Where to begin? I feel I need to (briefly) go through the history of The Fiero Factory again.

Ed Parks created it back in the 1990's and sold it to Jeremy Biggs around 2010 when he wanted to retire. Most people have a picture in their mind that The Fiero Factory is the 5 acre plot of land in Toney, Alabama where Fieros were both worked on (general repairs, engine swaps, etc) and parted out (over 350 Fieros in the yard at one point!), but that place no longer exists. It is a shell of its former self. Some of that is a natural progression, some may be mismanagement over the years too. I'm certainly not trying to say I did everything right.

I briefly worked for Ed back in late1998/early 1999....the same time Jeremy was working for him, so I had some history with The Fiero Factory prior to 2019, when I bought it from Jeremy. Here's the confusing part....I only bought the Fiero part business. We essentially cut the business in half.....I got the Fiero junkyard and Jeremy continued with general repairs, engine swaps, etc. (now working on all makes & models). I live in Colorado and have since 1984, so I never planned on moving to Alabama. Ever. My plan was to answer phone calls and emails from my house in Colorado and have employees pull and ship parts from Alabama. We had one employee at that time and I planned on hiring one more. I never got that chance because less than 8 months later COVID shut everything down and we let that one employee go. So for the past 5 years I have been doing everything and quite frankly it wore me out. Sales have been slipping the entire 6 years I've owned it, which makes hiring help impossible.

I have essentially been subsidizing the business by putting everything on credit cards and mortgaging my house, etc. I'm out of money and energy. I closed things down on June 1st so I could try to get a handle on my personal finances and clear out my house of Fieros and Fiero parts in case I needed to sell my house. Believe it or not, my financial position hasn't changed over the past 2 months. It hasn't gotten any better, but it also hasn't gotten any worse...even with no income!

The truth is, I moved *some* parts and *some* cars from Alabama to Colorado, but the bulk of things are still in Alabama. I was essentially based in Colorado, but not everything is in Colorado. The cost to move everything would be staggering.

Yes, I am claiming I'm losing money. That's because I am. I estimate I spend $1.50 for every $1 in sales. Whether anyone believes me or not is irrelevant, but I did lower prices in an attempt to make it up in volume. The problem is the volume never materialized. Also, there are a lot of people in the parts game now and with shipping costs so high now, it makes more sense to buy from someone local. I only get calls for obscure parts or random $5 stuff. I can't blame people for not wanting to spend more on shipping a fender than what the fender costs, but I can't pay bills by selling 3 or 4 $5 parts a day.

This isn't a "woe is me" statement, I just want people to understand where I am coming from. It is my contention that a full scale Fiero-only used parts business is no longer viable. I have come to terms with this and I am (mostly) at peace with it. I spent a lot of time and a lot of money trying to convince myself that I was wrong but finally realized that the sunk cost fallacy is a real thing. Like a degenerate gambler, I kept doubling down trying to make back my losses. I now know that this is impossible. That money is gone and spending any more at this point is not only reckless, it's stupid.

I doubt that I will ever re-open. I even doubt that I will get a website up and running anytime soon. I just don't have the skills or time or money for that. I'll probably just post stuff on eBay and Facebook Marketplace until it's gone or I die (whichever comes first!).

There are other forces in play that I can't get into right now, but time is running out for me at the Alabama location, so cars will be crushed and parts will be scrapped in the very near future. No choice in that. I've already crushed 8 shells/rust buckets and I'll be back down there in a couple of weeks to purge even more. I'll save the better cars for last, but quite a few have to go in the very near future.

This is more of a rambling diatribe than I planned....sorry. Bottom line is, I appreciate anyone's willingness to help, but it might be time to quit doing CPR because the patient is dead.

It's not all doom and gloom. I still love the Fiero and will continue tinkering with them and going to as many shows and gatherings as I can. As some therapy, I took a $500 parts car (88 Formula with 230K miles) and just got it up and running after a 10+ year slumber. That sort of thing still brings me joy.....the parts business hasn't completely taken that away. It still looks like a $500 parts car, but it runs and drives like a $1000 car.

[This message has been edited by mrfiero (edited 08-09-2025).]

quote what {Fiero} buyers are willing to pay...

IMHO
I joined PFF in 2020 and found over the few years that many Fiero owners are the 'cheapest' people on the planet...

They want 'rare' Fiero parts in 'perfect' condition for $5 and expect 'free shipping' too.

I really understand Mike's situation; I hope the best of luck with your future Mike!

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Original Owner of a Silver '88 GT
Under 'Production Refurbishment' @ 136k Miles

[This message has been edited by Dennis LaGrua (edited 08-09-2025).]

[This message has been edited by IMSA GT (edited 08-09-2025).]

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" 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 "

[This message has been edited by FIERO JOHN-WI (edited 08-13-2025).]