A stupid question?

[deathegg]

:?: I have a 1988 Feste'... i love it. I have heard many good things about the Aspire suspension swap, but I have a question..

if the swap is so good, wouldn't it be easier to just get an Aspire???
Just wondering...

[mattswabb]

Do the swap, it's worth doing. I have 2 festivas, 1 with the swap and 1 without it yet. The difference is very noticeable.

matt

[deathegg]

Hi Matt,

I'm sure it's worth doing, in fact I may do it to my '88. (when I have more time & money, like always).

I was just thinking out loud I guess... I would imagine that an Aspire handles pretty well too? Or does the weight increase over the Festiva cancel out the good suspension components??

I like the Feste' better.. smaller and easier to park, and the melted egg look of the aspire never really did anything for me.

BTW, my Feste' is painted Mini Cooper style; white roof and mirrors with blue body, fog lamps, and some interior mods like a custom aluminum mount for the tach. Still have those stupid 12" wheels though.

Talk to ya soon,
Mark from Pittsburgh

[Safety Guy]

Newbug asked:

"If the swap is so good, wouldn't it be easier to just get an Aspire?"

Yes and no.

I haven't driven an Aspire so I can't comment on the differences between having an Aspire hooked to that suspension vs. a Festiva.

Aspires seem to do all right. Ask Yvan.

I'd suppose that with an instant 200 pound weight loss, the Festiva is superior. If you can do the work, do it!

On the other hand, if you want a longer wheelbase and four doors, the Aspire is about your only choice. (If you can stand the stock 63 hp.)

Karl

[myboysherman]

It's simple, the Aspire is Ugly(sorry any fans out there). Handling or not keep the Festiva.

[darkdan]

I never thought my aspire handed all that great.

Even with new suspension, FMS springs, and strut bar (the non-adjustable one sucks).

It's past time for new tires and maybe after I get the new ball joints on it will be more fun.

[Gro Harlem]

IMO both the festiva & aspire are ugly stock, but w/bodykit both can look phat.

Only good thing I can think of for the aspire is, its a newer model.

Downsides: probably worst/shittiest interior i've ever seen (worse than a metro's), it weighs 2200 lbs...yet still has the same 1.3 liter...WHY? IT should've got a B6 or B5 at the very minimum. (festiva weighs 1700-1800 depending on how its equipped).

And lastly..thing that might be good or bad for you depending on preference....the aspire is significantly longer than the festiva, like 20" longer. I personally like how short the festiva is...so farkin easy to park & cut people off in traffic

W/ the added heft, comes the need for those big ass brakes. REALLY stupid they didn't put a bigger motor in there, the assfires are dog slow as a result

[CryptokiD]

the swap is easy and can actually pay for its self if you get the parts off a low mileage aspire.

my festiva needed new balljoints, tierod ends and shocks. some various bushings were also worn out. 1 caliper was seized and the rear shoes down to metal. to fix all this would have cost more than the aspire suspension i bought, which had all good parts and did not need any maintence. total cost, $125 and 4 hours of work.

in short, it was cheaper to do the swap than to fix up my stock festiva suspension and brakes so they were in acceptable mechanical working order. i acytally saved about $200 by doing the swap.

[Gro Harlem]

^^ actually true.

the aspire's front brakes are identical to the very-common ford escort and mazda protege. This means parts at the parts store are WAY cheaper IE brake calipers, pads & rotors.

+ the rotors are very easy to remove & replace. Yo ucan get new ones for 17 dollars VS like 70 each for the festivas (which need to be pressed out).

Drums are same story, they are same size as the escort/protege/mx3's so they are very easy to find parts & shoes for VS the festivas oddball, small stockers.

so once you do the swap, parts are easier to find & wheel choices are much more abundant.

[FB71]

and the only "stupid question" is the one not asked...

[B6T]

Aren't the Aspire lower control arms slightly longer then the Festiva arms?

[Slide427]

Aren't the Aspire lower control arms slightly longer then the Festiva arms?

If I remember they where about an inch longer and a bit beefier but on a festy they'll pull the joint of the axle apart and throw off camber from personnel experience.