Looking for the "best" vehicle for $5K

[pint]

As far as Metro's go, is there a best year, a year to watch out for, major problem areas, etc? I am really interested in them all the sudden!

[Johnny Mullet]

Originally Posted by pint

As far as Metro's go, is there a best year, a year to watch out for, major problem areas, etc? I am really interested in them all the sudden!

There is no "best year" Metro because they are all cool in their own way.

The earlier Metro from like 1989-1994 were very light and did not have much for safety features, but they basically have the same engine/trans setup. The XFi was offered in those years also, but you can make a regular Metro have the similar fuel mileage as an XFi with a cam swap and some tweaks basically.

The 1995-2001 Metro was slightly wider and weighs more, but were built slightly stronger and airbags and better side protection standard. These Metro models are the more modern looking of them all. In 2001 you could only get a 4 door sedan with a 4 cylinder. You can also swap in an economy camshaft in these year 3 cylinder cars also!

In my opinion, a 1995-2000 hatchback with a 1.0L 3 cylinder and a 5 speed would be the best pick. Just make damn sure you make sure it's rust free. I am not talking about the body, but the undercarriage. The lower control arm mounts is the prone area to rot out and make the car non-driveable when it breaks. This includes all year Metro/Swift. If you find one with a great, rust-free chassis, buy it regardless of engine/trans problems. For $5000 you could have one hell of a nice car, but I doubt you will need to dump that much into a non-running car to make it right.

Good luck! If you decide to get a Metro instead of another car, remember that you may turn into a freak like the rest of us Metro/Swift fans

[RacerX]

I'm with Johnny, He said it well. Two weeks ago Sunday my neighbor came over and asked me what the mpg was on my metro. I told him my average. Then he asked what to look for if he were to buy one, I basicly said the same as what Johnny's been saying....Anyway....He called me monday afternoon (the day after we talked)....He bought a 97 2door, 83k, 3cyl, 5 spd, w/extra wheels/tires for 4 grand. A clone to Johnny's. He called today and he's still driving on the gas that was in the car when he bought it Good luck on your purchase!

[tasdrouille]

Originally Posted by pint

I would love a TDI, but I've been watching high mile 90's vintage go for $10k!

There are quite a lot available around here for $3k or less.

[pint]

Originally Posted by tasdrouille

There are quite a lot available around here for $3k or less.

I guess I'll have to look harder! Are diesels more or less reliable than gasoline? Never had one.

[Johnny Mullet]

Diesels can be more reliable depending on the make. The old GM 5.7L for example was a rolling hand grenade. Most smaller diesel engines are very reliable, but require fuel filter and air filter replacements more often and most diesel engines prefer 15W40 motor oil. Some people just hate the noise they make.

[pint]

If maintenance is kept up, how many miles can you expect out of a Metro? Is it a Honda/Toyota like 300k?

[Will]

The Metro was made by Suzuki, so I would say they are comparable to the Honda/Toyota as far a lasting a long time. The other great thing is that the Metro's flaws are well known and documented, so there is a wealth of info on them. Beware though, you might become a Metro freak.

[Johnny Mullet]

Originally Posted by pint

If maintenance is kept up, how many miles can you expect out of a Metro? Is it a Honda/Toyota like 300k?

You can get 300K from a Metro engine if it's taken care of easily. I know several TeamSwift members who have well over 200,000 miles on theirs.

[gascort]

Originally Posted by Joe_Bloe

I bought my 100K mile '94 escort wagon 5-speed for $1,000. It needed a tune-up, but now it runs perfectly. I've driven it a little over 1000 miles since I got it, about 60/40 city/highway, and I'm averaging almost 40 mpg. Important: it has the Ford SOHC 1.9 liter engine, not the Mazda 16-valve. Only 90 hp, but great torque, and surprisingly good fuel economy. ...

I'm in the same boat - I only spent $500 on mine, but it's got 150k on the engine and tranny. Something I'd look for in a cheap economy car is a non-interference engine (like the ford 1.9) - I know the timing belt in there is probably pretty old, but I don't have to replace it until it breaks - if I did that with an interference engine, I'd be getting a new car.
***I would recommend changing the timing belt before it breaks on any engine, however, because then you don't have added hassle of checking the timing of the camshaft, but it's not that hard..***