Fiero [Part 2] - The Fiero Today

        The Fiero is an intriguing car to own for a certain type of car guy. Every Fiero owner today has their own unique reason for buying one, as the car is somewhat peculiar. My particular reason involves the difficulty i had finding affordable car insurance whilst looking for my first car. When I came across a Fiero ad on the internet I gave my broker a call and asked him to give me a number to compare it to other "cheap to insure" vehicles. To my surprise a 4cyl. Fiero happened to be only $10 more annually than the cheapest vehicles I would ever consider owning. Even though the Fiero may be classified as a sports car by some insurance groups others offer a more forgiving rate since the car putters around with only 90hp. I wasn't completely sold on owning a car with so little to brag about, but even at a young age I new that I loved working on cars. I was aware of its downfalls, but more importantly the vast aftermarket and cult like following they had. I would only allow myself to be seen driving such an under-powered chick car if it was a stick-shift. The search commenced and in a short time I bought a 1986 "2M4" with 94,000kms. The insurance came in about where I expected at $373/month (17 year old male, clean record, cheapest car).

        I wanted to store the car for the first winter to save some dough for some new wheels and tires. With a young driver learning standard at the wheel, I stalled the car on the way to the storage depot. Sounds innocent enough but as I was turning the key to restart the car I was rear-ended by a distracted driver. After exchanging info I came to appreciate the toughness of the car. No doubt the foam in the bumper suffered but there was no visible damage of bumper displacement in what could have been whiplash inducing if I wasn't the manly man I am. I would come to find out that smaller cars are much more likely to be ignored on the road and miss-judged in parking lots.
 

My first car: a 1986 Pontiac Fiero 2M4

         The ownership process was new to me and a 21 year old Pontiac probably wasn't the smartest choice to ease me into that level of responsibility. I quickly learned how expensive a car like a Fiero can be. I was guilty of making the Fiero more expensive than it had to be. Every time the sun was out so was I, spending every bit of my disposable income on making that little Fiero as good a car as I could. I had a problem and I knew it. I would never stop, because I was never happy and the car could always use something. The big step I wanted most was an engine swap. It was obvious to me that the engine in that little all fiberglass car was it's only real weakness. The car became my "baby" and whatever I did to it had to be done right and a proper motor swap would keep my only car off the road too long. It would also cost more than double the cars value to be done correctly. I may be crazy and willing to spend, but I couldn't spend money I didn't have and wasn't "that crazy".

        Modifications aside, the car was a considerable burden to own daily. Fieros are not reliable by any automotive definition. I attribute most of the cars short-comings to the horribly designed 4cylinder "Iron Puke" as I like to call it. I never felt good pushing the ancient OHV motor, even after a rebuild and proper break in period. It was never running as smooth as I would have liked. There were quite a few problems I encountered with the car over the two years I owned it. The starter mounts cracked causing it to fall off; the engine burnt oil; the driver seat was rusted in place; all the shocks needed to be replaced and the emergency brake seized. I expected issues due solely to the cars age but the reality and the frequency of them were eye opening.

         The aspects of the Fiero that kept me coming back was the feeling it offers behind the wheel. There are few cars on the road that offer the same level of road feel as the Fiero. The light weight, standard transmission and lack of power steering made the car about as exciting and engaging as 90hp on four wheels can be. I drove that little car everywhere and enjoyed every minute in the drivers seat. It was frustratingly underpowered sometimes but I got slick with the stick and managed to have no trouble passing when I wanted. I will admit that I avoided any speed contests out of fear of losing and not from a strong sense to uphold public safety. The lack of anti-lock brakes, traction control and stability control were things I liked about the Fiero. I learned how to drive in a car that allows the driver to control everything and I appreciate the experience I now have because of my old Fiero. Even in bad conditions the car encouraged the right foot to do its worst, despite the engine's noisy arguments.

My 1986 Pontiac Fiero 2M4

        The Fiero managed to become an old friend as it never left me stranded. It was difficult at times but kept me coming back because of the connection it manages to form with its driver. There is a reason why the Fiero has a cult following, and a reason why many Fiero owners go on to own more than one. The Fiero is the sort of car that an owner learns to love, but wouldn't recommend to a friend. I give it a 7/10