Faults:

So far, the only difficulties I have had with this Festiva are a squealing fan belt, and a brake master cylinder.

General Comments:

This is my second Festiva. The first, I bought new, and it now has 167,000 miles. This one I bought as a second car, and have had no major problems to date. I spent two hundred and fifty dollars for new brake shoes, and a master cylinder. Then I had the fan (V-belt) replaced because it was squealing so badly. I average over forty miles to the gallon, and it doesn't burn a drop of oil between changes.

Faults:

Rear brake lights went out a month after I bought it: 100 CAN$ to fix.

Belt wore out pretty bad and the car wouldn't start: 300 CAN$ to fix.

General Comments:

It's surprisingly quick for a 1.3 L & 64 HP car, mainly because it's light.

Fill it up and forget about it for a good week and a half.

It's fuel efficient only until you take it out on the highway though (which I usually don't), at which point it just drinks up gas.

Seats are totally uncomfortable.

The car itself is just plain ugly from the side. I can't imagine what the guy who designed this car at Ford was thinking. The car is absolutely ugly.

If all you want is a car to take you from A to B, buy it and you'll love it.

Faults:

Fuel pump (ran it to empty).

Odometer gear on distributor at 122,000.

Brakes.

Interior is cheap and wears, brakes, etc.

General Comments:

The car is spartan, definitely not a luxury car. But, I love this car, it always starts, gets great mileage, and is pretty zippy for a small engine.

Parts are way too expensive (ie ca $125 US for a fuel filter) but the mileage and low maintenance make up for it.