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Al Schrader 5:23PM (5/19/2008)
The GEO is last millenium technology.
It is possible today, 2008, to build 60 MPG
vehicles in any quantity needed.
A little home "WORK" is required, though.
Al
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