What to do with a free Festy that is way far away...

[thirdman]

Ok, I bought a 92 Festiva Brand New, off the lot, back in college- drove it for about 35,000 miles and then gave it to my Mom, who drove it up until just recently. She's 84 and doesn't think she should be driving anymore, so she is giving it back to me (if I want it). The car has a total of only 75,000 miles on it!

Mechanically, all is good except an oil leak that her mechanic has just been "keeping an eye on". He doesn't think that it would be wise to drive it from her to me (1,400 miles) without getting the leak fixed.

I have fond memories with that car, and I'd really like to keep it.

SOoooo... do I:

1. Have it fixed where it is now, fly up and drive it home ($500-$700 plane ticket , time off work to drive, having to manage repair remotely)
2. Have it shipped to me and get fixed locally ($800-$1200 to ship)
3. Give up and try to sell it where it is at (Dickinson, ND; pretty much the middle of nowhere, so I won't get squat for it)

Thoughts?

I hate option 3, I kinda don't have time for option one right now, and #2 is crappy because I hate to spend that much on a car with a very low $$$$ value. Are there other choices I am missing??

Oh: It is in Dickinson, ND, I am in Austin, TX. I kinda need to decide in the next month or two as my Mom is relocating and doesn't want to deal with the car.

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[ryanprins13]

Option 4: drive there and tow dolly it back. Fix it at home and save the plane ticket. Got a festiva with a tow hitch? Do it on a weekend and a monday. 15hr days of driving is 3 days there, loaded and back. Its worth it

Or work half a day a friday, get back mid monday? Start work early friday, work late the monday?

You gotta save it

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[ryanprins13]

Is there a date you could commit to getting it by like say christmas and another member could get it and store it for you? Then you go visit her over christmas, fix the car and drive it back

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[bolokid]

Where's the oil leaking from? Valve cover gasket? Replace it in 90 minutes and drive it. You'll never regret it.

[thirdman]

Good thoughts!

I do not have a vehicle that could tow it (Miata only, not set up for towing).

I don't trust my wrenching skills enough to fix it and immediately go on an extended road trip (speaking from experience).

Not sure if it was the valve cover or not... I didn't look at it closely the last time I saw it. I guess I could try her mechanic. I have to qualify that: although he is a 'mechanic', he doesn't do anything even vaguely complicated; just minor stuff like fluid changes, etc.

Are there any members even vaguely near Dickinson? And that kinda still wouldn't work as my Mom is moving 500+ miles away, so she and the car would be separated... I ran the idea of having her tow it (her moving crew, of course) to give me more time, but she didn't seem keen on that idea...

Hmmm...

[ricko1966]

Fly to ND. drive festy to budget sat, rent a mini pickup and a tow dolly from budget,drive as long as you can stand driving on sat.finish the drive sunday, drop truck and dolly at budget in tx, drive the festy home and fix at your leisure.If you rent a diesel box truck or diesel van you can even crash in van sat night, and still not take a big hit on fuel.

[ryanprins13]

A festiva can tow a festiva, but i think ive seen u-haul pickups advertising $20/day on the door. Fuel might add up though.

Probably a good idea to ask him whay the leak is, or get a better opinion if your considering driving it.

What about a storage lot (or wherever someone would store a car) till christmas or something?


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[thirdman]

Guess what? None of the rental car places will let me do "one way" trips originating in Dickinson. I could rent something in Austin, drive both ways, but that's a huge time commitment... I could, I suppose, fly into near-ish larger city that Would rent me something one-way, drive to Dickinson, tow to Austin....

Checked on Uhaul, truck and dolly would be $1,400, limited to 6 days and 1800 miles.

Gah, I logistics stuff...

[ryanprins13]

Where do flights land? I would imagine a bigger place than dickenson? What about rentals originating there? Or a bigger nearby town.
The u-haul tow dolly is a ripoff. Whats just the truck worth?
I looked into towing a car to arizona 1 way and could buy a used tow dolly in good shape for less than the 6 day rental. Then you sell it after.


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[ryanprins13]

And yes, it looks like everyone is quite a ways east or south of there https://fordfestiva.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59074

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[RdstrBlk]

Option X: Buy my festy in Austin and figure out what to do with that one.

[ryanprins13]

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[thirdman]

Funny... my Mom and PRJCT_D are the only two listed in ND!

Oddly, the dolly is only $160 for 6 days...

[ricko1966]

If the festy is manual? you can buy a universal tow bar for about 120.00, How much to rent the cheapest thing they have with a hitch,Have you checked with budget on the truck rental? Starting to sound like it might be cheaper to have it fixed by a competent mechanic of your choice near where it is fly in and pick it up when it's done, Maybe the shop can even store it short term for you.

[Studebaker]

Take a bus. drive it back with a case of oil in the back.