The Pontiac Fiero was the first mass-produced, mid-engine sports car built by an American manufacturer. It ran from 1984 to 1988 – and even though more than 370,000 of them were assembled – the Fiero is a car you don’t see very often anymore. Available from a dealer in Englishtown, New Jersey, this 1986 SE (Special Edition) looks to be in good overall condition and is available here on eBay where the bidding has reached just $3,100. If you can’t afford a new mid-engine Corvette, is this a viable (but slower) Plan B?
Until the Fiero came along, Pontiac had not offered a two-seat automobile since the 1930s. Something of a design forerunner, the Fiero used a lot of composite panels in their construction. When it was first unveiled, the car got the automotive press all worked up, with it making Car and Driver’s 10 Best List for 1984 and it was chosen to pace the field at the Indianapolis 500 that same year. However, the cars would soon develop a reputation for poor performance, reliability, and even safety issues (catching fire), so the luster wore off rather quickly.
At first, the Fiero used the “Iron Duke” 151 cubic inch inline-4 for its power, which would explain why they weren’t considered knee-jerkers when it came to acceleration. A V6 would come later and that’s the motor that resides in the seller’s 1986 copy. To keep costs down, Pontiac would borrow components from other places in their line-up, like suspensions from the Phoenix FWD (aka Chevy Citation) and the Chevy Chevette. Sounds like it was a poor man’s Corvette to me. When the V6 finally came along, it had 43 more horsepower which made a huge difference in the car’s briskness.
In the year that the seller’s car was built, 84,000 Fieros left the assembly line with 32,000 being the SE (trim changes). So where are they all today? The junkyard? This example has nicely escaped the Grim Reaper and has seen just 41,000 miles in 37 years. Besides the V6, it has a 6-speed manual transmission, and all its service has been kept up to date although we’re told the machine was stored away in a barn for many years. As nice as it looks, I would go into this purchase assuming it will need work that is not obvious.
Just a wild guess, but I’ll bet you’d find this Fiero has a five-speed transmission, not six….
Doesn’t matter. These were pretty nice cars once some teehing issues were worked out (IIRC, they were past the major woes by ’86), though I’d give preference to an ’88, as they were vastly improved in many areas. They began the transition from “commuter” cars to actual sports cars, right before GM pulled the plug….
The price currently looks about right.
In 86 the V6 models only offered a 4 speed while the four cylinder cars had a five speed. Since the transmission was a aftermarket change for this car it likely has the F40 6 speed also offered in the Pontiac G6. It’s a popular transplant and is usually replaced with a V8 attached. LS 3 or 4.
Nice looking tidy Fiero…..fun cars, I don’t think they were ever trying to be more than that…..
I like it!
👍🤓
YEARS ago, a car enthusiast friend who raced VWs and Audis said, “If you ever see a manual Fiero 6-cylinder in decent shape cheap, grab it and guard it with your life!” His excuse/reasoning was the 4-cylinders kept catching fire and/or raced to death by young punks that couldn’t afford a Corvette, and were underpowered, and the 6-cylinders kept getting kitbashed into kitcars, as it was basically “the last affordable sports car with a chassis.” The one Fiero Club even had its own display field at the last Carlisle (Pa.) Import & Kitcar show I attended!
It seems the years have proven him right.
FYI The option label pic in the Ebay ad says MM4 which is a 4 speed Muncie(not like ooh it’s a muncie)and M17 means it’s a 3.65 ratio.
I had four of these. The first, a black four cylinder SE, threw a connecting rod on the freeway and burned to the ground on the shoulder. The second was just like this, a gold SE with the appearance package, and that one I was T-boned in while cruising in St Paul which totaled it.
I had two more at home, a silver and a red one. I decided I wanted to live and sold them both. Fun cars though.
Always carry a fire extinguisher y’all, a 20 oz Dr Pepper doesn’t put out engine fires.
$3,852 now, seller has a great Roadrunner listed.
They are rear engine cars not mid engine. The 2.8 v6’s would snap exhaust manifold studs all the time.M’fer to replace them in the car. Radiator up front with that long steel tube back to the engine that would rot out in rust belt states.The iron duke2.5’s were the ones that were fire bombs with their crappy stamped steel staggered bolt pattern valve cover that leaked oil all over the exhaust manifold. Wonder why the USPS has fires in their old Van’s with the duke. If GM used a more expensive cast aluminum valve cover they wouldn’t have had that problem. Never cared for these cars.Like driving a go kart imo. Head gasket bolts would snap in half on the front of the head too causing coolant leakage .I used to get em out w/o taking the head off and replace only the one that failed.
“Like driving a go kart” … yes. Exactly. That is the point!
Mid engine
These are mid engine. There is a trunk behind the engine and the engine itself is transverse mounted slightly ahead of the rear axle centerline.
I’ve had several of these and are good, fun sporty, and stylish cars. If memory is correct gold is one of the rarer colors.
They are indeed mid-engine, not rear. Engine sits mostly ahead of the axle line.
You are right about the Iron Duke though. I had to replace the head gasket about a month after I bought my first one. All of the other ones I owned were V6’s and had no such issues. Or fires.
Hope this car finds a worthy home. Cancelling it the same year they finally got it right was just one of many examples of how badly mismanaged the Pontiac division was.
I’ve owned 4. My first was a late ’86 GT with 5-speed, 2 ’88 Formulas (1 5 speed, 1 auto with T-Tops), and an ’84 2M4 bought for my daughter. The ’84 was the only one I had any real trouble with. The GT got T-boned, the first Formula got lost in a divorce, the T-top was sold about a year ago because I just couldn’t get in and out comfortably anymore. Love these cars. And to the person who complained that they were like a go-kart, isn’t that why you buy one? If not, get a luxo-barge and leave the fun to us!
Odd that the seller describes the car as having a
“6 speed” transmission… Fieros never came with a 6 speed… Options list says the car has the 4 speed. Makes me wonder what the seller’s connection is with this car…
That said, the V6 transformed the Fiero… I remember driving an early one with the iron duke 4 and was underwhelmed… rather truck like. A couple years later a work buddy bought a GT with the 6 and 5 speed… Completely different experience.
Transmission swapped. I am not sure why they don’t spell that out.
Had the yellow ’88 Formula, V6 and 5 speed. It had a rod-knock, so I drove it onto and off of the trailer and into my garage. Picked up a low mileage 3.8 with a supercharger for an engine swap. Ended up pulling the old V-6 and realized I was in over my head. Sold the entire project to a guy that specialized in Fiero’s. After about 6 months he called me and asked if I were interested in buying it back. I had moved on but still wish I’d bought it back…
Good old Talbot Yellow. I had a 1988 formula in that color. Lots of fun and like others said it was like driving a go-kart. Sadly had to part with it due to financial reasons and having kids. The guy who bought it from me blew the engine about a week after owning it
This would be a good car for a 3800SC swap. That would kick up the fun by a bunch.
The Tire Rack headquarters in South Bend Indiana has a test track for tire testing in the wet, snow, ice and dry. It’s always been fun to be there when they’re thrashing BMW 3 Series cars and even a few Porsches…
Plenty of curves, small inclines and some straights.
During the summer months they open the track for road course timed competition and all manner of great cars show up.. Vintage sports cars and late model sports cars…
I was there on a couple Saturdays to run my Fiesta ST and the star of the show every weekend was a slightly ugly 1988 Fiero with a turbocharged Buick 3.8 and a five speed.
That guy cleaned everyone’s clock. He was turning in faster times than a couple 911’s and other high priced European cars and even a Nissan GTR.
It handled like it was on rails..
Interestingly enough the one car that came closest was a somewhat clapped out Porsche 914/6.
Both a testament to mid engine design, low center of gravity and more than enough power.
Even the drivers who were down on lap times to the Fiero guy were all cheering him on every time he ran..
The 1988 models had a totally different and improved suspension. Previous versions had Chevrolet Citation front drivetrains and suspensions..
And the dipsticks on the early four cylinder cars were graduated incorrectly and owners thought they had enough oil when they actually didn’t and the engines would lock up at speed and self immolate.
Fuel leaks on the V6 cars could crop up also.
Another GM car that GM eventually perfected then killed.
I currently have an early ’86 GT 4 speed black&silver with sun roof, sitting in my garage that I purchased new. Daily driver until early 2000(s) when the clutch went out for the 2nd time with 167,000+ miles. Had 2 small kids at the time, so no sense in fixing the 2 seater with a wife and two little kids.
My youngest kid, now 22, wants me to keep for him to fix and get running again, someday. Never had any issues with the car. Great drive and a lot of fun. Probably not many one owner GTs still out there.
If you’re handy you can do it. But it’s not easy. After disconnecting the subframe and everything else, the rear of the car needs to be lifted up and off the subframe / engine /transaxle. A bobcat or tractor works great for this.
Even if you pay a shop, it’s worth it if your budget allows. Fix it and keep it. You’ll be glad you did.
Yeah, that’s why I’ve kept it all these years. I know if I turn it loose, I’ll never get it back. Had it now for 37 yrs. Kind of amazing to have anything for that long.
I built a dolly out of 2×4’s and sturdy furniture wheels and used a large engine hoist to lower the engine cradle onto it. Then disconnect the 3 bolts at the top of the struts and the 4 cradle bolts (remove the nuts on the horizontal bolts before lowering). Then extend the hoist to max length and use it to lift the chassis off the cradle. Roll the dolly out the side through the wheel wells, and lower the chassis onto jackstands.
You can have the engine out and back in within a weekend once you get the hang of it. The hardest part is disconnecting all of the the coolant/fuel lines and wiring.
Sold $5,700.