Geo was a sub-division of General Motors from 1989 to 1997. It focused on small cars built by Chevrolet partners and marketed under the Chevy and Geo brands. One example is the Geo Tracker (later the Chevy Tracker) that was based on the Japanese and Canadian-built Suzuki Sidekick 4WD. It was a small SUV with Jeep-like characteristics for off-road adventures. The seller has a first-generation Tracker from 1993 that appears to be in excellent condition and is priced close to cheap wheels territory. Located near Denver, Colorado, this cool little ride is available here on craigslist for $5,500.
The Tracker was sold under many brands in a variety of countries. Most of the Trackers built for U.S. consumption were built in Canada, while those produced for the Canadian market were assembled in Japan. The U.S. units were produced in a CAMI (joint venture) plant in Ingersoll, Ontario, and this arrangement had to do with the “chicken tax” that the U.S. imposed on some Japanese imports. They were small vehicles, with a wheelbase of just 86 inches and a total length of 142 inches (easy to park, right?).
We get the impression this is a one-owner vehicle with 161,000 well-cared-for miles. It has a 1.6-liter inline-4 paired with a 5-speed manual transmission. The seller says it runs well and has some new parts, including the fuel pump, valve cover gasket, and some work that was required on the ECU. The top is just three years old, and we’re told it has no leaks. The body and paint look great, but we wonder if the purple stripes on the seats are original. Is it me, or is the left side rear tailight broken out?
You used to see a lot of these running around, especially the Suzuki-branded ones. They appealed to young people because they were fun and could be acquired without breaking the bank. This one looks like it’s got plenty of life left and is ready for some mountain or country outings. Another cool tip from Barn Finder Mike F.!
Proven durable little rigs. If it’s the 16V motor even better. 5sp, manual hubs. Like it. 👍
Jeep alternative,,,pfft, they wish(ed) :D
Lets be honest…..
People purchased these because they got decent fuel economy; you could take your top off (legally!); you could use the 4×4 function to get out of your driveway if it snowed “a little” and they were affordable BUT again….nobody ever thought of this as a Jeep!
I’m pretty sure that of the 160k miles on this Tracker NONE of these are hardcore off road miles that one would ever compare to a Jeep.
That said it’s still an excellent beginner vehicle for learning how to drive “stick” and if your in a climate with all 4 seasons this type of transportation makes sense although I think they are asking quite a bit for it.
Seems juts a few years ago you could pick one up for $2-3k without batting and eye. Great write up and an excellent find!
I had a Samurai when I lived in Greece and it was indestructable. Later on when my newly graduated daughter needed something with good mileage but was “cute” I got her a Tracker. I built a big plywood box into the rear to hold all her stuff and drove it from Seattle to Los Angeles where she was living. It ran good all the way except for one spark plug blew out coming down the grapevine. Some prior mechanic had not gotten it tight. I used the plug wire to wind it back in as many threads as I could and limped in to a gas station where a guy let me use his plug wrench to tighten up all 4. She drove it for another 5 years before her first child was born and she needed a larger car.