THIS IS A GREAT NEWSGROUP!!
D. Larson
I just bought a black 88 GT with auto in Michigan two months ago. In
1988 I was prepairing to buy the same kind of car, but unfortunetly the
company I worked for went out of business. Had I bought that Fiero it
would have mostlikely been reposessed. Now, some 12 years later I have a
car I love. It has some minor flaws...I just replaced the windshield,
which was cracked. It needs some buffing done on the paint job...and it
has some small damage on the air intake of the nose (the last owner
filled it with silicon cauking and painted it black).
I've got a few questions maybe some of you might help me with...
The battery on the car becomes dead after it sits for a day or
two,...I have to recharge it...any thoughts?
Also, it has that whistling when it starts...but that disappears
after a few minutes.
Has anyone had a GT painted...and what should it cost?
I think the 86 to 88 GTs are the best looking cars of the
Fieros...and I prefer them stock...they look fantasic. I've gotten a
great deal of info from this newsgroup...thanks!
Dave
Les Benn
Well a paint job can cost anywhere between 700 and 4000 bucks. for 700 you
get enamel paint, for about 2K you get a really decent paint job. I am
wrestling with this one myself. I keep thinking that I would really like the
2K job but am not sure if I can spend the money. First I am fixing the
sunroof and interior. I figure on spending somewhere near 1200 for the
interior. I keep looking at these custom dash kits and the price scares me
away but I like the idea of redoing the entire dash and console with new
carpet and seat covers. I just can't see spending 2K just for the dash
assembly then a whole weekend or two putting it in.
SDFiero
things to look for are extra hot leads at the battery that power accessories
without the key on. Stereo is a big one. If everything looks right - check
the trunk light and make sure it goes out by pressing the little tab on the
latch. The power mirrors are "hot" all the time but I would think you would
notice a stuck switch or motor.
I am guessing that the alternator squeals the belt when you start it up.
This may be due to the battery condition itself. Due to the temperatures in
the engine compartment the battery tends to lose a lot of water (at least on
the maintenance type). When I bought my car and killed the battery after
leaving the doors open for only a few hours, I checked the water level in
the battery when I went to recharge it. To my surprise, there wasnt any! or
at least none I could see. When I refilled it and charged it the specific
gravity was so low that it wouldnt take much of a load. I couldnt leave the
doors open for very long without squealing the belt again (the alternator
trying to catch up). The solution to this as well as the belt squealing was
to buy a new battery.
As a side note - the alternator for the car is fairly weak (low amps) and if
I leave the doors or hood open all day while working on it - it will squeal
again, but that may be more due to a glazed belt than the alternator.
I priced my car out in the $1800 - 2200 range. This did not include the
jambs or edges required for a color change but did include the silver around
the bottom as well as a new original base coat/clear coat. (California
rates)
William Westrom
87 GT
FOSD
"D. Larson" <dav...@tsf.net> wrote in message
news:3A05F533...@tsf.net...
D. Larson
Hey, thanks! I have yet to have my mechanic do an engine job on the
car...I'll pass along the info for him to look at, thanks much.
The paint job on the car is obviously a home grown job...there is some
flaking around the sunroof. Also, there is no computer body pannel label on the
drivers door...the rest of the body pannels on the car have those lables. A few
friends who have seen the car have suggested it took an impact from above (like
a tree limb) and has been repaired. I suspect this is what happened. The paint
job on it now isn't that bad, and then again it isn't the best either, the
spoiler looks rather faded and without luster.
As I remember looking at 88's during 88, the paint jobs were just black,
shiny--but just a black, as opposed to the "deeper" black paint jobs cars have
on them today. It would be nice to have that luster and depth style paint on the
car. With new paints, do they strip the old paint off, or just cover the old
paint with the new?
Again, thanks guys!
Dave
SDFiero wrote:
> Sounds to me like you got a short somewhere...
>
boz...@my-deja.com
> >
>
Like everything else today, you get what you pay for, Dave. I have two GTs
right now that need painting and to do it right, you have to make sure the
prep is done right. If you do the prep yourself, you can see to it it's done
right. That is if you have the time. Find a good body shop and talk to the
painter(s). Paint has improved a lot in the past 12 years, especially on
plastic parts. Flaking around the sunroof is common. The Fiero door is pretty
heavy. If it was replaced, it must have been a whollop of a side impact. I
had a side impact on mine and the plastic bounced right out again. But
anyway, talk to the body shop guys and see what they have to say about the
kinds of paint needed and the best way to prep it. Whether they do the prep
or you do, make sure it's done right. -- Fred BTW - a very common thing
that'll pull the battery down is the trunk and underhood lights. The bottons
get out of adjustment and the bulbs stay lit. Slamming the hood especially
moves that switch out of adjustment. make sure they go out. If you can't be
sure, pull the bulbs for a day or so and see if it makes any difference.
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
D. Larson
Thank much for the advice!
Just as an aside,...where are you all from on this newsgroup...it sounds like the
east coast...yes? I'm from Illinois,...and we'er just starting to get the lousy
weather. I'm not planning on driving the GT in the snow...I get a feeling how it would
handle and move in 4 inches!
Again thanks all,
Dave
yash...@my-deja.com
panels off the car and either prep them yourself or have someone good
do it, then take and get it painted, each panel individually if you
can. that way you make sure and teh areas of the panls teh sprayers
could miss or accidentally put a lighter coat than the rest on. for the
battery it sounds like everyone else had it covered.
~yash~
By the way: I'm in Dallas texas, we just got a torentual downpoor for
the assed two or three days. lots of fun here.
In article <3A070B61...@tsf.net>,
Jeff Young
Congrats on your "new" Fiero!
The cost of your paint job will vary from one shop to another.
Talk to the guys there, and let them know what you expect, then ask
for an estimate.
Most shops are getting ready for their busy season here in
Michigan, so ask if they have an "off season"...
BTW, stay out of the snow, unless you want them working on your
Fiero now...
I drove 13 years in the snow, and the floorboards need to be
replaced in mine...
crash...
"D. Larson" <dav...@tsf.net> wrote in message
news:3A070B61...@tsf.net...
D. Larson
Thanks again! This is really a great group.
I was surprised with all the sites and info on the web for the Fiero,
...and the clubs!
I can see that owning one...or two will be a large amount of fun!
Thanks again,
Dave
yash...@my-deja.com wrote:
> on the subject of paint, I personally would pull all the pullable
> panels off the car and either prep them yourself or have someone good
> do it, then take and get it painted, each panel individually if you
> can. that way you make sure and teh areas of the panls teh sprayers
> could miss or accidentally put a lighter coat than the rest on. for the
> battery it sounds like everyone else had it covered.
>
> ~yash~
>
> By the way: I'm in Dallas texas, we just got a torentual downpoor for
> the assed two or three days. lots of fun here.
>
> In article <3A070B61...@tsf.net>,