Most people love and fondly remember their first car. I'm no different. My bicycle had been my only transportation through high school and college. I finished school in mid 1983, and ordered a Pontiac Fiero without even having seen so much as a picture of it. I just knew I wanted small and affordable. I had college loans to pay off afterall, but my parents both worked for GM and ordering a new car was the thing to do.
I'm dedicating this webpage to my first car, a Pontiac Fiero, that was sometimes difficult to get along with but always a great deal of fun. On this page you'll also be able to find:
Pontiac Fiero information
Fiero parts: mats, door handles, emblems, seats, car covers, air intake, exhaust manifold, the dash, seat belts and more.
Manuals and other tidbits for those who have an interest in this 1980's phenom.
A month or two later, while standing in the garage area at the dealership, my new car came around the corner for me to approve. Red and black, low to the ground, and very sleek; I hadn't expected it to be so "cool" looking. (You laugh now, but this was late 1983)
Flipping on the stero with the speakers in the headrest and just enough room for me and a friend, it was very personal already. This wasn't a mom car or a sensible car, it was the perfect car for me.
I wasn't the only one who fell in love with it either. The Pontiac Fiero wasn't really on most showroom floors yet. For the first several weeks people would stare, invite themselves to sit in it, and I would find large groups of them gathered around when I'd return to it in a parking lot.
Fiero Trouble
My Fiero quickly became my best and most trusted friend. Sounds odd I know, but in addition to being a very personal car just based on it's tiny stature, it played an extremely important role in my life at the time.
I had moved several hundred miles away from my home to start my first job. I was a home based therapist who traveled through central and eastern Tennessee spending much of my time driving. To the tune of up to 290 miles a day. Yes, often working 6 day weeks and 15 hour days. My Fiero was there the entire time.
Unfortunately, as some had warned me, a car that is completely new to the market sometimes has "kinks" that have not yet been worked out. My Pontiac Fiero was indeed "kinky" in this manner. The worst of these problems seemed to be issues with the computer. Despite probably 10 to 12 trips to the dealership for various repairs, I suppose it is only fair to say I still managed to put over 60,000 miles on it in about 9 months.
The Fiero Allure
My Fiero wasn't the ultimate sports car, but it cost me just over $8,000 as I recall. Even back in the 80's that was pretty affordable. I loved driving it; so easy to maneuver around slower vehicles on the backroads in Tennessee. For a person who drove a great deal, the fuel efficiency definitely held expenses down. I can't swear to it, but I recall 34-38mpg on the highway in my 4 cyclinder. It didn't seem to have the tightest turning ability (or perhaps it was the lack of power steering at the time) but it would fit in any parking space. It wouldn't hold more than a couple of bags of groceries but it was a car for driving not hauling.
I sold my first Pontiac Fiero at the end of the year, and despite my troubles, got a GT because everything else I drove seemed far too lumbering to tolerate. My experience with my second Fiero was flawless and although it's not my style now, to sit behind the wheel of one again, manuevering a winding road, or sailing along a highway would be a hoot.
The History of the Pontiac Fiero
The Pontiac Fiero started out as more of an economy car which defied the boxy look, but evolved into more of a respectable sports car from the time of it's introduction in 1984 until it's final year of mass production in 1988. It was the first mid-engine two seater by a US manufacturer and offered a number of other innovations.
There are entire communities of Fiero enthusiasts who restore these cars and others who merely want them to use as kit cars.
How Stuff Works offers a fairly concise overview of the history of the Fiero. Fiero Focus provides a nice discussion about it's space frame chassis and assembly and WeLovePontiacs gives an overview of the various models over the years.
For a history and discussion of the most common Fiero problems, readers can see this Wikipedia article.
For the milllions of people who have never driven a Fiero and live in todays world of tall, somewhat boxy, and heavy vehicles, a test drive is recommended for the fun of it. If that's not possible, at least check out the videos below!
My first car was no sports car but to this day I still love it the best. Economical, never gave me a day's trouble and eventually I sold it for more than I paid for it new. What more can you ask for.
I had to look at this lens because I have a Fiero parked outside my house here. It belongs to my daughter's boyfriend, and has been stored here for months. I don't think I've heard anyone else mention one in recent years, until now. Great lens! 5* of course.
My son's first car was a used, beater Fiero. He spent a lot of time working on it (it ate belts), but he loved it for its sportiness also. I drove MGs, Triumphs, and Jags at his age - there is something special about a car with some issues. They have personality.
Photo Credits Introduction: BKM_BR. Fiero Love at First Sight: nokrash. Fiero Trouble: powellizer. The Fiero Allure: scfiasco. The History of the Pontiac Fiero: kplaten.
Giants are distinguished by their exceptional skill for making top-notch
lenses, and lots of them. Whenever you land on a Giant Squid's lens, you
know the person behind it is passionate about the topic and is hard at
work making the lens worthy of your time and attention.
A month or two later, while standing in the garage area at the dealership, my new car came around the corner for me to approve. Red and black, low to the ground, and very sleek; I hadn't expected it to be so "cool" looking. (You laugh now, but this was late 1983)
My Fiero quickly became my best and most trusted friend. Sounds odd I know, but in addition to being a very personal car just based on it's tiny stature, it played an extremely important role in my life at the time.
My Fiero wasn't the ultimate sports car, but it cost me just over $8,000 as I recall. Even back in the 80's that was pretty affordable. I loved driving it; so easy to maneuver around slower vehicles on the backroads in Tennessee. For a person who drove a great deal, the fuel efficiency definitely held expenses down. I can't swear to it, but I recall 34-38mpg on the highway in my 4 cyclinder. It didn't seem to have the tightest turning ability (or perhaps it was the lack of power steering at the time) but it would fit in any parking space. It wouldn't hold more than a couple of bags of groceries but it was a car for driving not hauling.
The Pontiac Fiero started out as more of an economy car which defied the boxy look, but evolved into more of a respectable sports car from the time of it's introduction in 1984 until it's final year of mass production in 1988. It was the first mid-engine two seater by a US manufacturer and offered a number of other innovations.
Fetching blurbs now... please stand by
Posted May 10, 2009
