Are 1985 Pontiac Fieros reliable cars?

Question

I will be driving next year and am probably going to buy an 85 Fiero GT. Are they safe, reliable, good on gas?

Answer 1

This car is almost 22 years old. How reliable do you expect it to be? AA 22 year old BMW wouldn't be very reliable. I would not expect ANY make of car that is 22 years old to be reliable for commuting.

The Achilles heal of the Fiero is it's cooling system. It has a mid engine with a radiator in the front. That means it has extremely long radiator hoses. with a car that age, if they haven't been replaced, they will need to be.

If I were you I'd look for a Cavalier or Sunbird/Sunfire that is under 10 years old. A fiero would be a neat project/weekend car but it just wouldn't be economical/reliable as an everyday driver.

-and this is coming from an avid GM enthuseist

Answer 2

I have owned 2 Fieros since I bought my first one in new 1986.

As noted:
They were the second safest car made during the 80's.
Only the 84 and 85 4-cyl engines had the fire problems. Most were corrected by recalls, and the ones that didn't have the recall work done are not around.
They have excellent cooling systems.

The Fiero forum posted above is an excellent reference for repairs.
If properly maintained they are as reliable as any other car. I would suggest visiting the Fiero forum so you can see what items need to be checked out when buying one. After all it is a 20+ year old car and things do wear out or require maintenance. There are areas to check that are common on all Fiero's. There is a place called "The Fiero Store" that has many OEM parts for the Fiero and some nice aftermarket parts too.

There are also quite a few local Fiero clubs that can assist is buying a well maintained car and keeping it reliable for many years to come.


My current Fiero has a 355hp 350 V-8 in it and runs in the low 12 second range while still getting 25 mpg (same as the original V-6 that was in the car)

Any GM engine can (and has) be swapped into the Fiero.
The 350 V-8's and the supercharged 3800 engines are the most popular swaps. But you can swap in any other V-6 and even Northstar V-8's.

Many "rumors" about Fiero's are based on mis-information.
If you really plan on getting a Fiero, Please take the time to research the true facts about the car. They are fun cars to drive and 20 years later still look good.

Answer 3

I own a copule of sports cars from the 80's. One is a heavily modified 88 mustang gt and the other is a relatively stock 86 Fiero SE with the 2.8 v6 and a 4 speed. I have had just a few problems with the Fiero but before I bought it it sat for several years and these problems could be expected because of that. It has been pretty reliable even though I am fairly abusive. I drive very aggressively and have a heavy right foot. In the Fiero I generally get 20 mpg or so. I tried driving it like a normal person and recorded an easy 27 mpg. It was rated as one of the safest cars from that time period. So to answer your question, in my opinion the Fiero is a safe, reliable, vehicle. It is also pretty good on gas, especially when you consider that it is a 20+ year old sports car. If you buy it, enjoy.

Answer 4

I am a Fiero fan, I have two. An '85GT and '88GT. Yes I feel it is very safe. It did very well in it's day in govt tests. I've seen many people posting pics of very bad accidents that they walked away from in forums that I frequent. And, yes they can be good on gas if you get especially the 4cyl 5spd. The V6 automatic does not get what I call good gas mileage.

Having said that, the reliability is questionable. It is a twenty year old car with typical 20 year old car problems. It really is a great 2nd car and project but I would be less than honest if I recommended it as a primary daily driver. Even if you bought an extremely low mileage car the rubber parts are still 20 years old, coolant hoses, etc don't age well.

Answer 5

I agree with Moleman.
I am the proud owner of 2 Pontiac Fieros. A 1984 4 Cylinder, and a 1986 Pontiac Fiero SE with the V6 and a 5 speed.
I have also owned many in the past. (These two are numbers 7 and 8), my GF has owned 2, a friend of mine owns 3 currently, and is always looking for more.
They may not be entirely reliable, depending on the abuse they received at the hands of previous owners, or just the general lack of maintenance.
I know several people with well over 200,000 miles on their Fieros, and they still have the original engine, and many of the original parts on the car.
Any vehicle can be unreliable, even a new one, if it is abused, and improperly maintained.
I have been on both sides of the spectrum, having a vehicle that was all original, and had 350,000 miles on it, and also having a vehicle with 100,000 miles on it that had been through 3 engines. (All 3 of those were my fault for beating on them.)

The Fiero is a good car, don't expect to get one that is flawless, but don't go into it expecting the worst either.

My 86 SE is my Daily Driver, and gets decent mileage, turns heads, and whenever I pull into a gas station, people always ask about it. There are fewer and fewer on the road, and many of the ones that still are, are show stoppers. When you own one, you become a member of an exclusive club of people who know what it is like to feel the rumble of an engine behind you, to know that your stock car could probably eat anything immediately off the line, and that when you are doing 90 down the freeway, it feels like 60... Until you get that ticket. (BTDT too many times.)

Enjoy your car. It is worth the effort needed to maintain it.

Answer 6

1985 Pontiac Fiero

Answer 7

If I were you, I'd ask someone who knows more about Fieros. Like the fellows at http://www.fiero.com/forum/ . We know from personal experience these cars inside and out, and can provide more info than a "GM enthusiast" who read a magazine article on it.

All Fiero GTs came with the 2.8L V6, and it wasn't any more prone to fire than any other car. (Fires resulted from poor maintenance and abuse of the early 4-cylinder engine) The Fiero was the second safest car of its day, beat only by the Volvo DL. Many a Fiero has been totalled and its passengers have come out ok.

As for reliability, they are just as reliable as any other 20 year old car. Many 100k+ mile cars still have original alternators, distributors, and other parts that are replaced early on in other cars. Most Fieros still have their original coolant tubes, and run as good as any other car.

Gas mileage is about 20-25 mpg, a bit higher for the 4-speed.

A lot of common Fiero myths in the answers here. The Fiero has a roomy interior; some Fiero owners have had problems getting into Solstices, which are somewhat larger than the Fiero. Its seats are commonly used in kit cars and custom cars. I dunno the nicknames for it, but "Fiero" means "very proud" in Italian.

Answer 8

1985 pontiac fieros reliable cars

Answer 9

First we'll hit on the safety... 5 out of 5 stars on front and side impact for driver and passenger. http://www.crashtest.com/explanations/archive/crash.htm#anchor106731
Reliability....much like any old/used, or anycar for that matter she will treat you as you treat her...you ttake car of her she'll take car of you. Biggest problem with Fieros is engine compartment fires. DUE TO: People not knowing how to "burp"/ properly fill the radioter...there is a specific way you're supposed to fill it. Gas mileage....if the engine is in good shape and good condition...etc. You could get upwards to 20 m.p.g. in this car....trust me I've tested it, and ended up empty cause I was testing it. And I say buy the fiero, I had one, broke down, and that's how I learned what I did wrong and what most people do wrong...bought anouther and am in love all over again.

Answer 10

The 4 cylinder Fiero's were some of the most troubleprone cars ever built, they weren't all that great on gas, the V6 Fiero's were better in reliability but if I were you I would get a Honda CRX or a Toyota Celica instead.