240 but please not a Fiero!

[Simmsled]

I have a friend here at Purdue that wants to buy a Fiero to modify and use as a daily driver. I am trying to get him to get a 240 to modify and use as a daily driver. He thinks i am CRAZY. Help me out guys. Show him the way! :ylsuper

[BuudWeizErr]

Tell him to get the Fiero.

[lbrowne]

What year fiero? Those are nice handling mid engine cars that can be had for cheap.

When he says modify, what does he mean? engine swap? other goodies?

Despite what most may say on this board, for what can be done and has been done to the Fieros is viewed no different than what people do to their 240sx here - to most people with an unbiased opinion.

[PROJECTRB240SX]

DUDE A FIERO WITH A LS1 OWNS. I HAVE SEEN THREE IN MY LIFE AND DRIVEN ONE AND LET ME SAY IT LOOKS LIKE IT BELONGS, POWER IS MIND-BOGGLING, HANDLING AND RESPONSE SEEMS BETTER THAN STOCK, AND IT WOULD KILL MOST 240'S.

HONESTLY I WOULD LET YOUR FRIEND MAKE HIS OWN DECISION. JUST TELL HIM EVERYTHING YOU KNOW ABOUT THE 240, SEND HIM HERE FOR MORE KNOWLEDGE, AND LET HIM BASE HIS DECISION OFF OF THAT.

[Bruno240]

i herd that a big problem they have is somthing with catching on fire.

thats what i have herd

[evil_240]

Well A Fiero with a V8 engine is just increadibly fast, My own problem with fiero's are that there are no backseats whatsoever and the car itself is not as attractive as a 240, if your friend wants a really fast car well he should get the fiero and drop a v8 in there if he wants a fast car with great handling and looks he should go for the 240.

[sleepy_nokkie]

Fiero = Pontiac P.O.S

want cheap mid engine? .. get MR2

[Altiman94]

^ I would just let him get the fiero.

[lbrowne]

As always...you're going to get heavily biased answers on this board.

Kinda like someone on the f-body board I go to asking about mustangs and if they should buy one.

They did have a problem in ealrier models from the engine fan control or something malfunctioning, and then not working causing them to go into system meltdown. I'm sure on the specifics but I know of that problem generally.

You don't need a v8 in those to be fast. I've even seen 3.4 DOHC in them, even with that engine s/c as well.

I think it owuld be a fun car but I'd never be able to have one as a daily driver, I'm an ice hockey goaltender and my gear physically would not fit in the car.

[Simmsled]

My buddy barely has a clue on how to change his oil. He is willing and eager to learn though. This is his first car. He lives in Ottawa Ontario and goes to Purdue in West Lafayette Indiana with me. So an 1,800 mile long weekend trip home is definitely a big reliability issue. He is a college student as well. It has to have some kind of practical abilities. The fiero is not nearly as practical as a 240. That is what I have been trying to tell him. The only reason he really wants a Fiero is because he wants to eventually turn it into a Lamborghini Kit car (money pit). I would say that at this point, it is just not wise to get a Fiero worth 900 bucks when he could get an S13 for 2 to 3 grand and have a complete, reliable, and safe car. Besides... he is all about doing an SR swap sometime in the near future.

[SeVa-S13]

Fiero GTs are incredibly secksi and a bit more uncommon than your standard S13 hatch but it being an old domestic...well, it has problems like an old domestic. Reliability is not going to be its strongpoint.If that's not an issue ($$$), go for it. If it IS, then get an MR2. Mucho secksi aswell, and Toyota reliabilitly.

[AZhitman]

I'm not biased - I don't like either car... (j/k guys):D

Do a search here for Fiero - Stoneage Turbo was considering one, and those of us who were actually old enough to drive when the Fiero came out KNOW what a POS it is.

We used to have a game that if someone saw a Fiero with both headlights up or both headlights down, we all had to buy that person a drink.

[Fish240]

there is a guy on another board i post out with a fiero, he is using nitrous and only running mid to late 15s, its your call

[lbrowne]

And no doubt only has the lil 2.0/2.2 4 banger in it. :thinker

[APEXi240]

If I had such long road trips like that I would be trying to buy a low mileage car, as low as possible. Something like a Sentra XE or super cheap like that. If you are packing on miles like crazy its not really worth it to get a car you want to mod.

I put 80k on my Sentra in two years when I had it. The before and after pictures would scare everyone. It took a big beating. Driving 3,000 miles some weeks are no easy tasks for cars.

[nocomedown]

well, i have a 240, and i highly reccomend it, but the main reason im replying here is because im curious of where on campus do you live?i'll be at Purdue next year and I can't wait. just sent in my housing stuff today:D

[tl1000sga]

Buy the fiero and turn it into a lambo replica with the LS1.:drooling

[Darwing]

Hello Everyone,

I am Simmsled's buddy at Purdue, I am the guy who wants to buy a Fiero and convert it (within the next 3 years). I am not a car guy but Simmsled is slowly showing me the way. My only interest in the Fiero was initially the body kit of the Lambo, with the seats and all. However once I looked into it a little more I realized that the Fiero had a little punch back in the day.

I feel the only problem with getting a Fiero at this point would be the upkeep money. Buying one now it will be at least 15 years old and probably fall apart from under my seat. I don't have the funds to keep repairing everything all the time.

Basically I have it narrowed to three options: '86-'88 Fiero - 2.8 V6'90-'91 Civic hatch - b16 swapS13

My initial funds would be around $3000.

Keep it real and thanks for your info.

-Darwing

[89240sx]

s13's rule :-)

[Stoked]

I have owned both an S13 (still have - '93 Coupe) and an '86 Fiero GT. If I had the chance to get another Fiero, I'd do it in a heartbeat. Y'all say reliability is a problem? Hell, my '95 Cadilla Deville has had more problems in the last 4 months that my Fiero did in 2 years. The fire problem was only with the early 4-bangers, so you don't need to worry about that. Really the only main problems are the exhaust manifolds (tend to develop cracks, but that's an easy fix), the headlight motors aren't the greatest, but a couple new motors, or just the bushing kit shouldn't bo too much $100/pair for motors, $20/pair for brushes. The last main problem is driver seat side bolster rip, but what car doesn't have that problem?

I bought an '86 Fiero GT with 103k miles, very good condition, needed paint and a quarter window, all for $1500. I did get a good deal, but I'm sure you can find much better for $3,000. And oh man it was sexy! Even with very faided paint, it drew oh-so-many looks. And there are plenty of VERY sexy body mods other than a Lamborghini kit. Check out http://www.v8archie.com for lotsa pics

[Stoked]

Feast your eyes on these:



Ok, I think that's enough

[krazy skwerel]

If headlight motors is bothering you then just get a fixed headlight conversion. When we went to get my friends 86 the guy had a fiero GT with a fixed headlight conversion. Very nice car. My biggest problem with the gt is the damn engine. I hate the 2.8 biggest pile of crap ever IMO, but who would keep that damn thing anyways. Also I really don't like that lambo kit. Look really ****ty to me. Bopttom line do wat you want man. 240sx is a great little car but is not the end all to be all.

Edit: Please if you get one though get the GT. Cause damn the normal fiero is ugly as sin.

[Bubba1]

If it was maintained well, the V-6 could be lots of fun. BUT, if you're looking to pack to go home from Purdue, you'll be able to fit a ton more stuff into an S-13 and still have a fun car.

[NeverEnuff]

every one left this out and its the mane reson y i wouldent git a fiero safty i mean comon you reck that thing at any high speed your dead but yes i have driven them and thay are fun but id much rather have an mr2 with 4agez 20v in it

[lbrowne]

That black GT is the kind I like.

2.8 v6. that iron duke has long been toted for its reliability. Might not be the fastest no, but it'll last a long long time.

[Stoked]

every one left this out and its the mane reson y i wouldent git a fiero safty i mean comon you reck that thing at any high speed your dead but yes i have driven them and thay are fun but id much rather have an mr2 with 4agez 20v in it

What's to say the 240sx is much safer? In fact, the Fiero might just be safer for rear-end collisions. The 240sx, like most cars, has the gas tank at the rear. The Fiero, however, has it's gas tank in the middle, for safety.

[Bubba1]

Agree, and if you're concerned about safety in a crash, an MR2 is not much better.

[Axel Grungy]

my bud just bought an 85 4cyl fiero. clean car. i dont much like fieros, i drove it and hated every min of it. felt like crap next to a 240. he seems to love it, more power to him

[Simmsled]

of the guys that say get a fiero, why do you guys even drive 240's if you think other cars are better and more fun? i dont get it??

[Repo Man]

I don't have the funds to keep repairing everything all the time.

Then don't get the Fiero. Mid-80's GM cars are a maintenance nightmare when they get old. I know from experience. I have found that a reasonably well-kept 240 will be a whole lot less maintenance. My current 240 was very well-kept and I drove it home to Indy from Philly the day after I bought it from Bubba1. That was 700 miles and I haven't had any problems to this day. Knock on wood of course.

Oh yeah, it had 190k on it when I bought it and it now has 199k on the original engine, transmission, rearend, rear shocks, etc. And I only paid $1400.

They're out there, you just need to be patient and know where to look. Get the 240, you won't regret it.

repo (Simmsled's brutha)