I had a '91 Geo that I put 280,000 miles on. The engines and drivetrains hold up well but the rest of the car falls apart. The driver’s side door quit locking with a key and I had to unlock the passenger side and then reach across to unlock the driver’s side. Headlight on/off buttons broke off. The struts that hold the liftback up lost their pressure and I had to prop it open with a stick when loading stuff. Windows got out of track and I had to dissasemble the door to get the window to roll up.
The car was definately built to a price point and it shows.
As far as the engine goes, it’s bulletproof. An older car mechanic once told me, “if you really want to know what a car engine is made of, see how it holds up when used in a motorboat or airplane”. Well, the 3 cylinder Suzuki engine happens to be a popular engine for conversion to aero use. 62 horsepower in an engine package that weighs about 130 lbs dry.