Possible new owner, wanted to say Hello! (and a few more...)

[TPR950H]

Hi guys!

It's so awesome there is actually an enthusiast calling for these cars. I don't want to be so long winded, but I feel like I have so much to say!

At any rate, I've been into these little hatches for awhile now - Daihatsu Charade, Chevy Sprint, Suzuki Swift, and Ford Festiva - looks wise, I thought the Festiva was so very appealing, and I've wanted one for the past 5 years.

Fast forward to now, I'm currently already making payments on my other dream car (VW R32) but I've come across a deal I'd be willing to eat ramen for the next months to acquire.. an 88 Festiva LX.

I can come up with several logical arguments against buying it, but once I see it, I want it again! So please, help convince me to buy it.



Exterior, it has slight front end damage, sort of significant rear quarter damage.. enough so that I'm sure the hatch is busted.. it's currently held down by rope. Paint isn't the best (but hey, character right?) and the interior is pretty bad. Back seats are torn as are fronts.
Interior is kind of a mess, with the usual, seats torn, dirty, steering wheel has a huge chunk missing, no original radio, etc.. so cosmetically, it is not a sight for sore eyes.. but I still love the look!

I test drove it and everything seems to be ok, although I only drove it in the parking lot. Idle seems a bit high, above 1K? Power-steering seems to be out as well.

I've been reading a bit so I understand this should be a carb-ed model, with power steering, and it has a tach and a 5-Speed.

So these buggers seem to be pretty reliable.. will the hatch be hard to fix? Anything I should be looking out for? Would it best to get an EFI model? Etc.. Thanks everyone!

[25Horseplay]

Being an 88 model it wouldn't have power steering. And depending on what you want to do with it FI might be a better choice. But if the price is right go for it.

[TPR950H]

Ahh, so no power steering.. I must have misread, or confused cause I've been reading too much.

My plans are just to make it a nice daily driver. It's funny that the other forum I usually frequent uses FI to mean Forced Induction. She is currently asking $400 for it.. are there better deals to be had? Front driver side tire is worn much more than the rest.. alignment issue? Thanks for the quick response!

[collegeboi]

yah man well i been waiting like months to get a festiva but its hard to come by in hawaii..........
is that the lowest that she will go????/

[TPR950H]

I think she's pretty flexible pricing.. I'm not sure of it's worth though. Would it be worth it, being that i probably would like to fix the body damage and the trunk..? Decisions decisions. Although it's hard to find a Festiva in Hawaii.. I'm sure there are other perks living there.. like living in paradise... hehe.

[canadianfestiva]

I bought my festiva for 250$ CND lol and it wasnt running ( i knew the battery was dead) I later went on to buy a parts car for 200$ CND and drove it home that night! lol

[collegeboi]

I think she's pretty flexible pricing.. I'm not sure of it's worth though. Would it be worth it, being that i probably would like to fix the body damage and the trunk..? Decisions decisions. Although it's hard to find a Festiva in Hawaii.. I'm sure there are other perks living there.. like living in paradise... hehe.

why does everyone think that, gosh darned tourism commericials.......
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...........................................edited by Admin for language ......................

[Pu241]

She is currently asking $400 for it.. are there better deals to be had? Front driver side tire is worn much more than the rest.. alignment issue?

Man, couldn't bear to see you taken advantage of like that!
Yeah, much better deals out there!
Where did you say this was and what was the phone number?

[TPR950H]

She is currently asking $400 for it.. are there better deals to be had? Front driver side tire is worn much more than the rest.. alignment issue?

Man, couldn't bear to see you taken advantage of like that!
Yeah, much better deals out there!
Where did you say this was and what was the phone number?

So by the smiley, I guess it's an alright deal? It's in California 8)

[freshtiva]

How many miles are on it ? The LX options are probably worth $400 if you ever wanted to get your money out of it. Of course we don't encourage the parting out of festivas. Welcome to the forum !

Factory tach $65
center console and boot $50
passenger side mirror $40
A/C system $200-$300 ?
cargo cover $50
map pockets $15
tail lights $30
head lights $60
etc.

[hossgreer]

I got my 90 L plus for a good price, "Get it out of my barn!!!" New Battery $60, rubber freez plug $6, top radiator gasket $1. And the price will soon grow. New tires are $21 each and have to be ordered.

[easywind]

For whatever it's worth I pounded craigslist looking for a small cheap car and I found a 89 lx model with air and a super radio/cd with 116,000 miles on it for $400, body was as close to cherry as one could hope for. Only thing I needed to do was recharge the A/C $15 and put in rear wheel bearings $77. I've done other things like wheels and tires and tint but not because it was necessary but because I wanted to. Car runs like a top.

[neanderpaul]

^ smokin' deal easywind. Get the festiva and try to talk her down as much as possible TPR950H. Offer her $200 and go from there. use the bodywork it needs as a bargaining tool.

[25Horseplay]

I just picked up this 89L for $300.

[TPR950H]

^^ That's a really nice one! I would definitely paid 300 for that one. I LOVE the graphics!

Anyways, I should change the title to NEW FESTIVA OWNER!

I picked it (can't decide if it's a he or she yet) up for $260. I'm in dire need of tires. And my friend is gonna help me make it look nice again (he really only has experience with his mustang). So it should be a fun project.

The speedometer and the odometer don't work so I'm also thinking the temp gauge is also not working. The tach and the gas meter works though.

So does anyone have an extra steering wheel and trunk latch mechanism?

Drives fine and the AC is actually cold! Sometimes it has trouble starting up.. but once it does, it's great! Thanks for all the input.. this may be my new forum! Good bye vwvortex... hello fordfestiva!