Automatic Festivas?

[RustedSprinter]

Hey guys!

Im currently looking for a festiva and I was wondering how auto festivas are. There is one on CL that has 39K. I know that the auto will have less MPGs and power then the manual. I also know that the auto is 3 speed. Anything else I need to know. I would use the car to travel 23 miles a day give or take and I live in a area with some hills. Thanks for your inputs.

[GenevaDirt]

Many would say no way to the auto but I have 3 and love them.....it all depends on you I guess. I love the manuals but the auto is nice when you are are just wanting to get there without all the shifting footwork....it can get tiresome when commuting to work. I have plenty of power as far as I am concerned and I drive it at 75 - 80 mph every day for 57 miles one way on freeways and such. It runs at about 4000 rpms and I get around 32 mpg no matter how I treat it.

[Safety Guy]

The autos last and are pretty bulletproof. If it works and sounds/feels good on your test drive, it'll probably be okay. I have one out of five cars which is an auto. Nice change from shifting.

Karl

[jawja jim]

I didn't think I would like them, but now I actually prefer the auto for around town and secondary highway driving. On the interstate it feels a little too high revving for my tastes. I just bought a second one about a month ago and it is a little better at higher speed due to the 13s that came on it.

[bolokid]

I have a 91 with an auto with a/c and p/s that I drive back and forth to work everyday. About 10 miles of the commute is on the Interstate (70-75 mph) and 5 miles through town. I average 32-35 mpg. The car is ideal for my commute. I feel the same way as jawja jim when driving on trips at speeds 75-80, it feels a little too high revving and gas mileage drops to about 30.

[sketchman]

I would buy it and then swap it down the road.

35mpg is nice, but 45mpg is nicer.

[Advancedynamix]

You found one with only 39k miles? I'd buy it even without any transmission. I've noticed that higher mileage worn out Festivas are horrible with the auto trans, whereas the manual ones still fell peppy. Since this car has such low mileage, it may be nice and strong with that auto.
Keep in mind, if you do buy the car, that time dries out the seals and other rubber components of the engine. Even though the car only has 40k miles, plan on replacing seals, belts, hoses and gaskets before you rely on it to be your daily transportation. You'll most likely see a valve cover leak, front main seal, cam seal and oil pan gasket within the next 2-3k miles, unless someone has already replaced those. It's well worth the maintenance however, because these engines literally run forever when cared for properly.

[Studebaker]

23 miles a day, the auto will do just fine. 55 mph is as fast as you will want to go.

On the auto I had, about half the driving was at 55 mph. I put p155/80/r13s on. This tire was just big enough to put a little more load on the engine so that high revving feel was gone. The tires threw the speedo of about 5 mph.

[SiliconSoul]

Im with GenevaDirt. I had an issue with my main 5spd car so i reluctantly fell back to an auto car thinking I would hate it... Didnt happen! Could use more power though... And i do have a bp lyinv around...

[shadetree]

Auto with a b6d = awesome . The difference is unreal .

[avitsefdrof]

Tolerated my auto for a few years.... but then I got a 5 speed and effn love it. But thats me.

[bhazard]

Yeah like said above, you'll wanna swap it...lol

https://youtu.be/9j0KbtqU0vs

[TorqueEffect]

Wouldn't mind having one, but the MPG hit really makes me reconsider. Plus, the Auto Festivas get barely better gas mileage than my boat of a car, my 98 Monte Carlo, and that thing is far more comfortable to drive.

[bhazard]

Like I mentioned in the other thread it might be worth looking into the F4EAT trans. Theres plenty of them here and they came in Aussie B5 festivas after 1993 or so.

[Safety Guy]

Brad, can you get your paws on a non-electronic F4EAT transaxle? I'm assuming this is the one from '89 323s.

If so, I may want to buy it.

Karl