Looking at my 1st fiero and could use some advice (Page 1/2)
Hjoken MAR 19, 06:40 PM
I found a car i am planning to go look at and trying to see what it may take to repair and what I should offer.
It is a 1988 5 speed with 100k miles on it. The ad says runs great but has "clutch issues" i will assume the worst and say at 100k it needs full clutch work.
they have $2500 or best offer on it.


https://scontent-lga3-1.xx....be9ada12&oe=5D1533DF
https://scontent-lga3-1.xx....b8387cc7&oe=5D0A5909
https://scontent-lga3-1.xx....8f20afaa&oe=5D15DA86

I really wanted a 6cyl but this one seems in such nice condition I could get it and save up for a 3800 upgrade later

Thanks for any advice or suggestions.
JMTUT MAR 19, 10:46 PM
That is a clean car for $2500.00 If the clutch is slipping in gear, you might need to replace it. If it goes into gear while not running, but won't while engine is running, It is just the master cylinder or slave which is very common. About $150.00 total and a couple hours to fix.
Patrick MAR 19, 10:59 PM

quote
Originally posted by Hjoken:

...this one seems in such nice condition



Don't be fooled by a purdy face (ie plastic body panels). Check for rust before you buy it.
Shade Tree Fiero MAR 20, 07:33 AM
If you want someone to look at it with you I'm not that far away
pmbrunelle MAR 20, 07:47 AM
The 4-cylinder transmission is not considered as robust as the Muncie or Getrag units from the V6 cars, so if you have swap plans in the future, you'll want to consider also swapping the transmission as well.
Fierochic88 MAR 20, 12:15 PM
There are a lot of great Fiero owners in that area and if you can get help from someone like Shade Tree, go for it. Also, there are a bunch of nice Fieros posted on www.mafoa.com (and we'd love to have you join us at some events!).

My cousin has an 86GT for sale in Westminster, MD asking $3500. Let me know if you decide to pass on this 88 and want his number.

~ Jen
Hjoken MAR 20, 03:45 PM
Thank you all for the responses.
I chatted with the guy today.He said he was driving it and at a stop light the clutch peddle went to the floor.He got it home by starting the car in 3rd gear and limping it home.
I would of prefered a 6cyl GT but this one (at a glance) looks in great condition.He is pretty set on price I might be able to get some wiggle room.
Id be interested in any car local to me.I have not had much luck in finding non basket case cars unless I looked out west.I can do many repairs myself but this will be a fun car and I want to have fun with it and not wrenching every weekend to keep it on the road. I have my 79' Yamaha motorcycle for that ..lol
theogre MAR 20, 05:32 PM

quote
Originally posted by Patrick:
Don't be fooled by a purdy face (ie plastic body panels). Check for rust before you buy it.

Yup. Many get burned w/ Fiero body hidden a totally rotten frame. PA NY are especially heavy users of road salt. Others can be depending on area. Even in DE and NJ near the ocean can rot many cars even when their not driven much because of salt spray.

------------------
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)

The Ogre's Fiero Cave

David Hambleton MAR 20, 05:55 PM
A complete clutch failure without warning could be a hydraulic issue; easy & cheap to fix. (Not intending to mislead or give false hope...)

My '84 SE clutch wouldn't disengage; the 3/8" diameter rubber seal at the end of the master cylinder had eroded and failed. There are, of course, other failure causes...
The clutch disc itself probably doesn't have much life left as it has 279,000 km (173,300 miles) on it since GM replaced the original at 102,000 km (63,300 miles) under warranty.

Here's my tale of woe with (poor) pics of the failed little part: http://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum2/HTML/141544.html

My advice to ensure you have a Fiero to drive is get three. It's unlikely they'll all break at the same time...

AsaBergman MAR 22, 02:40 PM
I know where this Fiero is, saw it for sale already. If you want I can look at it with you as I'm about 45 minutes north of Harrisburg. Hell if you have never driven a Fiero you could give mine(84 manual) a spin.

As others said you absolutely need to check for rust. The rear 'frame' rails are the number one spot to check. You can see them if you crawl under the car but the best way is to take the splash guards off the wheel wells. They're held on with those black two piece push pins that chew up your fingers. If they won't let you check for rust here walk away, you cannot take their word on that topic. There's also frame rails up front as well but they're easier to inspect.

As for the clutch, you'd want to watch the transmission as he pushes the clutch pedal. If the clutch arm doesn't move it's almost certainly a hydraulic failure which is easy to fix. Could cost you under $50 if you go for cheap parts just to get it running. If the arm is still moving then it may be a broken clutch fork although this is less likely. That would require removal of the transmission.

Other usual things to check are the state of the fluids. Check to see if the coolant is full of crud. Make sure the oil doesn't have signs of coolant and thus a head gasket failure. See if there's service records.

Looks good but it can't be driven home and transmission problems scare away buyers so if you're confident you can fix it offer him around $2000. Otherwise continue looking for a GT, this will be there later as a 4 cylinder notchback isn't going to fly off the shelf.


quote
My advice to ensure you have a Fiero to drive is get three. It's unlikely they'll all break at the same time...

[This message has been edited by AsaBergman (edited 03-22-2019).]