1997 Geo Tracker review from North America

(take into consideration that the car received regular maintenance and all belts and seals were replaced at appropriate times)

At roughly 30,000 miles:

1) Entire transmission failed and was replaced.

2) Torque converter clutch, solenoid, fuel pump all replaced.

3) Mount for soft top began falling apart.

4) Alternator replaced. Malfunction caused two batteries to die.

5) Front brake pads replaced.

6) A/C began too leak forcing me to refill the freon every few months.

At roughly 50,000 miles:

1) Torque converter clutch, solenoid, fuel pump all replaced.

2) Alternator replaced.

3) Battery replaced.

4) Car began leaking water in driver side and trim had to be replaced. Still leaks intermittently.

5) Original soft top fell apart and had to be replaced.

6) ABS stopped functioning and had to be disabled.

7) Paint began pealing off most of the car despite being washed and waxed regularly. I had to repaint it myself. Fortunately, the car is black and I was able to do a good job without too much trouble.

8) LED lights inside car began to die and had to be replaced.

At roughly 75,000 miles:

1) Alternator replaced

2) Battery replaced

3) Front brake pads and rotors replaced.

4) A/C completely failed, even after $500 of work it still doesn't work properly.

General performance of car is terrible. It cannot accelerate out of harms way. It lurches forward slowly after stopping at lights. It can suddenly spin out of control when braking. Turning at speeds that would be reasonable for other small SUVs will cause this one to flip over. Position of spare tire in back deters from visibility and can be dangerous.

The gas mileage of the car is terrible, even on the highway. When I had to use it for transportation to and from school I was spending $60 to $80 on gas weekly. The mileage was initially better when the car was newer, but quickly declined.

It looks "cute". Its easy to park due to its small size. You don't have to worry about anyone stealing it because it has negligible re-sell value. Its great practice for mechanics.