Found one for sale looks interesting

[rbrown]

Glad it's staying in Texas. Maybe when I need another........

[JPT]

Congratulations. Nice car!

[FFW]

For anyone that was willing to travel for this car....just be glad you didnt got to buy the festiva. This car over heated like in 40 mins and was lucky to park in front of a inn...though the inn cost $240 for a night...i walked to the nearest cheap roach motel for 22 bucks. called the guy that sold me the car, told him what happen, was dropping alot of oil and overheated. Thought might be able to fix the problem in the morning...but never answer his phone all day ...so yeah i figured i was screwed. Not only that.. hurricane dolly leftovers was in elpaso and simply rained all day, got soaking wet. Walk like almost 4 miles to grocerie store for rain jacket and some info where grayhound bus was. Then looked for a mechanic shop...most of em were closed due to horrible weather...there were lots of floods...then noticed midas was open.
Yeah no tools or anyone i know...pretty had no choice. Lucky it was like half a mile from where my car was parked, and was thrilled the car start right back up but knew had to take it to the shop. Explained my situation to the shop owner (( which really had no money to repair it)) They checked everything and the news werent that good, lets just say it will almost cost about same amount what i paid for to get it going. Had whatever money left and took the plane back to dallas (( decided bus will take too long)) but will be back for my car in a week or 2. My only advice from what happen to me is never buy a car in the dark and always try to buy things local.

[LauraZ]

Sorry to hear your news

My husband is from El Paso, and we actually had my brother in law go look at the car (since he's driving through EP and back right now anyway). We decided to pass on it due to the fact that it needed a lot of work before we could even think about driving it any distance, much less back to CA.

I hope it works out for you eventually, and that you get many trouble free miles out of it once the work is done. They're great little cars if they are taken care of. Keep posting and updating. The folks on this board are a great help!

Laura Z

[rbrown]

Wow. Sorry to hear that.

I have a company that can give you a quote to pick up the car and deliver it to you. They are quite reasonable. Had a non-running 1 ton picked up in Waco and delivered to Houston for $325..

I know that is just more money but at least will get it to Dallas for you.

[muscle_Car1]

Are you still keeping it?

[FFW]

Thanks Laura, ya its pretty much live and learn type of thing for me...But in a way i am happy i got this festiva. Will take pictures when the car is done repaired. Thanks for your offer rbrown but i am determine to bring it back running

[FFW]

Are you still keeping it?

yup :p

[Safety Guy]

DARN!

Well, good luck!

Do you do your own work? Always take tools and have a back up plan!

Karl

[FFW]

DARN!

Well, good luck!

Do you do your own work? Always take tools and have a back up plan!

Karl

Couldnt really take tools to the airport lol. I know some basic things of cars (( tune up, brakes, and still learning )) Really needed an emergency plan as well too lol.

[rbrown]

And another thing I tell my son.

This is a story that no one else can tell. As unfortunate as it is, only you have this story. It will work out it's just not the exact path you would have chosen.

"Walked 4 miles to buy a raincoat and to ask about the bus" Classic!

I tell stories of all the things that happen to me present and past and have younguns hanging on my every word for hours. Of course they think I'm crazy but they always want to hear them.

[festivaWES]

I took 1/2 the tools iowned at one time through an airport...no troubles at all.

[MONSOON]

Whens the last time you did that though?

[Safety Guy]

Okay, tools through an airport. Might work with checked baggage, but not a carryon.

Limit for most allowed tools carried on is 6 or 7 inches. A whole tool kit probably won't be allowed, even with a greasy Festiva T-shirt.

Of course terrs won't be trying to openly carry on a whole tool kit. Don't try telling that to the TSA or "Homeland Security" though. "Safety" ain't the issue. "Image" and "power" is.

"Sicherheit machts frei."

Karl

[gotrootdude]

I still say that you got one hell of a deal. When I bought mine I replaced the radiator, thermostat, all of the hoses, the water pump and timing belt. I still need to replace the front brake rotors with something thicker than the flashing that came stock and have some pedal pulse and get my trans cable adjusted so the park gear isn't reverse and the reverse gear isn't neutral. The trans cable isn't a big deal but it drives my wife nuts not knowing what gear she's in by sight.

Is it a manual or auto? One tip if you replace the radiator in the auto version. It's a real pain to fit the radiator and fan shroud in past the transmission. What I did was bought a 10" universal electric fan and universal fan mount, then sold the original fan and shroud on ebay for around $130. Selling the old shroud and fan on ebay paid half the costs of the upgrade and saved me alot in frustration and time.

The oil leak doesn't surprise me. Probably nothing 1/2 a bottle of Bars leak can't fix.


Lucky you. You even got the factory alloy wheels.