2000 Geo Metro from North America

Summary:

The Geo Metro is a very good economy car

Faults:

Engine will kick out of gear randomly while driving.

Air conditioning leaks coolant.

General Comments:

Good commuter car in general. My only serious problem so far has been the engine kicking out of gear while driving. I do not understand why it does that. Essentially I will be driving down the road at 55mph and then suddenly it is completely out of gear, as if the car were in neutral, and I have to pull over and start it up again. I was curious if that was a common problem and if anyone knew about a cheap fix.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 21st April, 2007

22nd Apr 2007, 11:57

I have never heard of an automatic Metro doing this thing with the transmission.

21st Jul 2008, 13:36

I had a similar problem with my 1998 Suzuki Swift (nee Geo Metro). It was a 4 cylinder with 79 hp and 3 speed automatic. It would often stall while I slowed down to stop at a red light. Other times it would stall when I tried to back out of my driveway as soon as I put it in reverse, or drive. Sometimes had to restart it 6 times before I could drive it. It drove me nuts. It didn't do it all the time, and of course when I took it to two Suzuki dealerships it wouldn't stall, and they said "there's no computer codes in the system." Strangely enough the problem went away, and didn't reoccur for two years. However, the transmission was completely shot at 200 000 K in June 08. It wasn't worth fixing.

2000 Geo Metro Base 1.0 3 cylinder from North America

Summary:

Excellent car

Faults:

Nothing yet, except reverse gear shifts funny.

General Comments:

This is an excellent little car. It is very reliable, durable and cute. You don't see many of these around anymore, but believe me, it's a gem. Acceleration is not as bad as people say, I've actually squealed my front tires pulling out of a stoplight (which takes practice with a 3-cylinder engine--you have to have the right combination of gas pedal and clutch pedal). The interior is very spacious. Space was well-utilized to create a roomy atmosphere in this car. When inside it, it feels like a big car. Also this is the first sub-compact ever to meet North American crash test standards, so I feel pretty safe in it. It does very well on the highway, but is a little difficult to maneuver through city streets due to the lack of power steering. Strange, isn't maneuverability what the car was built for? Anyway, sub-compacts don't get much better than the Metro. With gas prices rising higher than ever, it's hard to find a good used one. But if you do, snatch it up immediately!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 5th September, 2005

3rd Apr 2006, 17:40

Had two and now own a swift. The two Geo's were great. One of my Geo's got hit by the rear tires of a tractor trailer and I went around twice on the interstate and drove away in one piece. My poor geo could not be repaired.

6th Apr 2007, 19:17

I've had my little 2000 3 cylinder for about a year and I love it! It's what the VW bug should have been -- compact, fuel-efficient, easy to maneuver, easy to fix and maintain. It's a shame there aren't more on American roads, instead of monster SUV's carrying one person.

I have been having a bit of a rough idle lately, and took it to two mechanics who weren't any help. I'm wondering if one of the valves might be burned or something, and if anyone has a suggestion about the best and cheapest way to explore what might be causing a rough idle (it's been tuned up and had a gas flush lately).

14th Jan 2008, 15:55

Go to http://www.teamswift.net/. They are the best site for these cars, with lots of help and info.

Your problem could be a plugged EGR system or electrical in nature.

No idea until you do a step by step diagnostic.

22nd Mar 2008, 00:35

I have found that Shell gas is best for reducing a rough idle. USA brand idles the roughest. ARCO gets really poor gas mileage. Exxon and Mobil are O.K. (Basing my experience with an old Bimmer.

In reply to 6th Apr 2007, 19:17

6th Feb 2014, 18:12

Make sure the EGR is working properly, check for vacuum leaks around carb & carb base gasket, fuel filter.

2000 Geo Metro Base 1.0 3-cylinder from North America

Summary:

Forget Hondas; Geos are the way to go

Faults:

All that has gone wrong is that the blower switch snapped. An easy repair.

General Comments:

This little machine is soooo much better than my old civic. Japanese parts are just to expensive to buy for repairs. American parts are reasonably priced, though I haven't needed to buy any parts yet! And this car is so easy to work on! Changing the oil only takes about 10 minutes, and everything is so conveniently located.

For a little car, it sure is comfy. And there aren't all the silly bells and whistles that come with most cars. Just a good, simple little way to get around. And cute, too. It really attracts the ladies like flies on honey!!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 2nd June, 2004

21st Oct 2004, 01:16

Nice to see someone else who appreciates the elegant simplicity of these little sub-C cars. Fewer "bells and whistles" generally means less to go wrong and the parts (in most cases) are cheap and plentiful. Plus, where else are you going to find an economical ~45MPG car? No other has yet been made.

My only gripes are related to visibility:

The bottom edge of the rear windows (+ hatch glass) was placed a little high (imho) in comparison to the drivers seated position and it's tough to negotiate winding driveways in reverse... surprising for such a little car!

Also, the aerodynamic windshield is raked so steeply that I encounter occasional glare issues with light reflected off the curvaceous dash surface interfering with actually viewing out the windshield... this might be a common issue among newer cars, but it's the first time I've experienced it.

View 18 more comments