1986 Pontiac Fiero GT review from North America
"A sporty bottomless money pit"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
The distributer cap failed and needed replaced at 55,000 miles.
The catalytic converter was replaced at 55,000 miles.
The heater coil broke, causing anti-freeze to spill all over the passenger side floor and the car to over-heat. This happened at 62,500 miles.
The fuel pump fell apart in the gas tank as I was driving. This happened at 66,000 miles.
The head gasket cracked at 67,500 miles. This led to an average idle of 2000 RPM all the way up to a 4000 RPM idle.
The clutch went out at 71,000 miles.
General comments?
I received this car as a graduation gift. Had I known that I would eventually put $5,000 into this poorly engineered machine, I would have said, "Thanks, but no thanks."
It is the least dependable car I've ever come in contact with. In less than the year that I owned this car, I had to have it towed four times! The first time I had to have it towed was the first day I had it!
However, it was very exciting to drive. It handled exceptionally well. There was very little roll in turns with the stock suspension.
The Fiero also has a decent amount of leg room considering its overall size. I'm 6'2" and I had plenty of room.
This car was doomed from the start. It was built with left over GM parts and many shortcuts were made to save money. The reason the Fiero was only produced for 4 years was because Pontiac couldn't afford to continue to pay for the warranty claims that were made by new Fiero owners.
Overall, I loved driving this car (When it wasn't broken down and in the garage.) However, I will never buy another Fiero (Or anything else GM for that matter) again.
Recommended reviews
| 1986 - Fiero 2M4 2.5 liter 4 cylinder. Underrated American exotic |
| Safe, cheap, sporty soon to be a classic car! |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| Year of manufacture | 1986 |
| First year of ownership | 2001 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2002 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.8 normally aspirated V6 Manual |
| Performance marks | 9 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 3 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 9 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 2 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 55000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 75000 miles |
| Previous car | Honda Accord |
| Date of Entry | 25th February, 2003 |