Well I have been on the hunt for a Festiva for quite some time (2004). Certain circumstances have not let me come to own one until last week. I posted an add on craigslist wanting to buy a Festiva. I got an email from a gentleman who was about 20 miles from where I live. So in the car we go to look at it. It blew a headgasket and a limb fell on it a couple weeks prior to my add. Im thinking the worst like the roof is caved in and figured it would be in horrible shape.
We get there and I start looking it over. The car is a 92 L and to my suprise the hatch took the most of the damage and a few little gouges in the roof from said limb. Other than the interior being a little beat up the rest of the car is in really good shape. I promptly called the guy and asked what he wanted for it. I offered his wife 50 dollars and she said I would have to talk to him. I talk to him for several minutes and he stated that he would take 100 cash for the car. I offered him a trade for a pistol I had bought years ago and have not touched since than. He was interested so I figured if he could source a trailer so I could get it home it was a deal.
Got it home last week and have started work on it. The hatch is off, engine and trans are out (trans suffered a crack as one of the axles would not come out). Got all the glass out of the interior from the broken back glass and beat out the majority of the dents in it.
Festiva number 2......
This past weekend I was helping a friend do some work on his house and we were on our way to go get lunch. Usually the only time I am in this part of my area when I go to his house or am doing some volunteer work with the Special Olympics. Not even 2 miles from his house is a blue looks to be later model festiva. On the way back I ask him to stop so I can peak it over. It was in really good shape so I left a note under the wiper arm and was hoping to hear back from the owner.
Monday I get a call its the owner of the Blue Festiva. WHOOO HOOO. The car has to be gone NLT Friday he says and he starts in on what I want the car for and yada yada. I told him it was an addiction that nobody could possibly understand unless they have driven one. He said it was his sons car and he never drove it. He says he has to have 275 for the car and it was running and driving until his son broke the key off in the ignition somehow. I guess his son screwed up things even worse by trying to do a hack job on the wiring. I didnt notice anything torn apart when I looked at it.
Today I go to pick up the Blue car and I have pulled the whole steering column out of my Green L in prep to change it in the parking lot so I can drive off with it. My friend thinks im an idiot for wanting to fix it and drive it home and says we need to tow it with his truck. I would feel much better about driving the car home than towing it. Its a satisfaction thing and kind of makes the previous owner feel a bit silly when he sees a car he just sold for 275 drive off in the warm evening breeze.
Well figured I would tell a little story about how I have come to own Festiva #3 and #4 and how excited I am to be back in the game. I know this thread is useless without pics so they will be going up as soon as I get home.
Thanks and happy Festiva-ing lol, Jeremiah.
We get there and I start looking it over. The car is a 92 L and to my suprise the hatch took the most of the damage and a few little gouges in the roof from said limb. Other than the interior being a little beat up the rest of the car is in really good shape. I promptly called the guy and asked what he wanted for it. I offered his wife 50 dollars and she said I would have to talk to him. I talk to him for several minutes and he stated that he would take 100 cash for the car. I offered him a trade for a pistol I had bought years ago and have not touched since than. He was interested so I figured if he could source a trailer so I could get it home it was a deal.
Got it home last week and have started work on it. The hatch is off, engine and trans are out (trans suffered a crack as one of the axles would not come out). Got all the glass out of the interior from the broken back glass and beat out the majority of the dents in it.
Festiva number 2......
This past weekend I was helping a friend do some work on his house and we were on our way to go get lunch. Usually the only time I am in this part of my area when I go to his house or am doing some volunteer work with the Special Olympics. Not even 2 miles from his house is a blue looks to be later model festiva. On the way back I ask him to stop so I can peak it over. It was in really good shape so I left a note under the wiper arm and was hoping to hear back from the owner.
Monday I get a call its the owner of the Blue Festiva. WHOOO HOOO. The car has to be gone NLT Friday he says and he starts in on what I want the car for and yada yada. I told him it was an addiction that nobody could possibly understand unless they have driven one. He said it was his sons car and he never drove it. He says he has to have 275 for the car and it was running and driving until his son broke the key off in the ignition somehow. I guess his son screwed up things even worse by trying to do a hack job on the wiring. I didnt notice anything torn apart when I looked at it.
Today I go to pick up the Blue car and I have pulled the whole steering column out of my Green L in prep to change it in the parking lot so I can drive off with it. My friend thinks im an idiot for wanting to fix it and drive it home and says we need to tow it with his truck. I would feel much better about driving the car home than towing it. Its a satisfaction thing and kind of makes the previous owner feel a bit silly when he sees a car he just sold for 275 drive off in the warm evening breeze.
Well figured I would tell a little story about how I have come to own Festiva #3 and #4 and how excited I am to be back in the game. I know this thread is useless without pics so they will be going up as soon as I get home.
Thanks and happy Festiva-ing lol, Jeremiah.
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