Hey all. This will be my first post here although ive been looking around the forum for awhile now. Ill be getting my license soon and ive narrowed my choice as a first car on none other than the 88 fiero formula. Alot of people disgree with me getting it as a first car but ny parents support it and i absolutely love it so i hope in a couple of months ill be posting about my fiero. Im posting this so i can look back to when it was just in the planning phases. Glad to be here it seems like an awesome place
Ill be getting my license soon and ive narrowed my choice as a first car on none other than the 88 fiero formula.
I like your taste in cars (I have an '88 Formula ), but be prepared to be busy "servicing" it on a regular basis. Not that it's a bad car by any means... but it is 27 years old!
How much do you need the car to be dependable. Great cars as a fun/second car but as your only form of transport, not so much. They are old and they do break down. If you happen to get a good one to start with it can be a fun and reliable car but they can also be a frustrating and expensive pain in the butt! Plan and set your expectations accordingly. I hope it all works out for you though and welcome to the madness.
------------------ Anything I might say is probably worth what you paid for it, so treat it accordingly!
I like your taste in cars (I have an '88 Formula ), but be prepared to be busy "servicing" it on a regular basis. Not that it's a bad car by any means... but it is 27 years old!
Thank you for the heads up, once i get one i will be maintaining it(id like to learn how to work on it myself) maybe eventually swap the engine. I dont think id ever getrid of it,just drive better cars eventually.
How much do you need the car to be dependable. Great cars as a fun/second car but as your only form of transport, not so much. They are old and they do break down. If you happen to get a good one to start with it can be a fun and reliable car but they can also be a frustrating and expensive pain in the butt! Plan and set your expectations accordingly. I hope it all works out for you though and welcome to the madness.
Yes ive read you have to keep up with them but ive read theyre overall a pretty reliable car, my grandpa had one when they came out and sold it at 100k miles with no problems (his work was far and didnt like it in the winter everyday). Im going to spend time waiting for a good one to pop up in my area
My experience is that not only is it rather expensive to pay someone else to do the work... but it's often not done properly.
If you want the job done right, you need to (learn to) do it yourself.
Thats what ive been hearing about these cars. Id love nothing more than to be able to take it apart completely and put it back together myself. I have gearhead friends who have built civic hatchbacks and del sols (my previous options as a first car) hoping ill learn and theyll teach me how to work on it
I don't know why, so many harp about, if you need a dependable car.. I have what is said to be the worst of the lot as far as being dependable.. a 1984 model.. I've had it over 3 years and use it daily.. starts every time.. I did loose a brake line to rust but that can happen to any car even if it's only 6 years old..
Between here and having a shop manual handy, you should have no worries.. good luck on your quest.. I will say, don't buy the first one you find, unless it is everything and more.. I remember when I was young, I bought the first car I found of the model I wanted, instead of taking my time and getting a better one.. i.e. the way I wanted it.. in my case it was a 66 Pontiac tempest/lemans/gto and instead of waiting for a v8 bucket seat car, with a manual, I bought a ohc6 bench, only to then find a v8 bench, then only to find a v8/stick bucket seat car.. I would've been money ahead if I waited for the car optioned the way I wanted, than buying one, then a 2nd, and selling the 1st, then buying the 3rd one and selling the 2nd.. so if you want a 88 formula, and want a manual hold out for it.. or one with a/c, etc..
[This message has been edited by E.Furgal (edited 07-04-2015).]
No! Do not buy a Fiero for your first car. They are impractical, old, expensive to have repaired (what are you going to drive when it quits?), and many times parts are difficult to track down. You have buddies with Hondas - a ready made support group. Buy a Honda. Save your money. Get an educacation and a good job. Then buy a Fiero. Buy one now, the addiction will ruin your young life. Seriously!
I don't know why, so many harp about, if you need a dependable car.. I have what is said to be the worst of the lot as far as being dependable.. a 1984 model.. I've had it over 3 years and use it daily.. starts every time.. I did loose a brake line to rust but that can happen to any car even if it's only 6 years old..
Between here and having a shop manual handy, you should have no worries.. good luck on your quest.. I will say, don't buy the first one you find, unless it is everything and more.. I remember when I was young, I bought the first car I found of the model I wanted, instead of taking my time and getting a better one.. i.e. the way I wanted it.. in my case it was a 66 Pontiac tempest/lemans/gto and instead of waiting for a v8 bucket seat car, with a manual, I bought a ohc6 bench, only to then find a v8 bench, then only to find a v8/stick bucket seat car.. I would've been money ahead if I waited for the car optioned the way I wanted, than buying one, then a 2nd, and selling the 1st, then buying the 3rd one and selling the 2nd.. so if you want a 88 formula, and want a manual hold out for it.. or one with a/c, etc..
Thank you! Yes im being very patient about finding the right one. I dont want to have alot of trouble if i get one. FRon what ive read, you either get one that'll last longer than the driver will or you get one that will never tun properly. Hopefully I get the better option.
... as a first car on none other than the 88 fiero formula.
quote
Originally posted by painandgain99:
I dont want to have alot of trouble if i get one.
welcome but you should be prepared to work and tinker on ANY fiero A LOT. If you can't do the work yourself, you'd be better off getting an MR2. Don't mean to rain on your parade, just let you know what to expect so you don't get an ugly surprise down the road.
Use SEARCH and you'll find a LOT of good info and won't have to wait for answers to some of your questions.
[This message has been edited by PaulJK (edited 07-05-2015).]
FRon what ive read, you either get one that'll last longer than the driver ...
That's just plain bad information. seriously.
quote
Originally posted by olejoedad:
No! Do not buy a Fiero for your first car. They are impractical, old, expensive to have repaired (what are you going to drive when it quits?), and many times parts are difficult to track down. You have buddies with Hondas - a ready made support group. Buy a Honda.
x2
[This message has been edited by PaulJK (edited 07-05-2015).]
Don't get me wrong, I love my Fieros, but I am adamant that they are a TERRIBLE choice for a new driver. Just from the handling perspective, a novice driver HAS NO BUSINESS BEHIND THE WHEEL OF A FIERO. They handle great, up to a point, and then they're gone, very little warning, BAM, when they break traction it takes a VERY skilled and experienced driver to save one. You WILL push it, the handling encourages you to, and simply put ,YOU DONT HAVE THE SKILLS OR EXPERIENCE YET TO BE ABLE TO CONTROL THE CAR. Even if you are the one and only new driver that always drives responsibly, what happens if someone else changes lanes into you suddenly, or its rainy and someone stops suddenly?
Agree with Joe, get something that needs as little daily maintenance as possible.
My first car was an '85 Fiero GT stick and it was fun, but I did lose the rear end on it and nearly wrecked. I also had a lot of major repairs on a monthly basis which doubled the cost of the car in it's first year.
Thank you for the heads up, once i get one i will be maintaining it(id like to learn how to work on it myself) maybe eventually swap the engine. I dont think id ever getrid of it...
Will you be able to fix it after the inevitable first wreck?
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying the Fiero doesn't handle well in everyday circumstances or that it has a design flaw. Its midengined, a slight rear weight bias, and handles very well for the era. But, at the limit, like many mid-rear designs, it gives little warning and if you don't know how, you will not recover control. Get something else. Use your network of friends and find a Honda ( but not a del Sol), you don't want to see what happens in a wreck with one of those....
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying the Fiero doesn't handle well in everyday circumstances or that it has a design flaw. Its midengined, a slight rear weight bias, and handles very well for the era. But, at the limit, like many mid-rear designs, it gives little warning and if you don't know how, you will not recover control. Get something else. Use your network of friends and find a Honda ( but not a del Sol), you don't want to see what happens in a wreck with one of those....
That is more a driver over doing it.. the same can be said about a front drive car that you pushed and it is now plowing straight into the other car instead of turning.. they are set up to understeer or a rear drive front engine car that you lead foot it and the rear comes around.. like any vehicle you have to get use to it, and the way it reacts.. A mid engine car is no worst than any other type, in fact, the lack of power in a fiero will be less likely to step out on a person than a 152hp Honda. I can honestly say that my 85 t/a with it's firebreathing 165hp 305v8 was more of a hand full than my fiero.. same with the g body cutlass with it's 3.8 v6, I've driven tons of front drive cars and don't like the way they push/understeer , with no warning of where the limit is, at least the fiero nose will start to skate letting you know you are getting mighty close to the limit.. I do agree that a male driver that tends to be into cars should get a cheap beater first, as we tend to get into a fender bender. but telling him to just get a Honda, is not good advise.. they are the choice of kids, and very high on the theft list.. both of those factors make them very very costly to insure and a new driver doesn't need any extra data to push the insurance bill.. and a high theft, car that most kids drive that means it also is listed as being in more wrecks.. will only make the insurance that is ski high for people under 25, even higher.. If I was in this guys shoes, I'd save for my dream car while I tooled around in a buick 4 door powered by a 3800v6.. for a few years, low on the theft list and not in as many wrecks. granny fresh, most times low miles and well cared for.. sure it not have the same flash/cool factor.. but it be much cheaper to keep on the road..
I'm with the others. There is a lot to be said about having people around you who know how to work on whatever it is that you're driving. Unless you're willing to become a mechanic in short order, with very little support, you should go with a Honda or Acura. Then, once that car is reliable, find a Fiero. The truth of the matter is that most shops freak out when you bring them a Fiero. They either don't want to work on it, or they rape you on the cost, because they can. I bought my first Fiero, new, in 1985, and have owned at least one Fiero since 1997. I even thought about buying a low mile SE that I saw, for my God-daughter, but I realized that if anything ever went wrong, I would be "married" to it.
------------------ Raydar 88 Formula IMSA Fastback. 4.9, NVG T550 Praise the Lowered!
[This message has been edited by Raydar (edited 07-05-2015).]
When the time comes in a few months when i absolutely NEED a car, i will get the most efficient option available. But if an 88' formula with under 50k miles comes up before then, im going to make that investment. I have alot of mechanically talented friends, my family is good friends with several mechanics aswell. Also im sure it'll be a great experience working on one and learning how to which im sure ill have to do. All of my friends have old 2000 saturns and things like that, I cant see myself allowing that to happen
I only said Honda because he already has a support group. (That could also get him in trouble)....
[If talking about racing] the added grunt of a Buick wouldn't? The only thing low enough on power to keep a young driver out of trouble is peddle powered.
I have a fiero as my "first car" It's an 88 gt I got back in october, things that have went on it since then , water pump, thermostat, icm, distributor cap was pretty corroded, front manifold leaks and I need to do my rack bushing. Luckily I have a truck to drive in the winter and when the fiero is down, however the engine only has 47k on it. It is a blast to drive but I would only recommend it if you have something else to drive when it goes down. Maybe save some money and get an 87 fiero and use the saved money to Get a beater suby with awd.
I had a Fiero as my first car a few years ago! It was an 86 se, so GT body kit on a notchback with a v6. I got it when I was 15 for 500 bucks. I fixed her up and learned a ton from this site. So when I got my license I had a clean smooth Fiero! Nobody at school knew what it was, and dug it. I'd recommend a Fiero to anyone! Like any older car it will need work, but they're fairly easy to work on, just get a Chilton repair manual, and your set. Good luck! Now a few years later I engine swapped my car, and built a turbo setup for her too
My first car was a 1977 Triumph TR7...similar to a Fiero in many respects (and arguably completely different in others). Not overly reliable, but fun to drive up to the point where it lets go of the road....and it did for me on a number of occasions. The last time it let go, it took fire crews two hours to cut me out of it.
I don't think a Fiero is a bad choice as a first car, as long as you are prepared to do ALL the repair work yourself, and have a back up plan when it is down hard. (i.e. Mom's car, etc ). It's a great way to learn a lot of mechanical skills. The big question...are you mature enough to drive it carefully? Most people here will say that you are not by default because of your age. They are probably right. I took a driving course when I was learning to drive that included time in a large parking lot with pylons going at insane speeds to get the feel of a car when it let's go. It was a lot of fun, and I learned a fair bit from it....of course it still wasn't enough to save my car in the end.
My Fiero was my first car when I was 19, and back then the car was 20 years old. Fieros now being ~30, they would make a good SECOND car, if you want to learn how to work on cars.
It also spoils you. When I was shopping for a reliable daily driver, the BRZ was the closest thing I could find to an adequate replacement. I bought an STi, and I still prefer the way the Fiero handles.
Wow absolutely love that STI. Id love one but if theyre in my price range, they have 150k miles.
Yes I've had some worries about the fieros handling, people make comments about it losing traction and spinning around, especially in the winter. Im sure every 15 year old says it but im a mature driver, I was taught by my grandpa and he has over 1 million accident free miles. But im sure I will be able to drive it.
Yes ive read you have to keep up with them but ive read theyre overall a pretty reliable car, my grandpa had one when they came out and sold it at 100k miles with no problems (his work was far and didnt like it in the winter everyday). Im going to spend time waiting for a good one to pop up in my area
Winter driving is not bad. BUY you must equip your Fiero properly. I run "skinny" winter tires( or as us old guys call them, snow tires) all the way around. I have found the General Altmax Artic to work great here in West Michigan. I have them mounted on stock cast wheels. Some Fieros may need a little ballast(weight) added to enable them to be more effective. When I had my 88 base coupe, I would put some weight in the front to help keep the tires planted and some in the rear for traction. Now with my current car a GT that weights more than a base coupe and with the heavier 3800 and automatic I really do not use much weight. A little in the front and not much if any in the rear. Depends on how much snow we get. LOL. Of course you want to insure you have it protected from the road salt.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying the Fiero doesn't handle well in everyday circumstances or that it has a design flaw. Its midengined, a slight rear weight bias, and handles very well for the era. But, at the limit, like many mid-rear designs, it gives little warning and if you don't know how, you will not recover control. Get something else. Use your network of friends and find a Honda ( but not a del Sol), you don't want to see what happens in a wreck with one of those....
MR2's have the same problem. When I worked at Good GMC, the gentleman that did the ordering and other GM Workbench items had and may still have MR2's. He would solo 2 with once in awhile and we would talk about it. Yep they even come around like a Fiero. I have a feeling the same is true even with Porsches.
This is right about the ballpark you are in for a clean, running, Formula. I would check to make sure the paint is in decent shape though. These cars have always had issues with peeling clear coat. The car is is in the Detroit area.
I'm selling a very clean, low-mileage 1988 Pontiac Fiero Formula with a 2.8-liter V-6 and three-speed automatic transmission. I bought this car back in February because I wanted a small project to keep me busy until Spring. I got a bigger project than I bargained for. This car had never seen a regular service, except for oil changes. I pulled the original plugs, wires, cap and rotor as part of a massive tuneup. But it needed more to run properly.
The EGR tube has been replaced with the expensive braided stainless unit from The Fiero Store. I installed a rebuilt distributor and bought the top of the line Accel branded wires, cap and rotor. I cleaned the throttle body, replaced the 02 and coolant temperature sensors and temp gage sender. She's got a new thermostat and a new battery. There are brand new Delco rotors behind each wheel and new pads and brake hardware. I flushed out the old fluid. Brakes are great! I also bought and installed four new Sachs (the high quality German brand) shocks and replaced the bump stops and gaiters in the rear. The suspension is quite tight. And she is now running smooth and strong.
A few small jobs remain: The TCC solenoid in the transmission needs to be replaced -- an easy job, and the parts are included. It's unplugged right now, which means that the fuel economy on the highway will be down a bit. but that's all. The transmission works perfectly. And the catalytic converter rattles a bit when cold. The a/c works fine, but the belt sometimes squeals. That's it. The tires are nearly new and all the electrics work. She's spotless underneath; not a speck of rust. I am the 3rd owner and I have the original window sticker. The title is clean and clear.
Total original miles are coming up on 56,000. I use the car daily and she's fun to drive and handles really well, like a go cart. The '88 models were given a redesigned Lotus-inspired suspension system, and the car corners great. Some extra parts will come with the car. I bought a set of new chrome GT exhaust tips and a good used GT steering wheel. On a scale of 1-10, the body is a solid 7. There are a few scuffs here and there, but no damage requiring body work. The interior is clean and nice.
You can't find any used cars with under 60K miles for this money, much less a sports car with working a/c that is good to go as a daily driver. You can fly in to Detroit and drive her home. Full tank of gas included in the sale.
That seems like a good deal but id definitely like to get one thats stick, reason being that my later cars will be stick and id like to get used to it quickly
I think sometimes the Fieros get labelled unreliable because people start replacing things that dont need replacing thinking they are upgrading, and sometimes they do more than one item at once. Maybe they do it wrong and then blame the car. Then are not even then sure what went wrong because they replaced more than one thing. Pretty much anyone whose worked on 80s American cars can work on a Fiero and should recognize alot of things as the same. Whatever problems you run into you will get good advice here. Hopefully the car isnt rusty.
I would not drive a Fiero in the winter personally. Handling is crap... (yes, manageable, but crap) compared a FWD. Salt is extremely corrosive, so if you want to keep the car for a hobby, salt will destroy it. Not just steel, but rubber, plastics, wiring, everything. It is hard enough keeping a 29 year old car reliable... never mind at below freezing temperatures with harsh chemicals eating away at it day and night during winter.
I think they are a fun toy, but a pain to get in and out of, very impractical in terms of passenger space, trunk space, parts availability, etc. I would suggest pick up an older Civic, Focus, or something like that as your DD, and have the Fiero as a hobby car
I only said Honda because he already has a support group. (That could also get him in trouble)....
ya, having a car that kids today hop up, and a crew of enablers to help you spend your hard earned cash.. fun, yes, good idea for the wallet, not so much
I would not drive a Fiero in the winter personally. Handling is crap... (yes, manageable, but crap) compared a FWD. Salt is extremely corrosive, so if you want to keep the car for a hobby, salt will destroy it. Not just steel, but rubber, plastics, wiring, everything. It is hard enough keeping a 29 year old car reliable... never mind at below freezing temperatures with harsh chemicals eating away at it day and night during winter.
I think they are a fun toy, but a pain to get in and out of, very impractical in terms of passenger space, trunk space, parts availability, etc. I would suggest pick up an older Civic, Focus, or something like that as your DD, and have the Fiero as a hobby car
don't understand why people have the idea that fwd is better in the winter, it isn't and never has been.. lets take half the contact patch away from controlling the vehicle.. as a fwd car the same contact patch of the front tires is try'n to pull the car and turn it.. so that same area has to do twice the work.. fwd suck in the winter.. the rumor that it's better came from those that would not change tires for the winter, and or add weight over the drive wheels.. While the fwd cars sat in the snow or the base of a hill, I would have zero problems in my 2wd s-10 or the impala or cutlass.. today it's even worse as the tires speced for the last 20 years are labeled all season, but are not all season they are 3 season.. performance all season.. nothing worse than your car sliding on snow covered road, and the nanny abs fighting you the driver to stop the car, as it only knows wheel speed, and if all 4 are not telling nanny they are all turning the same speed, it takes the brakes that you are pushing on, off and you might as well take your foot off the brakes as they become useless. traction control that's another peach, car stuck and you want to rock it back and forth using D the R to get it out of the spot, oh no. traction nanny won't let you as it'll stop the wheels from turning so you can't get any speed up on that rocking motion, my HHR traction control was only off in low, great until you put it in R and gun it,might as well hold the brakes to the floor..
As far as getting a different model as a daily and a fiero as a hobby car.. and the bandwagon of get a civic/Honda.. How far removed from the days of being a new lic' driver are you, cause either many had mommy and daddy footing the insurance bill, or have no concept of what kids pay in insurance today.. last thing I'd get is a high theft model , and even the thought of a new driver try'n to foot the insurance bill on two cars( the daily and hobby) hurts my wallet thinking of it..
Yes a Fiero isn't the best choice for a daily if you need a 4 seater or a normal sized trunk.. but some really need to think like a kid, and what someone that age can afford to insure, and 2 cars isn't it, nor is a high theft model.. And yes salt isn't nice to cars,(does he even live in an area that this is a worry, I didn't look) but again we have to go back to the what can a kid afford and that would be one car, never mind that most parents are not gonna be to fond of 2 vehicles taking up space in the driveway..
The last part is he wants a Fiero now, he may not in a few years.. many post are of the thinking of a "lifer" car.. and very few find what they truly want the first shot..
I wish him luck.. me remembering my early driving years and being 45 now, The Fiero would not be my choice.. not because of age, or how hard repairs might be.. but because of it's "flash" factor.. my bet is it'll still be costly to insure male,new driver,sports car and the ticket magnet factor.. I'd go stealth something quick but not flashy, to catch the officers eye.. cheap to fix, that they made millions of.. As I remember my first driving years, and the 4 door tempest didn't get looked at by johnie law, but the canary yellow 80 t/a did, or the arrestmered GTO. the tempest was the same as the GTO 389 stick, but it was light navy blue color and the exhaust wasn't loud, you had to really really try hard to get a ticket, the red Gto.. same car same year, only 2 doors and bright red and louder exhaust.. was , you'd think the cops had a tracking chip on it.. same with the yellow t/a..
I wouldn't stop a kid from wanting a Fiero as a first car, but I would advise finding out what it is going to cost him to put it on the road and keep it there.. in 1988 my 85t/a payment was less than the insurance bill.. it was 1872.oo a year back then with no tickets, just new driver.. I'd not want to know what a sports car today would run a kid, or a Honda(or any model for that matter) on the high theft list..
What my parents did for my siblings will be the same as they do for me. I pay for the car and insurance but they insure it under their name so its cheaper. Only problem was when my sister wrecked her car, my parents kept the insurance money XD
Don't be in a rush. Make your list of necessities, and wait. It could be 6 months or more until the car you're looking for shows up. If you get a Fiero you're not happy with later, you will come to hate the car. Fieros aren't for everyone.