Getting a '91 Metro

[theycallmeebryan]

Thursday i'm going to look at a (eco) Green 1991 Geo Metro 3cyl 5spd car and will most likely drive it home. It has 160,000 miles on it, the owner has recently had numerous services done to the car (oil, filters, emissions parts, spark plugs and wires, etc). No leaks. He has also replaced the battery, alternator, and starter. He says the car looks fine, body is straight with a replacement primered front left fender and hood (he hasnt been in an accident, he bought the car like that)... and only surface rust on the inside of the drivers side door (i can live with that). Only problem with the car is that he said his mechanic thinks there is a "short" somewhere and sometimes the battery dies. Since he replaced all the eletricals, it could possibly be something in the fuse box drawing power while the car is off?

Basically i'd like to hear from other Metro owners what to look out for being a first time metro owner. Etc etc.

Thanks.

[Bicycle Bob]

Check the compression, advance the timing all the way, and enjoy. Electrical faults are more often a corroded connection. Have a look wherever wires can rub, or narrow down the trouble by pulling half the fuses at a time, then a quarter, and so on. The best cure for the interior noise, and the risk of stereo theft, is a headset. Welcome to the club!

[MetroMPG]

Even if the body panels look OK, get under the front end and inspect the control arm mounts very closely for corrosion. It's these cars' achilles heels if they've lived in salty winter conditions.

Everything else is (relatively) easily fixable.

[Johnny Mullet]

Buyer's Guide.............
Buyer's Info

[theycallmeebryan]

Johnny, thank you so much for that information. That write-up is exactly the kind of thing i was looking for. I will use that info when i go look at the car!

[theycallmeebryan]

The owner sent me pictures of the car:







What do you guys think?

[Bicycle Bob]

Very nice, so far. Do have a good look at those front control arm mounts, though. They are the only really tough repair.

[MetroMPG]

Agreed. And the amount of rust on the door suggests it may not be pretty underneath.

A visual inspection isn't enough (unless you see obvious holes). You may need to poke a little. Here's what the ForkenSwift's control arm mounts - which looked OK -- turned into with a little poking/grinding:



They were repaired. See:

Electric car conversion: Project ForkenSwift

[Bicycle Bob]

Jeepers! All-black bumpers! It could be an XFI. Do look up the serial number, or check for other indications.

[theycallmeebryan]

The VIN indicates its a base model 91' Metro manufactured in Canada.

2c1mr246xm6721096