VIN List

[XFSE71]

I would like to somehow compile a list of VIN numbers with build dates. This may go hand in hand with the Registry in another thread.

Who has the last Festiva to roll off the line, and when was it built?

I just bought 44468 and it was built 5/19/93

somebody out there has a higher number than that ... so where is it?

[XFSE71]

I just bought a 20 year old 2nd owner car for $400 just over 105k now. I drove it home with CVs clacking, wheels wobbeling, smoke rolling, check engine light on, smelling like it has been drinking oil all night, slipping in and out of neutral ... I looked at the build date, 5/19/93. May is typically the "build out" month for manufacturers, because they want to retool and set up to roll out the new model year in August or September. Typically you can't order a new car around build out time of year. This has to one of the very last Festivas ever produced for USA import. From the responses to this link, it may be the last one before Aspire. I'm still trying to find the data to prove when the plant shut down. I know the information is out there. This can't be the last one ... it's in a museum or a private collection of a Jay Leno's or any place except Superior, Arizona. I'm thinking there is more to this story.

[Tommychu]

This can't be the last one ... it's in a museum or a private collection of a Jay Leno's or any place except Superior, Arizona. I'm thinking there is more to this story.

As great as we all think they are, our cars aren't *that* notable in the grand scheme of things. Besides, they didn't stop production so much as they stopped selling them here. Kia built the Pride/Festy and Avella/Aspire side by side for a few years for different markets.
Here's a fun fact for perspective. The last Ford Ranger ever built is a white base model fleet truck, and is currently hauling dead things away from people's houses (Orkin pest control bought it IIRC). Far cry from a museum I'd say, and they were a lot more notable than the Festiva.

I'm still trying to find the data to prove when the plant shut down.

The plant our cars came from is still pumping out Rios and Sedonas today.

[XFSE71]

As great as we all think they are, our cars aren't *that* notable

I have to disagree that these cars are not all that notable. They are unrecognized collectors, hi-performing, hi-efficiency micro cars, maybe 20 years ahead of their time, now becoming antiques. They were developed for the specific purpose of raising Ford’s CAFÉ numbers. Festiva allowed Ford to sell the high end cars with a bigger profit margin like Lincoln Town Car, Crown Victoria and F-Series Truck Dual Wheel 4x4. These vehicles and others were much harder on the CAFÉ numbers and yet made money for the company. Festiva kept the scales balanced in favor of the company, giving engineers time to react to the legislative forced technology that CAFÉ and the EPA mandated. Festivas are diamonds, every one of them and quite notable.

[XFSE71]

The plant our cars came from is still pumping out Rios and Sedonas today.

When I wrote "I'm still trying to find the data to prove when the plant shut down." I should have said "Stopped building Festiva for US Import".