by "ethan drives dumb cars" (helloroad)
Published 09/29/2017 at 14:49
by "ethan drives dumb cars" (helloroad)
Published 09/29/2017 at 14:49
Tags: geo
; geo prizm
; prizm gsi
; econobox
; oppositelock
; toyota
STARS: 3
When I think back through the thirty or so cars that I have owned over the years, my black ’90 Prizm GSi hatchback is “the one that got away”.
To most people, the Prizm was simply a stupidly named version of a Toyota Corolla. But the GSi, especially in hatchback form, was a rare creature indeed. Manufactured only from ’90-’92, it featured the 130hp 4A-GE motor found in the MR2 and Corolla GT-S. It featured upgraded suspension, disc brakes, larger wheels, and of course the obligatory red stripe.
This GSi was my fifth car—I owned it for only a year back when I was 19. I secured my first ever car loan and bought this used example with only 60k miles. It wasn’t incredibly fast (maybe an 8 second 0-60 time) but it had the 5-speed transmission, a 7600rpm redline, and was pretty fun to drive on the back roads of western Massachusetts.
My Geo was the nicest vehicle that I had ever owned—fully loaded with power windows, moonroof, and even cruise control. All that in a 1990 Geo! As the end of summer drew near, I decided that I couldn’t simultaneously afford college loans and a car payment. So I sold the car to my sister’s soon to be ex-boyfriend, never to see it again.
Even though it was just a lowly Geo, it was incredibly unique, very reliable, and had one of my favorite Toyota engines from the era. Would be very cool to try to find one of these again and see if it brings me back to when I was 19, driving around in my first “nice car”.
What cars have you wished you had never sold?
"MR2_FTW - Group J's resident Stig" (MR2_FTW)
09/29/2017 at 14:55, STARS: 2
130hp is very generous. The very best dyno for a (stock) 16-valve 4A-GE I’ve ever seen was right around 100 at the wheels, and a C-series transmission doesn’t absorb more than 10-15 horsepower. That said, I have two 4A-powered cars and adore both of them. But 130hp? No way. Even the 20 valves that the internet insists are over 160hp? Stock blacktops put down around 130 to the wheels.
Those are pretty cool though, you never see them around. One of those weird Toyota/GM collaborations from the NUMMI plant.
"ethan drives dumb cars" (helloroad)
09/29/2017 at 15:09, STARS: 0
Was just going by memory, but now looking at it I agree with you. All the sources I could find for the GSi claim 130hp, but it looks like that is overstated. Someone quick update the Geo Prizm wikipedia page!
"DipodomysDeserti" (dipodomysdeserti)
09/29/2017 at 15:10, STARS: 1
I wish I never sold this:
or this:
or this:
"itschrome" (itschrome)
09/29/2017 at 15:10, STARS: 1
every seville i have ever owned.. :(
"ethan drives dumb cars" (helloroad)
09/29/2017 at 15:14, STARS: 0
:( BTW what were you looking for?
"Boxer_4" (Boxer_4)
09/29/2017 at 15:16, STARS: 1
The brochures I have state 130 hp for the GSi, but I believe that the 4A-GEs Red Top and newer were overrated by Toyota.
"DipodomysDeserti" (dipodomysdeserti)
09/29/2017 at 15:16, STARS: 1
I believe I was changing the spark plugs. Gotta love that EJ255
"Boxer_4" (Boxer_4)
09/29/2017 at 15:21, STARS: 1
Amusingly enough, it’s a first gen Geo Prizm - though it was a base model, and was my dad’s...
If he still had it, I’d have probably bought it off of him by now, and would be eyeing up a 20V Silvertop swap at this point...
"MR2_FTW - Group J's resident Stig" (MR2_FTW)
09/29/2017 at 15:21, STARS: 0
Valvecover color on the 16v motors doesn’t really mean anything, as the colors were not consistent between the actual internals of the engine. The combination of things that effects output are 3-rib vs 7-rib blocks, and smallport vs largeport heads. Even then the peak power numbers were not that much different, the smallports/3-ribs just rev more freely and can be more easily tuned for NA power. The largeports/7ribs are better for forced induction due to flow volume and bottom end strength.
"Wacko" (wacko--)
09/29/2017 at 15:21, STARS: 0
There once was a man from....
"promoted by the color red" (whenindoubtflatout)
09/29/2017 at 15:43, STARS: 1
These are the most ‘90s photos I’ve seen in some time.
Mine would be the Integra GS-R that I didn’t sell, but was stolen from me. It was returned in awful condition and scrapped. I still go to CL every now-and-then to price the parts necessary to rebuild it or just look for intact examples.
"Boxer_4" (Boxer_4)
09/29/2017 at 15:43, STARS: 0
Fair point, I’ve never really dived much into the 16 valve engines.
"Monkey B" (monkeyb)
09/29/2017 at 15:45, STARS: 1
I liked those Prizm’s...out of the 50+ cars I’ve owned the ones that really left an impression and I wish I still had would be:
2000 Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS sedan, 1986 BMW M535i, 2000 BMW 323iT, 2005 Saab 92-X Aero, 1982 Dodge Rampage, 1997 BMW 328i. One that teeters on wish I still had was the 06 VUE Red Line. I thought it was good looking and that Honda V6 was smooth with some get to it. The build quality was lacking but it’s something I’d still drive. While not great in any way it did have a certain bit of character I found appealing.
All of these cars I’d still appreciate as daily drivers...though I wouldn’t daily the M535i as it was something I would have garage kept and drove sparingly. None were the fanciest or best performing of the lot, but each one had something that I just liked and they were all fun to drive and practical.
"vicali" (vicali)
09/29/2017 at 15:58, STARS: 2
My sister-in-law unknowingly bought her first car from the local dial-a-dope guy in our small town;
For the next 5 years she got pulled over an amazing amount of times.
"Saab wagon is best wagon-now with less Saab" (saabwagon)
09/29/2017 at 16:28, STARS: 1
I personally think there was twice a cool Geo:
They also made a wagon:
"ethan drives dumb cars" (helloroad)
09/29/2017 at 16:54, STARS: 1
Yes! At the time my buddy had the wagon in that same teal color, but the earlier version with the pop up headlights. I still thought my Prizm was cooler :)
"Manwich - now Keto-Friendly" (manwich)
09/29/2017 at 17:34, STARS: 0
That wasn’t the only cool Geo:
