Think I'm gonna sell my Festiva.

[devon527]

I'm starting to hate it. I cant go one week without having to work on it, its extremely unreliable for me. I love the gas mileage, and that its small so I can park anywhere, but thats just not good enough.

I cant figure out what the problem is with my alternator belt, new belts even scream until I put belt conditioner on it. I put a new belt on two weeks ago and it busted last week. Put a new one on last thursday, didnt drive it till today... only to make it half way through town and have the lights dim like it wasnt charging, shut the car off and couldnt start it again. Jump started it, and drove all the way to work without lights.

I think I'm gonna sell it and use the money towards a down payment on a 99+ Powerstroke diesel. I'm a truck guy, and this car cant exactly tow my dirtbike around, which makes it difficult to go ride because my friends have to pick me up.

Hate to do it, but I want something reliable and something I can be proud of. I just dont know a fair price, I'd like to get $1000 for it once I fix the alternator problem.

Let the hating begin... Sorry guys.

[FB71]

no hatin', just opportunity for us! Sorry its been a pain in your rear...

Have you checked the alt pulley to see what condition the inside of the sheaves are in? Pulleys do wear out, ya know... If the inside of the sheaves are polished, and there's a ridge near the outside edge, then the pulley needs to be replaced, and is a likely culprit of your issue. Also, have you checked to make sure the alt rotates properly, when hot? Bad bearings can bind, especially when hot, adding lots of drag and fatiguing the belt prematurely.

[devon527]

Its a new alternator within like 4 months. But I will go out and check. When the belt burnt through, it threw some rubber onto the alt... I will go check right now.

[devon527]

Definitely looks like its polished and has a ridge at the top... Think I might be pulling my alternator then. Still going to sell it though, I NEED a truck and have wanted a straight cab 99+ powerstroke for a lonnngggg time. Just have to either get a co-signer or get a loan by myself.

[festivaWES]

powerstroke will give you even more problems....

[FB71]

powerstroke will give you even more problems....

nah. 7.3L are near indestructable.

[Ford Fester]

As long as its a 7.3 your fine. They're bullet proof....sort of. My dad had a standard cab 7.3 that had been rolled. New cab and 175k later she still runs great. Plow truck every winter and tow truck ever summer. No issues other than the front ball joints. GLWS

[DriverOne]

If you weren't 3,500 miles away, I'd definitely check it out. GLWS.

[DrMaxwellEdison]

so would I for roughly the same reason ^^^

[skimsucka]

you have to just bone up and fix / replace everything at once and youll be good for years i did this to both of my cars and ride the out of them I deliver pizzas 4 days and commute to another job 4 days a week 60 mi round trip a day i could not drive anything else!!!!

[bhazard]

You need a diesel truck to pull a dirtbike?

We have a member who hauled a car on a dolly with an aspire like 1000 miles.

[91mcnasty]

I think your looking for an excuse to ditch your beloved Festy lol and as soon as you do it you will regret it!!!

[devon527]

You need a diesel truck to pull a dirtbike?

We have a member who hauled a car on a dolly with an aspire like 1000 miles.

Just a reason to get a truck, my dad traded in my 97 dodge ram 1500 with his truck one day without telling me to get a new truck. I have a 16ft car trailer and a enclosed trailer for my dirtbike that just sit here wasting space. My dad traded in his truck for a hyundai car and now neither of us have a truck.

Oh and hate on it, but I want a 6.0 powerstroke. My dad had a 03 and hammered on it every day, had 173,xxx miles on it when he traded it in. All you need is a EGR delete kit and head studs and they're bullet proof.

[Aaronbrook37]

I think your looking for an excuse to ditch your beloved Festy lol and as soon as you do it you will regret it!!!

+1. Plus, if you really enjoy gas mileage as much as you say, going from 1.3 to over 7 liters is going to kill your wallet.

[devon527]

+1. Plus, if you really enjoy gas mileage as much as you say, going from 1.3 to over 7 liters is going to kill your wallet.

I would rather spend more in fuel and have a reliable vehicle then have to be working on it every other night just to get to work in the morning. I've never been a car guy and never will be. There's just something about looking back and seeing that bed with my dirtbike or whatever I have in it that makes me love trucks. I dont appreciate my festiva as much as I used too. I make enough money now that I can afford to drive a diesel every day, I'd actually be happy.