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Chevrolet/Geo Metro

1864 messages,  Last post on Aug 22, 2012 at 10:55 AM

You are in the Chevrolet Metro/Geo Metro Forum.

What is this discussion about? Geo Metro, Chevrolet Metro, Hatchback

Messages Page 9 of 187

#78 of 1864 little profit by occupant1

Oct 11, 1999 (1:54 pm)

The Metro base coupe has only $522 of profit built in, plus the rebate, which was actually $1250 last I checked. The LSi model has $666 of profit, but each one of those options adds a tiny piece of profit.


Personal question...why would you buy a new Metro with automatic transmission? They still get 30-34mpg but why not go with the stick? And remember every rental outlet in the country has Metros with automatics. You can add a warranty to a used Metro. Penn warranties can cover you through 125,000 miles if you buy them by 95,000 miles. And that 30K of coverage costs you $360. They really do a nice job. So you could buy, say, a 1998 Chevy Metro LSi hatchback for about $7000, add a 45K warranty for $540, and be done with it. That way you save $5000 over new, and get better warranty coverage. The only thing you can't get with a 1998 that you get with a 1999 is the color silver. Seriously. And no one knows the better!


But as to the invoice versus retail thing...retail on a Metro LSi coupe, AT AC, defogger, wiper, mats, and cassette, is $12,425. Invoice is $11,510. The automatic transmission option is $595 retail, $530 invoice. If he is offering you the car for $11,500 out the door inlcuding tax and title and everything, then he still has $300-$400 to work with. Figure $10,260 is his cost after the rebate, add $200 profit and then add tax and title and you are at a fair price. The 1999 Metros are too plentiful and he doesn't want it on his lot any longer. If you want other colors, ask him to do a dealer search in three to five adjacent states to you. If you want a silver base coupe, 5-speed, with air, cassette, defogger, and tach, Blossom Chevrolet in Indianapolis has five. The list on that car is $11,372 and the sale price is $9623, after rebate and $499 discount. Or check the classifieds. A 1998 Metro sells for around $6000-$8000 depending on model. You could save yourself a big chunk of change finding a low mileage '98 or older. My 1995 Metro has 102K, drives fine, has auto and air (it was cheap so I didn't bother searching for a stick), and I only need $2500 to pay it off. It needs nothing. You want it?

#79 of 1864 oh yeah by occupant1

Oct 11, 1999 (1:56 pm)

what screwball dealer is telling you that you are getting power steering? You can only order power steering on the sedan.

#80 of 1864 by bozof

Oct 11, 1999 (10:45 pm)

the dealer was mistaken about the power steering. you are right. it is only on the sedan. i needed an automatic because other members in the family only drive automatic and don't want to learn how to drive a stick. i know i'd lose good mileage getting an automatic, but it is still better than most other vehicles. the main options i'm looking for is auto, a/c, and rear defogger. the color i prefer is black, silver, or white. the dealer did do a search within a 200 mile radius and only came up with one that had those requirements. it had bee on a lot for about 140 days. but, was just sold this weekend.

#81 of 1864 automatics by occupant1

Oct 15, 1999 (2:09 am)

It would probably be in your best interests then if you want the automatic, to purchase a used one and then purchase a warranty. You can buy 3 year unlimited mileage warranties from Penn Warranty Corporation. Most used car dealers deal with them, as do many new car dealers' used car lots. If the dealer will not do better than 11-something, then a used one will be much cheaper to operate, your payment will be lower, and if you get a 1998 or 1999, you still look like new. A 1999 Metro 2-door, air, automatic, cassette, defroster, should run you about $8K plus tax. Go with a sedan, maybe $9K. Go with the 1998 model and save $1500-$2000. A quick scan of Classifieds2000 shows a 1999 hatchback for sale in New Hampshire, 5-speed, 3-cylinder, for $4500 (I have emailed him...I might buy that car). Also here in Columbus a 1998 sedan, automatic, 34K, for $5000. I know that car and it is very beat up but the lady owes $9K on it and she couldn't sell it if she wanted to. But there are several 1998-1999 Metros, various transmissions and colors, at dealers, in Classifieds2000 for $5500 to $9500.

#82 of 1864 GOOD NEWS + What Not to Buy On a Metro by pat56

Nov 01, 1999 (7:15 pm)



Greets...


"Metro Gnome" guy here again. Working for GM in repurchase gives me some definite advantages.


GOOD NEWS: The GM recovery people were down here a couple days ago. Since they've been doing recovery on repurchased GM vehicles (years), they've done over 2,700 vehicles...and...out of 2,700, only ONE was a Metro!!! AWESOME record for our little pregnant rollerskates.


WHAT NOT TO BUY ON A METRO:


Automatic Transmission (unless you absolutely need it) - The car is too sluggish without the manual transmission


RADIO (OF ANY KIND) - GM Charges over $100 for "radio provision installation" which is four cheap speakers and an antenna. Then they charge over $600 for a radio/cassette - For a couple hundred, you can buy a good aftermarket setup and have it professionally installed.


*****UPDATE*****


I've been speaking with other Metro owners I meet in shopping centers and parking lots. EVERY SINGLE ONE I have spoken to (20-25, so far) loves their vehicle and reports no problems with it. One guy has an '89(?) convertible with beaucoup miles and refuses to give it up. He says the only way he'll part with it is if Chevy starts making convertibles again. He says his only repair has been a starter, a few years ago.


Yes, I'm a Metro fan...more and more, the more I find out about them. If anyone has spare time, do a Yahoo! search for +Ford +Aspire, and check out the one couple's web page about Aspire problems. Everything the Metro is good, the Aspire is bad. Ford is coming out with a new sub-compact this year, but it's substantially bigger than the Metro and the milage sucks weeds comparatively.


If you have any good (or bad) Metro stories, feel free to drop a note to pat56freenet.tlh.fl.us. And, if you're driving in or near Tampa, Florida, and see a Metallic Green '99 LSi Coupe with white pinstripes and "Merry Meet..." and "Blessed Be" bumper stickers, give a shout and a wave.

#83 of 1864 GM stereos by occupant1

Nov 04, 1999 (11:24 am)

Hey, I figured the way to go was how I did it. I HAD a Sony CD player but I sold it for cash, so I have these speakers, and an antenna, and a stereo connector, so I figured why not go to eBay and buy a stereo? Keep your eyes peeled...I got the full-electronic AM-FM cassette with 12 FM presets, electric tape inject-eject, and all that for $40 shipped to my door. All that was missing was the volume knob and I got one for free at a boneyard (they didn't want to take money for it...NEVER steal from a junkyard...most little stuff like knobs and lug nuts and fuses and light bulbs they let go for free). The stereos can even be bought at a junkyard for $50-$100. But if you want that AWESOME AM-FM-cassette AND CD stereo, be prepared to pay for it. Good luck hunting though. The GM stereo is decent, I like it because it glows green and can be dimmed with the rest of the gauges. All I wish for are those red-mica-injected Sony XPlod's to be made in 6.5" oversize so I can have them. Right now they only make 6.5", but I need that oversize to fit my doors and side panels.

#84 of 1864 Metro brake problems by sharynt1

Nov 06, 1999 (5:56 pm)

I have a '98 Metro LSI sedan with auto, a/c, cassette in that really funky California Gold color (with matching tiger-striped seat covers!). Love the little bugger except for the ongoing brake problems I've had since around 4,000 miles. I go through rotors about every two months. The dealership has re-machined, replaced, and re-machined again. I suggested it may be a rear brake problem forcing all the stopping power onto the front brakes. They refused to touch the rear brakes unless I pay for it, stating it is considered "maintenance." Hey, I'm under the 3/36 warranty guys!!! But, I had to pay for the "service" which included re-machining the front rotors yet again. Problem was gone for about two months. Now, after four attempts at resolving this, the rotors are shot again and the little car shudders like Barney Fife in cemetary. The problem is most evident when stopping from higher speeds (over 50). I am now in the process of Lemon Lawing the car... I just don't feel safe anymore and no one (I've tried two different Chevy dealers) seems able to remedy the underlying cause. Has anyone else had brake problems with their Metros? If so, what caused this and how was it fixed? I'm not going to be paying for brake repairs every couple of months, that's for sure. And the recommendations are right... buy used! I bought mine new and the depreciation is killer! Can't even trade it in I'm so buried in it. I was thinking of possibly exchanging it for a new one via Lem. Law, but wonder if it's a design flaw or what?

#85 of 1864 rotors by occupant1

Nov 06, 1999 (9:49 pm)

Your brake problem may be caused by a number of things. At 85,280 miles I took my '95 in for brakes and it needed only machining the rotors and new pads. When you first took it in, did they replace the pads as well? If they did, and used cheap pads, then those are the cause of your problem. Cheap pads do not dissipate heat as well as factory pads. The built-up heat allows your rotors to warp more often. Poor tire balance can also cause vibrations leading to warpage. It is also possible they have either improperly machined the rotors or machined them too thin. This also causes additional warpage. Tell them to install new AC rotors and new AC pads. They will balk, saying that is not inclusive, however if the dealer worked on the car, they are responsible for the problems. They don't want to work on the rears, but to properly repair the front brakes, they MUST clean and adjust the rears and adjust the parking brake cable, otherwise, the fronts WILL take all the braking effort. Another consideration is maybe they did not clean off the caliper sliders when they reassembled the front brakes. A sticking caliper can cause excessive warpage and lining wear. At 94K I took my car back in with complaints of warpage and they told me I needed rear brakes, although the pads were well within spec and the drums were fine. They wanted more money. The point is, they want you to buy a 4-wheel brake job for $200-$500 and spend all your money on that, and then when (if) you ahve problems later, it mightbe long enough form now that you get out of warranty. Tell them you will leave the car there until they measure every brake part and make sure they are within specs. It does not cost you or them money to do an inspection of all 4 wheels. If in doubt, go to another Chevy dealer and tell them of your problem. Do not tell them what other dealer you took it to, just pretend you are just starting to have the problem. Watch them work. They will tell you you cannot go into the shop, tell them you will not authorize any repairs that go unsupervised. Then check what you saw versus what they state on the repair order.

#86 of 1864 as to Lemon Laws by occupant1

Nov 06, 1999 (9:54 pm)

You are certainly eligible, however the dealer may elect to continue repairing the car. The arbitrator may require you to take it to another Chevy dealer, thus, you should do that now and see if that fixes it. The point is, though, that the place you took it to did inferior work to the car. That or you seriously need to learn how to brake, but I figure at 4,000 miles that something else is wrong. It is quite possible you have a seized caliper or poorly adjusted rears. Anyway, keep us posted on how things go.

#87 of 1864 Dealers on brakes by sharynt1

Nov 07, 1999 (5:34 am)

Thank you for your suggestions. I've already been to two Chevy dealers with this problem. Neither have replaced the front brake pads. Both have machined the rotors and replaced the rotors once with OEM rotors. GM had 10 days to make a final repair attempt from the time they were notified (I have the return receipt) and waived the attempt! So now it is in the hands of the arbitration board. You're right, THEY may order another repair attempt by a neutral mechanic, but what I'm afraid of is they will just replace the rotors so the brakes work fine for now, then a few months later... here we go again. They seem to fixate on eleviating the symptoms without determining the cause. I need the car for work and have had one helluva time leaving it all day for repairs (that is why I hadn't had the car in more often). I told the arbitrator I just don't feel safe in the car anymore, which I don't. The problem could be one of many things, but I don't feel confident anymore that the root of the problem will be resolved. Everyone's in for a quick (temporary) fix to the point where the time limit for the Lemon Law will be over and I'll be stuck. That's what has me worried.

Messages Page 9 of 187

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