My Pontiac Firefly / Chevrolet Metro / Geo Metro / Suzuki Swift
metrompg.com welcomes fuel efficiency nerds everywhere

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Latest fuel economy stats
for my '98 Firefly 1.0L 5-speed
  best: 2.3 125.1 104.2
 worst: 6.4  44.1  36.8
prev.3: 3.3  82.3  68.6
   all: 3.8  73.4  61.1
L/100km | mpg IMP | mpg US
Jul 28/07: more, graph, calc.
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Google

Best non-hybrid MPG: Mitsubishi Mirage
Highest MPG for a new car: Mitsubishi Mirage?
Mitsubishi's 1.2L, 3-cylinder Mirage is the first new non-hybrid car that can match an old Metro's mileage. The company says 44 mpg (US) highway, 37 city. (Some drivers are already beating that in various economy driving contests.) How? An efficient engine, very light weight and aerodynamic design.


Cheapest to own? 2015 Nissan Micra Forum
2015 Nissan Micra Forum
The Micra's fuel economy isn't its most notable feature -- the $10,000 price is. That makes it one of the cheapest cars to own. And its 109hp, 1.6L engine and good power-to-weight ratio means it's fun to drive too.


Latest 10 posts:
1. Recipe for getting 99.7 mpg from a Geo Metro
2. Aerocivic.com - famous aerodynamic Honda Civic gets a web site
3. Snapshot: effect of tire pressure on rolling resistance
4. 65+ vehicle modifications for better MPG
5. Metro mania: forget stocks, put your money in old Geos!
6. 100+ Hypermiling / ecodriving tips for better gas mileage
7. Experiment: how long should a block heater be plugged in?
8. Everything old is new again: Car and Driver magazine modifies an econobox to improve MPG
9. Project Convertible XFi: alfresco efficiency
10. The floor is yours: MetroMPG opens a fuel efficiency forum
11 ... 64. Show all posts


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Links:

Good MPG forums: I spend a lot of time at Ecomodder.com and have also been known to lurk around cleanmpg.com.

Chevrolet Aveo forum - AveoForum.com: discussion of the Chevrolet Aveo and its siblings (Pontiac Wave, Pontiac G3, Suzuki Swift+, Daewoo Kalos).

> Lots more Metro links...
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Send me a note:
darin AT metrompg D-O-T com,
or here



MetroMPG has opened a fuel economy forum
Read about the project here, or go straight to EcoModder.com.
ScanGauge fuel economy computer Save fuel with a ScanGauge II fuel economy computer.
I personally recommend this tool. I've owned both versions (I and II) and can't say enough good things about it. If you're serious about saving fuel, get one.

For more information and to order, visit EcoModder.


Gone in sixty seconds

Posted Tuesday, November 1/05 in Suzukiclone info

think quick!

It took me several months of scanning the car ads and a couple of road trips to look at Suzukiclones before I eventually got the Firefly.

I missed out on a few incredible low-mileage cars during my search. There was serious demand for the ones that were in fantastic shape; four were snapped up by other buyers before I even had a chance to see them in person.

First, I missed out on these low-mileage examples (all were 1.0L, 5-speed, one-owner, private sales):

1994 Suzuki Swift
2 door hatchback
white exterior and blue interior in original, like-new condition
19,000 actual kilometers (11,806 miles)
always garage parked
certified and emission tested
asking price: $3400 CDN ($2894 US)

19k kms? Wow! This Suzuki, an hour's drive from home, came up right at the start of my search. But when I first saw the ad, it was already in the second week of its two week run. The car had long since sold. Drat.

Next, came a...

1997 Pontiac Firefly
2 door hatch
green exterior, grey interior
27,000 kms (16,777 miles)
certified and e-tested
asking $3400 CDN ($2894 US)

This old lady's car slipped by under my nose right in my own town! I was using the Auto Trader web site, and wasn't watching the small-town paper (which usually only has a couple of cars in it at any given time). So, when I saw this ad on its second day, guess what? The car had already sold. Double Doh!!

After a couple of months of missing out on low-mileage gems and several other "average" cars, I realized I had to act fast when I saw a potential candidate. That realization paid off: quick action landed the Firefly purchase. (It was in demand more because of its low price than its condition - and I only got it because I promised the seller a $100 non-refundable deposit if he would hold the car until I got a chance to look at it.)

Since I brought the Firefly home, I've continued to keep an eye on the classifieds because during my search I discovered that a real gem is listed every couple of months. I'm satisfied with the car I bought, but I'd happily replace it with one that has 100,000 fewer kms on the clock.

Just last week I missed out on this one, carefully maintained by an older couple as a second car (I saw the craigslist ad too late) ...

99 Metro

1999 Chevrolet Metro
2 door hatch
red exterior, grey interior
like new condition
25,000 kms (15,534 miles)
certified, e-tested
asking $3900 CDN ($3320 US)

...proving once again that the early nerd gets the Metro.

---

Update: [Nov. 9/05 ...]

The above-mentioned '99 Metro reappeared on the AutoTrader web site this week. Apparently, it was sold to an Ottawa used car dealer who has thoughtfully re-listed it for sale at $4,900. Fuggeddaboudit.

Update: [Nov. 23/05 ...]

I got one - an ultra low miles '98 Firefly. Read about it here.







EcoModder fuel economy forum Note: MetroMPG has opened a fuel economy forum
Read about the project here, or go straight to EcoModder.com.



darin AT metrompg D-O-T com, or here