When was the last time you saw a Geo Metro?

[DaviDC.]

A Geo Metro on the road, not in a junk yard.

At one time not so long ago, it seemed that every 3rd or 4th car on the roads in the Birmingham area was a Geo Metro. They were sold through Chevrolet dealerships as well as by Suzuki dealers & there were thousands of them out there.

Yesterday I saw a battered Geo Metro chugging down the road, spewing a cloud of blue smoke, & realized it was the 1st one I had seen in a couple of years.

These things must have been built as disposable cars that weren't meant to last very long.

[freeradical]

DaviDC. wrote:

These things must have been built as disposable cars that weren't meant to last very long.

Bingo. You don't see too many old Hyundai's or Kias on the highway either.

[Gutenberg]

There's one down the street from me but it has definitely seen better days. A couple of blocks down there's a Chevette that is still running, which I think is a miracle.

[JPK]

I think Car & Driver just did a feature comparing an old Geo Metro to the new Honda and Toyota Hybrids. Surprisingly or not, the old metro did pretty good.

I had a friend that actually had a Geo Metro Convertible for his wife. If was a pretty cute car in its day. Now the Smart car has cornered the market on cute small cars.

JPK

[macphanatic]

freeradical wrote:
[quote=DaviDC.]

These things must have been built as disposable cars that weren't meant to last very long.

Bingo. You don't see too many old Hyundai's or Kias on the highway either.
Just like you don't see too many of the original Honda's that were sold in the US.

[jesse]

This morning on my way to work, it was a little red one that was in pretty good shape.

I used to have a little white one about 14 years ago.

It had a strange problem that the mechanic could never figure out, it would start running really rough for no apparent reason. Eventually we sold it.

There was a guy I worked with at the time that also had a Metro and his had the same problem.

[OWC Jamie]

still see some of the later 4 door sedans , but not too often a mid-90s 2 door hatch back.

usually missing hub caps and a portion is painted primer grey.


There is a bright orange 2 door hatchback early model chopped low rider style an inch off the ground with rubber band tyres. I see it and can not come up with a good answer for: Why ?

[cbelt3]

Well, you have to remember that you don't see too many cars made before 2000 anywhere any more either. New flash- cars do not last ! (Cue rant on planned obsolescence).

And I haven't seen a Yugo in almost 10 years. Of course, here in NE Ohio, where Rust Never Sleeps, nothing made of metal lasts very long.

[Paul F.]

I see quite a number of '90's era cars on the road in this area...

But you're right; not many Geo's, Yugo's, Kia's, and other "bargain basement" models.

There's a reason WHY they were inexpensive when brand new!

[Seacrest]

There are all kinds of cars older than 2000 on the roads here in Cali.
There are probably even Geo Metros (the plant that made a lot of them is right here in Fremont), but I would never notice an older Geo if I saw one because it's an unremarkable car among other unremarkable cars.