Looking for Information/Advice : About to purchase one Ford Festiva

[DriverOne]

Quite possibly. Does yours have the factory air?

Yeah, it does.

[pr0nst4r]

Hrm, we may be onto something with the LX then. I'll confirm later this week, but that's what I'm going with until then.

[91blufestiva]

I'm guessing it's not an LX, since it doesn't have power mirrors, red stripe on bumpers/side molding, and from the looks of it, it doesn't have a split rear seat.

[pr0nst4r]

Then would you say L plus?

[eurotiva]

It has a cable clutch too so no master clyinder.....

[Biff]

buy it . i have been trying to buy one sitting in a drive way for a couple years now, wont sell to me, says her father is going to fix it?
buy it an make it run

[m715]

It looks like an L model from what I can see. This means if it has the 5 speed, someone has changed it out. Possibly installed a defective transaxle, burnt out or glazed clutch. Who knows till you get there. Where you live, brakes may or may not be an issue. Best quick test is to look at the drivers front brake line where it passes through the grommet in the sheet metal, and at the drivers side in front of the rear wheelwell opening. The line that has a connector is the first to give out there, and runs over the gas tank to the passenger side. Pull the drums off in the back and free up the parking brake pivot so you have the parking brake to fall back on in case of a failure. I have to do this once a year here to keep the parking brake strut/adjuster freed up. Those are the first items I look at.

Go get it!

Michael

[pr0nst4r]

It has a cable clutch too so no master clyinder.....

I never said I knew everything LOL, but that is a good tidbit. I thought you had said yours was hydraulic?

I'm considering this mostly as something to drive until I can find a later model, then using this one as a swap beast.

[GenevaDirt]

I never said I knew everything LOL, but that is a good tidbit. I thought you had said yours was hydraulic?

I'm considering this mostly as something to drive until I can find a later model, then using this one as a swap beast.

some of the guys have a hydro tranny from when they did engine/tranny swaps.

[blkfordsedan]

I would get a more detailed description of the "tranny problems". It may go into every gear, but the bearings and/or sincros could be shot. That would run about $300 to $400 to get rebuilt if you pull the trans yourself and take it in to a shop. Then, you should do a new clutch kit since you'll have it out (another $150). Brakes could be stuck, and, if it sat for a while, the grease in the CV joints and wheel bearings could be dry and hard.

I think it's well worth $500, especially if it has little to no rust and the engine runs good. I paid $300 for a severely wrecked Festiva with 300K miles, but it had new tires, struts and a good 5-speed trans. I would, however, be cautious in aspirations of getting it driving in a couple weeks. Murphy's law says there will be hidden issues and it will cost 2X what you estimate! At least, that's how it always goes for me. If you get lucky and can get it going for a couple hundred an a week or two, then you'll feel even better about the deal.

I would jump on it, but have a plan "B" for something to drive until you can get it roadworthy. Good luck