Indy, ? 4 U

You own a lot of fieros so figure that you would be the best person to ask about fieros. Ok well here is my situation, I was driving home drunk in Jan and hit a tree got a DUI and totaled my car. Imp 19 I have 5000 dollars to spend on a new car a steady job and I live in New York. The 5000 I have to spend is actually 1/2 of a 10,000 bond that I received on my 18th birthday and was/am saving for college. So I have been trying to find a used car for 5000 or under that I can insure somehow and drive as a DD to work and school and also be able to modify and learn about cars with. My friend is very mechanically inclined he owns a 91 GST, he’s the 3rd owner and the 1st modified it adding larger turbo and intercooler. All car needs now is to have the fuel pump upgraded. So I want a car that I can work on with him and learn about cars as well as DD with it.

I have come up with allot of options so far like:
Integra GSR
Prelude SH/SI
240sx
Probe/MX-6
1st gen Eclipse
MKIII Supra

Would a fiero, pref GT or Formula be a good car for me? And is it in my price range for purchase price + modification price?


LacrosseGuy




*EDIT* Not Just for Indy anyone can help me, please. *EDIT*

The fiero GT and Formula are great cars...and around the same price...ou could get a good one from anywhere from $2000 - $3000...the 88' years of the models are going to be a lil more becasue it was the last year they were made...as for performance...you could just easily do an engine swap with like a 3800 or the 3800 SC which would give a lot more horsepower and torque than the stock 2.8...but it might just go a little bit over the money u got...

i got a 86 fiero se...and i am fixing it up right now...(im 16 and get a nice car w00t!) i put underdrive pulleys on, a k&n air filter...and soon a pair of headers....and down the road...i might rebuild my engine with performance parts

out of ur list of cars above...the intergra gsr and 240sx would be the ones i would buy...and if u were going to get a eclipse get a 95-99 gsx or gst...with the turbo...

Buy yourself a nice reliable cavalier or neon or something. In all honesty, you need a dependable vehicle that's cheap to insure. Save up extra money and buy a more performance minded vehicle that needs some fixing up and keep it as a 2nd car.

Imports... *shudders* ewww..... think I'll pass on the 6" exhaust tip on a 2 1/4" exhaust system and 3 foot wing on a FWD car trend that's going on now days.

Well, all of your options you came up with above are all very nice cars but would all be much more expensive to insure and maintain than any Fiero in comparable starting condition.
I would agree with Midnightryder that an '88 Formula or GT would be the best case scenario to start off with, and for added get up and go, swap in at least a quad 4 or even better a 3800SC.
I don't agree that a neon, cavelier or what have you would be more reliable. Look at all the Fieros we have, and we are not rich by any means. They are very reliable if maintained correctly. You do have to keep in mind that the last Fiero was made in 88, so they are getting up there in age. If you buy an inexpensive fixer upper, you will probably need to replace alot of normal wear and tear parts (brakes, rotors, lines, hoses, etc.).
If you shop around you should be able to get a very nice '88 Formula for easily less than 5 grand. heck, I saw a really nice one recently on ebay sell for around $3,500. That would leave you with enough to maybe even do the 3800SC swap if you got a great deal on a low mileage engine in a junk yard somewhere and if your friend is as good as you say.
With Fieros, the only limits are set by your imagination, car repair/upgrade abilities (or your friends) and of course your wallet. Though your wallet will not be hit as hard with Fiero modifications than any of the other options you listed either.
Having plastic body panels on a space frame makes swapping and upgrading the outside a blast, and with all the different fairly easy engine swaps available (Quad 4, 3800, SBC, LT1, etc.) you can take an allready quick and responsive little sleeper of a sports car and make it into a high powered growling beast!
The skys the limit with a Fiero. Just look at the before and after pics of the green Fiero we picked up. Page 18 of our cardomain site. The after pics make it look like a whole different car alltogether.
I had a fender bender one time and I swapped the plastic fender with another good used one of the same color ( fender cost me 20 bucks shipped) and had a complete repair I did myself looking like new in under 20 minutes. try that with a neon or a Subaru or what have you. Parts on those cost more and usually in even a small accident more things get damaged meaning more cost for parts. etc. The Fiero has a unique space frame and is still one of the highest rated cars in crash tests and safety!
Man I love these cars. Must be why we are picking up our 19th one tomorrow in CT. Yup, thats right. Number 19!!

Thank you for all of the responses. Ragtop, im not into that whole look at my coffee can exhaust and look at all of my stickers FF revolution BS. In fact if you look at my short list of cars I don’t mention the ever so popular Civic. Whatever car I do end up purchasing I plan on modifying it as a sleeper with a quite exhaust, and other parts while trying to maintain an as close to stock look as possible.

After doing a lot of research I narrowed my choice down to four cars Prelude SH/SI, Integra GSR, these two choices cost more than my other two which are the Fiero GT, or Probe GT. I like the probe a lot it’s a cheap car but lacks power but makes up for it with handling. IMO the probe is the best looker out of the 4, and did you know the probe was designed to replace the Mustang?

I’m def leaning towards a Probe or Fiero, being that they are cheaper and would leave me with more money to modify the car and save for insurance. Now its time for me to start car shopping, if I find any good looking Fieros that im interested in can I ask you to check them out Indy and see what you think, being as you have purchased 18 Fieros.


Thanks for the info,
LacrosseGuy

come on dude...a probe what the hell??? that car does not look good...shit unless u put lie a lil bodykit on it or something...and yes they truly lack power...not fast at all

thats your opinion that the probe is ugly. but i like it. It will take civics and stuff stock vs stock but i plan on running I/H/E right away. And latter on S/C and all of the necessary upgrades. With those upgrades any of the cars i listed will be respectable.

If i were to purchase a Fiero, im going 3.8 SC 5spd.

LacrosseGuy


LacrosseGuy

3800 sc huh? i wish i had one of those in my car...i need a 5 speed i have this 3 speed auto...which is average but rather have the 5 speed...

lol the only good thing civics are made for are rolling...my two best friends were street racing...a dude in a ford focus and a chick in a honda civic...but stock nothing done to the at all...
the chick tried and cut the cornor and hit a patch of dirt (doin bout 100-120) and rolled the damn thing like 7 times it was unreal...(she only done this one other time...inexperienced...we couldnt stop her from racing)

lucky she got out alive....but i dont think that her wreck will stop her cuz her b/f races all the time...in his mx6

Sounds like a blast ill be sure you join you guys next time.


Do you have a 3.8 in ur car. Would it be better to go with a Grand National turbo engine, or the TTA turbo engine. Those engines put up really good numbers and can make big bricks go fast.

three letters for you.

LS1


At least thats my plan :naughty:

go ahead and join i re every firday night usually...no i dont have a 3.8 (got 2.8 lol with a couple of things on it)....i would probably go with the grand national engine rather than TTA....but that is my opinion....

re - race*

Sure, just post the info and a few pics if possible and I can let you know what my feelings are on it.
Good luck with your search and for whatever you ultimately decide to buy.