Alright, so last week I hit a deer and the insurance company said my shitbox was a total loss. So I'm getting $3,000 for a car. Decided I'd like to own a Fiero. I'm looking at an 86 with 109,000 miles, V6, autotragic, and all at just under 3k. I need to know how bad maintenance will be. Going to college this fall but I won't have to drive to campus every day so I can save up some cash for repairs. Also, anything specific to watch out for when looking at a Fiero? I know some older cars like that will get a bondo-bumper so I have my magnet ready.
While I wait for a Fiero owner to show me the light, lets have a Pontiac Appreciation Thread.
Pic is the Fiero I'm looking at.
my uncle had one and it always gave him problems every time he tried to fix it. If you want a small mid engine'd coupe, save a little more for an aw11 mr2
>>14820157
>have money for repairs
Just spend the money on a bulk deal for fire extinguishers. You'll be fine.>>14820157
![cradle_drop01[1].jpg](https://i.imgur.com/tNmRa5c.jpg "cradle_drop01[1].jpg")
>>14820180
>le ebin "Fiero is dangerous" maymay
>>14820176
>le ebin "Fiero is unreliable" maymay
The second may be a little more true but they're simple cars just learn to hoist the body off.
>>14820176
Reading the sticky I thought a MR2 would be worse for maintenance. There is one of those available too.
>>14820180
That was the 84 model year because GM is a bunch of fags.
This is what the deer killed. It was nice, mostly body damage.
Heres my poorfag mobile OP. It feels like driving a couch
Think I'll get one of these in a few years.
>>14820157
Yeah, for the love of God don't get an Auto Fiero, extend your search radius, borrow some money, but for fucks sake do not get an auto Fiero, try to find an 87-88 GT or Formula with the Getrag 5-speed
>>14820729
What is wrong with the auto? Beyond the /o/ memes I mean. Money isn't really an issue, I can swing a decent bit, especially when the insurance check comes in.
>>14820775
It's a 3 speed and it's godawful, look it up on the Fiero forums, do yourself a favor and get the GT or Formula manual
>>14820785
There's Fiero forums with active members?
>>14820802
Oh yeah, just Google Fiero forums
>>14820810
I'm more surprised by the active members part than the fact one exists. Hell, they have forums for the Grand AM.
>>14820838
Yeah man, shitboxes of all kind have loyal followings, the internet is bigger than this board young buck
>>14820311
>Reading the sticky I thought a MR2 would be worse for maintenance. There is one of those available too.
A first gen MR2 uses the same engine from a Corolla and the rest of the car isn't much more intricate.
>>14820802
Pennocks Fiero Forum, one of the most helpful car forums there is. Just don't go into the off topic section because it's a bunch of uninformed old people with nothing but opinions and time.
>>14820872
>>>14820802
>Pennocks Fiero Forum, one of the most helpful car forums there is. Just don't go into the off topic section because it's a bunch of uninformed old people with nothing but opinions and time.
Like a comment section for a major publication?
>>14820886
Worse, because 90% of them have 20K+ posts and know each other on a first name basis.
>>14820907
Kek, Facebook linked comment sections
>>14820907
So how hard would it be to replace the transmission?
From the pic >>14820301 posted it actually looks like it would be easy.
Of the stuff available there is several automatics that work and a couple manuals that don't run. Plus a couple parts vehicles, including one with the Getrag.
>>14820933
If your planning on changing the trans, you should just swap a ecotec powertrain with the F23 transmission, like an LE5 2.4 VVT
>>14820954
Everything is V6. Plus one V8. I'd have to go buy that separate when I could just buy the V6 and swap the tranny.
>>14820997
The 2.8 V6 is gutless, it had ~140hp/175tq, an LE5 with some bolt-ons/cams/ tune will net you ~200whp, get fantastic mileage, and be faster than most other cars on the road, also good reliability and later on you can turbo it
>>14820157
Don't buy an auto Fiero, but I'd love to watch you magnet check it for bondo,
It's body is 100% fiberglass, it's built on a space frame.
>>14821015
Sounds like a great idea then. I honestly would prefer the 4 cy because of good mileage. I just need to find one now.
>>14821024
Oh. Well thank you anon, you just kept me from looking like a complete retard in front of the seller.
>>14821088
You don't want the stock 4cyl either, the "Iron Duke" 2.5 that came in those is waayyy worse than the V6, trust me you should swap an ecotec, if you get a wrecking yard/pick N pull/ or something similar you can find those pretty cheap, F23 shouldn't be hard to find either
>>14821088
>you just kept me from looking like a complete retard in front of the seller.
Don't worry, I'm sure you'll still manage it. Until you've bought 4 or 5 vehicles, you'll always look like a moron to a seller, because either you lack some basic knowledge or you're otherwise making a fool of yourself.
When I bought my first Fiero, I couldn't figure out how to open the gas door, and I'd done a fair amount of research on the damn things (there's a release behind your left ear when you're sitting in the driver's seat).
>>14821113
Ah, alright. Thought you meant stock. Well, grab one of the V6 until I can get my hands on a ecoline. Then profit.
>>14821140
Well this is going to be car 4........
>>14821166
>ecoline
NO, Ecotec, not ecoline, you don't want a Ford van
>>14821271
whoops, my bad. Wasn't paying enough attention to my typing I guess.
- Warping on the interior plastic is normal at this age. GM shit plastics.
- check the spaceframe for rust as much as possible - body panels obviously dont show anything
- Non-88 suspensions arent much good, but you can get upgrade kits.
- I test drove an automatic 4cyl a guy was selling. Enjoyed it well enough just depends on what you want from the car - thats just the basic commuter model, good on gas mileage
- There are fiero-specific online stores - fierostore and rodneydickmans (he custom builds some of his items) definitly worth checking out
- About reliability.... I have an 88 and Ive put way more money into it that I could have expected. You get one because you want it, not because its the best choice out there even at this age.
>>14820708
what the fuck? those rims are ugly and out of place on such a sexy machine.
>>14821343
What were you usually paying for with your Fiero? I'd like to know what I'm getting into as far as maintenance.
>>14821364
Dunno, got it from google. I prefer fat tires, not thin ones with massive rims.
>>14820507
must be a shitty couch
>>14821390
80,000 miles (supposedly). Had been sitting for a while.
New rear and front shocks, a number of suspension bushings, leaking calipers, headlight motor, leaking heater core, AC compressor went out (not fixed), worn shift cables, clutch slave and master, leaking oil pan gasket, transmission rebuild due to leaking clutch seal. Also new catalytic converter and misc other things.
Always possible some of these things were not necessary, but in total Im now more than 8 thousand in, including 3,300 purchase price.
>>14821475
Jesus, was this thing abandoned for 2 years?
>>14821475
Ah, so you bought it in rough shape. I was just curious if it had a habit of breaking down. Something like AC going out I don't mind, that sort of fix can wait till I have time or money.
>>14821511
No, its not once left me stranded. The engine has been very well running, thank god.
Who knows how long it was sitting.
>>14821343
Manual 4 cyl can expect to beat 40 mpg highway, auto 4 cyl expects less than 35.
Automatic transmissions have no redeeming value under 200 crank torque.
>>14821542
Well I feel more at ease buying one now. Anything shy of the drive train going boom I can fix or ignore until I get cash to fix it.
>>14821510
>>14821511
>>14821542
>>14821475
Even if it wasn't, it's a 28 year old car. You should expect these things.
>>14821564
True, but it also.depends on where the car is from, like of its from out west or if it's from the rust belt, an Arizona car has a better likelihood of being in better condition than one from Ohio
>Pontiac appreciation thread
>reliability concerns from start to finish
topest of keks
>>14821822
>discussion has been over one car that is about 30 years old
>expecting them to be reliable
Nice try but your bait sucks.
>>14821609
> Arizona car
AZ-fag here, make sure you find out where in Arizona it's spent most of its life. Flagstaff, Prescott, Snowflake etc will have awful rust.
Technically not a Pontiac, but oh well. Best car I've ever owned. I should also take some daytime photos.
>>14820933
>>14820954
TFW: that's exactly what I am doing with my Fiero
>>14823902
Godspeed anon, what you got planned for it
I've always kind of wanted a GXP Bonneville.
>>14823906
88 Formula
3800SC smaller pully with all the go fast goodies.
F23 5 speed
Coilovers, poly all round, bigger front seat bar and lower a 1.5 inch
Grand am front brakes, Seville rear brakes, S10 brake booster
Subaru XV wheels
Relocate the battery up front, front hood air extractor scoop, update all the lighting to modern LED and have a convert to all digital gauges.
I have a 81 tans am, but fuck that front end ugly as shit. So I put a 77 bumper and nose cone assembly on it, it has a 455 ci.
But for the fiero I've been looking at them and all I've found is Transmission nightmare, especially in auto.
>>14825353
>Subaru XV wheels
The wheels from the little lipstick lesbian car?
>>14825554
These ones to be exact.
I currently am on stock 15s. The Crosstrex wheels are 17s, are the perfect bolt pattern and will fit the bigger brakes.
>>14826819
Aren't those not very wide?
>>14826850
Fieros can't fit very wide tires without mods.
That's one of the reasons why I wasn't happy with my L67/F23 swapped Fiero, and sold it. Just wasn't able to fit big enough tires to handle the power (S1X cam, gasket matched heads, ported LIM, Northstar Throttle Body, LQ9 MAF, air to water intercoooler, ported Gen V M90, 3 inch pulley, 2 inch headers, 42 lb injectors; my best ever pull was 410 wheel, but we were getting slippage on the rollers even with the tiedowns bottoming out my suspension). Even with the 11.25 inch big brake kit and adjustable coils, it was just too sketchy
When I find a clean roller, I'm going to do a NA Ecotec over F23 and aim for 200 wheel horsepower and stock diameter slotted and vented rotors with fixed calipers. That and some weight loss mods like tubular ChromeMoly rear subframe, Li-on starter battery relocated forward, thinner aftermarket hood and engine cover, gutting the old sound insula0tion for Cascade VB-2, etc and I'll have what I think would be the ideal Fiero, better power to weight than an E46 M3, improved weight distribution, and still very economical to drive.
>>14828529
Dude, that sounds amazing, which Ecotec were you looking at? You weren't able to run wide wheels when you had the 3800, are you saying that you could run wider with an ecotec, or it still requires modification to fit wider wheels? If it still requires, what modification would have to be done?
Muh baby
Just got the exhaust done today posted about it in another thread
My dad has a 74 455-SD firebird in his garage. It hasnt run in a long while, ive been meaning to figure out what's wrong with it and pay for the parts so we can fix it up. Trying to give him the parts on his birthday as a surprise, but I'm definitely no mechanic so figuring out what's up without him knowing is difficult
>>14828558
I'm probably going to do a big valve head job, port match, hot cams, ITBs, and high speed valve train on an L61, but it's not like I've finalized anything. There's a build thread on one of the Cavalier forums.
The point of Ecotec is that I've come to realize that I don't need a better P/W than an early Aventador to have fun in a sports car (esp one without a cage or airbags), and less power and less weight means less brake, less tire, and less harshness are required to make the thing drive well.
The engine, sheet metal exhaust, and trans will save almost a hundred pounds vs stock, the fabbed rear cradle will save almost 50 lbs, redoing the interior with lighter sound and heat insulation and lighter dash bits, solid state radio, etc will save about another 30 lbs, the lighter battery will save 20, even with the necessary heavy gauge aluminum cables, and relocate 15 lbs from the rear axle to the front. Changing to coilovers will save about 10 lbs of unsprung and 5 lbs of sprung weight vs the old struts, and lighter weight wheels will offset the increased weight of the better 10 inch brakes, plus save me another 6 lbs. Ditching the spare for a tire repair kit and a compressor will save me close to 30 lbs even if I carpet the spare well to serve as a frunk, but all of it right off the front axle, and I can save another 30 lbs using thinner and shittier aftermarket hood and boot lids.
Better speakers will add 10 lbs, and the better seats weigh another 20 over stock, the sway bar package I want adds 15 lbs, and an OBD II dash cluster and a nav head unit adds about another 10. It should come very close to a wet weight under 2500 lbs with full interior and AC.
Give it 200 hp wheel and it won't really even be that much slower than my old beast, I was never able to put that power down. Too stiff, too short, too narrow tires.
>>14820157
>$3000
>1980s
>General Motors
Dude, you can do better than a Fiero.
Sup Senpai
>>14829539
I see f a m is still filtered.
Here's the other shitbox.
Decidedly not a van, but here is my Pontiac Sunfire.
I consider the Sunfire the underrated car in the Pontiac lineup. Mostly because you find them driven into the ground by spics and nigs. But 2.2 litre engine can make the car step out if you let it.
>>14829539
I'd buy one of those if they didn't put the engine where the heater core usually goes.
>>14829581
I've ripped it apart twice, it's not THAT bad.
>>14829599
>V6
Dude that's not even an engine.
>>14829499
Very nice, I understand where you're coming from, it doesn't have to scare the shit out of you to have a good ride, but I bet you'll end up itching for boost one day
What OBD2 dash cluster are you going to use? I've seen grand prix dashes transferred to a Fiero before and it worked and fit, not sure if there was any cutting involved, it was a guy in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia that was selling his fully custom Fiero with a pretty sick F355 body kit and a massaged L67, guy wanted like 30k for it
Also, do the make fender flares for the Fiero? I know /DRIVE did a video about an 88 4 banger that a guy stuck a 3.4 DOHC in and it had some pretty wide tires on it
>>14829607
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heXlebYvDvE
>>14829607
Also muh TPI
>>14829611
There's widebody kits available, I just am a contrarian who doesn't like the Late Countach 80s widebody look.
The widebody kits let you fit bigger tires.
As far as dashes go, I'm not thinking about using something out of another car, I'm thinking a Haltech or similar and a couple of scan gauges in a custom cluster. Probably need indicator lights for fogs/highbeams/turn signals in addition to the gauges.
Since I've sold the L67 car, I've had a couple other fast cars, really only the Corvette was faster than a 2500 lb car with 200 wheel would be. I'll be pretty happy with that level of performance, I think
>>14829611
>>14829720
Oh, yeah, about the tires. Even if he didn't have flares, 255s look like steamrollers on a Fiero. It's just that I really should have had something in the 305 range for the power I was making, I could light the rears at 100 mph in 4th without clutch kicking, and I was running Star Specs.
On a car with a 93 inch wheelbase and a 65%+ rear weight bias.
>>14828570
I remember this car - but just wanted to say, I really like those wheels. Dont touch them they're perfect.
pic related - my Pontiac that I appreciate
