1988 Pontiac Fiero Formula review from North America
"No Regrets!"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Belt squeal.
Turn signal lever would not latch when signaled right.
Almost all coolant hoses leaked.
Fuel line leak.
Two oil leaks.
A/C Compressor blown.
Passenger headlight motor has problems when temperature changes drastically.
Front passenger brake rotor replaced. Caliper needs replacement. Brake hose needs replacement on this side.
Water pump replaced at around 83,000 miles
General comments?
First car, no regrets. About $1500 in repairs invested in the car since I purchased it in June 2007.
BODY:
Body is in great shape, only one small crack in rear bumper. Paint is in decent condition, scratches have appeared all over the front bumper due to the car bra the last owner used on the car. The spoiler's paint is also in rough shape.
MECHANICS:
Hard to find a shop that knows how to repair these cars. Some Fiero clubs offer convenient lists of repair shops that do work on them. GM Dealers will not work on these cars.
2.8L V6 is in good shape, two oil leaks were patched up over the winter of 07-08, and a belt was replaced.
Coolant system required major work, nearly all coolant hoses/pipes leaked and at one point antifreeze needed to be added every other day.
Catalytic Converter was toast when car was purchased and was removed at around 84,000 miles and replaced with a simple straight pipe.
Automatic transmission has no problems.
INTERIOR:
Interior is in near pristine condition! A previous owner smoked in the car, but interior was re-carpeted by another owner to remove smoke smell. Cracks in corners of dash due to knees banging them (typical for many Fieros). Fuel gauge does not read correctly, car will run out of gas when gauge passes 1/4 tank mark, however, many 88 Fieros have this problem.
HANDLING:
As advertised in the ad, it corners like it's on rails and handles like a go-kart. However, it handles like a hockey puck in snow.
OVERALL:
A wonderful sports car that survived 20 years of wear and tear, and will give many more years of fun when well taken care of.
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| Wipe that smile off your face! |
|
| Greatest car ever produced that won't kill your bank account |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 1988 |
| Year of manufacture | 1988 |
| First year of ownership | 2007 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2008 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.8L V6 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 9 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 7 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 10 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 4 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 5 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 79000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 83300 miles |
| Date of Entry | 8th June, 2008 |