1986 F-250 XLT 6.9 idi C6 switch to 300 4 speed

[Gary Lewis]

Yes I love the concept of the car and it is actually a really rigid platform.

The suspension until the 1988 model is primitive but still a lot of fun to drive.

Just be aware of the trailing throttle oversteer when cornering near the limit.

As you say GM discontinued them just when they were becoming a real threat.

If GM had put the twin dohc 3.4 V6 in it that they were developing at that time there would have been almost nothing to touch it performance wise.

I have seen bad rear frame rail corrosion on cars driven all year round here.

I don't think mine has seen much of winter. The only real rust is where the battery box used to be!

It is a real marmite car just need to find someone who loves them or someone who hasn't owned one yet and thinks they will love it. I have owned 4 over the years, so that proves my opinion of them.

I wasn't around them much, but heard good things about them. Save for the fires, that is. That was a wiring harness issue?

I was into sports cars in the late 80's, having just moved back from the UK where there were several of them, and liked the look of the Fiero. But then the Miata came out and I wound up with an early '90 one of those.

[ArdWrknTrk]

I wasn't around them much, but heard good things about them. Save for the fires, that is. That was a wiring harness issue?

I was into sports cars in the late 80's, having just moved back from the UK where there were several of them, and liked the look of the Fiero. But then the Miata came out and I wound up with an early '90 one of those.

I can't say for sure but know Fiero's had problems with their central mounted gas tanks. 🤔

Miata's were always revered for their feedback and balanced handling.

Plus they weren't powerful enough (in stock form) that they were trying to kill you.

It's always more fun to drive a 'slow' car fast than to drive a fast car slow.

[Gary Lewis]

I can't say for sure but know Fiero's had problems with their central mounted gas tanks. 🤔

Miata's were always revered for their feedback and balanced handling.

Plus they weren't powerful enough (in stock form) that they were trying to kill you.

It's always more fun to drive a 'slow' car fast than to drive a fast car slow.

This article says "The General Motors Corporation will recall 244,000 four-cylinder Pontiac Fieros - every one ever made - because of a nagging engine-fire problem that contributed to the company's decision to stop making the two-seater."

Then later down it says "In 1987, the company recalled 125,000 four-cylinder versions produced in the 1984 model year after engine fires occurred in one of every 400 cars. The company said engine connecting rods, which link the pistons to the crankshaft, could blast through the side of the engine, causing an oil leak that could lead to a fire. General Motors made some alterations in that recall, including one that raised oil capacity to four quarts from three."

That must be what I remembered.

[nic55kel]

I wasn't around them much, but heard good things about them. Save for the fires, that is. That was a wiring harness issue?

I was into sports cars in the late 80's, having just moved back from the UK where there were several of them, and liked the look of the Fiero. But then the Miata came out and I wound up with an early '90 one of those.

I never had anything to do with Miatas but being Toyota I am sure they were great.

The fires were mostly on the first year models that only had the 2.5 4 cylinder engine.

Either the oil pan or dipstick were wrong so they were always run with only a minimal amount of oil.

This coupled with frequently poor maintenance and engines that did not seal particularly well often

resulted in very low oil levels. The engine would throw a rod and dump whatever oil was in there

onto the exhaust manifold, not to mention people thought they were sports cars and tried to drive them

accordingly. The 2.5 was an economy low revving engine with pistons that would fly off the handle when

pushed too hard.

Just like Corvairs or Pintos hard to shake a bad rep.

[nic55kel]

I never had anything to do with Miatas but being Toyota I am sure they were great.

The fires were mostly on the first year models that only had the 2.5 4 cylinder engine.

Either the oil pan or dipstick were wrong so they were always run with only a minimal amount of oil.

This coupled with frequently poor maintenance and engines that did not seal particularly well often

resulted in very low oil levels. The engine would throw a rod and dump whatever oil was in there

onto the exhaust manifold, not to mention people thought they were sports cars and tried to drive them

accordingly. The 2.5 was an economy low revving engine with pistons that would fly off the handle when

pushed too hard.

Just like Corvairs or Pintos hard to shake a bad rep.

I guess we both posted on that.

[mat in tn]

I guess we both posted on that.

TOYOTA?????

[ArdWrknTrk]

TOYOTA?????

 

[nic55kel]

That's embarrassing. .

The Fiero rival was of course the Toyota MR2 and that is what they are usually compared to.

That's my story and I am sticking to it.

[Gary Lewis]

Mazda! MX5 = Miata in the US early years.

And yes, it was somewhat underpowered. But it was a blast to drive fast as you could explore the limits and it didn't go wonky.

I drove the same back roads to/from work daily from Hockessin to Wilmington, DE and knew exactly how fast I could take each corner - and some were quite sharp. A couple times I played with a BMW M5 and could stay with him in the corners, but he was GONE on a straight. A few times I played with a DeLorean - no contest as he couldn't corner and wasn't any faster than me.

Later, after we moved, our son moved to Hockessin and took the same roads most of the way to his work. One day he was on the way to work and had called us. He told me where he was and said "Dad, I'm behind a slow Toyota. What do I do?" "Whichever way he goes at this corner you go the other way. And you can beat him to where they come back together." My wife looked at me like I was crazy, but he went the opposite way the Toy went and came out ahead of him at the next intersection.

[nic55kel]

Mazda! MX5 = Miata in the US early years.

And yes, it was somewhat underpowered. But it was a blast to drive fast as you could explore the limits and it didn't go wonky.

I drove the same back roads to/from work daily from Hockessin to Wilmington, DE and knew exactly how fast I could take each corner - and some were quite sharp. A couple times I played with a BMW M5 and could stay with him in the corners, but he was GONE on a straight. A few times I played with a DeLorean - no contest as he couldn't corner and wasn't any faster than me.

Later, after we moved, our son moved to Hockessin and took the same roads most of the way to his work. One day he was on the way to work and had called us. He told me where he was and said "Dad, I'm behind a slow Toyota. What do I do?" "Whichever way he goes at this corner you go the other way. And you can beat him to where they come back together." My wife looked at me like I was crazy, but he went the opposite way the Toy went and came out ahead of him at the next intersection.

Yes I have only ever heard good things about the Miatas.

It is the sports car the British wish they could have built.

In the mid 70's I worked as a courier in the UK driving a mini

between the two London airports. Loved thrashing that little car

around the roundabouts and down the winding English roads.

At that time in the UK people thought they enjoyed frequently tinkering

with their vehicles, then the Japanese showed them they could just

enjoy driving them.