“I have the nicest Chevy Metro in the whole wide world.”
Weird flex, sure, but someone just paid $19,110 (including buyer premium) on Bring a Trailer for those bragging rights. The car is a 2000 Chevrolet Metro hatchback with just 402 miles on the odometer, offered on Bring a Trailer. It is immaculately preserved and comes with extensive documentation and service records. Standard fare for a Ferrari—but unheard of for a cheap three-cylinder jellybean such as this.
The product of a fling between GM and Suzuki, the Metro sold in North America from the late 1980s to early 2000s and could also be had as the Suzuki Swift or the Pontiac Firefly. Most people remember the Metro model with a Geo badge, but it wore the Chevrolet bowtie from 1998 to 2001.
Although a convertible model was available, the vast majority were sedans or hatchbacks, because the Metro was all about economy. Back in the ’90s it was about the cheapest thing with four wheels and an engine, which in this case was a wheezy 1.0-liter, 6-valve three-banger with 55 horsepower and 58 pound-feet of torque. Enough to get up a steep driveway and, when paired with the standard five-speed manual, to manage 39 mpg city and 46 highway. Impressive stuff, even if gas was a little over a buck a gallon back then.
The reasons why the original owner stopped driving this Metro aren’t clear, but it doesn’t look like shame was one of them. Most Metros were throwaway cars and many were left out back to rot, but this one is absolutely spotless. Last month it received a full fuel-system service, including a new fuel pump, so it’s presumably ready for daily-driver duty.
If you’re one of those people who’s into bland cars, this one should get your heart racing. Underneath that grandma-white paint and unpainted bumpers are the standard three-cylinder engine and five-speed (a 1.3-liter four was optional, as was an auto ‘box) driving 13-inch steelies with three-spoke plastic covers. The interior is a sea of gray, including the two-tone “Sport cloth” chairs and acres of cheap plastic. Air conditioning, rear defogger, and CD/cassette stereos are all part of the package, but occupants will have to wind up the windows themselves.
We’ve grown accustomed to delivery-mile vehicles selling for astronomical prices on Bring a Trailer, and even more used cars have been shown to bring premium prices there. But this isn’t a paint-to-sample Porsche or a single-owner Supra. It’s … a Chevy Metro. It is maybe the most mundane thing ever offered on BaT, but it’s also the cleanest example of its kind.
Not only is it like-new, its price is officially more than it cost when it actually was new over two decades ago. The original window sticker from Martin Chevrolet in Torrance, California, reads $11,140. Even adjusted for inflation that’s about $17,800. Just as the original owner of this car is something of a mystery, so too is the new one. All we know about this Metro superfan with money to spend is that they only joined BaT last month and have zero history on the site other than bidding on this car.
But back to the price for a second. It’s a little shocking, and it has us wondering how far this online auction craziness for low-mile cars can go. It does not, however, have us rushing to add Geo Metros to the Hagerty Price Guide, and it doesn’t mean your cousin’s Metro that smells like cigarettes is all of a sudden worth five figures.
Hello? The fact that a 2000 Chevy Metro in new condition sold for $19,000 isn’t the question. What IS important to note is that multiple potential buyers on B-A-T bid it UP to that price.
Cheap Economy cars from the past have been climbing–(because they were considered “Disposable” & have become rare in decent condition–I know I beat the hell out of my firefly before dumping it– & with Electric coming, & the price of polluting being added to gas & diesel prices–a collector Economy car will make sense– in the not so distant future Gas could become harder to find & a Sunday drive with a big V-8 could cost $ 100. or more dollars for fuel–