Curious about a Fiero

[Jim Prower]

This morning, I noticed that there's a red early-build Pontiac Fiero (first-style nose) for sale in my hometown. It's probably the 4-cyl model, and I wonder: For a 21 year-old kid who's paying his way through college, would it be an alright car? I wouldn't intend on it going super-fast, or modifying the hell out of it, at least anytime soon. There's no tracks nearby, other than a 1/8th dirt bullring and a couple tractor pull strips, so I wouldn't be using it for sporting purposes. My main concern would be reliability, and insurance.

Also in town is a highly modified MR2 SW20. The guy wants around 5K for it, but I can't afford that. yet. He's dumped around 30K, dad estimates, and most of that in speed parts, no rice to be seen, not even paint. I can't even remember if he left the stock rear wing on it or not. I know it'd be a sweet ride...but it's out of my price range.

Maybe one of you could take a look at it, If you're ever around Peoria.

 

[skip0110]

Depends how tall you are. You really need to be under 5'5" to fit nicely.

The Iron Duke 4 that they had is pretty reliable. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM_Iron_Duke_engine is relevant, check out the Tech IV section.

 

[MistaX]

5k for a "highly modified" MR2 is waaaaaaaay off.

5k for a stock turbo is even on the cheap side.



Aren't Fieros known for catching on fire?

 

[skip0110]

Aren't Fieros known for catching on fire?

Yeah, when you send a rod through the block or oil pan and get oil on your headers.

 

[Tornado]

The Fiero could have come with speakers in the headrests. If said Fiero has said speakers in said headrests, it is automatically the best car ever made.
And you'd be surprised just how little of that was actually sarcasm.
But seriously, make sure the suspension and engine are in order and it would actually be a pretty nice car. Also make sure the engine has proper cooling and that the coolant levels are good, as the coolant tubes were rather easily damaged much of the time. And for the love of god make sure the oil levels are good.
The car was a great handling car though, being just a touch behind the MR2.
As a parts bin car, you can find parts for it on nearly any GM car produced during the 80s, and the Cavalier similarities alone guarantees a large amount of parts for it. This also guarantees pretty much any part you will ever need for the car to be dirt cheap.
There is also a near religous following with the Fiero, so you could probably find help with any problem you ever have with it.
Insurance, however, is something I am not in the know with, though I can't imagine an I4 model being too terribly expensive. Nor a V6, for that matter.


My opinion? Spring for the Fiero.

 

[Jim Prower]

I'll Check it out, probably on my way home tomorrow. The MR2...well, the guy probably can't get rid of it because no-one around here knows what it is. XD

 

[JCE]

As someone who's driven all generation MR2s (and) worked on a 1st gen MR2 and driven a Fiero I'd say go for the Fiero for 3 simple reasons:

• The ability is there to drop any Chevy V6 and V8 engine in it.
• Much much cheaper in the long run to maintain and keep running.
• The 1st gen MR2 is seriously lacking in performance parts unless you go for the 4A-GE "blacktop" Japanese Corolla motor. The 2nd gen MR2 is hard to find in unmolested and or unragged condition.

 

[Race Idiot]

 

[JCE]

The 1st gen mr2 isn't realy a car that needs allot of power to be fun to drive, it's never going to be incredibly quick but it's fun as hell like the miata. Apart from it's more rusty than the miata.

I know the 1st gen MR2 is quite fun to drive stock, but obviously the more the power the more fun you will have. Whats more fun to drive a Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS with no turbo or a Subaru WRX with a turbo? More power does mean more fun in 90% of the situations.

 

[Race Idiot]

 

[Jim Prower]

Well, It's also a question of how much money I can free up to spend on the car. I can live with my current '88 Chevy Nova, (AE82) just thinking about how nice it'd be to have something with a stick and rear drive.

 

[YSSMAN]

The only thing I know about Fieros is that the late-model GTs are supposed to be pretty awesome little cars. The '88 is supposed to be the killer-model, and I know that I've considered the cars to be pretty awesome myself (much to the dismay of my father... A stalwart F-Body guy...).

It could be a fun car to have...

 

[retsmah]

I have an MR2, which I bought as a poor college student, it's a lot of fun and pretty cheap to run. If the Fiero is the same then and you like it better than I don't see any problem with it. It can be nice to have a fun little car to go out and drive for an hour on Saturday to relieve some school related stress.

 

[Tornado]

If the Fiero is the same then and you like it better than I don't see any problem with it.

Its a little less reliable (still not bad at all), but everything thay breaks can be fixed for pocket change. My dad had a Fiero. He tells me these things.

 

[Jim Prower]

Well, I can tell you this much...I drove by it again this morning, and this time took notice of the deplorable condition of the paint. I'll still look at it, see if the mechanicals are okay, but we've got oxidization and primer in spots. not sure about it anymore...

 

[Keef]

A Fiero? It's mechanicals are not okay. I guarantee it's a big piece of crap. I've never seen a Fiero that's even in as good of condition as my Sol. They're slow too, because I beat a later-style V6 Fiero. Sure, it might have been a lemon, but it might have been a Fiero too!

 

[Diego440]

A Fiero? It's mechanicals are not okay. I guarantee it's a big piece of crap. I've never seen a Fiero that's even in as good of condition as my Sol. They're slow too, because I beat a later-style V6 Fiero. Sure, it might have been a lemon, but it might have been a Fiero too!

You own a del Sol... and you're proud of it.

That bans you from ever making a car comment.

 

[MistaX]

You own a del Sol... and you're proud of it.

That bans you from ever making a car comment.

QFT.

That is an awesome statement.

Especially coming from someone who drove around in a Miata with a rainbow flag on the bumper.

 

[Jim Prower]

A Fiero? It's mechanicals are not okay. I guarantee it's a big piece of crap. I've never seen a Fiero that's even in as good of condition as my Sol. They're slow too, because I beat a later-style V6 Fiero. Sure, it might have been a lemon, but it might have been a Fiero too!

oh, gee. Newer car beats older car with almost same-size engine. what a suprise.

Look, I'm not looking for outright speed anyway. that, and Honda doesn't (and hasn't) made any mass-market rear-wheel drives, so I kinda dislike them.

On to the one I'm looking at: like I said earlier, the paint is in deplorable condition; it's faded, oxidised, and cracking on the roof. the rear bumper has been replaced with one from another Fiero, indicating a possible rear hit at some point in it's life. It'd be low speed, though, because I didn't see any other exterior damage. The interior is pretty good looking, suprisingly so, from the condition of the exterior.

The sign in the wndow says it "runs, as-is" and that he wants $450 for it. I know I can afford to purchase the car...but what do I have to purchase to make it run well? and, then, there's the fact that I'm a young driver going from a city car to a sports car. what's that gonna do to my liability coverage?

I'll skip this one, for now, I might put a nicer one on my list of cars to look for through the classified ads.

 

[Diego440]

QFT.

That is an awesome statement.

Especially coming from someone who drove around in a Miata with a rainbow flag on the bumper.

two rainbow flags actually... I and I was with a guy as a passenger (the car owner and the one who put the flags on it)... and all around South Beach, Miami...

so fun, yet so sad

 

[JCE]

You own a del Sol... and you're proud of it.

That bans you from ever making a car comment.

+1 Owning a del Sol is never any kind of bragging point--especially if you are a heterosexual male.

Well, I can tell you this much...I drove by it again this morning, and this time took notice of the deplorable condition of the paint. I'll still look at it, see if the mechanicals are okay, but we've got oxidization and primer in spots. not sure about it anymore...

As yourself these two questions:

• Do you want a ground-up project car?
• Do you want a solid daily driver?

If you answer yes to the first question then buy the Fiero for $450 and start rebuilding it. if you answered yes to the second one do not buy a Fiero--or a 1st gen MR2 for that matter. Unless you find one in real good shape with less than 100k original miles.