As having been a tech and a manager of a shop..
It is these type owners that are the problem.. as they think every shop/tech has knowledge of every vehicle made in the last 100 years..
Can you drive a model A ford?? most here can't drive old vehicles that you have no synro's in the trans, have to adjust the timing advance while driving/etc..

but have an issue when a odd vehicle they love the shop isn't up on..
Face it g.m. was frankly stupid putting the coolant pipes where they did and move them after the fact...
What engineer said, welp. most cars that are unitbody are jacked up on the pinch welds under the rockers, lets put crushable pipes there...
Most of the techs that were around when the Fiero was new have retired or moved up to working on gravy paying job's.. not working on a 30 y/o car..
Most techs are younger than the cars , and might see one in their bay in their lifetime.. they are not going to study the odd features of it..
Heck, most are hopeless if they see a carb under the hood, or mechanical timing control..
one must remember, not everyone becomes a mechanic/tech because of their love of cars, many it's a JOB.. and nothing more..


As far as those owners that demand they are near their pride and joy while the tech works on it..
go home you are drunk...
No shop will let you in the bays while they work on your vehicle, if they have the correct insurance that protects them and you if something bad happens, like the car falling off the lift.. or the rockers and tubes getting smashed when lifting it..
The shop that will let you stand in the bay and watch, doesn't have the insurance to protect YOU OR YOUR PRIDE AND JOY> cause if they did there is no way you'd be in the bays.. as it voids the insurance..

Here is the problem.. the Fiero owners are cheap, (me included) and will not take it to a speciality shop that deals with only hobby/ speciality cars.. as you won't like the hourly rate..
We as a group tend to take it to the local shop that has younger guys or guys/gals that treat the job as a job.. nothing more, that are being paid flat rate, the faster they get your p.o.s. in and out of their bay the more they make that week..
So my advise to most here that send the car out for work, is print out a card to put on the steer wheel.. with the fact that the coolant tubes are under the rockers, if not sure how to jack/lift it, come see the owner,, or better yet talk to the tech that got flagged to work on it, before they drive it in..
YOU didn't know all the oddball things about this car before owning one, so don't expect the tech to...
To a tech that is on flat rate time is money.. and you'd do the same if it ment more money in your pocket come payday... it's a job.. The speciality shops hire mechanic's/tech's that take it as more than just a job.. and you'll pay for that... most won't..

[This message has been edited by E.Furgal (edited 07-27-2016).]

quote Originally posted by E.Furgal: So my advise to most here that send the car out for work, is print out a card to put on the steer wheel.. with the fact that the coolant tubes are under the rockers, if not sure how to jack/lift it, come see the owner,, or better yet talk to the tech that got flagged to work on it, before they drive it in..

That's a good tip. I did that when I brought a 90 Grand am to a shop because of a hole that got tore in the oil pan. The paper said, "there is no oil in the engine, do not start it."

I pretty much leave a note in a car every time I bring it anywhere to be worked on. You cant always trust the guy on the phone who takes the work order to give any proper info to the tech.

quote Originally posted by 2.5: That's a good tip. I did that when I brought a 90 Grand am to a shop because of a hole that got tore in the oil pan. The paper said, "there is no oil in the engine, do not start it." I pretty much leave a note in a car every time I bring it anywhere to be worked on. You cant always trust the guy on the phone who takes the work order to give any proper info to the tech.

Agree 100%, I was a tech for 30yrs. and the info from the customer NEVER reaches the tech.

Any tech should look for proper lifting points beforehand, for his/her own safety.

quote Originally posted by Patrick: Are you suggesting that no one with an '86 or '87 GT has ever installed the same size tires all around? Or maybe they're all still running the factory original tires?

Are you suggesting that everyone with an 86-87gt changes there tires to be the same width front and rear? Or do you just have to be right? The original wording was correct there was no reason to say it only applied to 88s.

quote Originally posted by Oneredfiero: Are you suggesting that everyone with an 86-87gt changes there tires to be the same width front and rear?

Not at all... but for those who have, the front tires and wheels can be put on the rear with no ill effect.

quote Originally posted by JohnWPB: They put your front tires and wheels on the rear. (GTs and Formulas)

The point I was making was that it's only the '88 GTs (and Formulas) that have different wheels front and back.

quote Originally posted by Patrick: The point I was making was that it's only the '88 GTs (and Formulas) that have different wheels front and back.

Are you suggesting that no one with an 88gt/formula have put the same size tires and wheels on there car?

quote Originally posted by Oneredfiero: Are you suggesting that no one with an 88gt/formula have put the same size tires and wheels on there car?

If they have, I guess there's no problem putting the front tires and wheels on the rear then.