Uncle Sam shite on hold! Poss new Benz!!!!!

[warren t claim]

Back in the mid 80's I spent some time in Canada and the USA and the trendy car of the moment was the Pontiac Fiero. I really would love to own one and this has popped up on Ebay and made it on to my watch list.

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/PONTIAC-Fiero-Ame ... 20b53055f4

 

I've owned Yank tin before but not one of these. It's reasonably local and I'm a bit tempted to have a flutter if it stays at the right money.

 

Any experts on here? What faults do I look for?

[eddyramrod]

I've never owned a Fiero among my assorted Yanks but accepted wisdom is that the electronics are the bits to inspect closely. The engines are pretty tough so nothing to worry about there, beyond the usual sensible checks. It may be hard to get some interior stuff too, so make sure that's all there. The ones I've seen look awful plain inside, I'd upgrade anything that's upgradable, but that's just me.

 

Get hold of a copy of Classic American magazine, or visit their website; and check out the clubs, there will be one handy for you. Yank owners tend to be quite welcoming and evangelistic, so have no fear, you will be accepted with this.

[eddyramrod]

Shoot first, ask questions later... I've now looked at the link! You and the car are well-placed for the American Auto Club North West, which is Manchester-based! http://www.aacnw.com should open up a whole new world for you, tell them "exed" sent you! (I used to edit their club mag...)

 

This car has the base engine, which is known as the Iron Duke. 4 cylinder, 2.5 litre. I think at least some of a Fiero's bodywork is fibreglass, so that engine should be quite adequate...

 

Best of luck!

[Negative Creep]

Ripe for turning into a comically inaccurate Ferrari replica before selling as an unfinished project

[eddyramrod]

Yes, that happens a lot, sadly; much better to make a comically-inaccurate Lotus Esprit replica, then at least you can pretend to be James Bond!

[Guest]

Ideal for being the miserable sister from Ferris Bueller's Day Off.

[Barry Cade]

I had one for a bit, a 2.5 - Alwys wanted one 'cos I thought they'd be like an American X1/9.. it was OK to drive, but not really sporty at all- mine was a manual with a whole 85 BHP- the same as an X1/9 got with 1000cc less, although it did muster enough oomph one day to spin me right round in a circle in front of the bus station, to the amusement of all the waiting bus pass holders... Speakers in the headrests were cool though, and no rust!- I believe they do rust quite badly under the bodywork though, and I remember having a real nightmare with the handbrake, and the gauges. They also run pretty hot-so look for cooling issues, and brake pipes are strange sizes covered in what looks like a spring... I think they are really pretty, but would go for a 2.8 if you want to get anywhere..

 

 

 

 

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Vauxhall chevette front suspension on these I believe

[warren t claim]

Ripe for turning into a comically inaccurate Ferrari replica before selling as an unfinished project

 

OK, here's a confession.

 

One of these is on my lottery list.

 

http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0oG7hh4K.NMz ... ticle.html

 

Ferrari looks with E Class Merc running costs, all wrapped up in a GM approved bodykit.

 

I apologise for my "Fauxrarri" fetish and await and expect your pisstake comments with good grace.

[Claypole]

 

Just spunk £11,000 on this instead...

 

At least it is a Ferrari while it sits molesting your bank account in a lock up somewhere?

[Rod/b]

A friend of mine had one of these for the BABE rally out is the states last year (Fiero, not Ferrari) and it was packing the same V6 engine I had in my Firebird, which was a lot for the little Fiero and not much for the ThunderChicken. Problem was though they were both allied to crude yank slushboxes which sapped any power that might have been there. At least mine sounded good with a straight through exhaust... Chris's Fiero threw a rod on the way back too.

 

It looked like a lot of fun although i'd not be tempted now.

[Captain Mainwaring]

Engine Size: 25,000 cc

 

Bloody hell, he's done well to fit whatever that is in the engine bay!

[eddyramrod]

Yes, I spotted that... must be a Merlin!

[scooters]

sellers description of a "little American sports-car" is wrong - there are no American sports cars - there are American cars that look like sports cars but they are not sports cars -

 

the 2.5 engine will be a solid lump of iron -

 

what will baffle you is how, in any other car from any other country in the world 2.5 lts would make a car like this fly - is tha ability of American engineers to leak so much Bhp from the crankshaft to the wheels

 

the gear box will be truly awful

 

awful awful

 

I'd day go for it!

[Formula Autos]

There is at least one other mid-engined US sports car - the AMC AMX/3.

 

Tracking one down would be tricky though - only 5 or 6 were made.

 

[Rod/b]

Woh, that looks like something that has been designed after catching a fleeting glimpse of a Lambo, whilst heavily intoxicated, and setting out to draw it a few weeks later.

 

With crayons.

[Rod/b]

sellers description of a "little American sports-car" is wrong - there are no American sports cars - there are American cars that look like sports cars but they are not sports cars -

 

the 2.5 engine will be a solid lump of iron -

 

what will baffle you is how, in any other car from any other country in the world 2.5 lts would make a car like this fly - is tha ability of American engineers to leak so much Bhp from the crankshaft to the wheels

 

the gear box will be truly awful

 

awful awful

 

I'd day go for it!

 

Which makes it the perfect vehicle to load up with fibreglass for you Ferrari replica. No chance of getting your arse handed to you by Nanna in her 1989 Rover 213 at the traffic lights...

 

(although to be fair it's fairly easy to take the emissions kit off and blank off the hole on the engine for a few extra lazy yank horses...)

[warren t claim]

Ok. As much as I want this Fiero a chance has come for me to get a tidy 190E for the right money. Although you're probably thinking that the Autoshite world has been awash with cheap Mercs lately and you'd be right, this is my wet dream 190E.

 

It is the right colour (Light pinky metallic),It has the right 2.0 engine. It has electric leather, It's an auto (Very important), MB bodtkit, wood kit, nice alloys, 4x electric windows and enough small issues to keep me happy.

 

Basically it's the 190 your drug dealer had back in the late 90's when coke was £100 a gram.

 

I'm hoping to acquire it before xmas.

[boobydoo]

If it's a light pinky metallic, its probably Almandine Red. Nice colour....found on 190/C Class/E Class/SL around the late 80s/early nineties.

[warren t claim]

Porsche used to do a similar shade of metallic pink. Fortunately I'm comfortable and secure enough in my sexuality to drive a 928 in that shade if one came up cheap enough.

[Minimad5]

pictures are needed Mr Warren

 

You've become a Mercedes hoarder

[warren t claim]

Maybe. It's only because this 190 ticks so many boxes that I'm interested. If it was a manual then I'd probably be dragging you up to 0161 to look at the Fiero.