[90metro]

I've purchased, rehabbed and sold only one Geo Metro since "I got into the game" last year, and I left the car better than I found it. Fortunately it was mechanically sound and only needed cleaned, ironed and pressed. And I think I only profited $200 or so, which was what my time and labor added up to. But last summer I purchased a 1992 Geo Metro automatic with air for $200. It has over 220k miles and leaks oil but drives really well. It had a rusted out control arm stand which I had rewelded, because I really wanted to see this car on the road. I then saw on Craigslist somebody selling a 1994 4-door Metro for $1800. The picture looked really nice on the internet so I drove to take a look. The car drove nice and looked good inside and out......until I climbed under the car. Man, what a rust bucket! On top of all that, the front left control arm/stand had rivets and u-joints holding it together!! If I would have tried to drive it home...one pothole and I'm a goner! Anyway, I felt sorry for the guy because it was sold to him in that condition by a "friend." He sold it to me for $400 for parts. Shoot, the tires were new 155s and it had a new Jensen CD player with Ipod hookup.....that alone was worth the cost. Once I'm done stripping it down I'll scrap the rest. I'm also transferring the engine (which only has 80k miles) into the aforementioned 1992.

Bottom line: If you're leaving something better than you found it, God bless you. But if somebody resorts to duct taping the control arm stand just to sell it to some poor sap who doesn't know any better, there's a table reserved for them in Cafe Hell !!