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Thread: Oops, I bought another car.

  1. #1

    Oops, I bought another car.

    It's a SPORT car!

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    1999 Pontiac Firefly (Chevy Metro) 1.0L, 5-speed, base trim: manual steering, no AC.

    It's been sitting for 5 years in a back yard in a tiny little town I go through regularly.

    And it's a runner! Put a battery in and it started right up! Only 176k km on it (109k miles).

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    I even drove it away, though it had no brakes so I had to go slowly. (Went about 1 km down a gravel road to a friend's house - temporary parking spot.) Good thing the parking brake works.

    I won't be putting this one on the road. I got it as a future parts source for my low-km creampuff 1998 Firefly, below...

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    It's got some good pieces on it: engine runs great - it literally sounds better than my Mirage on a cold start. Clutch & trans are good; entire stainless exhaust was new 5 years ago just before it was parked; body & glass are good (original paint); upholstery is excellent.

    But the underbody is rotten. If this thing had been rust-proofed, it could still be on the road.

    It's the last Firefly/Metro I've seen in several years, other than my own. They all rusted away from this part of the world a long time ago.

    Cost me $375, which is about $275 more than it's worth, but the seller knew I wanted it.


        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 63.2 mpg (US) ... 26.9 km/L ... 3.7 L/100 km ... 75.9 mpg (Imp)


  2. The Following 6 Users Say Thank You to MetroMPG For This Useful Post:

    BigMW (06-20-2023),craigq (04-24-2021),dragon2knight (04-21-2021),dspace9 (04-21-2021),Fummins (04-20-2021),PityOnU (04-20-2021)

  3. #2
    Senior Member PityOnU's Avatar
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    You can tell it's fast because of the stripes!

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    MetroMPG (04-20-2021)

  5. #3
    Yup! They easily add 5 hp, which is a 10% power increase on this car.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 63.2 mpg (US) ... 26.9 km/L ... 3.7 L/100 km ... 75.9 mpg (Imp)


  6. #4
    Senior Member Cobrajet's Avatar
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    Anything you can drive away for under $500 is a good deal...even if it won't STOP.

  7. #5
    Yeah, and it's theoretically repairable, too. Someone with welding skills, a lot of patience and a masochistic streak could make it roadworthy again.

    Been there, done that (my welding skills are highly debatable though). It won't be happening to this car.

    R.I.P.

    "The needs of the Firefly outweigh the needs of the other, much rustier Firefly."

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 63.2 mpg (US) ... 26.9 km/L ... 3.7 L/100 km ... 75.9 mpg (Imp)


  8. #6
    Senior Member MacClyver's Avatar
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    Is that a removable rear tire well plastic edge to prevent rust from rock chips? Never seen that before.

    When the frame rail snaps that's when you can be sure it's dead.


    Jealous of the seemingly dent and rust free doors :drool .


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    MetroMPG (04-21-2021)

  10. #7
    Wow, that's terrible!!

    It's not a removable edge - it's just some primer that a previous owner put on to slow down / touch up the rust.

    EDIT: hmmm... your photo makes me wonder if either of the Metro's sway bars will fit the rear of the Mirage...

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 63.2 mpg (US) ... 26.9 km/L ... 3.7 L/100 km ... 75.9 mpg (Imp)


  11. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by MacClyver View Post
    When the frame rail snaps that's when you can be sure it's dead.
    All that needs is a couple cans of expanding foam and some flex seal.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage SE wussie cvt edition. 1.2 automatic: 37.7 mpg (US) ... 16.0 km/L ... 6.2 L/100 km ... 45.3 mpg (Imp)


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    MetroMPG (04-21-2021)

  13. #9
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    That '98 certainly is a cream puff.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2020 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 42.4 mpg (US) ... 18.0 km/L ... 5.6 L/100 km ... 50.9 mpg (Imp)


  14. #10
    I haven't even driven it for a couple of years. Too many other #&#$boxes in the fleet!


        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 63.2 mpg (US) ... 26.9 km/L ... 3.7 L/100 km ... 75.9 mpg (Imp)


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