Monthly Archives: July 2019

Dishing The Dirt On The Geo Metro

Black Ice Car Freshner

Many people have a love-hate relationship with their car.

That’s not really true for me and my Geo Metro. It’s dependable, remarkable, it’s a total chick magnet, and it even smells really nice with my “Black Ice” Little Trees Car freshner hanging in the visor.

I could spend foreve4r talking about why I love my Geo Metro but I’ll save that for another day. For now, let’s focus on the dirt. I dug deep with this one because there’s not a lot of complaints and problems I can find – it’s about as perfect of a car as one can possibly hope for.

That being said, the very short list below includes some problems I personally encountered plus what others have experienced about theirs.

Don’t get me wrong: this post is not meant to change your mind about buying that Geo Metro – without a doubt buy the next Geo Metro you see – but just to give you a head’s up about what problems you might expect.

No Power Windows Or Automated Door Locks

I also experience this but this isn’t really a problem for me, but hey, the Geo Metro is an old car and a basic one so what do you expect? It is created for people on a budget so don’t expect power windows or automated door locks.

For you youngsters out there, rolling up the window literally means turning a handle round and round until the car windows completely close. You also roll down the windows while turning it the other way.

Door locks also need to be done manually by pushing down or pulling up on the door locks. There is also o alarm system but I don’t think you’ll have to worry too much about someone taking your Geo Metro.

Uncomfortable Seats

For me, this problem has a simple fix. Buy some cushions or some of those ergonomic add-ons to seats and Bam! You got yourself some comfier seats with lumbar support.

Don’t get me wrong, it doesn’t compare to the seats of a Lincoln Continental or an Audi A8 L, but it works.

Noisy

With 55 restless Horses under the hood, you’ll definitely be hearing your engine roar when driving a Geo Metro.

Sound insulation wasn’t a priority in this vehicle.  If your on the highway with the windows rolled down and accelerating to it’s top speed, you’ll definitely have a hard time conversing with the other people in the car.

No Airbags On Older Models

Depending on the model of your Geo Metro, it may or may not come with airbags. Older models like my blue beauty, which were produced prior to ‘95 don’t come with any airbag.

I like to live on the edge so I don’t really care for all those safety features.

Poor Acceleration Time

Your need for speed might not be met with this car. Most owners, including me, wished it could speed up faster than it does.

Although it is able to hit the 60 mph mark,  you will need to be patient and going downhill before it happens.

Steering Problems

Some owners say that the steering wheel isn’t sensitive enough. You need to put some serious effort it if you want your wheels to turn, especially at the lower speeds.  I say, you just have to know your vehicle and control it. Sure it may need a little effort for it to turn left or right but that gives the vehicle more character.

The more you drive your car, the more you’ll know about its features and flaws. My advice: spend time driving your car no matter what it is. You can adjust the way you drive. That’s how we do it.

Totally Wrecked

In case this car gets involved in a car crash, it can be totally wrecked. It can be very difficult to straighten out because of the unibody design. You can try but it won’t look the same again.

Final Words

As you can see my 1989 Blue Hatchback is a hard car NOT to love.  It’s got SO many things going for it.  Any issues are REALLY minor.   Besides manual windows, uncomfortable seats, lack of sound suppression and airbags, really shitty acceleration, the worst power steering ever, and it’s reputation for difficulty to repair – it’s a total dream.