Dear Tom and Ray:

I have a '93 Geo Metro with a three cylinder engine. It's been very reliable. We are interested in a '95 four door Geo Metro, but have learned that they all have four cylinder engines. Will these four cylinder engines be as good as the three cylinder? Mark

Ray: Oh, sure. You'll just have to be careful not to give yourself whiplash from the rocket-like acceleration!

Tom: My guess is the four cylinder will be even better than the three cylinder, because it won't be working quite as hard. Around town, the three cylinder is almost adequate for a car that size (actually pedals would be adequate), but on hills and at highway speed, that fourth cylinder is a real plus.

Ray: You can trust him on this, Mark. His '63 Dodge Dart is always alternating between three and four cylinders, so he knows exactly what he's talking about.

Everybody wants a new car. But from a purely financial point of view, there is no question that buying a used car is always cheaper, even in the long run. To learn more, order Tom and Ray's pamphlet How to Buy a Used Car: Things That Detroit and Tokyo Don't Want You to Know. To order, send (check or money order) to Ruin, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. You can also order online.

© 1995 by Tom and Ray Magliozzi and Doug Berman Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

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