I could never quite figure out why some people really hate Fiero's. There are certainly many (even "car people") who are terribly misinformed about these little cars, leading these particular people to have biased opinions on them but my real question is in regard to those who are vocal and trash talk Fiero's even after you explain all the correct facts to them. It's almost as if they have a chip on their shoulder. You can see they have already made up in their mind that the car is absolute trash. Why do hate this car so much?
Fieros aren't the only car that have such "haters." It's not the cars, it's the people. People are generally quite narrow minded. Depending on where you live, this can be either more or less of an issue for any specific topic, including Fieros.
Fieros have a bit of stigma around them too. They catch on fire, remember. Death traps they are.
At my old job, at a car dealership, there was one salesman who told me that Fieros were "terribly designed" because the gas tank would rupture during an accident and cause a fire. It was all I could do to convince him that he was thinking of the Ford Pinto, and Fieros had very few actual engine fires, and the Fiero's gas tank was actually almost perfectly in the middle of the car.
I think a lot of people just go by word of mouth and gossip, instead of facts.
(imo) It makes people feel smart to talk down. I gather this from most tech bloggers always tare apart a technology, rather than build it up. Generally I see build up entries in magazines or professional environment. It's a David-vs-Goliath thing.
I could never quite figure out why some people really hate Fiero's. There are certainly many (even "car people") who are terribly misinformed about these little cars, leading these particular people to have biased opinions on them but my real question is in regard to those who are vocal and trash talk Fiero's even after you explain all the correct facts to them. It's almost as if they have a chip on their shoulder. You can see they have already made up in their mind that the car is absolute trash. Why do hate this car so much?
I just ignore them. Every decade, there seems to be that one car which everyone loves to hate. In the 80s, that car was the Fiero. In the 70s, it was the Gremlin and/or the Pacer. In the 60s it was probably the Corvair but I'm too young to remember. <-- EDIT tebailey beat me to it.
In my opinion, that's just makes it even MORE worthwhile to own one!
[This message has been edited by css9450 (edited 03-02-2015).]
(imo) It makes people feel smart to talk down. I gather this from most tech bloggers always tare apart a technology, rather than build it up. Generally I see build up entries in magazines or professional environment. It's a David-vs-Goliath thing.
Just my opinion.
I think that's more of a payment thing.
It's not about professional setting or not. Understanding how things actually work and getting serious issues fixed, is much more important than going on about how great someone thinks something is. Chrome plated turds are still turds.
Originally posted by dobey: I think that's more of a payment thing.
True, I may not have quite painted the picture of my opinion quiet accurately. & the two are likely not as connected as I think. The misinformation about the car being a fire-bomb is the correct answer. My post was simply to express my opinion as to how often I see 'tech' bloggers that only know how to put down. I forget the exact saying, but something like it's easy to point out flaws, but those in the know can do more with little. Like a build up rather than put-down view point. The reason I put the two together is the BS that i get at the gas pump. "You know why those failed don't ya?". Then fill in the blank from there.
Also to add to the comment of "It's wrong because it's different", I had a LOT of that in my household growing up. When I was 16 & first looking into Fiero's my dad often felt the need to inform me that the car was a failure because no successful car has ever had the engine anywhere other than upfront. So Porche, Ferrari, Lamborghini, these are all failed car companies.
I was also constantly reminded of the guy in Portland that got the antenna shoves up his nose. Like somehow that was a design flaw in the car, & it's a death-trap, & more reason to not buy one.
[This message has been edited by no2pencil (edited 03-02-2015).]
I go to shows, and have been on forums with my 70's car as well. Id say its a few things, but mostly closed minded-ness.
They are newer than the traditional "classic cars". To some folks they tend to look foriegn. They dont have steel panels. Alot of them came with 4 cylinders. Their "reputation" of catfching fire. The attention they took away from Vette, Firebirdm etc... The Mera, looking like a Ferrari. They dont do burnouts all that well.
All of these statistics dont jive well with a closed minded Muscle/Classic gear head, or even a deep pocketed guy who doesnt work on his own car, one who is looking for comradery with folks who drive his same type vintage car, or is looking for someone to poke fun at. What you will find is the younger crowd of Tuners not being as harsh on them. They may want them to go faster. Or may have the opposite issue of the Muscle/Classic folks, and look down on them for being domestic. For some they are just clueless to anything but the fire "reputation."
Originally posted by 2.5: IMO a real car guy appreciates the Fiero.
A true "car person" (they aren't all guys) can appreciate any car, including the Fiero. The first six and a half minutes of this video, are pretty much spot on with the whole car "scene" as a whole:
Everybody wants you to do what they want, with your car, which is the car they want. This is especially true where you've got many different people with the same model of car.
There's something to hate/love with every vehicle out there! Hate is a pretty powerful word and feeling. I have not seen a vehicle I ever hated, disliked there have been many.
On the other hand, I love my red GT. It's a real pleasure to drive. Has it disappointed me? Hey, it's a Fiero.
There's something to hate/love with every vehicle out there! Hate is a pretty powerful word and feeling. I have not seen a vehicle I ever hated, disliked there have been many.
On the other hand, I love my red GT. It's a real pleasure to drive. Has it disappointed me? Hey, it's a Fiero.
Well I can see you never had the privilege of owning a 1st year (1986) hyundai excel. I truly HATED that car...it had so many issues...Hyundai eventually started the entire 10Year/100,000 mile warranty just to get more people to purchase their cars from the bad wrap from those 1st year POS!
I've actually never met a single person who had anything negative to say about my Fiero. I've gotten the "why'd you buy that" question, but most people are pretty stoked to see it. Maybe it's just the places I go and the crowds I hang with. I've gotten way more flak from my XR4Ti, probably as a result of Jim Rome. Usually popping the hood, a look at the odometer (287,xxx) or a quick drive is enough to change minds.
I just ignore them. Every decade, there seems to be that one car which everyone loves to hate. In the 80s, that car was the Fiero. In the 70s, it was the Gremlin and/or the Pacer. In the 60s it was probably the Corvair but I'm too young to remember. <-- EDIT tebailey beat me to it.
In my opinion, that's just makes it even MORE worthwhile to own one!
I have quite a few Fiero haters at my high school and in my family even (may be because i'm a bit off the deep end with them). It really gets a bad rep, and a lot of people don't realize is how wrong they are. The data backs up the claims, yet people dislike it. The most notable being the "ugly" front end, the "Ferrari look if you're 30 yards away and squint a little bit", and simply the age of it. It is rather sad, though i'm sure that people on the Ford Tempo Forum (if there is such a thing) would stick up for them too, even if they are pretty bad.
That seems like a bit of loaded question if you ask me.
Are there really "so many" Fiero haters out there? I'm not so sure that there is. Based on my daily experiences as a Fiero enthusiast, I rarely encounter any "hater" negativity. In fact, I don't remember the last time I did. I seem to experience the opposite on a regular basis.
I am surrounded daily by the automotive industry and the people that have a deep passion for all sorts of cars. As someone mentioned earlier in this thread, if the person you are talking to is a true gear-head and knows anything at all about Fieros, they generally show respect and interest.
It was initially underpowered. It was, except for 88, a bit of a Frankenstein car, mechanically. A sports car having suspension parts in common with the Citation and Chevette is not exactly a thoroughbred pedigree. There were some initial quality and engineering issues, even if they were overblown. There are/were a lot of poorly-kept ones driving around looking trashy. Mine included. It was a sporty car with exotic looks that was obtainable by the masses and they made a ton of them (370,000 in 4.5 years). Many of the non-masses are always going to resent cars like this.
I don't know how many had engine bay fires. But I also don't know how many Pintos burst into flames after rear-end collisions. An issue of this magnitude becomes not about the quantity, but about the quality, if you will.
It's worth keeping in mind that this was a car sold to Pontiac brass as a fuel-efficient commuter vehicle, not a sports car. That it became any sort of sports car is a tribute to the creative selling and subsequent back-room engineering done by internal evangelists at Pontiac.
When I see first-gen Miatas I probably snicker the same way some people about the Fiero, so I'm not immune.
But I will say this: The Fiero GT is one of the most distinctive and beautiful cars under $100,000 (current dollars) ever. And it's a blast to drive. And that's why I'm currently investing more than the car is worth in a panel-off paint restoration on mine.
But I will say this: The Fiero GT is one of the most distinctive and beautiful cars under $100,000 (current dollars) ever. And it's a blast to drive. And that's why I'm currently investing more than the car is worth in a panel-off paint restoration on mine.
I inherited an '87 S-10 which I hated. What a piece of junk.
Anyone who hates a Fiero is most likely just ignorant. I'm old enough to remember all the hype they got when they first came out, as well as the disappointment they caused when it became clear that they weren't really sports cars. But all these years later their quirkiness is part of what attracted me to them. I LIKE the fact that they're unusual. Let the haters hate, they're the ones missing out.
I find I get a much different reaction when I show people my car rather then tell them it's a Fiero. When I tell people I'm a big car enthusiast, they're like, "what kind of car do you have?", if I say "a Fiero " they usually are kinda like " Oh? Ok." If I show them my car, rather then tell them, they seem to react much differently. I usually get " Oh, cool! That's neat, I was expecting something different. That's a Fiero?!?"
A true "car person" (they aren't all guys) can appreciate any car, including the Fiero. The first six and a half minutes of this video, are pretty much spot on with the whole car "scene" as a whole:
Everybody wants you to do what they want, with your car, which is the car they want. This is especially true where you've got many different people with the same model of car.
Dobey - That video was one of the most inspiring things I have ever seen dealing with cars. Who is that guy? Does he have a series that he does? Man, did that ever sum up one aspect of why I love my Fiero's so much.
I have been to quite a few car shows and cars and coffee that predominately feature muscle or classic cars and I have noticed more of a disinterest as opposed to negativity. The exception is one of our club members who has a small block chevy in his Fiero. That is something that the average muscle or classic guy can relate to as far as power plants go.
The exception is one of our club members who has a small block chevy in his Fiero. That is something that the average muscle or classic guy can relate to as far as power plants go.
Small car - big engine. They know what that is a recipe for.
Most all the "haters" are totally ignorant about about the Fiero - all they remember is the over-publicized fire recall. And because it's a small, low car, they assume it's a "death trap" on wheels (bigger is safer mentality).
What gets me is "the engine is in the wrong end" crowd. Hmmm.... seems to work well enough for the $150,000 and up car manufacturers...
Too small, too low, the engine's in the wrong place, body not made of metal etc. etc. - all kinds of objections. Yet these same goofs buy raffle tickets to win a Ferrari, Lambo etc.
Originally posted by Chooko: Dobey - That video was one of the most inspiring things I have ever seen dealing with cars. Who is that guy? Does he have a series that he does? Man, did that ever sum up one aspect of why I love my Fiero's so much.
Yes. The Mighty Car Mods series on YouTube. It's a weekend hobby thing Marty and Moog (the main guy in that video) do. They're not mechanics or anything like that. They are sound/video guys. They just screw around on the weekend with cars and make amusing videos about it. Mostly they mess around with Nissans and Subarus though.
Originally posted by TXGOOD: I have been to quite a few car shows and cars and coffee that predominately feature muscle or classic cars and I have noticed more of a disinterest as opposed to negativity. The exception is one of our club members who has a small block chevy in his Fiero. That is something that the average muscle or classic guy can relate to as far as power plants go.
You should see the difference in reactions that people have for two Fieros with the exact same LS3 swap side-by-side, but one has the coil covers that say "Corvette" while the other one doesn't. They see the covers and think "oh a Corvette engine in this tiny Fiero!" But they will look at the exact same engine without the covers and just shrug. It really shows how ignorant people are.
I'd like to throw my .02 in. Despite any negative passing comments I get for my car, I have had more people tell me stories about how much they loved their Fiero when they were younger, or how much they miss it. Other times, its more along the lines of, "Wow, how'd you find one of those things? I thought they were all gone." Which I also take as a compliment.
Its the stories and conversations and nostalgia people have because of Fieros that I continue to drive mine.
I'd like to throw my .02 in. Despite any negative passing comments I get for my car, I have had more people tell me stories about how much they loved their Fiero when they were younger, or how much they miss it. Other times, its more along the lines of, "Wow, how'd you find one of those things? I thought they were all gone." Which I also take as a compliment.
Its the stories and conversations and nostalgia people have because of Fieros that I continue to drive mine.
I know what you mean. I have heard numerous times "I haven`t seen one of those running in a long time" with running being the key word.
I think the main reason people have given Fieros a bad name is primarily because every year you can go buy a brand new Mustang, Camaro, Vette, etc and do little mods and get a platform that is "DONE" in their minds too. People don't like to give a lot of effort nor have the patience to build something. I have had my Fiero since 2002 and I've done work on it up until today. I pride myself in having something far less than normal and not something anyone can go buy today. Plus it's my own unique car specified to me. I love Vettes, Mustangs, and Camaros, but I like being the underdog or the guy with something they don't understand why he wasted all the time doing such a thing. But I seem to get a lot more respect for having something very very rare and unique. I know a lot of people with Fieros especially on here, but our car scene is limited and I can say there is only a couple of us around here (fieroX, Ishmael, and I). The only problem with my car is it's not something I can ever replace. So if something was to happen to it, I wouldn't be able to go buy another very easily. But the passion all of us share for the Fiero on this forum or in general have a special love for all cars too. I'm unbiased with anyone that wants to build something that is interested in cars. Mis-informed people make it the worst, but that's what makes having a Fiero fun. It's a fire hazard, right guys? Haha!
Hey Amir, just straying from the topic a bit, but how has the Ferrari been?
Oh that's a long long story. Ferrari was on a loan that I co-shared with my girlfriend at the time. She went a little crazy and took a hike. Found an online crush she never met before in her life, drove the Ferrari all the way to California to live out her fantasy. She came back to my house, I kicked her out of my house since she lived with me and within a month she moved to California. Sold her Fiero here in town and moved in with the guy she met online who's 39 or 40 lol. Mind you this is a 23 year blond girl. So, long story short, the Ferrari is all hers, I got out of the loan as I didn't want the hassle of that car and she was more in love with the car than me haha. It was a fun car, very very slow though!!
Sorry to hear that. You two seemed like a good couple.
We were, I guess she wasn't ready for the long haul. No big deal buddy! Better now than if we were married or years down the road. BTW, let me know when you guys have your events as I'd love to come down to hang with you guys and bring my car. Take care.
How true.
