I’m trying something new today. Instead of a straight Friday runoff like we’ve done in the past, or two new outrageous or expensive cars, I’m giving you the choice between one of the week’s winners, or a new, fifth car. No scenario, no criteria, just pick the one you like best.
I guess you really like the idea of a cheap extra car to mess around with, or it’s totally lost on you. There’s no in-between. For those of you who like the idea, the comments yesterday were split pretty evenly between the Mazda and the Subaru. Those who were just looking for a decent cheap car overwhelmingly chose the Mazda, giving it an easy win.
I like the idea of having something to mess around with, but I’m not sure it’s worth the extra hassle and insurance to actually buy one. If I did, though, the Mazda is the easy choice between these two. I’m not a huge Subaru fan anyway, and that little Mazda 323 just feels more honest and trustworthy. That Subaru has been for sale for a long time, and based on the reactions to it here, I’m not surprised.
So, let’s quickly recap the week’s winners, and then I’ll introduce you to the new guy.
1990 Dodge Daytona – $9,500
This basest-of-base-model Daytona is by far the most expensive car here, but it’s also by far the lowest mileage. It has just seven thousand miles on its odometer, and it sounds like most of those came from the second owner. What’s the going rate for a thirty-six-year-old new Dodge? They don’t come up for sale often enough to really establish an average price. It’s a cool car, at least I think so, but you’re either willing to pay almost ten grand for it or you aren’t.
2000 Hyundai Sonata GLS – $4,300
If your favorite flavor is “Plain” and Cat Stevens is just too darn loud for you, I think I might have found you the perfect car. This Hyundai Sonata is so inoffensive that even Tipper Gore couldn’t find fault with it. It’s in excellent shape, has low miles, and is being sold for a decent price. What’s not to like? Well, there’s the danger of falling asleep at the wheel.
1999 Isuzu Oasis – $3,200
Used minivans can be really good used-car bargains, as long as you’re willing to be seen in one, and as long as you can find one without half a box of Cheerios between the seats. This Isuzu Oasis seems to fit the bill. It’s got a lot of miles on it, but it’s a Honda in all but name, so miles aren’t much of a concern. And if you don’t need all those seats, you can always take them out and use it as a cargo van.
1989 Mazda 323 SE – $1,500
This little Mazda 323 looks like the perfect amateur rallycross car. It’s cheap, lightweight, nimble, and already a bit beat-up. It wears snow tires that would work well as all-terrain tires too, and I have a suspicion it may have been lifted an inch or so already as well. Don’t want to rallycross? No problem. Use it as a cheap commuter car.
1999 Chevrolet Metro – $2,500
Engine/drivetrain: 1.0 liter OHC inline 3, five-speed manual, FWD
Location: Cookeville, TN
Odometer reading: 120,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives “decent”
Yes, you’re seeing this right: Someone took a Metro and painted it like a Little Tikes Cozy Coupe. Cute, right? I mean, I think I’ve seen something like this before, but that’s fine. I’ve seen I don’t know how many Herbies and General Lees (Generals Lee?) over the years; there can be more than one real-life Cozy Coupe. And of course, if you’d rather just have a regular Metro, you can always take the emblems off and repaint it.
Power for the Metro comes from a suitcase-sized three-cylinder that I’ve heard can be wrestled out of the engine bay without a lift by two strong guys, or one big weightlifter. It punches way above its weight, though; no one would ever call a Metro quick, but it feels quick, and you can mash the gas pedal into the floor and hold it there as long as you need to, and this car won’t care. The seller says it runs “decent,” but that it “needs a tune up.” The check-engine light appears to be on, which indicates something might be going on. “Needs a tune up” is starting to become the new “air conditioning just needs a recharge,” I think. Bring a code scanner, and proceed with caution.
The seller says the interior is almost perfect “except headliner.” It’s falling down. But if that’s the biggest issue inside, that’s pretty good for a car as old as this. It’s a pretty fancy Metro; it has air conditioning and a CD player. There’s no word on whether either of them work, though.
Apart from the Little Tikes paint job, it’s in good condition outside. It looks like they started with a red Metro and just painted the roof yellow, so returning it to red should be easy enough if you wanted to. Or just lean into the bit and let people point and smile as you go by.
So what do you think? Is the Cozy Coupe-ified Metro a better deal than one of the week’s winners? Or are you sticking with one of your earlier choices? And if so, which one? Take the weekend to decide, and I’ll see you back here on Monday.
Since I’m buying a toy, it might as well look like a toy. Metro for me! Plus, I like teensy 3-bangers.
David Tracy should get this, and equip Delmar (nhrn) with a Cozy Coupe to win the cute family award at car shows. It’ll be a while before Little D grows into the rusty pedal Jeep anyway.
The cheap and cheerful 323. I’m not paying 9k for a base Daytona, don’t want a minivan, and have little interest in the other two.
The little tikes metro because I love it
The more I see that Daytona, the more I’m willing to pay the price for it. You’ll legit never find another like it, and even though the Isuzu is more practical and the Metro is far more fuel efficient, I feel like I’d have less worry with the Mopar.
Went with the Mazda today because it looks like a nice combo of fun and I’m a cheap bastard.
The Metro looks cool and I missed the Cozy Coupe thing at first. I though the owner might be either R. McDonald or Ronald M. I do have a question about the extended exhaust pipe. Why?
Just a little shakotan style, maybe? Or budget “DTM” pipes? No clue but it makes me like it even more.
Heart wants the adorable stick shift child’s toy. I’ll gladly take a Scan Tool and check it out. It makes me smile. That’s worth something in a world where this weekend’s Indycar race doesn’t.
I have long wanted a Metro. I want a Metro – this specific model variant – so I can ecomod and hypermile the living daylights out of it. I want to squeeze every gas penny until it squeaks.
This is a very dangerous listing. Cookeville is about an hour and a half west of me. I’ve been there before – shoot, I was there earlier this year picking up one of my kids for a trip. It’s dangerously convenient and inexpensive.
The Metro’s light and small engine lends itself, as noted, to relatively easy removal and replacement. So the tranny from the more-powerful (lol) 1.3l four-cylinder can be swapped in to replace the one from the 3-pot unit, bringing with it a taller fifth gear for even more economical highway cruising. With such a conversion and careful driving, the little Metro can be teased to the kind of fuel economy usually associated with not just hybrids, but plug-in hybrids.
And then I would sell it again, because I have a plug in hybrid now and it’s awesome.
I passed on the Mazda last time,but I am happy I get an opportunity to vote for it once more.
Its either this or the Isuzu thing for me,but the Mazda is just more fun.
I’d offer 2 large for the Metro, and walk if I couldn’t get it for 2.2
I miss featherweight vehicles I could just throw at turns
Oasis for me please. I’m just dumb enough to replace my current van with a 20 year older one under the right conditions.
I was planning to pick the Daytona because of the low miles and the fact that it was an American car, but then I saw the 2-door Metro with the 5-speed.
Peel off the decals, fix that upward-tilted tailpipe, and get someone to wrap the roof in a better color.
$5,000 can fix a lot of issues. Plus it undoubtably gets better fuel mileage than the rest of them.
Daytona for me. I’m unabashedly a member of the (now faded) cult of the sport coupe. I miss the days when these sporty-enough guys roamed the land, and could be purchased by anyone who worked for a living. Sure, you might trade up as you got older, but you’d always fondly remember their favorable fun to price ratio.
I was deeply torn between the Oasis and the 323. Initially, I wanted the Metro, but the CEL being on turned me off.
Ultimately, I voted Mazda. It looks like cheap fun.
For me it comes down to the Mazda or the Isuzu. These seems like solid deals for those who need cheap transportation. I voted for the Isuzu because it is worth the extra money to get something far newer and in better condition. “Both” would be a good answer, though.
The Metro would be more interesting to me if it were left stock – I’m not liking the Cozy Coupe modifications. The Hyundai would be more interesting if it were cheaper, but $4300 is a lot of money for a quarter-century old car that was known for poor quality back when Clinton was still president. It is in good condition, but it is still an ancient Hyundai.
The Daytona is not for me at anywhere near that price.
There aren’t any vehicles above that are really any kind of interesting to own for me (paintjob on the Geo aside) so my pick would be based on which one would make the best ‘extra’ car in my driveway.
I have no interest in an old bottom feeder, econobox like the Geo or a borderline ancient econobox like the 323 and both are basically deathtraps vs. a modern Tahoe. My Miata isn’t much better but the trade off is being fun to drive. Neither of these two would be. The Geo ‘runs decent’ and check engine light is also a serious red flag.
The Sonata is a snoozefest that would bore me to tears just looking at it.
The Daytona isn’t bad but would always leave me wishing I’d ponied up just a bit more to get a more performance oriented model. This one is basically just another econobox in a slightly sportier wrapper. The 2 door configuration also limits practicality.
So Oasis it is. It’s the most practical ‘extra’ car here and looks like it was well cared for to boot. Also being a late 90’s Honda, it should be easy to maintain and reliable as the tides.
I’ll take the cheap knock off Porsche 928, I mean the Dodge thing 😀
I was all set to go 323 then I saw the Tike! But the CEL and “needs a tune up” pushed me back to the cheap Mazda.