1997 Geo Metro LSi from North America - Comments

A/C did not work when I bought it.

Windshield washer did not work when I bought it.

A/C Blower switch was broken when I bought it.

Battery needed replacement at 60,000 miles.

This is an excellent little commuter car. I like the body styling and it has plenty of interior and luggage room. I have the hatchback style. The car performs well and it is very maneuverable.

I bought the Geo used, with 40K miles on the odometer and some known minor mechanical problems. I also purchased a GM service manual for it as I planned to fix the problems and maintain it myself.

When I bought it the A/C had failed for two reasons. The blower switch did not work in some positions, and the system was low on refrigerant. According to the Chevrolet parts department, the blower switch is a common failure point on these cars and they sell a lot of switches. After getting the old switch out I found that the problem was that the back of the plastic switch housing likes to pop off because the snap-together catches are not designed very well. This prevents proper electrical contact. Also, the 1/8" ball bearing in the switch detent likes to fall out. I replaced the ball bearing and superglued the switch housing together and that fixed the switch problems. I also purchased a recharging kit for about $36 and recharged the A/C. This was easy to do and the A/C has worked perfectly for two years now (knock on wood). I use the A/C most of the year.

When I purchased the car (at 40K miles) it seemed sluggish, so the first thing I did was to install Bosch platinum spark plugs. That restored the performance and the car has continued to run great.

Since it rains a lot here I decided to fix the windshield washer. The pump is located inside the left front fenderwell and it was a little difficult to find, but the $13 replacement pump fixed the problem.

I drive it a minimum of 50 miles a day and this car has never failed me. It burns no oil (I change it every 3-4K miles) and it performs well. With 72000 miles on the odometer it is time to replace the two front tires. I will probably replace all four since they are only about $100 for a complete set.

Although it has power brakes, they seem weak. I'm not sure if this is a mechanical problem or a design problem, as I have read others with the same complaint. I may replace the master cylinder to see if it improves things.

My brakes did the same thing as I tested one today, and I'm getting it. I love the Metro.

I'm glad that more people than just me have enjoyed their experience with their Metro. I've put over $2,000 in my metro in modifications including the Bosch platinum plugs that you mentioned. One warning I will give (and I speak from experience) is not to use the plus 4 version of those plugs. This is a good product, but it will damage your pistons directly. Another good product I found was Arrow spark plug cables. Almost anything you do to this cars ignition system to get more spark to the gas can't hurt. Another slight flaw that I found when trying to modify for higher horsepower was that the gas pump will only push 130% of it's stock setting, so replacement is a must if you're wanting to get over 100 hp. The struts on the 2dr version are quite peculiar, as well. In my vehicle, anyways, the struts are factory replacements with shorter springs with a higher rate that dropped the car about an inch and a half, which is good, because in my opinion, these cars sit way too high in stock configuration. I'd like to know what else you do or have done with your car. In north Missouri I have the only "tricked out bubble car" that I know of.

Great review. I got a lot of great information! I love the metro and you.

I wrote the original review (above). I figured out the problem with the power brakes. After replacing the master cylinder, front rotors, and pads, the brakes were still weak. Took it to a mechanic and he diagnosed a vacuum leak to the power brake booster. He fixed it for a nominal fee and now the brakes work great and will lock up the tires in an emergency stop.

I replaced the timing belt at 100K miles. This wasn't

difficult, but took me about 4 hours because I'm old and slow and I don't like rolling around on the ground anymore. I also replaced the two accessory drive belts, spark plug wires, and spark plugs (Bosch platinum) and the tires. I think the total parts bill, including tires, was $200 and now the Metro is good for another 100K miles. She runs like new and doesn't burn a drop of oil. Handles well too. The struts seem okay, but will probably need replacement in the next year or two.

I have a three cylinder 'Metro' 1995 with All weather radials here in Alaska. This car has been the most amazing I have ever owned in terms of reliability, even at sub zero temperatures The hatchback-trunk can hold an amazing amount, rear seat turned forwards, I put a boxed TV into it where a Chevy 'Caprice' couldn't hold it!. Great town car, parks on a dime, very economic on gas. All in all, the best car I ever had so far, of the two cars I own.

I purchased a 1997 Metro 4 cyl with 94,000 miles on it for $2000. I now have 150K miles and it is still going strong. It still gets 38-40 mpg.

I bought a 2000 chevy metro hatchback.

For $700.

And its not too bad.

I'm attempting to trick it out.

But I dunno what there really is to do to it.

I just bought a 1997 Geo Metro Lsi a few days ago. the engine was replaced with a brand new one in 2005. The engine has 15,000 miles on it, the car has about 82,000 miles on it. I just checked the mileage after driving only in town for 50 miles. I'm only getting 17 miles per gallon. The car seems to run fine and is in excellent overall condition. Can anyone tell me why my mileage would be so low?

I have been looking on lne but can't find anywhere stating how many miles per gallon the 1997 Metro Lsi should get. Can anyone tell me?

Thanks,

Michael.

Michael@visionartisan.com.

Well I'm not the world's greatest mechanic, but have you started with the basic: tire pressure, clean oil & air filter, are you carrying anything in the car of significant weight, are there any spots on the driveway where the car is parked, battery connections clean, spark plugs, checked all the cable connections? If you start checking each of these things the problem will probably show itself.

About the fuel efficiency problem:

Start changing the oxygen sensor, then make sure to replace all filters, spark plugs and cables.

The oxygen sensor is the main cause of that problem, and it's recommended to replace that every 50k miles.

I love my lil Easter egg!! It is perfect for me driving around town and to go visit my sweetie 2 towns over!! This car is a blessing to me and I got it a few months before the gas spike of 08!! But, I get great gas mileage on the highway and off and it just fits me!! IDK how anybody would dislike a Metro!!! :)

I have a 2000 Metro LSI with a 4 cylinder engine/automatic transmission. Does anybody know if it's possible to install an overdrive on this trans? It only has 3 speeds and the speed maxes out at 70 mph. Any ideas?

Is there anyone in the Cleveland, Ohio area who works on Metro's? I have a 1997 Geo Metro Lsi and I've noticed that it's not easy to find parts. I love my car and would love to keep it, but it's starting to have major issues and I'm not a mechanic, so I would like to find someone who is a mechanic who appreciates what a great car this is. Thanks.

Are there lots of geo metro around today. I just bought a used 1997 geo metro, haven't had a chance to put it to the test. what is the average mpg you get today from them?

If you drive your Metro right, and don't floor it on the highway, but keep the RPM's between 1200 and 2000, you should be able to get at least 50 MPG highway.