One of my favorite expressions tied to tinkering with old vehicles is “You’re buying the seller, not the car.” This has proven itself true time and again, especially as it relates to how a car or truck has been maintained. Pristine cosmetics are nice, but really, it’s the mechanical bits and their overall condition that help a car speak to me. The seller of this clean 1988 Pontiac Fiero GT listed here on craigslist is the kind of individual you want to buy from, with the right maintenance done and up-front disclosures about its (limited) flaws.
I learned the lesson about buying the seller and not the car many years ago with my first project purchase: a 1990 Mazda Miata. The Miata was tired but it was cheap, and it came from a race shop in Ayer, Mass. The seller demonstrated how it was a desirable factory limited-slip car and despite its bumps and bruises, was a solid runner. I was pretty naive, and when I got it home, I realized the damage was far worse than advertised and he had swapped the LSD with an open diff. Talk about disappointing. Fortunately, the seller of this Fiero seems far more interested in the next caretaker of his car treating it as well as he has.
1988 was a good year for the Fiero. GM addressed several major shortcomings with the original design to improve its handling and reliability. The WS6 suspension made the car far more predictable and settled, while the 2.8L V6 benefitted from a redesigned oil filter and cooler system to help address leaks from previous years. 15-inch basketweave-style wheels gave the Fiero a wider contact patch while also contributing to the newfound surefootedness in the suspension. Power-wise, the Fiero produced 135 b.h.p. and 160 lb.-ft. of torque.
The interior is in excellent condition and the seller reports that the 78,000 miles on the clock are original. Recent servicing carried out under his ownership includes rebuilding the brakes, replacing the clutch master, upgrading the plastic fuel lines with stainless steel, and performing a coolant flush and replacing hoses. The cruise control and power locks don’t work, but that’s it for major flaws, and a bunch of spare parts are included with the sale. The asking price of $11,900 is a little on the high side, but hopefully a reasonable offer under $10,000 will get the job done. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Curvette for the find.
1988 was the BEST year for the Fiero, Jeff. Pontiac’s upgrades transformed it from a decent car to what I consider a genuine sports car. Not the fastest thing around, but there was enough power to make the vastly improved suspension enjoyable and, if pushed hard enough, necessary. Having driven both ’87 and ’88 Fieros, I got the impression build quality had improved, too.
The Fiero continued a GM tradition of stopping production just as the car was beginning to peak. The last-year model is the only one to buy, IMO, and this seller appears to be the right person to buy from, as noted. I’d make a lower offer — in part because I’m cheap — but even at $12K it’s tempting.
As a side note, I recall a conversation with a Pontiac engineer. When I complimented him on the ’88’s improvements, he smiled sadly and said “You should have seen the ’89….”
I remember one of my big decisions in the 80’s was purchasing a Fiero or a 4Runner as a first vehicle. I opted for the latter which got me close bro 400k miles… something I’m sure the Fiero would not have done!
That said this is a solid find and looks to be a great little ride for the right person. They were “quick” little cars but could never compete with the 280ZX and Chevy Camaro of the times but still they had a unique appeal.