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Car Forum / Pontiac / Pontiac Fiero / October 2006good car for a kid?
hi, i have just joined this group because in february i will be turning 16 and i want to get a fiero as my first car. I live in canada and i am wondering if this is a good first car, and if it's good in the snow. I am sorta mechanically inclined, and from what i have read i think i could do most of the work myself. the other question i have is what would be the insurance on this car? i know that me being i new driver will already cause the rates to be high, but this is considered a sports car isn't it? could any of you give me some rough estimates on the insurance? also as for the repairs, what are common problems or things i should look for that could lead to problems? I know there are alot of questions i have asked, but any answers can be helpful, i have lots of time because my birthday's not for a few months like a said but i'm looking to buy a car in the spring and i just want to know what i should be looking for and what i'd be getting into Thanks, Dave Dave, It seems that this group is not quite as active as it used to be. Not that Fiero owners are not happy to share thier info but there are so many other sites out there that this one has slowed down a bit. This is a fun car to own and yes the rates will probably be higher because of the type of car. If you get the 4 cyl that will save a bit there but the problems with the 4 cyl engine is overheating so keep up on the cooling system. Try to find a good repair manual (Helm makes the service manual, I recommend it) The clutch is a problem abot 60,000 miles or so. Try to find one with the clutch alresady replaced unless you have the ability to pull the cradle to replace it. The computer diagnostics are pretty vague but there's not much that hasn't been done on these so checking the groups will usually get you the answer needed to get back on the road. About me...Ive owned only 2. My first was an 84 4 cyl until I sold that one for an 88GT. The GT (IMHO) is the best design with the least problems. Mine has worked great since 1989. I bought it at 30,000 and it has 90,000 now. Keep up on the tuneups, the plugs closest to the front get rusty, especially on the RH side so try changing them every 6 months or so to prevent breaking them off (that sucks!!) Most things can be fixed from above but I think it was designed to work on from below on a lift because most things are easier from underneath. For the most comprehensive info try Pennocks Fiero Forum. Most owners are there at sometime in thier life and there is lots of good info to be had about the Fiero. The Fiero Store carries a great collection of common parts as well as some things you didn't realize you needed. E-bay always has something as well from owners parting out a Fiero. As far as winter driving I don't recommend it. I have yet to find good tires that won't have me driving sideways in the snow. With the weight in the back end it's very difficult to control a slide in the snow. Wait until you have a little more experience driving this gem before you attempt snow driving, then try it on a VERY inferquently traveled road and you will see what I mean. Glad to have you in the group if you do decide to get one though..most owners are extremely happy with their Fieros as I know you will be....The chicks dig it too. Good Luck, Brian hey thanks for the reply! yup i've looked into the insurance on the 4cyl and it's about 1500 or so per year, but on the 6 cyl its 3 grand a month, so it's liek twice as much. I've heard about the 4cyl engine overheating problems. Also i've been looking at some of the "newer" fieros liek 87 or 88 because i heard there were large inprovements in thsoe years especailly 88. as for teh winter driving i figured they wouldn't be very good because my dad used to own a firebird and that was his main driver and in the winter it was slipping all over because its rear-wheel drive. so durign the winter ill probably try and find a very cheap car if i do buy a fiero. ok so thank you very much, you've been alot of help in telling me the problems that you've had, so if i do get one ill make sure to be checking the plugs and clutch. I don't have a lift or a cradle at my house so that coudl be a problem but i think i could do most underneath thigns on the jack, but if i need the lift ill take it to my school. again thank you very much and i will check out that otehr forum you mentioned. Dave > Dave, > It seems that this group is not quite as active as it used to be. Not that [quoted text clipped - 36 lines] > Good Luck, > Brian > hey thanks for the reply! yup i've looked into the insurance on the > 4cyl and it's about 1500 or so per year, but on the 6 cyl its 3 grand a [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > lift ill take it to my school. again thank you very much and i will > check out that otehr forum you mentioned. Yikes! Make sure you use jackstands and not just the jack if you get under the car. It can crush your leetle bones and hurt a lot if it falls. The Firebird was overpowered in winter snows and could spin out easily if you pushed it. The engine is in the front though and even though both cars drive from the rear wheels, the Fiero has the engine in the back and on the drive wheels. When you have the weight of the engine on the drive wheels, it handles better in snow. Therefore, by simple logic, the Fiero should be better in snow than front engine -- rear wheel drive cars. I've had Fieros since 1987 and have been in some pretty difficult snow driving situations. I've found them very good in snow when compared to other cars I've had. Nothing makes up for good driving under all situations though. Insurance-wise, as an old fart, I haven't had any problem with differences between cars I've owned. I have both 4 and 6 cylinder Fieros and noticed no difference. I guess it must not be the same with younger drivers. It was a lot different when the Fiero was new. I lost my insurance because the company didn't want to cover them. But they turned out to be pretty safe cars and eventually the insurance companies thought better of them. Today, I expect age and experience of the driver has more to do with the price tag. Good luck with your car. > Yikes! Make sure you use jackstands and not just the > jack if you get under the car. It can crush your > leetle bones and hurt a lot if it falls. >oh ya of course, forgot to mention that, kind of important though lol. > The Firebird was overpowered in winter snows and > could spin out easily if you pushed it. The engine [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > I've had. Nothing makes up for good driving under > all situations though. >thanks for this info, still not sure though if the fiero would be a good winter car, for my first winter at least, you know get used to driving in the snow, so if i get a fiero i will probly try and find a cheap for for liek 500 bucks for the winter, at keast for the first year anyways. > Insurance-wise, as an old fart, I haven't had any > problem with differences between cars I've owned. I [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > expect age and experience of the driver has more to > do with the price tag. >ya, it definately has everythign to do with age, experiance and how old the car is and how much it's worth. the 4 cyl isn't that bad on insurance, but still probably almost double compared to what you guys pay, and the 6 cyl is double what the 4 cyl is on insurance so im wondering whether i should get the 4 cyl for the cheap insurance, but then just modify it to get some extra horses, or if it would be cheaper to just get the 6 cyl, oh well i've got awhile b4 i need to make a decision, but i'm still looking around. > Good luck with your car. Thank You Dave I agree with Mr Potatohead about the snow driving. I would like to caution you about driving the fiero on wet roads however, especially with the 6 cylinder engine. I have spun my 88 GT 360 degrees on a turn that was less than 45 degrees. Becuase the car handles so well on dry roads you can take most turns without slowing down much. But if the road is the least bit wet you are in for some excitment. In wet conditions I now take turns lower than the posted speed. Regards; Don Bjortomt >> Yikes! Make sure you use jackstands and not just the >> jack if you get under the car. It can crush your [quoted text clipped - 49 lines] > > Dave I have been driving a 85 4 cyl for 5 years here in NH I also have a 96 Jaguar and a 90 Grand Marquis both rear wheel drive the only one I feel safe to drive in the snow and ice is the Fiero. My 2m4 was destroyed last fall see link http://mysite.verizon.net/vzeecixb/page5.htm I have since purchased about 6 weeks ago a 85 GT I hope it handles as well in snow as the 2m4 did, which I am rebuilding and is now drivable for the past 4 months. Hank >I agree with Mr Potatohead about the snow driving. > [quoted text clipped - 62 lines] >> >> Dave ouch that Fiero was really nice, too bad it got wrecked. anyways, thanks for this info, i'm starting to think this car might be better than i thought in the snow. I'd probably only be driving this car to school and to work (whenever i find a job lol), and if i ever thought there was too much snow, i could always take the bus. But thanks for this info on winter driving, but i still would liek to know about maintenance, because as far as i've heard they're faily reliable, but little things can escalate quickly and mechanics are reluctant to work on them because they are mid engine Dave > I have been driving a 85 4 cyl for 5 years here in NH I also have a 96 > Jaguar and a 90 Grand Marquis both rear wheel drive the only one I [quoted text clipped - 72 lines] > >> > >> Dave > ouch that Fiero was really nice, too bad it got wrecked. anyways, > thanks for this info, i'm starting to think this car might be better [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > little things can escalate quickly and mechanics are reluctant to work > on them because they are mid engine Finding a good mechanic is hard with any car today. Dealers won't let you in to talk to the mechs and, frankly, I won't take my cars to places where I can't watch what's going on. Even Fieros, as old as they are, are still a bit complicated for the backyard mechanic. I thought I found a good one last year but found to get to the computer, he destroyed the console skeleton. Boo hiss. Now I have another guy who seems really bright, has his own shop, let's me watch, shows me old parts, etc. Old time stuff. Right now he's putting a water pump on my V-6 GT. No rush. But he's not afraid to tackle anything on the car(s) because he does his homework first. Gets out all the service bulletins and prepares to do the job right. Ya gotta pay, but it's worth it if they do it right. If you find someone like that, treat him well. :-) ya, and the place my parents take thier cars i don't think could work on a fiero, they're trustworthy but it's a shop run like a dealership shop so they you can't rea;;y talk to the mechanics, but i don't know if they do major things, both my parents cars are fairly new (2002 alero, 2006 matrix) so we havent had any big problems. but i think my school shop teacher could probably do things if i needed them, he seems to fix everyone's cars > > ouch that Fiero was really nice, too bad it got wrecked. anyways, > > thanks for this info, i'm starting to think this car might be better [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] > Ya gotta pay, but it's worth it if they do it right. > If you find someone like that, treat him well. :-) |
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