$350 Metro?
 

Hey all, still driving my ‘97 civic and getting 40-45 MPG trips. The FE is great but the car has more than a few problems that need fixing, such as a battery replacement. I’m looking for replacement parts, but I just seen this ad and my mind has started to wander:
http://https://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/edmonton/5-speed-ice-racer-project/1545204975?utm_campaign=socialbuttons&utm_content= app_ios&utm_medium=social&utm_source=ios_social

3 cylinder FE dream machine, or just a bagged out nightmare? I have no idea what an ice racer is. Lemme know your thoughts.

No work apparent in the photos, it may say more about the seller than the car. An ice racer would have studded tires.

Three cylinder/five speed is the best combo. Body rust is the contraindication.

Hemi? Forged internals? Suzuki engine? I don't think so.

Unless it's had the engine rebuilt, or it's all easy highway miles, it's about done.

You're already getting equal to or better gas mileage than it's rated...so unless you are looking to modify it in to an extreme MPG machine, I say pass...

OTOH...I love these things, easy to work on, fun to drive...if insurance for a second vehicle is cheap, and you want a toy, then by all means.

If you get it and need hard to find parts, let me know ASAP.

Noted. I think I’ll leave it, but keep an eye out for one in better condition. I agree with the notion of the info being more about the seller, lol. I’ll keep you in mind should I snag one, thanks for the offer.

Another One
 

Found another Metro. Looks a lot better, but wow is the price high. Leave it and keep my Civic? Go for it? Lemme know any thoughts. He mentioned that he is open to negotiating the price.

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/edmonton/geo-metro/1556269948?utm_campaign=socialbuttons&utm_content= app_ios&utm_medium=social&utm_source=ios_social

High price. Then again, good condition and low mileage...

The late ones are heavier and a bit bigger, hence the lower gas mileage.

Not worth it when you're getting similar gas mileage already, IMHO.

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/...tro/1556269948

Agreed. Looks really ugly too, imo. I’ll stick with what I’ve got for now.

:eek:

I love the look of the late model Metros! And that shade of blue is not only hard to come across, but looks great!

Always thought the looks of them was well ahead of the time...other manufacturers took a couple of years before they started putting out anything similar. Then it went downhill quickly...

Why even consider a car you think is ugly? Someone has caught the FE bug bad! :p

(Time to build an EV pusher that you can have behind any vehicle)

There’s a fire in my heart, and it burns as slowly as possible ;)

To each their own, I find the shape of the car to be kind of meh, and the shape of the taillights to be an eyesore. That’s just my taste, however.

Come to think of it, these look verryyyy similar to the front end of a 2000’s Chevy Cavalier. The taillights are close too.

The ad must have been deleted or something the link doesn't work for me, but all metros had suzuki engines. They are badge engineered suzuki's for GM.

I am aware...but GM designed the head in the '89+'s, and then started making the engines themselves in the 90s, if not earlier, as well as the cars themselves...by the time of the one in that ad, even the design of the car was all-GM; they never got the late model style that we have in Japan.

Even if the engines were produced by GM, but matched whatever suzuki was manufacting wouldn't it still be a suzuki engine?

Do you mean the late model body style or some kind of engine revision that GM made?

The XFi is the first Chevrolet I've owned. Turns out it's sibling to the Suzuki Samurai my brother has driven since 1984.

Yeah, I posted a drag racer metro as a joke in one of my car groups and was surprised that somebody thought it was a Samurai.

More metros! Here’s a 1993 one for $800 CAD.
https://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/...rce=ios_social
This one kinda looks like it’s garbage tho

I’m trying to decide between keeping my civic or selling it to buy a car that’s more efficient. Could go so far into building it up, but why not start with something more efficient at square one? Nonetheless, still in pain over being duped on a Honda Insight :(

Another one!

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/...rce=ios_social

I just seen a thread for making an aero hardtop for one of these. This one seems to also be questionable, though. Sigh.

Same color and year as mine!

Probably my bad attempt at an aero hard top as well!

Oh hey, it was you.

How do you like yours? What’s your mileage like?

Is that metro something rare, in its condition?

They're few and far between...their either well taken care of, or else totally worn out...price is about right for what people ask for a decent one.

(Buy a Miata instead, much more fun)

A miata would be a dream; very pricey and not very efficient, though. In terms of fun, my civic is an si with VTEC so it can fly if I want. Problem is that I don’t care too much about that. I want something that hasn’t been rusted/clapped out, is no frills, and gets great mileage. The early 90’s metros seem perfect for this but I’ve yet to find a nice one. This one *seems* rust free, which is nice. Considering that my floor is falling apart on the driver’s side, rust free sounds wonderful.

MetroMPG drives a later Metro, and he seems to get great figures. Maybe I’ll message him.

Edit: I’d like to clarify that I’m indeed planning on a hyper-miler project car. My civic is a fun, zippy car and I feel like I’m castrating it when I modify things. Starting with a 3 cylinder metro makes more sense to me.