Newbie!

[harley43]

Hi.  I am new to Atlanta, and new to Fieros.  After having seen one on a car transport and finally figuring out what it was, I am interested in a red '88 GT.  I did a web search, and about half of the first page of results were from this site.  After reading through some threads, I registered.

I want to learn more before I purchase, which should give me time to find what I'm looking for.

Reed

[Raydar]

Welcome to our obsession!
88 GTs are pretty much the "holy grail". At least according to some folks. But it's all a matter of taste.
Formulas - and even base 88 coupes - have essentially the same suspension, with the exception of the base car not having the rear sway bar.
Formulas also have the V6 engine and GT instrumentation.

The good news is that, if you have your mind set on a red 88 GT, most of the 88 GTs produced are, in fact, bright red. Will help to make your search easier.
The bad news is that people are asking a premium for these cars. Even high mileage ones.
 
My latest project is an 88 base coupe (remember... essentially the same suspension hardware as the GT) that I bought to perform an engine swap. I have already rebuilt the suspension and brakes. Just waiting for the opportunity to give it an infusion of cubic inches, valves and cams, and horsepower. But I paid approximately 20% of what these GT sellers are asking.

It's really all based upon what you want, and are willing to spend. (I'm a skinflint at heart, so there ya' go. )
 

[pgackerman]

Welcome!  Don't listen to Raydar, red '88 GTs are the best    See my sig.

Seriously, Fieros are great, fun cars and you won't go wrong with one that has a manual transmission and more than 4 cylinders.

Where in Atlanta do you live?     (Does anyone actually live in Atlanta?)

[Raydar]

Paul... Red 88 GTs might very well be the best. Except that the way I drive, from day-to-day, would seem to indicate that the last thing I need is a bright red car.
Hence my preference for gray or white. Medium red would work - low key enough - but even those seem to be in short supply.
And I'm not doing a black car. At least not for long. Black cars are stunning, but are so difficult to keep clean. And I'm a lazy mo-fo, above all. So there ya' go.
If I end up with a black car, it's getting painted gray, in short order.

[pgackerman]

"Except that the way I drive, from day-to-day, would seem to indicate that the last thing I need is a bright red car. "

That's cuz you keep sticking V8s in the back.  Despite being "a lazy mo-fo" you have one of the best Fieros I've ever seen.  Even more impressive since you did all the work.

[Raydar]

...
That's cuz you keep sticking V8s in the back.  Despite being "a lazy mo-fo" you have one of the best Fieros I've ever seen.  Even more impressive since you did all the work.

But I only did it once! And I didn't really do it anyway. Someone else did. I just added to the madness a bit. Aside from being lazy, I also don't have those skills (fabrication and welding, among others), so there ya' go.
(But thanks for the flowers, just the same. )

[harley43]

Thanks for the welcomes.

Yes, people live in Atlanta.

I would have to see a black Fiero in person, to know if I'd like that color.  Black cars get very hot.

88 GTs are pretty much the "holy grail".

This is what I read about the '88 GT.

I read the Never-Ending Saga thread.  That Fiero has lots of attention to detail.  Reading that thread, items were fixed or replaced because they were imperfect.  How does Raydar's Fiero compare?

Is there a local shop that works on Fieros?

[Raydar]

Thanks for the welcomes.

Yes, people live in Atlanta.

I would have to see a black Fiero in person, to know if I'd like that color.  Black cars get very hot.

88 GTs are pretty much the "holy grail".

This is what I read about the '88 GT.

I read the Never-Ending Saga thread.  That Fiero has lots of attention to detail.  Reading that thread, items were fixed or replaced because they were imperfect.  How does Raydar's Fiero compare?

Is there a local shop that works on Fieros?

My Fiero has had lots of pieces replaced. Simply because they were worn to the point that it was needed. (I have ~150K on the odo.)
But I am also that person who can leave nothing alone. (I'm sure it probably annoys the "purists", but I have never been given grief about it.)
My car started life as a black Formula. It's still a Formula, but it's blue-gray now, and has had a fastback clip bolted on.
(Fiero body parts are ~95% interchangeable, across all years and models, and discounting differences with the 84 doors, they are ~100%  interchangeable, if you use the correct pieces - by that, I mean the correct wheelwells and bumper cover "eggcrates", etc., for the body parts you want to use.)

A local shop? Most of us do a large chunk of our own maintenance/repairs, but people jump in and help one-another, if we can.
In the past year, we have been quite fortunate to have gained a number of new people. These folks seem to be extremely knowledgeable and talented but, unfortunately, I haven't gotten to know many of them well. (We moved way the heck out in the country about the time that COVID hit, so I have missed a number of meetings, due to distance or not wanting to share germs.) 

[harley43]

Nothing against those who mod their Fieros, but I prefer the stock look.  For sure, kudos on keeping up with the maintenance, and I'm sure your mods are impressive.

Is 150K a lot of miles for a Fiero?

[pgackerman]

I've seen several Fieros with over 150K miles.

Judge by condition, not mileage.  Early Fiero Newsletters, late 80's/early 90's, included a hack for turning off the odometer. 


My '88 GT looks mostly stock even though it has a few mods.  Most obvious is a short throw shifter from an '84.  Less obvious is a 7730 ECM and 1.6 Rockers.  Some folks replace their 2.8L V6 with a 3.4L - which looks stock unless you know Fieros.

[Raydar]

Nothing against those who mod their Fieros, but I prefer the stock look.  For sure, kudos on keeping up with the maintenance, and I'm sure your mods are impressive.

Is 150K a lot of miles for a Fiero?

I really like the basic look of the Fiero. I added wheels, a ducktail, deck scoop, and side scoops to the Fastback Formula. Otherwise, every panel on it is stock Fiero.
I'm not much on rebodies, but lots of people are. To each, their own.

150K? Again, it really depends upon how well it has been maintained. Pretty much like any '80s GM car.
After a while, condition starts to mean a lot more than miles. There are "trailer/garage queen" cars that may be the exception, but there is some risk, even with a super-low mile car, if it hasn't been driven, and has just sat. (Seals and hoses dry out, etc.) But that is a topic that will generate a lot of discussion, especially among people who don't want to pay the high price for a low mile car (and don't want others to, either. )
Me? I'd rather buy something that has some miles, that I can afford. And can afford to drive, without worrying about it getting damaged.