Got a fun one for you guys, a 1985 Pontiac Fiero

[-]

Unfair_Group_1974@reddit

This is not a modern interstate highway driver. The gearing in this car is ment to optimize fuel economy at 55 mph. Driving it today at 70 mph is insane. The engine will be reving at 3500 to 3800 rpm and won't last long

Reply

[-]

CableMartini@reddit (OP)

I dont do much if any interstate driving, most of my commuting is backroads and a little bit of local highway driving

Reply

[-]

LowerSlowerOlder@reddit

The 2.8 was not GMs best motor. I remember head gaskets being an issue with most of the 2.8s I came across, but the internet says intake gaskets and valve stem seals along with oil leaks are common. But, at least it’s not the 4 cylinder. 🔥

Reply

[-]

NoBulletsLeft@reddit

My buddy's wife had the 4-cylinder. He said there was one spark plug that was never going to be changed.

Reply

[-]

CableMartini@reddit (OP)

wdymmmm, the iron duke has like, maybe 90 hp on a good day? what could ever be wrong with that

Reply

[-]

LowerSlowerOlder@reddit

It’s not the HP, it’s the fire. One of my old co-workers worked on the GM team tasked with finding out why the 4 cylinder Fieros were catching fire. I didn’t have much opportunity to talk to him about it but he ran down the story for me; unfortunately I forgot it.

Reply

[-]

CableMartini@reddit (OP)

thanks for sharing man 😭😭 apparently it was a wiring issue, from what I've heard, same shit plaguing the 2.2 chargers n stuff from the 80s. hot engines, shit wiring insulation, not good

Reply

[-]

RustBeltLab@reddit

No, it was faulty connecting rods. They would fail and go through the side of the block, spraying hot oil on the exhaust manifold.

Reply

[-]

CableMartini@reddit (OP)

fahhhhh, thats so bad wtf 😭😭

Reply

[-]

Tastesicle@reddit

A lot of "no it's the" in this thread. Just say it's all generally not good. All of it. 😂

Reply

[-]

direcheetah4579@reddit

I always heard the oil capacity was like 3 quarts so it got too hot

Reply

[-]

Goodgulf@reddit

Not enough oil and getting too hot lead to the connecting rod issue. Part of the recall for Fiero models was to install a larger oil filter, to increase the capacity. All the Iron Dukes of the time had this problem, but in most of the cars the engine was in front of you and under a metal hood, so you'd notice the smoke before the car burned down.

Reply

[-]

CableMartini@reddit (OP)

if she drives, she drives. doesn't need to be an amazing car, or a forever car, just something fun and unique is what im feeling right now

Reply

[-]

Tastesicle@reddit

Nah, I ain't trying to rain shit on your parade. I love the car myself, and if you think a Fiero is strugglebus for quality issues? I own a Triumph as my project, I understand the masochism. I just laugh at all the responses.

Reply

[-]

CableMartini@reddit (OP)

oh, I wasn't taking it any kind of negative way, ive been in and around junkers long enought to know what's a big deal and what isn't. even if it is a junker, ive seen cars in way worse condition. if an oil crisis does nothing, it makes some dogshit, reliable(ish) engines

Reply

[-]

fiero-fire@reddit

Hell yeah they did, ask me how I know

Reply

[-]

Sniper22106@reddit

Dont over think things, dont fuck with things unless it needs it. Drive the piss out of it and enjoy!!

Reply

[-]

navlgazer9@reddit

My neighbor has a 88 Fiero with a 4.9 Cadillac V8 innit That is a fun ride

Reply

[-]

1453_@reddit

Wait until you have to replace the clutch.

Reply

[-]

navlgazer9@reddit

Can’t be worse than the one I’m fixing to tackle A 2010 mini cooper clutch

Reply

[-]

jimbofranks@reddit

Or the plugs closest to the firewall.

Reply

[-]

CableMartini@reddit (OP)

praying I js get really good at manuals and never have to 🙏

Reply

[-]

Whizzleteets@reddit

I had an '85. Hands down the worst car I have ever owned.

Reply

[-]

CableMartini@reddit (OP)

elaborate? curious as to why, specifically? was it a lemon when u bought it? Just GMs infinite wisdom you hate?

Reply

[-]

Whizzleteets@reddit

It rode like a Conestoga wagon. It was hard as hell to work on. Visibility is terrible. The cooling system is a liability. The power is poor and the handling is worse. Poor fitment everywhere causing rattles and creaks. Mine was used, in good physical condition, fairly low mileage and appeared to be reasonably well maintained. No way for me to know if the car was a lemon or if it just reached the end of its serviceable life.

Reply

[-]

NightKnown405@reddit

The coolant tubes that run the length of the car are a PITA. There isn't anything that I never had apart on one of these, which means there isn't anything that doesn't go wrong with them. At 41 years old they would be expensive to own if you can't work on it yourself.

Reply

[-]

basicKitsch@reddit

So you've heard why they've pretty much all rotted away. But if it's free and this is a project you want to undertake to make it better, anything is possible. Because a nimble, mid-engine little platform can be incredible. You obviously want to look into what drivetrains swaps have been done. What suspension modifications have been done. Etc the Internet hasn't lost all of the acquired knowledge just yet

Reply

[-]

Intrepidatious@reddit

I owned two in the 90’s. They both blew the engines (4 and a 6). Still love them. Sold the 6 to my brother and we installed a V8 Archie kit in it. Still browse them on marketplace.

Reply

[-]

crap-with-feet@reddit

Horrible brakes. Severely underpowered for its remarkably high weight. Junk suspension (but fixable). Hard to work on the engine but the whole drivetrain can drop out as one unit. If it’s a GT those rear side plastic windows don’t like staying attached to the car. Overall low-mid quality build. But hey, many of the parts are cheap because GM used off-the-shelf components from their budget cars for a lot of it.

Reply

[-]

CableMartini@reddit (OP)

that last point is a selling point to me honestly. I drive lemons, ive accepted that to be js what I do. right now, im trying my damndest to get out of the new edge lemon mustang scene, and this is where im finding myself now. dropping the engine is also not the biggest deal to me, some other guy said smn abt the clutch, but shii, might just be like a Honda. rip out the motor in an afternoon, take out the old, throw it back in the next.

Reply

[-]

crap-with-feet@reddit

The 6-cyl manual models can be a lot of fun. Their power:weight ratio isn’t awesome and the brakes fade fast. But the balance is nearly perfect and they can ride through tight corners at higher than expected speeds if you tighten up the suspension a little bit (better, slightly shorter springs). Not so fun on the freeway, tons of fun on back roads.

Reply

[-]

direcheetah4579@reddit

Gotta be better than a mustang! At least they dont squeak driving down the road

Reply

[-]

largos7289@reddit

UUg man if you want a Fiero find a 87 GT model. Probably the best one. My bud had a 84 i think it was. Not great, looks good but not great. Also didn't think any survived, i thought they are all Lambo kit cars by now.

Reply

[-]

CableMartini@reddit (OP)

were i looking for a Pontiac fiero, I would look for the best one avavailable. I found this by complete happenstance, and those seem to be the most fun kinds of projects

Reply

[-]

Dude_Dillligence@reddit

Then you want this. 88 Formula with T-tops and yellow paint. https://preview.redd.it/zycw5m29vrzg1.jpeg?width=1000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ade2f8920a483f2d8c6f72c52240f8c38969188c

Reply

[-]

CableMartini@reddit (OP)

I literally said im not specifically looking for a fiero lmao. if for whatever reason this one falls thru, imma just keep looking, not gonna hunt down a fiero

Reply

[-]

aphex732@reddit

I had an 87GT, loved that car.

Reply

[-]

RustBeltLab@reddit

88 is the unique year, better suspension, brakes, etc. 87 is the same as the 81-86.

Reply

[-]

Different-Fan-6991@reddit

They are unquestionably a unique car. I true time capsule, one of GM’s last real attempts at being different. I’d probably own one with the express intent of swapping in a 3800.

Reply

[-]

CableMartini@reddit (OP)

it would suck like shit, but my late grandfather's '03 buick regal has the supercharged 3800 gm motor. id feel horrible, as its one (not nearly the last, half my room if filled with momentos from the man lmao) of the things I actually cared about, being cars n whatnot

Reply

[-]

Own-Inflation8771@reddit

You just just buy the Fieros big brother which is way cooler and comes with a v8. The thirdgen Transam.

Reply

[-]

JohnSnowflake@reddit

Fieros do like to catch on fire. Might be the name. Look into that and fix that first.

Reply

[-]

CableMartini@reddit (OP)

apparently there were a few reasons, but they mostly applied to the iron duke i4 engines. and this is the v6. someone here earlier said connecting rods were made of the powder inside of pixie sticks, and likes blowing out the sides of the block on occasion. others in other places have said poor gm wiring. most of those problems only applied to the '84, and they got most the shit figure out afterwards, at least the shit needed to make them stop blowing the fuck up

Reply

[-]

steelandsoul@reddit

Objectively, they should be fun cars. Light, mid engine, manual 2 seater cars. Personally, I HATE them with a passion. I've worked on many of them over the years. And for some reason every single one of them has smelled like cat piss and been a royal pain in the ass.

Reply

[-]

nostradumbass7544678@reddit

Fuel tanks are unavailable, and 99% of them have corrosion and leak. 4 speed takes all the joy out of highway driving, unless you're a demented masochist who likes the noise of a GM 2.8 roaring away over your shoulder. Other than that, all the typical 80's GM problems, plus the joys of working on a mid engine car.

Reply

[-]

CableMartini@reddit (OP)

is the gearing that bad? most of my daily commute is backroads, with like 10 minutes of highway driving

Reply

[-]

RustBeltLab@reddit

This is not a car to daily, it was unreliable new.

Reply

[-]

TwoplyWatson@reddit

[The Fiero Store](https://www.fierostore.com/Product/Detail.aspx?s=60924%20%20%20%20%208588V6) has reproduction gas tanks.

Reply

[-]

nostradumbass7544678@reddit

I must admit I'm surprised they finally came through with those. Really didn't think there was enough demand to make it worthwhile.

Reply

[-]

CableMartini@reddit (OP)

glad they did, kinda makes this seem more likely, IMHO. welding is not something I'm proficient at, so welding a tank with more holes than not holes doesn't sound like something I wanna do

Reply

[-]

eesparza84@reddit

Fiero store sells tanks now.

Reply

[-]

maxmighty88@reddit

They were fairly decent cars back in the day. My friend had a few of them. Only one caught fired to a cracked fule line. I think Saturn S2 headlight motors work well with the Fiero. I'm sure there's a bunch of stuff on YouTube.

Reply

[-]

CableMartini@reddit (OP)

the fires were pretty bad on the 1984 model, or so ive heard. apparently whatever the issue was, got resolved 1985 and up. wondering if this will be a sick daily, or just a massive fucking headache, or both. as long as she drives, she a car in my eyes

Reply

Reply to Post

53 Comments