This 1990 Geo Metro convertible is the top-shelf LSI spec and wears one of the best colors ever found on the early 90s micro-car. The Metro convertible has one of the more unusual followings in the car world, with plenty of enthusiasts looking for one of these wearing the blazing yellow shade of paint, but I’ve never quite understood the passion. Because drop top or not, they are still a slow, cheap rollerskate of a car built for little else than to give drivers a compelling alternative to, say, a bicycle. This example is listed here on eBay with TMU and bidding just over $1,000 and the reserve unmet.
Yes, the reserve is unmet. Shocking, I know. I have nothing against these cars but no one has ever explained to me who is chomping at the bit to buy them and why. I have seem plenty of them relegated to the junkyard over the years, and I can certainly understand why high school girls would want one, but beyond that, the target market eludes me. The seller notes that this one runs and drives without too many issues but it does have some faults. This includes a tear in the convertible top and dry-rotted tires, as well as a heavily cracked dash.
The interior is classic 90s style, with cloth seats livened up by a single piece of yellow piping. Spartan controls hide underneath that cracked dash, but the seller notes it’s still loaded up with air conditioning and an automatic transmission. A slushbox in a car like this is hard to get one’s head around , but I suppose if expectations are low regarding any kind of real-world performance, then the automatic or manual debate is pretty meaningless here. The steering wheel, door panels, and carpets all look to be in fine shape, but it still seems unlikely the 25,000 miles recorded on the odometer are entirely accurate.
The engine bay looks quite clean, but it also reveals that the paint on the nose is way too fresh. Seeing the chalky paint under the hood and along the firewall reminded me that the factory yellow paint for the Metros did not actually have this much yellow in it – it was more of a primrose than a fly yellow such as found on a Ferrari or Porsche. The seller coyly refers to the Geo retaining “some” of its original paint, which has to be a carefully worded disclosure that large portions of the paint are not what it left the factory with. Do you think it’s been in an accident? If so, what should it sell for?
One dollar and just leave it by the curb on recycle night.
Three cylinder rattle trap 🤢
I have ridden in one and sort of drive one as it putted slowly down the road prayers that no rear ending as it nudged along.
I rebuilt one to flip. Had a dead engine. It was the only car I ever worked on that I lifted the engine onto the workbench. Sold the car within the week. The 2 door models with the hatch had the 3cyl and the sedan had the 4cyl. People loved those things for commuter cars. The owner of the one I sold wore it out 100K later and called me hoping I would have another to sell!
Built one with my daughter as a first can while she was going to college
Took an upscale interior from a suzuki , a rear wing from a dodge stealth, the front bumper and sideskirst from the swift , painted it pink panther pink , neons inside and out , larger wheels and tires , exhaust and all used parts from the boneyard, she hated the attention she got , did not like it at all, it rotted in the parking for years … finally junked it and NOW she says it was the best car she ever had and wants another convertible to drive around !
I had one – a hatch, 3 cylinders, five speeds. All the guff that’s heaped on them, IMHO, smacks of snobbery. The Geo was my work car in another city I had to fly in and out of. Same time, I had a Corolla at home – and I vastly preferred the Geo. Better seats, light steering that wasn’t numbed by power assist. And 50 miles a gallon. It was zippy in traffic and could cruise at 75.
It was NOT durable, I grant that. It was a cheap throwaway product – like everything GM was involved in at the time. Mine was a Western car that had somehow come East and traded in locally (had the paper trail) but inside of three winters, the front subframe corroded to failure.
I got my money’s worth, but although it was fun at times, it was a utility car. The convertable…I have a harder time getting my head around. For a hatchback, I’d cheerfully pay $2k for a solid one.
My Nebors bought one new. Always garage kept. Mainly wifes car.
About 3 years ago they decided to sell it.
He never mentioned what happened but I think it was sold to a wrecker.
“Do you think it’s been in an accident?”
No, because there wouldn’t be anything left…
Really glad most people don’t get the Geo Metro thing, keeps there prices afordabale. We have many collector cars we enjoy driving, including a 62 Fuel injected corvette and other mid 50’s Chevrolet convertibles. Nothing is more fun than a Geo Metro, especially, a 5 speed. Right now have 4 restored Metros that I have restored myself. Great group of people and a strong following on the GeoMetroForum. There are lots of cars I personally don’t care for on barnfinds.
The gas mileage with manual transmission was impressive . I test drove one with an automatic trans, it was slow. Alot of Floridians spend tons of money on golf carts, I’d rather have this little car to cruise the community as well as the beach front roads. It’s also roomy inside. Later model has a better dashboard, no cheap push buttons. It’s a convertible and they’re always a blast to drive. I just might buy one someday.
Bought one of these new in 1990. I remember it being very noisy and uncomfortable. However it routinely got 54-55 mpg cruising the flatland highways of Iowa and Nebraska. I didnt keep it very long… I saw the remains of one the hit a deer on I80 in central Iowa. Neither the car, the passengers or the deer survived.
Sometimes I really wish for a thumbs down button.
A Suzuki Sprint Turbo? Sure! A Geo droptop slushbox? Uggg.
If I recall correctly, the total capacity for people and cargo is just over 300lb. That’s me, a pizza, and a six-pack, so I guess I’m good.
Actually, the total capacity rating for this car was 380 lbs., according to a sticker on the inside of the door jamb.
So, I could take me, and another, smaller person. No room for pizzas and not much for beer.
I still want one. 50+ mpg, park it anywhere.
Always remember a line from a review when these came out. “Something this slow shouldn’t be this much fun”.
Too funny. Those who knock this will be amazed when they end up in a retirement community and need wheels to putt around. Why this will be the best car ever.
Have had many Metro’s. Simply one of the best commuter cars on the planet. My 5 spd would cruise 70 mph all day long and still get 50+ mpg. Once got a ticket @ 94 mph. Not coming off a hill. Flat highway. Beat it in court. Cars averaged 300,000 miles with nothing but oil changes and a timing belt.
If you have never owned or driven one shouldn’t ever judge a book by it’s cover. Currently drive a Mitsubishi Mirage that replaced a Honda Insight with a dead battery pack.
Keeping the Honda. It is all aluminum. My plan is to install a K series. Thinking of an AWD conversion out of an Element. 400 HP + AWD + 1800 LBS = Fun and 40 mpg
The 4 cylinder was too big….
I tried to buy one of these back when gas was $4 a gallon. The people that have them don’t let go of them often, I’ll say that.
I bought a 91 XFI in Dec of 90, new, didn’t even test drive it. I sold it in 2016. I replaced the starter once, and I think the alternator once. Other than that, changed the oil every 3,000 miles. Replaced all 4 struts twice, lower ball joints once, timing belt twice, and brakes a few times. I put 14” boneyard wheels on it and changed to 175/65R14 tires. I really liked that car, got 60 mpg often.
I’m looking at my ’96 hatchback out the office window as I type this. I’ve had it since 1998, and driven it 164,000 of its 174,000 miles. With the 3-banger and 5-speed it still gets mid-40’s MPG, and oddly it’s one of the most comfortable cars I’ve driven. The seat just seems to suit me, not sure why exactly.
These really are terrific cars. Fortunately they aren’t for everybody. That keeps the world interesting.
Jeff, you aren’t giving high school girls enough credit – they definitely wouldn’t want one of these.
My high school daughter certainly wouldn’t. but then again, she’s in love with her Nissan Cube – LOL!
Driving around in this thing would make me feel like Bob Goldthwaite in that movie “Shakes the Clown”, whose title character drove, yep, a Nash Metro(politan).
This car, commonly known as the Suzuki Cultus, was sold all over the world under various names. The coolest one is of course the Suzuki Swift GTi.
Many Americans diss them because they’re not a fire breathing V-8 but they made a lot of sense for the rest of the world where gasoline is a lot more expensive and roads and streets a lot narrower.
Thank you for removing the offensive post. Mean comments have no place here, glad the site operators are good people.
Bought a red 91 hatch 5sp naturally asperated off my sister when it was 5 years old. Drove it for 11 years, everywhere. Traded it in on a cushy Nissan. What a difference
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5EFS6WmxQQ
This was our daughters first car only in red! It was a stick and she tells of having six girls crammed in to it with the top down! Her next car was a Dodge Shadow convertible! another car she had fun with, even had it in her wedding! Lots of memories in those two neat little drop tops!!
I have always wanted a convertible but not an automatic.
When these were new, they were good commuter cars and kept up with traffic just fine.
When this car was called a Sprint, I worked at a Chevy dealer and noted that the little 3 cylinder performed just fine for every day driving.
Contrary to popular belief, not every car needs to do 0-60 in 2.9 seconds.