Selling an old Chevy Metro

The newest Metro is now 25 model years old. Rust, more than any mechanical part, is what owners told NHTSA about.

The Chevrolet years of a Geo

The Metro was a Geo until GM folded that brand into Chevrolet after the 1997 model year. From 1998 to 2001 it wore a Chevy bowtie. Every North American Metro from 1990 on came from CAMI Automotive in Ingersoll, Ontario, a 50-50 venture between GM and Suzuki.

For 1998 the four-cylinder got multiport fuel injection in place of throttle-body injection, and electronic ignition replaced the distributor. Two engines were offered:

• a 1.0-liter three-cylinder, carried over unchanged
• a 1.3-liter four, which gained a 16-valve head and made 79 hp in LSi form

Buyers chose between a five-speed stick and a three-speed automatic. The EPA rated the 1998 three-cylinder manual at 40 mpg combined, the 1.3 manual at 35 and the 1.3 automatic at 28.

By 2001 only the four-door LSi sedan was left, and fueleconomy.gov lists just one drivetrain for it, the 1.3 with the automatic. CAMI built the last Metro, a red sedan, on April 26, 2001.

What the complaint file shows

NHTSA holds only 13 complaints on the Chevrolet Metro, and 6 of them are tagged structure. Owners described:

• a 1998 frame that rotted on both sides until the control arms broke away
• a 1998 LSi with heavy rust on the frame
• a 1998 that could not be repaired because, the owner was told, the body had separated
• a 2000 with corrosion under the rear doors and rust on the rocker panels
• a 1999 with a corroded fuel inlet pipe that leaked, a part the owner could not find at any junkyard

The one crash in the file is the 2000 speed control report. Frame rust never drew a GM recall, bulletin or warranty program that we could find. Treat each of these as one owner's experience.

Rust, age and the decision

On a car this old, the frame can matter more than the engine. In one report above, rust went far enough that the control arms broke away. Have a shop look underneath before you pay for engine or brake work. If yours hasn't moved in years, the car sitting for years guide covers registration you may owe and what a long-parked car needs.

Selling it whole

1. Find the VIN on the dash or the driver's door jamb, and note the miles if the cluster still works.
2. Ask for an offer online, or call (877) 421-6008.
3. Tell us its spot, say a backyard, a barn or a side street. Flat tires and seized wheels are worth a mention. Pickup is free anywhere in the US.
4. Leave it as one car. Sell the whole car as it sits, with the wheels, battery and exhaust in place, and tell us about anything already pulled.
5. Find the title. If it's lost, start with our no-title guide. For plates and the release of liability, see after you sell.

Other small Chevys with import roots: the Prizm, Sprint and Spectrum, or every Chevrolet we cover.