1999 Chevy Metro AT

[bowtieguy]

looking for an auto trans for my 16 year old to practice on. any thoughts on this...http://orlando.craigslist.org/cto/2676195117.html

[Jay2TheRescue]

Well, they appear to be asking $185 below the Kelly Blue Book value... If you're looking for one, seems to be pretty nice.

[theholycow]

Too clean for a first car...and if this was 20 years ago I'd say it is embarrassing, but from what I hear kids really don't care these days.

[Jay2TheRescue]

LOL, I drove a 8 year old Pontiac wagon with heavily oxidized, acid rain damaged paint, and I absolutely loved it, but we all know I'm odd anyway.

[GasSavers_BEEF]

I would so buy it and rock it myself. that is a sweet looking car. my first car was a '93 metro but it was the 2 door hatch with the 3 cyl and manual (no a/c)

that would make a wonderful first car. (I am a little biased)

[VetteOwner]

ehh make him drive manual - VERY good thing to know. anybody can drive automatic. anything manual with a 3 or 4 banger and he cant get in much trouble (least that's what my dad thought haha but its true. one wheel bark more like it) needs to be a $1000 or less rust bucket that he can learn basic car repair on as its prolly 70% chance he will wreck it.

first car should be a cheapo bucket or hand me down car.

[bowtieguy]

Jay, no worries, i'm that kind of odd too.

Beef, yes i would end up driving it which has me a little concerned about the 3 speed since i drive a lot of highway miles.

[GasSavers_BEEF]

not everybody wrecks their first car. the only one that did it out of my family was my brother. my two sisters and myself didn't unless you count deer and it was fixable.

I wouldn't worry that much about the 3 speed given it is a 1.3 liter. you will probably still easily be in the 40s (mpg wise). my sister had a 2 door hatch with the 4 cyl. she really didn't keep up with the mileage but I remember when she got her next car she fussed about how often she had to fill it up and it was a cavalier. go figure.

[theholycow]

I never crashed my first car (apart from very minor bumps and one small dent). I did destroy it a little bit at a time but it survived until I had money burning a hole in my pocket to buy a newer vehicle.

In hindsight I wish I had kept it. I liked it a lot better than the newer car, and the newer one ended up being pretty damn expensive. I'm much better at making decisions like that now.

[Jay2TheRescue]

IMHO, nothing beats a 10 year old Chevy for a first car. They're cheap to buy, most of the GM lineup has excellent crash ratings, and they're usually pretty cheap to fix (body or mechanical).