High fuel economy older model vehicles, like the Geo Metro are making a comeback, getting scarfed up on eBay & Craigslist in increasing numbers apparently. 40 MPG without the cost of a new or used Prius. Hard to knock it, financially, but I haven't the heart to look up the tailpipe emissions... probably not THAT bad given it's such a small car, right? (I hope.)

 

Got a couple of friends with Metros. They seem to love em, especially now with the higher fuel prices. They are not as posh or as safe as current hybrids but they can certainly save some gas on the cheap. The Metro was dirt cheap to buy before gas went up.

 

I rented one once to get from Birmingham to Huntsville ... a tin box powered by what sounded like twin motorcycle engines bolted together. Slightly hung-over, the vehicle matched our mood.

Bob Wilson

 

The high mpg version of the Geo Metro has a 3-cylinder engine and 49 hp.

You get half a car, and you pay half as much for gas.

 

As the saying goes, when you have to get there in the worst possible way . . .

 

Looking back, I rented a Suzuki Swift hatchback in the Summer of 2001 (thinking this is a sibling to the Geo, Firefly, and the rest), and a highway trip got me around 32 MPG (US). Gas was less than half what it is today, but I'm surprised by this modest result. Driving it was a real compromise of comfort and relative safety. I don't need to look back for inspiration; My hybrid is better than that car in every possible way and I don't need to drive highway to look competitive.

 

I drove an 85 civic in college which regularly got 40 mpg. It was fund to drive and got such great mileage because it weighed 1700 pounds, almost half what my Civic hybrid weighs.

 

I had 3 friends that owned Geo Metros. The replacement/maintenance parts were very expensive. Surprisingly expensive vs. other more popular Japanese cars. The motor seems to be a throwaway motor after 120k or so.

They get great gas mileage in the city. But the problem with MPG on the highway is that you need to buzz these suckers really high into the RPMs to keep up with everyone. Unless you drive at 55 mph on the dot (and **** off everyone on the road and encouraging people to cut you off), you'll get about the same MPG as a Corvette C5 (which have been known to get 32-35 mpg highway with a 6spd and 2.73 gears).

I recently rented a Toyota Echo, Chevy Aveo (or Avia, or w/e crap) and a Dodge Neon....driving all over the South for work and almost all highway. MPG highway ranges from 30-33 MPG b/c I was driving around 70-80 MPH and sometimes 65mph (which may account for the 33 mpg). RPM was always way up there around 3300-3800 rpm or so. And I floored it a lot to pass people.

Doing the same in my V8 Trans Am convertible (but RPM at 1300-2100), I'd usually get 27-29 MPG with the best ever of 31.5 cruising. If I had a 6spd instead of Auto, and non convertible, it should do better.

Unless the Metro is dirt cheap and not going to require repairs, I would rather get an Echo or a Civic for a little more instead.

$5000 - 7000 for a Geo Metro? That's really dumb.

 

I'd hafta agree that paying a premium for a car like the Metro is kinda silly. Paying extra for a car that lacks features? My friends that have them paid next to nothing for em.

One cool thing is that you can hoist the 3cyl aluminum engine out with your arms (easy). One friend just rebuilt his head, it had a burnt valve in one cylinder. I guess they are pretty easy to work on.....

 

"$5000 - 7000 for a Geo Metro? That's really dumb."

Especially considering that they sold for $7,000 - $9,000 new!