scardeal
scardeal Reader
11/13/09 1:49 p.m.

I'm tempted to get a Ford Festiva if the price is LeMons worthy (although it would be a winter beater). It's a 1988 Ford Festiva, (carbed 4-speed manual) looks like it's in good condition. 28k miles. It's got 12" wheels, but it's maybe 1800 pounds at the heaviest...

Thoughts?

John Brown
John Brown GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
11/13/09 1:50 p.m.

Many Friends of Festivae on this board.

DukeOfUndersteer
DukeOfUndersteer Dork
11/13/09 1:50 p.m.

MiatarPowar
MiatarPowar HalfDork
11/13/09 2:17 p.m.

From the Festiva group on Flickr:

I've always really liked them, personally. I had a friend who hammered the everloving E36 M3 out of one for years. Lots of good memories riding around with her in it.

alfadriver
alfadriver HalfDork
11/13/09 2:24 p.m.
scardeal wrote: I'm tempted to get a Ford Festiva if the price is LeMons worthy (although it would be a winter beater). It's a 1988 Ford Festiva, (carbed 4-speed manual) looks like it's in good condition. 28k miles. It's got 12" wheels, but it's maybe 1800 pounds at the heaviest... Thoughts?

If one can belive Wiki- curb weight is just under 1600lb.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Festiva

wow, poop- you can really do something with that car you have!

Eric

integraguy
integraguy HalfDork
11/13/09 2:40 p.m.

In the '80s I owned a REAL Fiesta and I always figured Ford should have named the Festiva something else. That what they were doing was sort of like Chevy trying to pass off the '00s Impala as a continuation of the mid '90s SS Impalas.

Having said that, I've ridden in a few Festivas, and while they can't "shine the boots" of a Fiesta, they are decent cars in their own right. They are tough as nails, apparently, seeming to last forever. (My last trip up to Pa. I saw several on the road.) And thanks to the Mazda-Kia connection, you can transplant some really robust drivetrains into a Festiva.

scardeal
scardeal Reader
11/13/09 3:13 p.m.

I just emailed the seller to find out whether the crack pipe asking price is a typo.

SlickDizzy
SlickDizzy GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
11/13/09 3:14 p.m.

Mmmmmm.

MiatarPowar
MiatarPowar HalfDork
11/13/09 3:18 p.m.
integraguy wrote: In the '80s I owned a REAL Fiesta and I always figured Ford should have named the Festiva something else. That what they were doing was sort of like Chevy trying to pass off the '00s Impala as a continuation of the mid '90s SS Impalas.

But... The names are different. I have never thought of them as anywhere near the same car.

CLNSC3
CLNSC3 Reader
11/14/09 12:13 a.m.

Festivas can be the ultimate sleeper! Theres one rolling around my area that is boosted and apparently pulls 11's in the 1/4. Looks like a complete beater, its pretty bad ass!

akamcfly
akamcfly New Reader
11/14/09 8:55 a.m.

I miss mine...

Rumnhammer
Rumnhammer Reader
11/14/09 9:30 a.m.

actually Mazdas under the skin, the only thing Kia is where they were assembled, the only thing ford is the little badge on the back. Any Mazda B series engine can be swapped in to the front very easily. Any engine can be swapped into the back ala shogun. A very tough car that the U.S. missed out on when it came to the performance versions. ( there really were a couple) like the GTX and GTA variants. With the Aspire brakes swapped you get the same 4x100 bolt pattern and Miata wheels go right on and are hubcentric.

My B6T swapped car was down around 1500lbs and according to the new owner is "ungodly fast"

Go to fordfestiva.com and take a look around. if you are interested.

Chris Rummel

maroon92
maroon92 SuperDork
11/14/09 10:13 a.m.

I have miata wheels on my Aspire! they fit great.

scardeal
scardeal Reader
11/14/09 10:15 a.m.

Price is definitely in the "crack pipe" category.

neanderpaul
neanderpaul
11/20/09 3:26 a.m.
integraguy wrote: In the '80s I owned a REAL Fiesta and I always figured Ford should have named the Festiva something else. That what they were doing was sort of like Chevy trying to pass off the '00s Impala as a continuation of the mid '90s SS Impalas. Having said that, I've ridden in a few Festivas, and while they can't "shine the boots" of a Fiesta, they are decent cars in their own right. They are tough as nails, apparently, seeming to last forever. (My last trip up to Pa. I saw several on the road.) And thanks to the Mazda-Kia connection, you can transplant some really robust drivetrains into a Festiva.

Sorry, but I signed up here just to reply to this post. The festiva simply dominates the fiesta in every category. acceleration (with a smaller engine), mpg, interior room, looks, and DURABILITY most of all. I've seen literally dozens with over 300,000 miles. Many on all original running gear. One had the original engine trans, starter, alternator, and even the clutch. I've seen 8 now with over 500,000 original miles. Beast of a car. Easily and cheaply modded. The blue one above is Cam Waughs legendary b6t festiva. The olive festiva above recently ran a 12.1 1/4 with a 1.8 mazda dohc turbo. Festiva is a mazda 121 assembled by kia with mazda components. Watch mextiva eat a Roush mustang here with turbo 1.6 liters. http://videos.streetfire.net/video/a3c79286-bad4-4b50-821a-98b80006deba.htm

And the olive one reeling in a fox body. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHiJERhf_0w

MiatarPowar
MiatarPowar HalfDork
11/20/09 8:15 a.m.

neanderpaul... You should stick around.

Just sayin'.

jstein77
jstein77 HalfDork
11/20/09 8:39 a.m.

I agree - you seem like a GRM kind of guy.

poopshovel
poopshovel SuperDork
11/20/09 8:42 a.m.

I need to move to this magical land of 32 Festivas.

neanderpaul
neanderpaul New Reader
11/20/09 9:06 a.m.
MiatarPowar wrote: neanderpaul... You should stick around. Just sayin'.
jstein77 wrote: I agree - you seem like a GRM kind of guy.

Well now that's a good way to get a guy to stay! Thanks for the welcome!

mad_machine
mad_machine GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
11/20/09 9:55 a.m.

what bad can you say about a car that comes with (psuedo) box flares from the factory?

Friend of mine bought one new while in college years ago after his t1000 finally gave up the ghost. It lived in centre city philly, and looked it after a couple of years, but still ran great.

93celicaGT2
93celicaGT2 SuperDork
11/20/09 10:15 a.m.
SlickDizzy wrote: Mmmmmm.

That is a picture full of delicious hatches.

Travis_K
Travis_K Dork
3/26/11 1:32 a.m.

Canoe

neon4891
neon4891 SuperDork
3/26/11 9:06 a.m.

yera and a half zombie canoe

Maroon92
Maroon92 SuperDork
3/26/11 9:27 a.m.

Oh well, you should still do it!

Maroon92
Maroon92 SuperDork
3/26/11 9:28 a.m.

If you didn't do it, find a guy named Doc Brown. He might help you rectify that situation.

You'll need to log in to post.

Our Preferred Partners
wFnfLbkAx9UcA6jTToVM6m3gEpjhS8WiCbf3UxJ3xgE2IWDTbW7cjWRkKXceXb8k