1997 Geo Metro LSi review from North America

The previous owner replaced the transmission and with a rebuilt one, and did standard maintenance up to 216810 miles.

The muffler rusted through at 221678 miles, costing 193.93 to replace.

The original battery wore out at 221678mi, costing $41.77 to replace.

The rebuilt transmission differential seal leaked at 222131 miles, costing $187 to fix.

The car was previously owned by an inter-city courier, and I got a pretty good deal on it. My Toyota Tercel had just been totaled, and I was looking for a replacement car to cover a few months of finishing school and earning a real income. I figured that the $1600 price would be well worth it if it just lasted a couple months. It has. And I expect that it will last many more months.

The battery and muffler seemed like standard replacement items, given that I was buying a high-mileage used car.

The transmission seal was worrying, since I'm not sure how much I trust the rebuilt transmission, but I was glad that it needed only a new seal and a fill-up of fluid. If the transmission goes, I think I'll get another rebuilt one.

I can't find a good repair manual, since the Chilton's and Haynes only seem to cover up to 1994.

Excluding my purchase costs, I've spent $679.51 on gas and maintenance for 6145 miles, or $0.11/mile over the last 6 months, which has exceeded my expectations.

I've been trusting this car more and more as I've driven it.