I trust you guys, can you advise?

[whozit110]

I've been driving an 88 LX (carbed) for a few years now. Love it. Has always had intermittent starting problems: over the past 2 years have replaced coil, fuel filter, plugs and wires (twice), distributor cap (three!), and battery. Was about to replace plugs again, and the rotor. Always add a bottle of yellow HEET to the tank when I fill. Turns over beautifully, just doesn't catch. Can no longer deal with having to park on hills every where I go, and pushing up the hill I live on the bottom of every other morning. I'm practically an old lady, and pushing a car (even a little festy) in heels AND snow is really getting to be nasty, even if I get 50 mpg. Once it starts, no problems at all.

I've known I was on borrowed time with this one for a while, as the tie rod end is gone right front, and I've been told the undercarriage rust may prevent an inspection this coming March. Body has a couple of scratches but is otherwise gorgeous.

Other downsides to the 88 that I've been living with:
--fuel gauge doesn't work (use the trip odometer and fill up every 200 miles or so)
--rear wiper doesn't work
--no door handle drivers side (I have a piece of string connected to the inside handle)
--sunroof sometimes leaks, gasket is goofy
--cruise control is disconnected

So I bought a 93 fuel injected (NOT an LX, but clearly an economy model) the other day. Runs like a top, but it is UGLY.
Downsides to the 93:
--no passenger side mirror
--no lighter
--no tach or trip odometer
--no power side mirror
--inside seats and panels are in bad shape, torn and scratched
--interior smells like gasoline (I was told this happened only when the tank was topped off, but I only put 3/4 tank in)
-- no passenger shoulder belt
-- hood was obviously replaced and badly painted

I know what any of you would do -- I'm just not sure I have the wherewithall and gumption to project the cars into one perfect one (work full time, about to start school full time). I also know that the good parts on the 88 are valuable to you all here. AND I'm awfully broke.

-Should I sell the 88 as is, and get more for it than I would if I went with option 2?
OR
-Should I take what I can (I definitely want the side mirror, and if you folks would tell me how to do it the lighter, and maybe the much nicer padded cloth door panels with pockets, and maybe even the tach, but I think that's a stretch for me) and sell the rest of the 88?
OR
-Take what I want and part out the rest of the 88? (I don't think I"m up to this, frankly)

I want to end up with a car that I love that I can rely on to get me to work every day, and some cash to help with the mortgage.

I know YOU ALL FESTY GODS could create one perfect vehicle out of these (they're both red), but what do you think *I* should do?

Here's a picture of the 88 - the only one I have right now, it's parked elsewhere awaiting the wiper arm that Jason just sent me.

Please forgive me if I don't do the photo right, not used to this.

[IMG] [img=http://img238.imagevenue.com/loc434/th_93269_Erik_in_88_122_434lo.jpg][/IMG]

Peace, thanks in advance. I value your judgment.
Ingrid

[muscle_Car1]

Should I take what I can (I definitely want the side mirror, and if you folks would tell me how to do it the lighter, and maybe the much nicer padded cloth door panels with pockets, and maybe even the tach, but I think that's a stretch for me) and sell the rest of the 88?

Everything you have said is swappable between the two models so you would have the all the lx goddies on the l model fuelie car

[FestYboy]

location? there's a strong chance that someone here could stop by and walk you through everything you'd need to do to get the bedst festy out of the 2 that you have.

personally i'm a fan of 88's and i'd love to have another, but... i also like having the drivability of EFi and wouldn't mind another one of those either.

in all reality, a few more pics and your location would benifit you the most as someone here would most likely help you get/keep both on the road (if at all possible).

[whozit110]

I'm in Central Mass. I can post pics within the next few days. I can't afford to keep 2 cars on the road, but would be happy with one nice one. 8-)

Thanks,
ilr

[Pu241]

Ingrid,
I'm with Festyboy on this, put your location in your profile via User CP (blue bar above) then to the "edit profile" under control panel.
Have to scroll to the bottom of the page.
Depending upon your location we might be able to put together a repair mission.
Starting issues with carbies are usually, carburetor related.
Sometimes an easy fix sometimes not.
But this and the tie rod replacement will buy you a few years.
Provided the rust isn't as bad as the inspection place claims.
I've seen a few that bad but they have been parked in fields for years.
This would also buy time to find out were the gasoline smell is coming from in the '93.
Note: I wouldn't be too enthusiastic about transferring the lighter into this one till the gasoline issue is resolved.
I hear you about pushing a festiva in snow and ice with heels, ruined a good pair of stilettos one time that way!

[Pu241]

Central Mass.
Think we have a few members up that way!
Some of you North Eastern members speak-up.
We need you to help another festiva owner.

[b8kedbeans]

I had the same gasoline smell problem and it ended up being caused by the vapor expansion canister that sits between the fuel tank and the fuel filler tube on the drivers side of the rear seat. In my case one of the hoses was disconnected from the canister and vapors were leaking into the car (and making me and my passengers very nervous). It was an easy fix to reattach the hose. You have to remove the interior panels and a smaller metal cover to inspect the vapor canister.

Good luck!

[whozit110]

The previous owner (a Festiva kinda guy, he was keeping the other one he had, and his mom's) told me that gas smell came from the gasket at the top of the gas tank, but only if you topped the tank off. I didn't actually fill it, but had a 4 hour drive home so I put a good ten dollars worth of gas in it (try and get an Oldsmobile home on 10 bucks!). Hadn't occurred to me until you all brought it up that it could be an actual DANGER issue. Dang.

My usual mechanic told me to dump the 88 a couple of years ago. The most recent admonition came from a random oil change guy. That was the only time I ever saw the undercarriage, and it looked okay to me but clearly I have no clue.

[ohsoslow]

if you get real desperate im only 3 hours away. i would be intrested in the 88 carbed car when you go to get rid of it.

im sure we can walk you threw anything that needs to be fixed!

[whozit110]

Bad news today. Looks like the gas tank on the 93 sat on a rock at some point-- the bottom center of it is stoved in like it's been punched. The gas fume smell seems worse today, but that may be because I'm thinking about it more. Now I'm feeling kinda ripped off.

[Sparky]

If there's no fuel leaking from the tank, I would tend to think the original diagnosis to be accurate...if there was a hole in the bottom of the tank, wouldn't the smell be there all the time? I have a similar issue with my '89 and will be fixing it soon, but as long as I don't fill it all the way, there's not a smell.

[Pu241]

Might not be as bad as it seems.
Can you see a hole in it or do you see fluid leaking?
Can you put a piece of cardboard under it and pour gas via a gas can into the tank till its full or at least full enough to cover the "dent" to check for leakage.
A sever enough "punch" may have opened up a seam somewhere else and not in the "dent" itself.

[ohsoslow]

241 said it perfectly

then let us know what you find. im sure we can get you a tank if needed.
just for giggles pull the access panel to the fuel pump off and make sure that when the replaced the pump they sinched everything down all the way.

[Pu241]

then let us know what you find. im sure we can get you a tank if needed.
just for giggles pull the access panel to the fuel pump off and make sure that when the replaced the pump they sinched everything down all the way.

Ohsoslow we are going to have to give her step by step instructions for accessing the fuel pump panel and port.
Another thing you and I will likely have no issue breaking loose 15 yr old screws and bolts but whozit110, may not have the experience with tools and the shear strength to breaks some of these things loose.
So we need to plan each step we take carefully for maximum results and minimum effort.

Whozit110 in your travels get a spray can of PB Blaster, this will become your friend. It should be available in Wal-mart(cheapest usually) Autozone, Advance Auto, O'Rily's, NAPA, etc (these will are commonly referred to as McParts stores).
It will help considerably with breaking loose nuts, bolts and other "time welded" fasteners.
It is way better than WD-40!
Just let us know about the gas leakage testing and we will put together a strategy to find out and hopefully repair the issue.
Not to be forgotten, but anything you can tell more concerning the '88's lack of startup, since this is currently your daily driver?

[whozit110]

93: will do. Thank you SO MUCH all of you for holding my hand here! I will report back on fill test - I have the Chilton so will look up access panel but now the work week is back and will have to wait until next weekend when I can see daylight. I can definitely see the seal being "off" with the tank being out of shape.

88: Sometimes starts with a key, sometimes doesn't. Cranks and cranks to beat the band, just never sparks. Will always push start. Will sometimes start from a stand-still after a lackluster attempt at a push start, but not always. Carb gets gas. Doesn't seem to have any correlation to weather, air temperature, volume of gas in tank, or where I last filled up. Once in a great while a push-start will result in a plume of grey smoke, but this is by no means consistent.

I do confess I've switched the plates to the 93 at this point, since I needed a car I could rely on to get to work and back. I live at the bottom of the hill that it needs to roll down to get going, and the snow is Not Cool when it comes to pushing a car uphill, even a little tiny lightweight car.