First: some history for those researching these cars.

In mid-1990, the little Geo Metro convertible arrived in Chevy showrooms thanks to America's reborn love for little roadsters, a direct result of the Mazda Miata that had been introduced only a year earlier. The new two-seater (some early 1991 models included a padded board and seatbelts in the back to make the car a four seater, but there simply wasn't room!) was based on the Geo Metro two door hatchback. Many of the Metro's components were holdovers from Chevy's first ultra-compact, the Sprint, including the engine, transmission, guages, and suspension. The convertibles began their lives far from their Canadian-built brethren, being the only Metros assembled by Suzuki in Hiroshima, Japan. It certainly would have been more at home there or in Europe, where small cars are a way of life due to narrow streets, congestion, high gas prices, and limited parking space. In fact, the little car was an immediate success overseas, though badged differently as a Suzuki Swift (Europe) or Cultus (Japan), or Pontiac Firefly (Canada) depending on where it was sold. But this was America, birthplace of the SUV and full-sized pickup, where streets are wide and gas flows at half the price it does overseas, where bigger is better and power is preferable.

Now, little roadsters had been here for years, but the Geo was different. It was small and lacked cargo room and back seats like the well accepted Miata's, Alfa Romeo's, Triumph's, Fiat's, MG's, and Mercedes SL's before it, yet it lacked something they all had: power and performance. Worse, Metro convertibles were undeniably cute, looking like a full-sized Playmobil toy! Besides instantly achieving the status of "girlie car" that's branded upon all small convertibles in the U.S., it was judged one of two ways: people either fell in love with it at first sight and had to have one, or detested it with a passion usually reserved for big, hairy spiders.

Some 20,000 were imported into the U.S. between 1990 and 1993, with the best sales occurring in 1992 after they were given updated bumpers, wheel covers, and a much-needed, simplified dashboard that looked 100% better than the old one. Geo and Suzuki would continue to use this new interior until the Metro's demise in 2001.

Terribly prone to rust, a popular first car choice for many fresh-licensed teenagers, and little engines that died off at about 120,000 miles when not cared for meant that the cars were rare on U.S. streets only ten years after their introduction. These days they are rarely seen and enjoy something of a cult status in the same vein as Vespa scooters, with prices averaging about $1,500 but sometimes topping $3,000 for an example in great condition. Prices also fluctuate when gas prices spike, sometimes doubling their cost. The ragtop Metro will certainly become a collector's item in the future as they become more scarce and tiny cars like the Mini Cabriolet, Mercedes Smart, Toyota Yaris, and Scions become more common (and trendy) in North America.

Okay, enough already...on to the review! I absolutely love my 1992 (red 5-speed) Geo Metro LSi convertible. This little roadster is the perfect second car if you already have a larger one for moving people or cargo and just want a fun, inexpensive way to get you from point A to point B faster than your bicycle could. Here's why I love mine so much:

*ONE YEAR UPDATE: I've owned the car for a year now and put 22,000 miles on it in that time (it now has 129,000 miles on the odometer). The little car has seen me through several long road trips all over the West Coast at speeds averaging 70-80 mph while FULLY loaded down with heavy gear. I have yet to have a mechanical problem of ANY kind (knock on wood!) and can still never say enough good things about my little car.

*TWO YEAR UPDATE!: Now officially the most reliable car of the 17 I've owned over the years! I still have yet to have ONE SINGLE mechanical or electrical problem with this car, despite the fact that the little engine just passed the 150,000 mile mark! The clutch is sometimes sluggish, the tires are beginning to wear out, and my top is overdue to be replaced, but everything is still working and running like clockwork! I had the timing and fan belts replaced at 130,000 miles and I change the oil every 3,000 miles, but that's the extent of my garage visits. I still take the car on long road trips, including a 900 mile trip this past weekend. Admittedly, I began to get tired of the overall cheap feel, lack of power, and crap from my friends so I bought a big, luxurious, and powerful Infiniti M30 convertible this winter. What a mistake! The Infiniti just sits unused and the Metro is still my little daily driver unless I need to drive more than two people around or haul something. I've been spoiled by the Metro's gas mileage...I could take the Infiniti on long trips but I'd spend more than twice as much on gas!

*THREE YEAR UPDATE!: To celebrate three happy years with the little car, I decided to take it on a brutal 2,600 mile road trip through the deserts of Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Colorado, and Wyoming in temperatures often well over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The distance covered is the same as if I'd driven across the U.S. to Baltimore, Maryland (which I would do in a second if I had the time!). The Metro was loaded to the hilt with camping gear and my mountain bike as I drove from sea level to over 11,600 feet high in the Rocky Mountains (at a crawling 40 mph!). The car performed flawlessly throughout the mountain passes, baking deserts, and bumper to bumper traffic of the big cities. My gas mileage averaged 39.8 mpg despite my top being down the entire time and my bike acting as a drag parachute behind the trunk! I usually drove between 70-75 mph and used $190 worth of gas (at an average of $3.03 per gallon) in ten fill-ups. Despite driving from Salt Lake City up to Park City, Utah in 103 degree heat at a blistering-fast 50 mph, the temperature gauge never even climbed above the half-way mark! I should note that the coolant that's in my radiator right now is the same liquid that was there when I bought the car - the car hasn't used up so much as a drop of water or coolant in the past three years! Come to think of it, I should have the radiator flushed soon.

Alas, a couple days after arriving back home (yesterday), I was involved in my first accident with the car, and with a raised 2001 Ford F-350 Extended Cab 4x4 Truck, no less. The driver of the truck decided to make a quick left turn from a right lane but I was in the left lane right beside him at the time. The truck ran over the passenger side fender, parking light, and front bumper of the Metro, tearing the bumper off completely and crushing the corner of the car. Luckily my airbag didn't deploy, or my insurance company would probably write the car off as totalled! Despite a mangled front end, I was able to drive the car home with no problems and expect to have it looking as good as new within a week or two if all goes well.

Three years later and I still can't say enough good things about my little car. I sold the Infiniti last summer after it had sat collecting dust for a few months as I drove the Metro everywhere. My mileage is currently 162,422 and the car is still running as strong as ever. I still have yet to have a single mechanical problem of any kind, which is incredible for a 14 year old economy car that sold for only $10,000 when new!

As far as problems go, I never got around to replacing the top but it still keeps the rain out in the winter. My clutch is getting harder to shift into second sometimes but it always does. My paint is really beginning to fade in places and the struts no longer hold the trunk open on cold days. There are wear spots in the carpet and a rip on the driver's seat. Rubber pieces are beginning to age and crack. My top frame now has a zip-tie repair to keep the frame attached to the header bow, but it holds tight. These are all minor things that I expect from a 14 year old daily driver car that gets heavy use. I'm running the same 30,000 mile tires that were on the car when I bought it 50,000 miles ago, but they're still in decent shape due to the light weight of the car. As I write this, gas prices are around $3.00 a gallon and Metro 'verts have become as popular as I thought they would. Do a quick search on eBay and try to find a running one that sold for less that $2,000! They've actually gone up in value in the three years since I posted this review, which is almost unheard of until a car has become a classic(current value is about $2,000: $450 more than in 2003)! Everything I've written here still holds true: for a practical economy car that just happens to be a drop top, you really can't beat a spacious, zippy little Metro.

*FOUR YEAR UPDATE!* Closer to 5 years, actually; forgot to update this last year! Haven't had time to take the car many places lately, so the mileage is only about 177,000 now. I finally had the top replaced with a nice cloth one (after someone cut through the old one), resulting in a quieter, completely dry interior ever since. I had a clutch cable snap at 166K miles, though I had plenty of warning it was coming and just ignored it. $70 to have it replaced, but that's STILL the only mechanical problem I've encountered! Seriuously...this car just keeps going like the Energizer Bunny! To update the car's looks a bit, I've since added new 14" tires and wheels, the nicer top, Suzuki Swift GT wheel covers, a Suzuki Swift GT front bumper, Suzuki fog lamps, Suzuki tail light lenses, Audi A4 side marker lights, a 6 speaker CD/MP3 stereo system, and a remote fuel door release. I still get close to 50 mpg on the highway and 35 around town - great with gas prices currently around $3.50 a gallon! No doubt about it - best $1000 I ever spent!

For a bunch of photos of my Metro in places spanning from Canada to Mexico and from the beaches of California to the plains of Eastern Wyoming (and everywhere in between!) over the past three years, visit this site below:

http://www.cardomain.com/member_pages/view_page.pl?page_id=411420&page=1

1. On a $12, 7 gallon tank of gas I can travel about 260 miles of stop and go city driving, or about 300 miles on road trips with the top down and windows up, sometimes much more if it's not windy. If you're used to driving a bigger car you'll be amazed at how slowly the fuel gauge needle drops!
2. Despite my being a big guy (6'3" and 205 lbs) I fit inside easily, have great visibility out the windshield, and have five whole inches of headroom to spare with the top up (something I could never have in a Miata, Alfa, etc.)! Leg room is great and I stay comfortable several hours at a time on long trips. Smaller people may actually be those with more problems, as it may be hard time seeing over the (untiltable) steering wheel without a pillow due to the low seats.
3. There's 6.4 cubic feet of cargo room in the trunk and in an area behind the seats. The trunk is also accessible from the cabin through a curtain, making it possible to carry some larger objects (including skis!) and hide valuables or a speaker box.
4. Power is great around town, easily keeping up with bigger traffic with no effort, even from a stop. Though Metro's lack power steering, the handling is quick and nimble, making you feel like you're driving the world's fastest go-kart.
5. The car's small size (12'6" long, 5' wide, and 4'8" tall) makes all kinds of things possible, like skirt around objects and potholes in the road that other drivers can't possibly avoid, move up to traffic lights to take a right turn when there's only a narrow space to squeeze through, and park in the little spaces on the ends of parking garage rows that always seem to be open! Live in a congested neighborhood? You'll be amazed at all of the parking spaces you'll be able to squeeze into now! That horrible blind-spot corner you hate so much? Now you can nose right up to the street without having to worry about losing your front end!
6. Maintenance costs are low. The economical little 55 horsepower, 1.0 litre, 61 cubic inch, 3 cylinder engine may not win any races for you, but if you ever need to replace it, they only cost about $400...complete! The little 13" tires are four for $100, engine parts are available at most import junkyards, and insurance is super affordable. And if you're into tuning and customizing, you could always drop a 1.3 litre 4 cylinder engine in from a Suzuki Swift (or 1.8 Litre Swift GTi motor, or even the turbo-charged 3 cyl from a Firefly or Sprint!)...but then you may as well just buy a Miata or something if you prefer high performance to economy.
7. The comfortable interior is great for a cheap car: you get door armrests, a high steering wheel, great leg room, clear visibility of the gauges, a tachometer, a tripmeter, dual vanity mirrors in the visors, a three-piece plastic toneau cover (boot) that covers the top when it's down (though many Metros are now missing this feature, as the pieces fall apart and get lost pretty easily), dual cup holders that pop out (in the '92 and '93 models), a good-sized glovebox, lots of air vents, four speakers, a driver's-side airbag, intermittent wipers, a lighted lighter and ashtray, and a top that's easy to put up and latch (if it's warm out; cold days it may not close!) Upholstery is fade-resistant and holds up well in the sun. Take a look in an early 90's Mustang, LeBaron, Cavalier, or any other older convertible some time to truly appreciate the Metro's interior quality!
8. It emits a pleasing exhaust note, not too loud, just a nice buzzing sound from the little tailpipe. It gets a bit obnoxious over 65 mph, though...
9. The short, smooth shift pattern is a breeze. Great for someone to learn to drive a manual transmission with. There's even a "shift-up" lighted arrow that comes on every time you need to shift up into the next gear, which, though annoying, increases fuel economy. Short clutch travel helps, too.
10. Nice body design still looks pretty modern today, as long as it's painted in a "normal" color like red, white, blue, green, or yellow (1993 models came in some colors that seemed pretty cool at the time but look really dated now: metallic shades of pink, purple, and teal in an attempt to lure still more women to the Geo brand. My guess is that nice examples of these will be worth the most in the future, though). Body colored bumpers, composite aero headlights, body-colored side moldings, and smart shape looks better than some of the new cars coming out these days! Many, many people think it's a new car and ask me where they can get one!
11. And finally, women love 'em (80% of Geo owners and 60% of Metro owners are women according to the book Car Crazy). Just yesterday I parked behind a beautiful, fully loaded, brand new $24,000 Mini Cooper S in metallic grey and white with 17" rims, full sunroof, and racing stripes. Though I was drooling over the Mini, when I returned there were four girls admiring and asking about my car - it's better than a cute puppy at the beach!

But alas, here's my gripes about the car:

1. Lightweight, thin body sheet metal dents super easily. Door dings are unavoidable and deep. Be careful not to bump your door closed with your hip, sit on your hood or trunk, or lean into the rear quarter panel too hard when putting the top up, as you could end up with big dents really quickly. Also, super-thin windshield breaks with even the smallest crack. I discovered this only after a flying rock put a small chip in the glass and then my windshield cracked in half after I put the top up. They run about $170 to replace.
2. Slow up steep hills, it invites tailgaters. Actually, it seems to attract them anywhere. I think people must fear that you're going to drive slow simply because the car is so small. You'll find you can drive up even the steepest of hills at 50 mph (in 3rd gear) but the engine will be revving at 5,000 rpm the whole time.
3. Plastic parts fall apart easily. Keep an eye on the bolts holding the boot to the car, door handle levers, window guides, and side mirrors. The headlight reminder, muffler, rear wheel bearings, and dome light door sensors fail often, too.
4. If this were your only car, you'd be limited to one passenger and a tiny cargo area. Maximum weight limit (including people) is only 400 lbs...not too practical! But then, how many roadsters are?
5. The top leaks in heavy rains or at the car wash and like I said, it contracts in cold weather easily, making it hard to close if it's been down all day or if it's cold out.
6. These cars are very shaky when idling at a stop. Engine idle speed is about 1,000 RPM (less with the lights on) but the car still vibrates heavily. Sun visors, windows, seats, doors, occupants, and plastic parts shake, rattle, and roll...but you get used to it over time.
7. Engine components can get pretty expensive. The little alternator retails for over $500 (more than the engine!) for some reason but can be found online at geoparts.com for about $100. Exhaust parts, filters, and sensors are expensive, as are basic tune-up parts (the air filter is a steep $12 and the fuel filter $20!).
8. If you live by the sea or where they salt roads you will have a rusty car in no time unless you get it treated first. If you're still shopping for one, check inside the wheel wells, spare tire well in the trunk, behind the door panels, under the carpet near the footrests, and under the car. Once it's present rust spreads fast so look carefully!
9. Yes, getting hit by an SUV (or a little Ford Festiva, for that matter) would hurt. But it makes driving more exciting, and the car is pretty spry for when you need to avoid a cell-phone talker who switched lanes too fast without looking. Braking is pretty quick and controllable, considering there's no anti-lock option and the rear brakes are the archaic drum type. It's like riding a bike: watch out for others, drive carefully, and try not to get hit. If you do, feel good knowing the government gave air bag equipped Metro's a 3 star 30 mph crash test rating for the driver (with high probability of thigh damage), 4 star for the passenger - not too bad for a tiny car!
10. And finally, for the guys: Just in case you ever forget, other guys (especially in rural towns) will often remind you that you are, in fact, driving a girl car, often from behind the wheel of their manly car or truck. Though you'll be tempted to say "Yeah, it's my girlfriend's...my monster truck's in the shop getting some more "peeing Calvin" stickers added and the lift kit lifted.", just remember: you're not image conscious, or you wouldn't be driving a Metro in the first place. So just wink at them instead.

And one more thing: AVOID AUTOMATICS unless you absolutely can't drive a stick shift or are just saving the car as a future collector's piece! You'll get much more power out of those 55 anemic little horses under the hood, plus you'll get 10-15 mpg better fuel economy - that's pretty signifigant! You may as well buy a VW Cabriolet, Mercury Capri, Ford Mustang LX, or Pontiac Sunfire if you can't live without an automatic...your gas mileage will be about the same in a car twice the size.

And that's it, really. Again, for photos of this car and some of my many road trips in it, cut and paste this link:

http://www.cardomain.com/member_pages/view_page.pl?page_id=411420&page=1

Small cars definitely aren't for everybody, but if you're practical, thrifty, and comfortable having no ego (or want to lose one), I can't think of a better all-around cheap, reliable car that's more fun than the Metro convertible 5 speed. Best hurry, though; they're going fast...

Amount Paid (US$): 1000
Condition: Used
Model Year: 1992
Model and Options: LSi Convertible, 5 Speed Manual, No A.C.