Some Rethinking The Geo Metro

It wasn't a very popular car when it was new.  The brand doesn't even exist anymore.  So, why are people paying top dollar for the Geo Metro?  The News On 6's Steve Berg reports it's about the gas prices.

Some models of the Geo Metro got as much as 50 miles per gallon.  And, people on e-Bay are paying three, four, even five times the blue book value to get one.

You have to look hard to find one.  The News On 6 found one at an apartment complex near 11th street.  But, the owner couldn't be found.  They might not realize they have a potential gold mine sitting there.  Another one was spotted at a used car lot on Lewis.  But, the lot was closed.  It's a veritable bargain at $1,200.

Now, if you think gas prices are driving you crazy, you should see what people are paying on e-Bay for a Geo Metro.

Why else would a 16-year-old car with 152,000 miles, pull in a bid for $3,250? A 1990 model, that's 18 years old, with 145,000 miles is going for $3,650.  And, last but not least, there's a 1991 Metro, with a relatively low 52,000 miles, going for $4,650.

The News On 6 plugged those numbers into the Kelly Blue Book website.  Even at full retail value, in perfect condition, the suggested price for a 1991 model is only $1,400. The current e-Bay bid is 3 times that.

But why the Metro?

Of all the econo-cars from the early 1990's, the Metro is a special case.  It had a three-cylinder engine, very unusual, that got from 45, to more than 50 miles per gallon.  That's something even other small cars from the era couldn't match.  It is also something that even the best hybrids today struggle to beat. 

It might make you look twice at that lonely hatchback in the back of the used-car lot.