Looking at 95 Metro 129,000 miles

I am looking at buying a 1995 Geo Metro 2 door hatchback 3 cylinder with manual 5 speed transmission. Really is in good shape with a small amount of rust below passenger door.

Interior is clean and it rides and shifts fine. I am leery of buying a car with this many miles.

Would like other Metro drivers experiences with Metros and how many miles will they go on average. Also if I buy the car, I would get the body fixed and keep it looking nice.

If a person had to replace the engine down the road, would a rebuilt engine get same gas mileage and what are estimated cost of rebuilt engines?

Thanks
Mark

Check carefully the front suspension connection points to the frame, this is the weak spot on the Metro, especially vulnerable anywhere they salt the roads. At 129k miles you should anticipate changing a timing belt (if it hasn't already been done) and the usual maintenance items (plugs, wires, cap, rotor, etc...) you'll want to give serious consideration to cleaning the EGR valve and passages as well. Otherwise you should be good for another 100k miles (possibly more) if driven reasonably and maintenace is done.
If you are leery of buying a car "with this many miles" then perhaps a used Metro isn't for you. Concern for buying any used mechanical device is healthy but it must be understood that no one can guarantee you anything regarding a vehicle.
Rebuilt engine will give you approximately the same mileage. I've seen rebuilt engines advertised for $1600-$2000 (installation not included) but most of the folks on this forum either do the work themselves or buy a JDM engine for $300-400 and put it in themselves.

Mine has just hit 217,00 and still runs great. It has been well maintained with frequent oil/filter changes.

Uses less than a quart of oil in 3000 miles and

I have had few problems with this car. Two timing belts, two batteries, two water pumps, tires and brakes. Still have the original clutch and it does fine here in the Tennessee mountain roads and hills.

I am the original owner.

My 1.0 5-spd '96 was purchased with ~137,000 miles and she's still running without any noticable engine issues at 150,000 three years later (not used a daily driver, but certainly short trips every week).
Passing eTest results every year.

Best $500 I ever spent on (basic) transportation.

Mike

That car is about midlife. The engines are "cheap". Just get a JDM. I got one last month from Nippon for $295 plus shipping and it is getting the same mileage as the old one. Some places will charge more for a JDM engine, but I don't think there is a major difference between them (IMO). These are throw-away engines, so if anything major mechanical happens, just replace the motor. I learned this the hard and $$$ way. I did it by myself in a day. I have a 99 metro and I installed an older motor (88-94?), but it works just the same. Pulleys were different, so I just used the ones that came on the replacement engine.

I bought a '92 xFi with 124,000 two months ago and now have 129,000 on it. I'm scheduled for the timing belt replacement next week and the EGR valve and passages will be cleaned out at the same time.

[Dr.Bill, not long ago, posted a GREAT contribution to the science of cleaning out EGR passages, using a 1/4 flexible spring, that my mechanic will actually try out.]

I live on the extreme eastern edge of my metro area (any farther east and I'd be sleeping in Lake Michigan), but I work at the outlying western end, so I pile on the piles every day just going back and forth.

The only other thing I plan to do to increase the lifespan of my Metro is make sure I use LUCAS oil additive with each oil change. The stuff is great. One of the guys here at work has a "3 cyl. Toyota" that has only 3 working cylinders after a spark plug [mfg. to remain nameless] blew up inside the 4th cylinder, scoring up the walls. Before he added Lucas to his oil, that car was using a quart of oil every couple-three days. Now he just needs to top up a quart a month, and the car is still running fine, after 12-15k more miles.

I just did a search to link to their website for you, but this result was even more interesting than the www.lucasoil.com (http://www.lucasoil.com) site:

http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:xKRsANGQ7WAJ:www.stadiumsofnfl.com/future/LucasOilStadium.htm+lucas+oil&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=9

The company is apparently doing real well. They're re-naming the new NFL stadium (completion, 2008) for the Colts "Lucas Oil Stadium"!!

I bought the 95 metro with 129.000 miles. Plan on taking it in and having timing belt changed, radiator flushed and tune up if needed.

I also want to have EGR valve and passage cleaned, can someone give me more info on best way to do this. I am having my mechanic do it but need to tell him what I want done. Mechanics sometimes know it all and don't take suggestions well.

Mark

Here's "DOCTORBILL's" method of cleaning out the passageways. It was just posted here in the forum 9-22.

(Of course, your mechanic, most likely being someone with Y chromosomes -- complete all the other biological, cultural, and social baggage that are associated with that genetic characteristic -- will probably think he's too likely to risk leaving broken off chunks of carbon in the wrong places. Or he just won't want to follow someone else's idea. Or he may just have some other method.)

Miles are not always a great indication of the condition of a vehicle. Maintenance, type of miles (highway, city), driving habits, etc. etc. all play a huge role in how long the vehicle may last - especially the engine.

You can do a compression test if you want a better indication of the condition of the engine.

cheers,