The Small Old Cars strike back - Fuel-stingy cars are hot wheels

[AMERICA 123]

Well, all of you that held on ...... appears that todays your day!

Go ahead, que up some Star Wars music .....

By Chris Woodyard, USA TODAY

Some of the nerdiest-looking cars in recent automotive history are making a comeback, at least in resale value, as a growing number of value-driven drivers put gas thriftiness ahead of image.

Early-1990s econoboxes such as Ford Festiva, Hyundai Excel and Geo Metro — once the punch line of jokes — have seen their used car prices climb from giveaway levels as low as $1,100 a few months ago to upward of $6,000 today, Kelley Blue Book says.

"Remember that nerds will rule the world someday," says Phil Skinner, collector car market editor for KBB, the popular used car price-tracking service.

He says prices have risen up to 30% for the low-end 15-year-old jalopies.
As AAA pegged gas prices Wednesday at a record $3.758 a gallon nationwide, some of those old tin cans get gas mileage equal to today's best and pricey hybrids.

A 1993 Geo Metro XFI, a subcompact imported by General Motors, is EPA-rated at a 46 miles per gallon average. That's the same as a 2008 Toyota Prius gas-electric hybrid, which starts at $21,500.

( Need to check if this is the 2008 method for both. )

Nick Skouteris, an Atlanta auto restorer, says he has fixed up and sold about 10 Geo Metros but is having trouble finding more at reasonable prices. He says he had his sights set on a Metro convertible on eBay a couple of weeks ago with rust holes and 175,000 miles on the odometer that went for $3,000.
"They are hot cars right now," Skouteris says. "You can't find one cheap enough."

The full article touches on the obvious trade off here - safety - but still .......


http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/...s-resale_N.htm

[solman98]

That is true. I had a Mazda 808 back in the late '70 and I could get 40mpg with that. Granted, not the fastest thing on the road.....

[dindak]

Great news for me is that V8 Impala SS re-sale prices are coming down so hopefully I can get a real good deal this summer or fall.

[AMERICA 123]

Originally Posted by solman98

That is true. I had a Mazda 808 back in the late '70 and I could get 40mpg with that. Granted, not the fastest thing on the road.....

You know, if you forget about everything else, there really were some pretty decent numbers posted up by various product in the 1984 -1996 ( approx ) time frame. Thats in regards to the real world as well as the EPA numbers.

One thing I've noticed that makes backward looking comparisons more difficult for accuracy is that the retro conversion EPA formula is not a uniform experience . Thats to be expected in a general sense , but there appears to be more variation than you might expect.

[paul8488]

Hah! I love it! I looked last week on Autotrader.ca for Geo's for sale in Canada when I come home... there were none! I'm loving MY nerdy econobox here in France... wish I could bring it back to Canada!

[AMERICA 123]

Originally Posted by dindak

Great news for me is that V8 Impala SS re-sale prices are coming down so hopefully I can get a real good deal this summer or fall.

Thats the other way to go - I never regretted 'lightening up' ( FE ) in '72 - '74 and then turning around and going heavy ( large partial ) in '79 - '84.


Must be fun - dealing with today's 'preowned valuations' - all of them.

[MCGARRETT]

Someone refresh me whats a Mazda 808?


I remember the GLC, 323, 626 and et al, but not an 808?

Was it sold in Hawaii only(808 is Hawaii's area code)

Nick Skouteris, an Atlanta auto restorer, says he has fixed up and sold about 10 Geo Metros but is having trouble finding more at reasonable prices. He says he had his sights set on a Metro convertible on eBay a couple of weeks ago with rust holes and 175,000 miles on the odometer that went for $3,000.
"They are hot cars right now," Skouteris says. "You can't find one cheap enough."

There is nooooooooooo way on earth I would pay over $1000 for any Geo Metro.

Funny, I could have bought a shabby Metro convertible in 2005 for about $500 bucks, It was not rustly, but it looked as if it had never had the top up in it's entire life, it was weather beaten and the interior was trashed, I offered $100 because I was not really interested.

[AndrewGS]

If only they had kept building the Metro.

[Ttple]

The mileage on small cars today seem much worse than the small cars of the 80's and 90's.

[MCGARRETT]

The mileage on small cars today seem much worse than the small cars of the 80's and 90's.



Please compare the following curb weights...



1985 Honda Civic DX vs 2008 Honda Civic DX

1985 Chevrolet Cavalier coupe vs 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt LS coupe

1985 Ford Escort L vs 2008 Ford Focus



Granted the newer cars are safer, more comfortable, faster and better equipped, but that had to come at the expense of something.

[Ming]

I knew MY CAR would be h0TT and desireable one day... Go fuel-stingy station wagons! (OK, so it's not as old as the 1986 Pontiac 6000 LE 4-cyl. wagon I once owned...now that would be blazing hot!)

This past month I have noticed (and I always watch carefully) no less than 4 late 80's early 90's GM station wagons in my parking garage at work. A Chevy Celebrity, a Buick of the same size (Ciera?) with fake wood paneling, a Cavalier Wagon, and one more, an Oldsmobile I think. All looked like beaters that were bought because they get good gas mileage and will actually carry some cargo in a pinch (unlike the hatchbacks that pass for wagons these days - yes, I'm lookin' at you, Vibe).

The closest thing to those wagons (where a couple of kids could stretch out and roll around in the cargo area) GM offers now - with a useable, decent cargo space, low purchase price and good fuel economy, is the HHR with its somewhat polarizing PT Cruiser-esque looks. But man, GM stoked my fire by announcing they will offer an E-85 capable HHR...!

I've also occasionally felt the urge to buy a Geo Storm 2-door wagon for kicks. Love the look and utility of those rare-mobiles, probably could pick one up for 800 bucks or so -- then make it look pretty like this one:

[GMinTheDriveway]

Saturn S-series of any year is a good cheap car to drive as well that is much better put together than any Geo/Chevy Metro.

[BigThreeForever]

If the prices of such utter detritus really are rising to those levels, then the Apocalypse must be close at hand.

[hotrod1949]

Originally Posted by AndrewGS

If only they had kept building the Metro.

The folks at CAMI feel the same way. How the lines would be humming if we were building a 46mpg econobox.

[Whitesky]

I'm still trying to find one of those cheap Tahoes or Yukons that supposedly are for sale everywhere.