Currently a college student that’s considering buying a fiero, mostly for it’s 80’s aesthetic. Wanted to ask a whole load of questions to see if it’s right for me:
Maintenance: - How well do fieros perform as daily drivers (mpg is appreciated but not necessary) - How readily available are parts? - How easy is it to access engine compartment areas on the car? - Will only buy it in manual, anything I should also know?
Performance: - Planning on using it for spirited mountain pass driving, anything I should be aware of? - Which is ideal, the V6 or I4? - Any junkyard/retrofit upgrades possible/necessary?
Looking for the right fiero: - How trustworthy is the I4 vs V6? - Which model year should I aim for other than 88s (definitely prefer EFI to carburetors) - Well known areas of neglect/use to look atbefore purchase? - Which ones didn’t suffer from engine fires?
Please do a search, as this topic has been covered countless times
You will get a range of opinions, but generally speaking, old cars are not great for daily drivers- unless you are mechanically inclined, have tools, time and money
A Pontiac Fiero is a 32-36 yr old vehicle an as such should be considered a collector/hobby fun car. The answer to any of your questions is common sense and will have the vehicles age factored in.
------------------ " THE BLACK PARALYZER" -87GT 3800SC Series III engine, custom ZZP /Frozen Boost Intercooler setup, 3.4" Pulley, Northstar TB, LS1 MAF, 3" Spintech/Hedman Exhaust, P-log Manifold, Autolite 104's, MSD wires, Custom CAI, 4T65eHD w. custom axles, Champion Radiator, S10 Brake Booster, HP Tuners VCM Suite. "THE COLUSSUS" 87GT - ALL OUT 3.4L Turbocharged engine, Garrett Hybrid Turbo, MSD ign., modified TH125H " ON THE LOOSE WITHOUT THE JUICE "
Maintenance: - How well do fieros perform as daily drivers (mpg is appreciated but not necessary) Great; they were designed as commuter cars. My Fiero is a part-time daily; it's the only car I used all of last week. Check fueleconomy.gov for fuel economy ratings. - How readily available are parts? The mechanical parts-bin parts are quite available, but others you need to get creative with cannibalizing them from other cars and deals with other folks. Keep many spare parts, ideally parts cars. - How easy is it to access engine compartment areas on the car? Easy compared to modern cars, hard compared to older stuff (i.e. 50s cars). - Will only buy it in manual, anything I should also know? An auto car can be swapped to standard. Standard cars are semi-plagued with hydraulic clutch release problems. Buy Rodney Dickman parts to solve this.
Performance: - Planning on using it for spirited mountain pass driving, anything I should be aware of? There are two Fiero generations, 84-87 and 88. Brakes and suspension differ. - Which is ideal, the V6 or I4? Unless you can't afford the V6's appetite for more fuel, who doesn't like more power? - Any junkyard/retrofit upgrades possible/necessary? No modifications are necessary. Many people drive stock Fieros. But if you want to modify things, the sky is the limit, limited only by the thickness of your wallet.
Looking for the right fiero: - How trustworthy is the I4 vs V6? I don't think either engine is considered "bulletproof". V6 cars can spin rod bearings. - Which model year should I aim for other than 88s (definitely prefer EFI to carburetors) 4-cylinders have what amounts to electronic carburetors (aka TBI)... but why would you dislike old tech? Old tech IS the appeal of a classic car. - Well known areas of neglect/use to look atbefore purchase? Rear frame rail rust. Search. But almost every part can be subject to wear and tear. The headliner for example... seats; stuff that you take for granted on a newer used car (i.e. 10-15 years old) can be found broken/neglected on a 30+ year-old car. It can cost a lot of money to fix all the odds and ends. - Which ones didn’t suffer from engine fires? The ones that are still around in 2020.
Bottom line: You probably need to spend at least 5k to get a semi-reliable Fiero that's nice enough and isn't too plagued with problems to serve as a daily driver. Otherwise, there will be a bunch of downtime getting things up to snuff. Or you'll complain that Fieros are junk cars, but in reality it's because you bought a worn-out example.
[This message has been edited by pmbrunelle (edited 08-02-2020).]
Don't buy a rusty piece of crap that some redneck parked under a tree for 12 years... A free car that is rotten is a much worse deal than a well maintained, running car with little to no rust for $4-$5k. Unless you are mechanically knowledgeable, have tools and time, I would not personally have a Fiero as my daily driver. Your choice- but much better to buy a good condition, drivable car than some piece of crap that someone gives you for $100 that needs everything replaced/repaired
Welcome to the forum and maybe, the Fiero addiction. Fieros are unique, fun little cars that can be as much fun as they can be a total pain in the ass. As already stated, a Fiero probably isn't the best choice for a college student as a daily driver unless your very handy with cars, have tools and a short commute. Better off spending your time and money on school, and get a Focus or some other newer subcompact that gets 30mpg. I think of mine as big toys to tinker with. THAT being said, watch out for rust and rot. Fieros can seriously rot out over the rear wheels and at the engine cradle mounting points. I'm partial to the 88's because of a few upgrades and because its the last year. For "spirited driving" you'll probably want the v6 but theirs nothing wrong with a 4cyl. Obviously it's not as fast but gets better milage. And I agree, spend more for a good runner, not a "it ran when parked" project car. Good luck!
[This message has been edited by DLCLK87GT (edited 08-04-2020).]
If I was a college student looking for a small, fun mid-engine car, I'd look for a toyota MR2 for a daily driver. If you're looking for a hobby car, the fiero would be a better choice. Nowdays you could probably find a late 80's corvette for about the same money if you look hard.
The guys here are being brutally honest here; don't think we're all bitter people trying to discourage you lol
I would not even entertain the thought of daily driving a 30+ year old car unless you are a masochist that wants to spend a lot of time fixing it... Fixing cars is a fun hobby to do *on your own terms*, but when your only means of transportation breaks it's out of commission and/or it decides to leave you stranded on the side of the road, it forces you to fix it on *it's* terms, and that gets old fast... Big money to have it fixed at a shop too, on top of the fact that more often than not they will just refuse to work on a Fiero because they are so "unique".
You're honestly best dropping the same -- or technically, even less than half as much money on a good reliable car that's a quater of the age of the newest Fiero.
80s cars are awesome don't get me wrong, especially our Fieros... I've spent countless nights cruzing around with some good Synthwave playing on the radio... It's worth all the blood, sweat, and tears... And money. Get one as a second car!
------------------ "Discord" Red 1988 GT under restoration!
I already learned about the love and heartbreak of working on a classic car with my 89 5.0 foxbody. Asked about the technical stuff since I prefer Distributors and Ignition Coils to Carbs, but if I gotta learn it, at least there are Haynes' manuals out there.
If I find a good 88 I'll definitely look into it, just wanted to see the opinions on pre-88 since it's obviously the rarest one to find, especially a good example in California.
I was already planning on replacing my current daily, so I gotta start consulting pontiac forums about a manual Pontiac Vibe or Ford forums about 2012+ Focus Hatchbacks haha. Just wanted to see if a fiero could serve as a semi-daily since I'm obviously gonna push it when I get the chance.
If you haven't already, check out FM-84, The Midnight, and Electric Youth. I get most of my songs from the NewRetroWave channel on YT, love their stuff man.
[This message has been edited by exno254 (edited 08-09-2020).]
I was already planning on replacing my current daily, so I gotta start consulting pontiac forums about a manual Pontiac Vibe or Ford forums about 2012+ Focus Hatchbacks haha. Just wanted to see if a fiero could serve as a semi-daily since I'm obviously gonna push it when I get the chance.
If you haven't already, check out FM-84, The Midnight, and Electric Youth. I get most of my songs from the NewRetroWave channel on YT, love their stuff man.
If you want a cool project that you can kick in the ass, swap a 3.8 supercharged engine from a mid 00's Buick Regal GS or Pontiac GTP. Fast as hell and an easy swap, honestly. Lot of other engines are possible to swap in, too. I'm putting a 4.9 out of a 93 Caddy in my 88GT eventually.
That's cool, I honestly was tossing up the idea of getting a Foxbody convertable to screw around with too. I want a musicle car that I can drop the top to cruse in lol.
GREAT choices of syth btw. I see you're a man of culture too!!! Mono no aware!
------------------ "Discord" Red 1988 GT under restoration!
If I find a good 88 I'll definitely look into it, just wanted to see the opinions on pre-88 since it's obviously the rarest one to find, especially a good example in California.
