1989 Ford Festiva L review from North America
"Easy on gas, but hard on parts"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
The motor went shortly after replacing the head gasket.
The transmission is now slipping out of fourth gear.
The exhaust is impossible to keep sealed.
The bearings went about 4 times each tire. They must be pressed out.
Both rotors had to be replaced.
Both calipers had to be replaced, but keep sticking.
Tie-rod end's had to be replaced.
The ball-joint wore out and you must purchase the entire control-arm which the ball-joint is attached to for $129!!
Fuel pump gave out leaving me stranded in a snow storm.
The 4 rims warped??!!
The wiper arm rotted off, $189 for a new wiper assembly.
The wire running to the starter corroded and needs to be jiggled to start the car every now and then.
The wire's behind the battery need to be jiggled for the headlights to work sometimes.
Both rear stub axles need to be replaced due to bearing failures.
Gas tank has a hole in the bottom of it and you can't even order a new one from the manufacturer.
Windshield has a major crack in it.
The back hatch key hole has seized up and cannot be fixed. To replace it you need to buy a kit including every lock for the car costing $399.
The vent only blows out cold air. But the heater is good (maybe the only thing that's good).
The rear de-fog only works on some lines.
The car eats tires... (munch, munch)
General comments?
This car is a 1999-2000 Festiva except for the body.
At least I got the chance to learn about every part that is on a car.
This is no joke. I believe that I have the worst luck out of all Festiva owners and I treated this car good.
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| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| Year of manufacture | 1989 |
| First year of ownership | 1998 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2001 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.3L Manual |
| Performance marks | 1 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 1 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 5 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 2 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 0 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 80000 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 180000 kilometres |
| Previous car | Honda Prelude |
| Date of Entry | 11th November, 2001 |