Title sums it up nicely. I'm in the early planning stages so far, trying to budget for far off expenses, so major work wont happen until later this year. Why? Because I'm a broke as hell college student who's looking at least to get the car to where I can stop any further degradation of the car's condition.
Anyway...It's in a somewhat precarious spot because... 1. The car itself has remained uncovered due to Hurricane Matthew ripping the cover to shreds, and money (till now) hasn't really allowed me to get a new one. 2. Ratting rods/valves which is VERY bad news bears according to a mechanic friend. 3. Compression test is coming up and since it has been sitting for YEARS (12+) I'm nervous as hell. Granted, the first like 3+ was down near the Carolinian coast, but that was before the windows were shot out by the local ****sticks.
Sorry if this reads weird, Firefox decided to crash and I rushed this out, so if anything is glaringly bad that I missed, please do let me know!
Title sums it up nicely. I'm in the early planning stages so far, trying to budget for far off expenses, so major work wont happen until later this year. Why? Because I'm a broke as hell college student who's looking at least to get the car to where I can stop any further degradation of the car's condition.
I feel for you. I am in the pre-investment planning stage myself, but feel like I have a plan gradually coming together. You have at least found the most important question to ask yourself. What can you afford to do now that will stop or at least slow down deterioration! These other guys around here are the experts, but that is my humble opinion. Whether your solution is as simple as replacing a cover or you wind up borrowing or renting storage space, you definitely want to stop more damage from occurring!
First off, putting money into a Fiero in the condition you describe is not an investment. Secondly, you need to decide if it's more cost-effective to repair or replace your Fiero. Much depends on the equipment, the condition, and your desired result.
It sounds as if you'll be paying to have the work done, but here are some ballpark prices for you, off the top of my head: Brake pads, rotors, calipers: $900 Brake hoses: $120 Fluids flush: $200 Engine rebuild: $1,300 Transmission rebuild: $800 Paint: $3,000 Fuel pump: $300 Shocks/struts: $1,000 Control arms, ball joints, tie rods: $2,000 Side windows, dew wipes, lock actuators, power window motors: $1,500 Truck seal: $100 Tires: $600 Seat covers: $400 Plugs, wires, sensors, cap, rotor: $600 Quarter windows: $250
I encourage you to slow the deterioration process as best as you can, and commend your desire to restore your Fiero, but it isn't an easy undertaking. Since you're ”a broke...college student”, a restoration may not be in your near future. If you have another vehicle to drive in the meantime, and the tools/space/time, maybe you could use this car as a learning experience, and fix it yourself. It wouldn't be fast or easy.
If the engines knocking id start looking for a used motor pronto. Dont even bother w a compression check, pull the head to be sure. Pick and pulls having a 1/2 off sale try to find a deal on a motor.
I'm a little confused as to what advice you are seeking!? Did I miss something?
If there are specific issues, you could also add some photos as reference.
I'll defintely post some photos once I get the chance, I have some good ones I'm trying to find as of this moment, but if worse comes to worse I can take some more in a couple of hours if that works for you.
From just what I read in the first post, unless you have some sentimental attachment to this car, I'd say that you would be much better off starting with a different car. Any car can be fixed, but it sounds like you'd be starting in a pretty deep hole with this one.
If you are set, and have the money to restore it, we will be more than glad to offer any help that we can.
That being said, I have to agree with some of the other posts. It may be better to find a reliable car that you can drive now, and insure that you have reliable transportation.
If it has taken almost a year to be able to purchase a $50 car cover for the Fiero, I just do not think that now would be a good time to tear into it. It will take quite a bit of money, thus you will be broke and get pretty frustrated at the whole process.
Get reliable transportation, and tinker with the Fiero when you have extra time and money.
The 3+ years near the Carolina coast would worry me too. Lots of rust can be forming underneath those body panels, during three years of salty coast sitting. Windows shot out. Bad engine. I'd take a really long honest look at the shape of the car. If you think it's worth fixing, and you can make the financial plan, this is the place that can help make it happen. Otherwise, good, cheap Fiero donor cars are usually available.
[This message has been edited by Songman (edited 07-23-2017).]
The 3+ years near the Carolina coast would worry me too. Lots of rust can be forming underneath those body panels, during three years of salty coast sitting. Windows shot out. Bad engine. I'd take a really long honest look at the shape of the car. If you think it's worth fixing, and you can make the financial plan, this is the place that can help make it happen. Otherwise, good, cheap Fiero donor cars are usually available.
You know, you guys might be right. I'm not going to give up on my dream of owning a Fiero, just this one... I dunno. I just have so much sentiment for this car and it's gonna suck giving up the dream for a while.
And I'm not sure how to quote on this, but to the user talking about getting reliable transport, I actually do have a decent car already, and as for the car cover....well, I don't really have an answer for that, I do have the money for it, it's just that i've been focusing so much on my current car, and for whatever reason I've been stressing out over money a lot - even though I got about 3.5k-4k in the bank as we speak.
But yeah, worse comes to worse, I'll just have to wait a few years. Thanks for all the advice, guys!
If i read above correctly... Is a part car now if your lucky. 1 example: Park outside Window(s) gone = carpet seats etc have soaked water and god knows what else and likely got a big mold problem and rotted the floor panels. Why? Carpet's Fiber underlay/padding alone holds a lot of water can take weeks to dry w/o pulling the carpet etc to move air. Black and other molds are big health problems to many people. Even "Dry" because Spores can be hard to kill and grow again, often very easy. People breath in the spores too. If bird etc got in then have germs and crap too...
If pulled now then get a hard mask w/ HEPA filters so you aren't breathing this and worse.
------------------ Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should. (Jurassic Park)
People sometimes mix up the term between repair and restore. Restore is a lot more expense than repair. Its not hard to spend $20K on a restoration. I just done work on a 74 Corvette the woman bought cheap and thought shed have a nice vette for a few thousand dollars. Her body work, without any paint was already near the $10K mark. Then it needs the paint done and a complete interior from the roof to the floor. Dont run hardly at all and has no brakes or tires. The radiator fell out the bottom. I warned her to just get it decent and back on the road would be $25-30K.
Huh? Back in '95 I could've had a '78 'Vette for $2,500. It had a red leather interior. Good paint, new tires, and ran well. But, it had a red interior. I couldn't get past that. I bought my Camaro, instead. Same price. About 2 weeks later, someone took the 'Vette for a test drive, ran a red light, and was pulverized.
Ya some people are just stupid. They get a deal on a POS and think they hit the lotto. Just for a start, this one had all the metal structure thats factory bonded to the front half of the car rusted away to dust. Everything mechanical all bolts to that structure, not the glass. Just the front clip, nose and both fenders is all one piece glass with the metal bonded to it...was $2500, then I had to install it...along with all the parts like headlite assemblies, radiator, etc. All she had on the front half was frame rails with suspension and an engine. The rest was trash. Headlites were another $800 each. I sold it all to her for my cost plus shipping since I got the labor.
Huh? Back in '95 I could've had a '78 'Vette for $2,500. It had a red leather interior. Good paint, new tires, and ran well. But, it had a red interior. I couldn't get past that. I bought my Camaro, instead. Same price. About 2 weeks later, someone took the 'Vette for a test drive, ran a red light, and was pulverized.
In 1993, I paid $4,000 (USD) for my 76 at a car auction. It had a recent appraisal sheet tucked in the glovebox...valued at $13K. Luckily it had a black leather interior...not red, lol.
Originally posted by rogergarrison: Ya some people are just stupid. They get a deal on a POS and think they hit the lotto.
I've done that, too. I had a chance to buy 2 ATVs: 2006, 400 class utility 4x4 with winch, class A receiver, 2,600 miles - $100 2012, 450 class utility 4x4 with winch, class A receiver, fuel injection, front brush guard, and ramps, 212 miles - $700
Both ran, in that I took them for a test ride. I bought the one for $100, on the theory that $100 for a whim is a lot less that $700. The deal included ratcheting straps, fixing a flat tire, a tank of gas, loading on my truck, and some other things. They had to put in on my truck with a forklift. Over the months that followed, I had to have the carb rebuilt ($400), replace 2 half-shafts ($160), replace the digital guage ($400), replace the fuel pump ($60), replace the front wheels and tires ($400, because neither would hold air, even with tubes), replace the hand grips, replace a missing piece of trim, the battery, and some other stuff ($600). It runs great now, but I'd have been much better off with the other ATV.
