What to do First

[RedMetro]

I purchased a 96 Metro out of necessity to save money on fuel. I did not research the subject first so I ended up with an automatic. 1.3L
Here is a list of what I have found so far that seem to be in need of repair/replacement. What would you do first?
The front and rear shake and rattle going over the smallest of bumps. No Rust to speak of.

13" steel rims, I have been told (by tire shop) two of which will not balance correctly because of damage.
13" tires, two of which are not completely round.

Alignment is off, pulls to the right a little. This would seem to be partly from a bushing on the control arm that looks crushed.
Passenger side tire sits further to the rear than the driver side tire.

Wheel Bearings, I have no hard evidence yet, other than a hunch they need to be replaced.

Shocks, appear to be original.

Oil leaks from Distributor.

Spark Plug Wires, Distributor cap & Rotor.


Aero Mods I am thinking about.
Tire spats/Air Dam
Boat Tailing behind tires.
Rear Wheel Skirts
Smooth Wheel Covers
Kammback similar to MetroMPG, probably longer.
Partial Guppy block
Belly Pan.


What I have done so far.
Unclogged EGR & roto-rootered the passage.
Changed oil & filter, spark plugs, air filter. Hooked up Vacuum gauge on dash & installed cruise control but not working yet.
Hooked up Scanguage II
Deleted passenger side mirror.
Changing oil again this weekend, going to synthetic.

My situation:
Daily commute of 262 miles (minimum) round trip to work. With almost 5 hours a day on the road, time & money are in short supply. I live in FloridDUH so A/C runs most of the time.
I would rather spend time with my family on weekends than working on the car but I need to increase the mileage. Already spending time changing oil every other weekend.
Currently averaging 29 mpg.

[2000mc]

if you'd be willing to drive a manual, sell your car and get one with a manual. i dont think the autos would be so bad if they werent 3speeds, but they are. a car just like yours, but with a manual, is rated 8mpg better for hwy. if youre set on the one you have, i'd get the front end / suspension / alignment / tires and wheels in order. while it may help mileage/tire wear, more importantly there may be something that could be a safety issue in there too from what you described.

[IsaacCarlson]

or maybe it hit a HUGE pothole on the right side. better get that fixed/ aligned.
i remember someone here saying that alignment can affect mpg.

[RedMetro]

I am not opposed to finding a Manual Metro. Will start looking.
The Carfax report did not list any wrecks, rim damage would seem to support the large Pot whole idea.

I will order a control arm and wheel bearings since I confirmed some of the noises I hear while driving are coming from the bearings.
I don't want to pass along the problems to someone else.

Thank You

[MetroMPG]

Given the amount you drive, I'd second the idea of finding a manual shift car, assuming you can recover what you paid for and are about to put in to) this car. The difference in MPG is serious.

[Clev]

Originally Posted by 2000mc

if you'd be willing to drive a manual, sell your car and get one with a manual.

Agreed. I drove my '99 like an nut and still got 40 mpg. With that kind of mileage daily, every MPG will count.

[RedMetro]

Since I live in Florida and A/C is something I am not willing to give up...
If I find a 1L with A/C and push it down the hwy at 75 mph, how much better off will I likely be?

It would seem that I need a 1.3L to use the A/C and still be able to get up and go. I understand I will get better mpg if I slow down but I am not willing to spend that much time on the road.

Don't tell me it isn't that much more time. I made the run in my pickup at 85-90 before the metro and dearly wish I could get the commute time that short again. Looking like crazy for a job closer to home is the key!

Thanks for the input

[Clev]

The 1L will have to use more throttle to maintain the same speed, so it will be slightly more efficient.

At those speeds, aeromods become your greatest asset. If you can find a white car, it will help with the A/C, since you can leave in on Recirculate and just toggle the A/C on/off as needed.

[SentraSE-R]

This is kind of thinking outside the box, but at 262 miles/day, that's 9 gallons of gas and about $24/day just for fuel. At 22 days/month, that's $528/month just on fuel. You should be able to rent a studio apartment near where you work for that amount, and save a proportional amount on maintenance, insurance, and mental health. Drive home on weekends, or have the family drive out to visit you mid-week. You'll save 4 hours/day not commuting, and you won't owe your soul to OPEC.

[Clev]

Originally Posted by SentraSE-R

This is kind of thinking outside the box, but at 262 miles/day, that's 9 gallons of gas and about $24/day just for fuel. At 22 days/month, that's $528/month just on fuel. You should be able to rent a studio apartment near where you work for that amount, and save a proportional amount on maintenance, insurance, and mental health. Drive home on weekends, or have the family drive out to visit you mid-week. You'll save 4 hours/day not commuting, and you won't owe your soul to OPEC.

There are Craigslist ads here for just that circumstance. Basically, they have rooms for rent for 3-5 nights a week for commuters. I assume homeowners do this so they don't have to deal with an official long-term "renter."

Might be something to look at. I'm only driving 135 miles a day, and I'm basically useless to my family during the week.