@ATLhoodrich With gas climbing toward $4.00/gallon (again), getting the four-cylinder turned out to be the second-best decision I ever made. The first was buying a car that has lasted me almost 28 years ;)
The groceries just kept coming out..lol..I never really put anything in my Fiero. Only thing I ever put in it was a Suitcase for a 4 day trip. Never put anything in the front though.
@TheGameCriers That front compartment keeps things cooler, but it's a little cramped, especially if the air conditioning stuff is taking up even more room:) I went basic back in '84; no A/C, no power anything.
@MichelleDeVille It doesn't get that hot back there. And for things that have to stay frozen for more than a couple of hours, there's the trunk up front. That's the beauty of the Fiero.
Ha Ha! It's like a clown car, the stuff coming out just won't stop! I had an immaculate loaded silver '84 a few years ago and the people in the parking lot at the grocery store could not believe how much I could stuff into that car! What a cool little machine, I'll have to get another one for a project one day.
@AUSTiNo426 I should have put in a shot at the end of a Solstice with the top up and the "trunk" open. It's like a cruel joke every time they show one on Ebay:)
@greenfiero1986 You have to watch out for the brake master cylinder hose and, if it has a front compartment light, the light bulb bracket, but it's perfectly safe to put small grocery bags and clothes up front. The spare tire, windshield washer reservoir, and brake and clutch master cylinders in the front compartment are protected from the weather by the front trunk weatherstripping, so they're not affected by the radiator.
I remember when I worked as a grocery bagger at Jewel in Round Lake. A lady had a cart full of groceries she was putting into a Fiero, and she had a kid in the passenger seat. We barely got it all in, with some bags piled on the kid's lap. :)
She was apologizing about the car, but I admired it. Later ended up owning one.
I'm surprised how many people talk about using the front cargo area - I never found any space up there for anything except emergency car parts.
@gdement Yeah, that front compartment is irregularly shaped, and you gotta watch out for the brake master cylinder hose, but I've gotten three large frozen pizzas and a couple of cartons of ice cream in there, to keep them away from the engine heat.
Now that was one lady who was determined to have a two-seat sports car, no matter what;) Good for her. Life is too short to drive sedans and crossovers for 18 years.
i have a 86 V6 Fiero. the cargo areas are great and its nice to have room for those random errands life throws at you. I AGREE WITH THE FIERO OWNER!! Solstice isnt even a mid engine car, nor capable of cargo? I'll stick with what made that car exist, thanx...
@arjohnb Bob Lutz must have said the same thing to the young engineer in the planning meeting who piped up, "But what if this is somebody's only car?" Maybe if Lutz had listened to him... :D
@arjohnb The problem with the Solstice is, it doesn't have room for ANY groceries. And what if you want to take a weekend trip with a duffle bag in the trunk, hidden from thieves? Sorry, but Pontiac blew it on this one.
@satchboogyfan In the mile from the grocery store to my house, the eight boxes of frozen waffles in this video stayed frozen. If there's something I need to stay cold and I'm running a lot of errands, I put it in the front trunk. Works even in summer
@2muchreality4u Honestly, I never had a problem with heat in the trunk. It always struck me as something people just assumed would be a problem, but actually wasn't. It sounds like you're speaking from experience though.
The trunk on my 84 never got more than lukewarm, not much warmer than a front engined car.
It's possible the trunk gasket might be a factor - if yours was/is bad it might leak hot air into it.
I'm a Miata owner and i'm still willing to sell it and buy a Solstice (preferably a hardtop model). Despite the fact that the trunk is kinda quirky, where there's a will, there's a way (to fit what you can, at least) ;]
Top up, the Solstice has barely decent trunk space. Top down...Pontiac's official figure was 0.5 cu. ft.
So, you're going to get a Solstice coupe? They were very rare; not many built before GM decided to kill Pontiac & Saturn, and Solstice & Sky along with them.
LOL! My fiance' thinks it's funny when we grocery shopping in one of the Fieros. My '88 Formula has a tad bit more room than my '86 GT. When I'm loading up the back trunk I from time to time get somebody (usually older) that comes over and asks "How are you going to fit all those groceries in that car with the engine back there?" I fill the rear trunk up and then put a few bags, usually cold or frozen stuff, up where the spare is. I can always get nearly a whole buggy full in the car :-D
I used to take mine to college packed full even the passenger seat had my computer and guitar in the footwell but I got it all in there for 4 years. Still have it but the 2.8 finally died last year with 234K on it. That was after my putting the last 150K of complete outright rev limiter bouncing abuse on it. I guess synthetic oil and pro-long do something. Time for a L67.....when I have money.
@tylerkb12 2.8 are great and tough engine i got one in my chevy corsica and its pretty tough if u change its oil at every 5000k its almost on killable tranny is dying first most of the time, even if the trannys is pretty tough to its still less tough than that 2.8 ^^ me too i got a fiero and its L67 time when i have the money ^^
Packing for the 25th Anniversary Fiero show in Pontiac last July really took some creativity. When I visited Canada before the show, the Canadian border guards pulled EVERYTHING out and, somehow, packed everything back in to the two trunks and the back seat just the way I had them. I guess they get a lot of practice;-)
It's the Iron Duke 4. In fact, I just had a remanufactured one put in when the first one gave out after 139,00 miles. Starts and runs like new, and it's even got a little more grunt. Just gotta break it in for another 400 miles.
All the notchback Fiero models, from '84-'88, had the same luggage capacity: 5.65 cu.ft. The '84's engine bay was designed for the V-6. The only modification the '85's needed to hold the V-6 was the rear deck hump that appeared on both 4 and 6-cylinder cars.
It can be done. Google "Fiero" and "subwoofer" and you'll see the websites of several owners who have done behind-the-seats subwoofer installations. There were a bunch of them at the 25th Anniversary Fiero Reunion in July.
The Solstice came first, then the Saturn Sky and Opel GT (basically a badge-engineered Sky). The design was already set by the time Opel got their hands on it.
@artistmac Opal had their hands on if first - well sort of the Opal - GM teamed up modeling after the Vauxhall. They came up with the Saturn/Opal and Solstice at the same time -- Solstice just was mfg first.
As far as any of them going out of business - it wasn't the car but the rest of the line. Both Solstice and Sky sold out their production each year.
Pontiac had no excuse. My old TR-6 had independent rear suspension AND 8 cubic feet of trunk space with the top down and a full-size spare tire under the trunk floor. Plenty of room for groceries -- or a suitcase for a fall weekend in Door County, if you get my drift;-)
Cereal, laundry detergent and fabric softener kind of bulked it up a little. Come to think of it, that was the day they had the sale on frozen waffles, too;-)
HAHA! We had 2 tool bags, a tool box (probably 15" deep and about 2' tall), 2 laptops (in box) an extra printer, and a poofy blanket all stuffed into the back of a '86GT. In the front, we had a large bag of clothes taking up all the space where the (not needed) spare tire went... I would like to see that done with a MR2 or a solstice or something else..
Well, our '66GTO can hold a family of 5 in the trunk along with a few neighbors :-)
The Fiero was only designed for "were running out of grocerys quick, but we dont have much money till payday" grocery shopping. I take my 88 to the store all the time for these tasks. For the stock up for the month, I take my 98 Buick Century.
Dude! You still had room in the trunk. I know, 'cause I used to carry all kindza stuff back there. It's at least a nine corpser -- more if you cut 'em up just right.
haha that suck you got a 4 banger
ATLhoodrich 1 month ago
@ATLhoodrich With gas climbing toward $4.00/gallon (again), getting the four-cylinder turned out to be the second-best decision I ever made. The first was buying a car that has lasted me almost 28 years ;)
artistmac 1 month ago
The groceries just kept coming out..lol..I never really put anything in my Fiero. Only thing I ever put in it was a Suitcase for a 4 day trip. Never put anything in the front though.
TheGameCriers 4 months ago
@TheGameCriers That front compartment keeps things cooler, but it's a little cramped, especially if the air conditioning stuff is taking up even more room:) I went basic back in '84; no A/C, no power anything.
artistmac 3 months ago
Plus if you have any food in that trunk,it's already cooked by the time you get home !
MichelleDeVille 4 months ago
@MichelleDeVille It doesn't get that hot back there. And for things that have to stay frozen for more than a couple of hours, there's the trunk up front. That's the beauty of the Fiero.
artistmac 4 months ago
i can store more in my motor cycle
ghidfg 7 months ago
@ghidfg Without saddlebags? This I gotta see. Make a video. :D
artistmac 7 months ago
Ha Ha! It's like a clown car, the stuff coming out just won't stop! I had an immaculate loaded silver '84 a few years ago and the people in the parking lot at the grocery store could not believe how much I could stuff into that car! What a cool little machine, I'll have to get another one for a project one day.
lonnie93041 7 months ago
*LMAO* That was AWESOME!!!
knytrydr73 9 months ago
try that with a soltisce LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL HAHA!
AUSTiNo426 10 months ago
@AUSTiNo426 I should have put in a shot at the end of a Solstice with the top up and the "trunk" open. It's like a cruel joke every time they show one on Ebay:)
artistmac 10 months ago
@artistmac yea you should of do you have any mods on the I 4 duke ?
AUSTiNo426 10 months ago
@AUSTiNo426 Nope. It's bone stock. And this remanufactured one will even chirp the tires. It's surprised some modern V6's.
artistmac 9 months ago
Can you really put stuff in the fron by the spare tire and radiator safely?
greenfiero1986 1 year ago
@greenfiero1986 You have to watch out for the brake master cylinder hose and, if it has a front compartment light, the light bulb bracket, but it's perfectly safe to put small grocery bags and clothes up front. The spare tire, windshield washer reservoir, and brake and clutch master cylinders in the front compartment are protected from the weather by the front trunk weatherstripping, so they're not affected by the radiator.
artistmac 1 year ago
idz 100% iron! now isnt it artistmac?
xUNKNOWNxAC94 1 year ago
I remember when I worked as a grocery bagger at Jewel in Round Lake. A lady had a cart full of groceries she was putting into a Fiero, and she had a kid in the passenger seat. We barely got it all in, with some bags piled on the kid's lap. :)
She was apologizing about the car, but I admired it. Later ended up owning one.
I'm surprised how many people talk about using the front cargo area - I never found any space up there for anything except emergency car parts.
gdement 1 year ago
@gdement Yeah, that front compartment is irregularly shaped, and you gotta watch out for the brake master cylinder hose, but I've gotten three large frozen pizzas and a couple of cartons of ice cream in there, to keep them away from the engine heat.
Now that was one lady who was determined to have a two-seat sports car, no matter what;) Good for her. Life is too short to drive sedans and crossovers for 18 years.
artistmac 1 year ago
@artistmac Pull the leaf catcher mesh off the hood vents & it'll run better - and cooler.
MattsRanger 1 year ago
i have a 86 V6 Fiero. the cargo areas are great and its nice to have room for those random errands life throws at you. I AGREE WITH THE FIERO OWNER!! Solstice isnt even a mid engine car, nor capable of cargo? I'll stick with what made that car exist, thanx...
westworth327 1 year ago
97 cans of beer fit in a sky... they aint for groceries...
arjohnb 1 year ago
@arjohnb Bob Lutz must have said the same thing to the young engineer in the planning meeting who piped up, "But what if this is somebody's only car?" Maybe if Lutz had listened to him... :D
artistmac 1 year ago
@artistmac Any one who buys a two-seater roadster for their family car only need a few groceries.
arjohnb 1 year ago
@arjohnb The problem with the Solstice is, it doesn't have room for ANY groceries. And what if you want to take a weekend trip with a duffle bag in the trunk, hidden from thieves? Sorry, but Pontiac blew it on this one.
artistmac 1 year ago
The most I ever got in trunk of my fiero was
One full size suit case and two back packs
As for groceries you've got to remember about the heat from the engine
It could melt or ruin your food
satchboogyfan 1 year ago
@satchboogyfan In the mile from the grocery store to my house, the eight boxes of frozen waffles in this video stayed frozen. If there's something I need to stay cold and I'm running a lot of errands, I put it in the front trunk. Works even in summer
artistmac 1 year ago
@artistmac I agree, short trips only with food in the trunk. They get incredibly hot in the trunk area after just only 20 miles.
2muchreality4u 1 year ago
@2muchreality4u Honestly, I never had a problem with heat in the trunk. It always struck me as something people just assumed would be a problem, but actually wasn't. It sounds like you're speaking from experience though.
The trunk on my 84 never got more than lukewarm, not much warmer than a front engined car.
It's possible the trunk gasket might be a factor - if yours was/is bad it might leak hot air into it.
gdement 1 year ago
I'm a Miata owner and i'm still willing to sell it and buy a Solstice (preferably a hardtop model). Despite the fact that the trunk is kinda quirky, where there's a will, there's a way (to fit what you can, at least) ;]
retrohippie 2 years ago
Top up, the Solstice has barely decent trunk space. Top down...Pontiac's official figure was 0.5 cu. ft.
So, you're going to get a Solstice coupe? They were very rare; not many built before GM decided to kill Pontiac & Saturn, and Solstice & Sky along with them.
artistmac 2 years ago
LOL! My fiance' thinks it's funny when we grocery shopping in one of the Fieros. My '88 Formula has a tad bit more room than my '86 GT. When I'm loading up the back trunk I from time to time get somebody (usually older) that comes over and asks "How are you going to fit all those groceries in that car with the engine back there?" I fill the rear trunk up and then put a few bags, usually cold or frozen stuff, up where the spare is. I can always get nearly a whole buggy full in the car :-D
dsmspyder 2 years ago
LOL. I bet you really get looks when you start putting grocery bags up front, where the engine "should" be ;-)
artistmac 2 years ago
I used to take mine to college packed full even the passenger seat had my computer and guitar in the footwell but I got it all in there for 4 years. Still have it but the 2.8 finally died last year with 234K on it. That was after my putting the last 150K of complete outright rev limiter bouncing abuse on it. I guess synthetic oil and pro-long do something. Time for a L67.....when I have money.
tylerkb12 2 years ago
Wow! You really got your money's worth out of that 2.8. Congratulations! Shows what proper maintenance and a well-built engine can do.
artistmac 2 years ago
The funny thing is, it's the timing chain that broke, so I could probably put a new timing set on it and get it running again!
tylerkb12 2 years ago
@tylerkb12 2.8 are great and tough engine i got one in my chevy corsica and its pretty tough if u change its oil at every 5000k its almost on killable tranny is dying first most of the time, even if the trannys is pretty tough to its still less tough than that 2.8 ^^ me too i got a fiero and its L67 time when i have the money ^^
exeat5 2 years ago
I think the most I've crammed in my trunk is 9 or 10 12-packs of Coke, with some room to spare for smaller bags of groceries.
Either that or all the crap I brought to Fierorama last year, I think I ended up tossing a chair under the hood.
jonrev 2 years ago
Packing for the 25th Anniversary Fiero show in Pontiac last July really took some creativity. When I visited Canada before the show, the Canadian border guards pulled EVERYTHING out and, somehow, packed everything back in to the two trunks and the back seat just the way I had them. I guess they get a lot of practice;-)
artistmac 2 years ago
lol: TRY THAT WITH A SOLSTICE
no thanks. i'll stick to the fiero
manoman0 3 years ago 2
question, is yours the 4 cylinder, or the V6?
FoxGTR34Nismo 3 years ago
It's the Iron Duke 4. In fact, I just had a remanufactured one put in when the first one gave out after 139,00 miles. Starts and runs like new, and it's even got a little more grunt. Just gotta break it in for another 400 miles.
artistmac 3 years ago
Ahh. Reason I asked is cause I have a 1985 GT with the V6 and it just seems the cargo space is smaller.
FoxGTR34Nismo 3 years ago
All the notchback Fiero models, from '84-'88, had the same luggage capacity: 5.65 cu.ft. The '84's engine bay was designed for the V-6. The only modification the '85's needed to hold the V-6 was the rear deck hump that appeared on both 4 and 6-cylinder cars.
artistmac 3 years ago
It can be done. Google "Fiero" and "subwoofer" and you'll see the websites of several owners who have done behind-the-seats subwoofer installations. There were a bunch of them at the 25th Anniversary Fiero Reunion in July.
artistmac 3 years ago
i have an 86 gt and do u think i could fit subwoofers in the back?
182adamssong 3 years ago
My parents moved to this house in 1956, and it's been in the family ever since.
artistmac 3 years ago
dude I love it, you seem to be doing everything slow. Deliberatly.
BMan100 3 years ago
The Solstice came first, then the Saturn Sky and Opel GT (basically a badge-engineered Sky). The design was already set by the time Opel got their hands on it.
artistmac 3 years ago
@artistmac Opal had their hands on if first - well sort of the Opal - GM teamed up modeling after the Vauxhall. They came up with the Saturn/Opal and Solstice at the same time -- Solstice just was mfg first.
As far as any of them going out of business - it wasn't the car but the rest of the line. Both Solstice and Sky sold out their production each year.
arjohnb 1 year ago
Pontiac had no excuse. My old TR-6 had independent rear suspension AND 8 cubic feet of trunk space with the top down and a full-size spare tire under the trunk floor. Plenty of room for groceries -- or a suitcase for a fall weekend in Door County, if you get my drift;-)
artistmac 3 years ago
Cereal, laundry detergent and fabric softener kind of bulked it up a little. Come to think of it, that was the day they had the sale on frozen waffles, too;-)
artistmac 3 years ago
Looks like, about $500.00 worth of groceries. lol!
idahodad1 3 years ago
cool I always wanted to know how deep the trunk was on a fiero that holds quite a few bags
NCGUY74 4 years ago
For a sports car, the rear trunk space is MASSIVE. And because it's mid-engine, there's additional room (though not as much) in the trunk up front.
artistmac 4 years ago
Great vid! I got made fun of a lot for my Fiero's trunk but when I went shopping it was a different story! Thanks!
mcOlli3 4 years ago
Hey we need more artistmac vids. I want to see more of your wacky adventures.
ljenkin6 4 years ago
Take a look my 1986 bike out hot in the cold snow or take a ride East or West city HWY.
...................in my vid 26.
mytujuan 4 years ago
oooooBURN!
BMan100 4 years ago
How many dead hookers will fit into the back of a Fiero?
woodward9594 4 years ago
At Fierorama 2008, we got a 5'5" 12-year-old boy in the rear trunk, and actually got it closed!
artistmac 3 years ago
thats terrible, you should have just grounded him instead lol
wazzupriders 3 years ago 2
HAHA! We had 2 tool bags, a tool box (probably 15" deep and about 2' tall), 2 laptops (in box) an extra printer, and a poofy blanket all stuffed into the back of a '86GT. In the front, we had a large bag of clothes taking up all the space where the (not needed) spare tire went... I would like to see that done with a MR2 or a solstice or something else..
Well, our '66GTO can hold a family of 5 in the trunk along with a few neighbors :-)
skstibi 4 years ago
I liked your practical presentation and demonstration of Fiero's storage, and the finale was great!
markie909 4 years ago
The Fiero was only designed for "were running out of grocerys quick, but we dont have much money till payday" grocery shopping. I take my 88 to the store all the time for these tasks. For the stock up for the month, I take my 98 Buick Century.
WHIZKID355 4 years ago
I like chips with my salsa.
TacoTim59 4 years ago
Just the thing for that trip to the shores of Wolf Lake. To...uh--fish. Yeah, yeah, that's it. Fishing;-)
artistmac 4 years ago
Dude! You still had room in the trunk. I know, 'cause I used to carry all kindza stuff back there. It's at least a nine corpser -- more if you cut 'em up just right.
MartySchrader 4 years ago