Hey, I dont have too much experience with Fieros and I've found this one on Facebook.
Its going for $800 and apparently drives but has a vac leak and runs rich.
This is the car's description: 86 pontiac fiero gt/se 126k miles, runs has high idle around 25k put 500$ in parts in it still has high idle i give up my loss ur gain come drive it home tonight 800 cash no less title in hand
Im just wondering if its worth looking into or If I should pass.
Restoring a forty-year-old car takes a lot of parts, time and effort....
TO ME - Pass
Definitely not rich. Do you think its a good idea to pass on this one and keep looking, or should I try to find another project that isn't turning a Fiero into a lemons race car.
[This message has been edited by Daniel F (edited 12-20-2025).]
A) The high idle has a good chance of being caused by the EGR tube- between the EGR valve and the bottom of the intake manifold...They look "Flexible" but really are NOT!!!
B) Before making a decision, look in the trunk under the carpet- Where the frame rails would be located- if there is a lot of RUST, then definitely pass on it....
C) Fieros are a lot of fun- but A) make sure you understand their handling (Mid-engine cars in general), and B) Although they are very in-expensive to operate and maintain, the parts are getting harder to find, more expensive, and >>lower<< quality
I burned a Mini-cooper S on a windy mountain road- the guy was tail-gating me (5 feet) and pissed me off, so I dropped a gear and took off- left him like he was tied to a tree. The Mini-Cooper S would run away and hide from a stock Fiero but mine is a bit improved, and I have been driving it since new, so I know how it works....
(By the way, I had to slow down after a mile because my GF had invented two new words (Oh S**T-A and Oh F**k-A) and I did not want to have to recover the passenger seat!)
IMHO The Good - The Price The Not Known? {Brakes/Suspension/Engine/Interior/Et cetera} The Bad - You're only starting to learn about cars
We all have seen new Fiero owners 'quit' because the cost and the long list of issues of 'the project'.
IF you had good knowledge and experience, okay - Go for it!
My Advice - Buy a running car without major problems. Learn how to maintain it and fix the problems.
THEN buy 'a project'
I've sort of done that. I bought an 86' 928 and ive been working on it a bit. I feel like I haven't learned too much though because the car hasn't needed anything major.
I've sort of done that. I bought an 86' 928 and ive been working on it a bit. I feel like I haven't learned too much though because the car hasn't needed anything major.
A 1986 Porsche 928 / Nice Ride, it’s quiet, composed and has good manners; automatic or stick?
A 1986 Porsche 928 / Nice Ride, it’s quiet, composed and has good manners; automatic or stick?
So, 'why' do you want a 'Fiero Lemons Project'?
Thanks, yeah its automatic. Its pretty reliable for it's age too. The reason why I would want a project like that is to learn more about cars and get more hands on.
As CVX Jet said... the high idle in these cars is almost always caused by a cracked EGR tube. The problem is that the crack is slight, and the EGR tube is covered in a heat shielding, so it's not something you normally would be able to see. My bet is on that. It's a $100 fix, and you're back on the road.
I got a Fiero as my first car in 2010 knowing nothing about working on cars and it was a great car to work on, I learned a lot because everything broke. If you are mechanically savvy I wouldn't worry about it, you will learn.
But run if it is rusty in the trunk corners where trunk meets frame rails under the carpet as others have said.
