Go Back   EcoModder Forum > EcoModding > EcoModding Central
Register Now
 Register Now
 

Reply  Post New Thread
 
Submit Tools LinkBack Thread Tools
Old 10-02-2014, 01:36 PM   This thread is in the EcoModder Project Library | #1 (permalink)
Administrator
 
Daox's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Germantown, WI
Posts: 11,203

CM400E - '81 Honda CM400E
90 day: 51.49 mpg (US)

Daox's Grey Prius - '04 Toyota Prius
Team Toyota
90 day: 49.53 mpg (US)

Daox's Insight - '00 Honda Insight
90 day: 64.33 mpg (US)

Swarthy - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage DE
Mitsubishi
90 day: 56.69 mpg (US)

Daox's Volt - '13 Chevrolet Volt
Thanks: 2,501
Thanked 2,585 Times in 1,553 Posts
1999 Chevy Metro 1.0L 5spd ecomodding thread



I've been on the hunt for a car to replace the 1997 Sunfire I've been driving around for the past ~6 months. The stipulations were pretty strict as I was choosing to be cheap. ~$1200, manual trans, and better mileage than the Sunfire (better than 30 mpg, boo for automatic transmissions). Anyway, last night I found a 1999 Chevrolet Metro 1.0L 5 speed hatch with 120k miles on it. It fell right exactly into the price range (paid $1200), and of course it needs a little love. However, the low miles and great fuel economy lured me in.

As mentioned, the car needs some love. Its been taken care of okay. The interior is in great shape, but the road salt has taken its toll on the exterior of the car over the years. Some general and preventative maintenance is definitely in order. Here are a few things that it needs:
  • Fix rear sway bar mounts - they have rusted off the chassis
  • Weld up control arm mounts - driver's side has a couple holes
  • Fix sagging exhaust - its sitting and rattling on the front sway bar
  • Get 2 new tires - the fronts are nearly bald
  • Clean the EGR valve passages - prevents cylinder #2 damage if it clogs
  • Fix some other rusty areas and some rust prevention

These are things I've gleaned from reading other Metro stuff. If you metro owners have any other suggestions I'm all ears. I'll get some more pictures up soon of the car and the problem areas.

Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	Metro.jpg
Views:	2546
Size:	70.9 KB
ID:	15987  
__________________
Current project: A better alternator delete
  Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to Daox For This Useful Post:
aerohead (10-04-2014)
Alt Today
Popular topics

Other popular topics in this forum...

   
Old 10-02-2014, 02:21 PM   #2 (permalink)
Batman Junior
 
MetroMPG's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: 1000 Islands, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 22,513

Blackfly - '98 Geo Metro
Team Metro
Last 3: 70.09 mpg (US)

MPGiata - '90 Mazda Miata
90 day: 52.71 mpg (US)

Even Fancier Metro - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage top spec
90 day: 70.75 mpg (US)

Appliance car - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage ES (base)
90 day: 60.16 mpg (US)
Thanks: 4,058
Thanked 6,957 Times in 3,602 Posts
Subscribed. Aside from that I have nothing to offer. :P
__________________
Project MPGiata! Mods for getting 50+ MPG from a 1990 Miata
Honda mods: Ecomodding my $800 Honda Fit 5-speed beater
Mitsu mods: 70 MPG in my ecomodded, dirt cheap, 3-cylinder Mirage.
Ecodriving test: Manual vs. automatic transmission MPG showdown



EcoModder
has launched a forum for the efficient new Mitsubishi Mirage
www.MetroMPG.com - fuel efficiency info for Geo Metro owners
www.ForkenSwift.com - electric car conversion on a beer budget
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-02-2014, 02:24 PM   #3 (permalink)
Batman Junior
 
MetroMPG's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: 1000 Islands, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 22,513

Blackfly - '98 Geo Metro
Team Metro
Last 3: 70.09 mpg (US)

MPGiata - '90 Mazda Miata
90 day: 52.71 mpg (US)

Even Fancier Metro - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage top spec
90 day: 70.75 mpg (US)

Appliance car - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage ES (base)
90 day: 60.16 mpg (US)
Thanks: 4,058
Thanked 6,957 Times in 3,602 Posts
Just kidding!

I'm surprised to learn it has a factory rear stabilizer bar. Mine only has a front one. Ditch it and save weight!

I would definitely put rust repair & prevention at the top of the list ... before the salt trucks hit the road in the not-too-distant future. Once these lightly built cars start to rust, they go very fast. Fast as in: one day you're saying, "I'll look after that some day" and shortly thereafter, "I wonder if the junkyard will come and get this."
__________________
Project MPGiata! Mods for getting 50+ MPG from a 1990 Miata
Honda mods: Ecomodding my $800 Honda Fit 5-speed beater
Mitsu mods: 70 MPG in my ecomodded, dirt cheap, 3-cylinder Mirage.
Ecodriving test: Manual vs. automatic transmission MPG showdown



EcoModder
has launched a forum for the efficient new Mitsubishi Mirage
www.MetroMPG.com - fuel efficiency info for Geo Metro owners
www.ForkenSwift.com - electric car conversion on a beer budget
  Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to MetroMPG For This Useful Post:
101Volts (06-10-2017)
Old 10-02-2014, 02:38 PM   #4 (permalink)
herp derp Apprentice
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Lawrence, KS
Posts: 1,049

Saturn-sold - '99 saturn sc1
Team Saturn
90 day: 28.28 mpg (US)

Yukon - '03 GMC Yukon Denali
90 day: 13.74 mpg (US)
Thanks: 43
Thanked 331 Times in 233 Posts
my saturn (sc1) doesnt have a factory rear roll bar, but the sc2 / sl2 gets them.
you could also let another metro owner put the car through its paces, see if they think there is a noticeable difference. my old monte carlo broke its front sway bar, but i couldnt tell the difference, just took out the loose pieces and drove it. probably helped that it had the lightest engine option (3.4L), i imagine it would be more critical in the same car with the heavier, supercharged 3.8L, engine. i've also driven a wrangler w/o the sway bars connected, it was hilariously scary at parking lot speeds, feeling like it was almost on its door handles, and would not have wanted to take it out on the road

on the exhaust, not that i have any significant metro specific experience, but when the exhaust has an issue up front on a fwd, check the motor mounts, as they may be the root cause
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-02-2014, 02:42 PM   #5 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 5,927
Thanks: 877
Thanked 2,024 Times in 1,304 Posts
Ever tried the roll on bedliner, a little rustoleum then some roll on bedlinder, stop rust in it's tracks as long as it's not rusty when you paint it.

regards
mech
  Reply With Quote
The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to user removed For This Useful Post:
aerohead (10-04-2014), Daox (10-02-2014), MobilOne (05-05-2015)
Old 10-02-2014, 02:45 PM   #6 (permalink)
Batman Junior
 
MetroMPG's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: 1000 Islands, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 22,513

Blackfly - '98 Geo Metro
Team Metro
Last 3: 70.09 mpg (US)

MPGiata - '90 Mazda Miata
90 day: 52.71 mpg (US)

Even Fancier Metro - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage top spec
90 day: 70.75 mpg (US)

Appliance car - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage ES (base)
90 day: 60.16 mpg (US)
Thanks: 4,058
Thanked 6,957 Times in 3,602 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by 2000mc View Post
it was hilariously scary at parking lot speeds, feeling like it was almost on its door handles
Sounds like the new Mitsubishi Mirage!

(Only sort of joking... if there were ever a car that needed both F & R bars, that's it. Fortunately you can get an aftermarket rear bar for the wee Mitsu.)
__________________
Project MPGiata! Mods for getting 50+ MPG from a 1990 Miata
Honda mods: Ecomodding my $800 Honda Fit 5-speed beater
Mitsu mods: 70 MPG in my ecomodded, dirt cheap, 3-cylinder Mirage.
Ecodriving test: Manual vs. automatic transmission MPG showdown



EcoModder
has launched a forum for the efficient new Mitsubishi Mirage
www.MetroMPG.com - fuel efficiency info for Geo Metro owners
www.ForkenSwift.com - electric car conversion on a beer budget
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-02-2014, 03:20 PM   #7 (permalink)
JDM hypeR mileR
 
OG VX's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Mooresville, NC
Posts: 418

The OG VX - '92 Honda Civic VX
Team Honda
90 day: 68.64 mpg (US)
Thanks: 475
Thanked 418 Times in 198 Posts
Looks like a great one sir! Hopefully you can get ahold of the rust issue quick and not have to worry about it again. What kind of MPG numbers are you shooting for?
__________________
"Yesterday as I was going in to the shop, I came upon a recently killed Armadillo in the middle of the road with one front leg sticking up. As I passed over him he "High Fived" my air dam. I thought that showed a great attitude on his part." -The Donkey CRX


  Reply With Quote
Old 10-02-2014, 03:49 PM   #8 (permalink)
Not Doug
 
Xist's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Show Low, AZ
Posts: 12,186

Chorizo - '00 Honda Civic HX, baby! :D
90 day: 35.35 mpg (US)

Mid-Life Crisis Fighter - '99 Honda Accord LX
90 day: 34.2 mpg (US)

Gramps - '04 Toyota Camry LE
90 day: 35.39 mpg (US)

Don't hit me bro - '05 Toyota Camry LE
90 day: 35.79 mpg (US)
Thanks: 7,217
Thanked 2,217 Times in 1,708 Posts
I remember somewhere in http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...-5l-14034.html that he upgraded his sway bars, which helped him hypermile, enabling him to maintain more speed through a corner.

I am very pleased that I remembered his name!

How much of a difference in economy would the weight make?
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-02-2014, 04:19 PM   #9 (permalink)
Administrator
 
Daox's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Germantown, WI
Posts: 11,203

CM400E - '81 Honda CM400E
90 day: 51.49 mpg (US)

Daox's Grey Prius - '04 Toyota Prius
Team Toyota
90 day: 49.53 mpg (US)

Daox's Insight - '00 Honda Insight
90 day: 64.33 mpg (US)

Swarthy - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage DE
Mitsubishi
90 day: 56.69 mpg (US)

Daox's Volt - '13 Chevrolet Volt
Thanks: 2,501
Thanked 2,585 Times in 1,553 Posts
Darin seems to think that I should be expecting 60+ mpg without any real mods with my commute. Going into fall, I'm not so sure. I think that might be a little work, but in summer that should be achievable. 60+ is where I'd like to be.

I'll most likely be fixing the rear sway bar. I like a tighter handling car. The fix shouldn't be a big deal anyways. FE wise, it won't be worth anything to remove a ~10lb bar.
__________________
Current project: A better alternator delete
  Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to Daox For This Useful Post:
MobilOne (05-05-2015)
Old 10-02-2014, 04:56 PM   #10 (permalink)
Batman Junior
 
MetroMPG's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: 1000 Islands, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 22,513

Blackfly - '98 Geo Metro
Team Metro
Last 3: 70.09 mpg (US)

MPGiata - '90 Mazda Miata
90 day: 52.71 mpg (US)

Even Fancier Metro - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage top spec
90 day: 70.75 mpg (US)

Appliance car - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage ES (base)
90 day: 60.16 mpg (US)
Thanks: 4,058
Thanked 6,957 Times in 3,602 Posts
60+ is going to be a challenge in the winter. The other 3 seasons... achievable, no probs.

These are my "middle of winter" tanks through the years in the Firefly (not counting the first year, before I knew how to ecodrive it):
- 59
- 68
- 56
- 64
- 52 (last winter was frigid)

__________________
Project MPGiata! Mods for getting 50+ MPG from a 1990 Miata
Honda mods: Ecomodding my $800 Honda Fit 5-speed beater
Mitsu mods: 70 MPG in my ecomodded, dirt cheap, 3-cylinder Mirage.
Ecodriving test: Manual vs. automatic transmission MPG showdown



EcoModder
has launched a forum for the efficient new Mitsubishi Mirage
www.MetroMPG.com - fuel efficiency info for Geo Metro owners
www.ForkenSwift.com - electric car conversion on a beer budget
  Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to MetroMPG For This Useful Post:
aerohead (10-04-2014)
Reply  Post New Thread


Thread Tools




Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO 3.5.2
All content copyright EcoModder.com