NEED HELP! Buying my first festiva!

[Mercilesslee]

Would you have paid 700$ for it with summer and winter tires as a daily driver?

[Bert]

lol me too!. This car does have some good features though, its an LX low km and I can save it from being destroyed by the next person who drives it into the ground. I really hope the rot isn't that bad. The owner is sending me a video tonight of under the car and the car running i'll post it as soon as i get it.

Car ran like a top (ie literally purred) when I started it and everything I touched was tight. Insides, seats and pedal rubbers were way too clean for the car not to be authentic. Likely lived in a heated garage and owned by someone flush but frugal (who else would go out and buy an LX auto) that rarely drove it. The 'spruce up' body and paint job, tires and pipes was likely a send-off tribute from the appreciative owner, or their Estate. Auction selling price was either $300 or $400 if I recall from looking back at their after-sale website listings.

[Mercilesslee]

So you saw the exact car I am looking at? I think i'm going to buy it tomorrow I will let you know how it goes.

[Prafeston]

Rafe, what makes you think the motor is swapped?

I think I miss read this post of theirs.

Uh oh should I be worried the engine is not original? :S

I thought she was saying that it wasn't original...after reading again I see they are just wondering if they should be worried that it was swapped.

I was also kind of thinking it was swapped, because the car is a '91 and I didn't think they were still doing carbed motors after 89...the first Festy to get an EFI was even an auto...so it just didn't make much since that a post-89 auto would have a carb...but maybe that's just some Canadian thing I'm not aware of... or a Festiva thing in general I'm not aware of as I haven't been a Festy owner very long.

[fastivaca]

Car isn't carbed it's EFI.

[Prafeston]

From the photos I didn't think it looked like a carby. But somewhere a long the lines I was under the impression it was...I guess I'm just all sorts of confused!

[Mercilesslee]

Hahahah i was also confused I'm positive its an EFI and the car check that Ian helped me out with checked out. I think I am going to pick this guy up i'll be sure to post pictures after I clean it up.

[Fester's Quest]

...plus it sounds like you'd really like a 5 speed. Be patient and wait for what you really want. Don't settle. You'll end up just beating yourself up about it later...especially if the car ends up being a junker!

Exactly ! Be careful not to hype yourself up about this deal. I've been there many times and it can seriously cloud your judgement.

It's so important to get the transmission you want... i think you would be happier with a manual that has 200K + on it. These cars last forever, so the amount of kilometers it's done isn't all that important.

[Mercilesslee]

Yeah but my girlfriend wants to drive it to and she can't drive stick.... If I was emperor of the world everyone would have to take their drivers test in a standard car = probably less accidents (definitely less distracted fender benders) and generally keeping people off the road who shouldn't be driving. Anyways I think this is going to end up being my gfs car which I will help maintain just for fun and i'll be on the hunt for my own 5 speed still.

[Fester's Quest]

Oh, well totally !

If i were in your shoes, i'd definitely buy it then.

I've experienced owning / customizing 2 of the same make and model cars with previous gfs and for me it was a truly great bonding experience that you can't get any other way. Great idea !

[Prafeston]

I think this is going to end up being my gfs car which I will help maintain just for fun and i'll be on the hunt for my own 5 speed still.

That's the way to go right there. Rhodestiva did that with his wife...though he went the other way. 5 speed for him first. Auto for his wife second.

[Bert]

http://imgur.com/X8DTC

Here is the picture of her passenger side door @Bert please check it out. She says there is no bondo but i'm definitely seeing a patch on it. More pictures to come tell me what you think.

Convenient that the section that is (was?) rotted is not visible in the picture. Was forward and close to the front seam.

[Bert]

If it's safetied and e-tested you can't lose.

[Mercilesslee]

True but in Canada I have to get it safetied again when I buy it so I hope it passes :S

[bravekozak]

Lift up the carpet at the front. Rust occurs at corner of plenum, then saline solution runs down firewall and under carpet, then insidiuously festers.