The Festiva Advantage

[Advancedynamix]

^ in stock trim an 84 GTI is much more of a performance car, and I'm really glad you brought that up, as well as Brads comments on the CRX. The truth is that all the cars I mentioned have what it takes to make great track toys for relatively low budgets, but because people consider early GTIs and CRX HFs iconic and collectable they are also much more expensive in track worthy condition (I know someone just found an HF in some old ladies barn for 200 bucks, or a GTI in a storage unit for 100, but generally speaking.) The Festiva also has other benefits, when compared to these other hot hatches, one of the most important is chassis rigidity. The stock Festiva doesn't need sway bars, or strut braces. The Festiva is also much lighter than these cars behind the front axle, which makes a huge difference in how it performs when heavily modified. I've driven every configuration of MK1 or MK2 VW (I own an 81 Scirocco S) and several configurations of Civic/CRX on and off the race track and I can tell you first hand that none of them perform like a Festiva. This car isn't in a class with other FWD hatches, I'm competitive with 400+ HP sportscars with R compound tires and very experienced, sometimes professional drivers. The funny thing is that my Festiva isn't a race car, it's daily driven ( well it was until I broke it, lol) and I drive it across the country with the same alignment specs that I use on the race track. That's right, it's literally a drive it to the track, swap the wheels over, beat corvettes and Ferraris swap the wheels back and drive home ( sometimes with a blown miata engine in the back because the miata owners don't have space for their broken parts). This writeup isn't about what car is the lightest or comes with the best seats or wheels, it's about how this car is the best value in performance driving. To make a VW handle like this you would spend twice as much money, same goes for a CRX and you would lose a lot of the daily driveability. The Festiva has a better chassis design and layout than these cars. It shows in my lap times.

[bhazard]

Re: The Festiva Advantage

Good point

[fstamand]

Uhh really dude? Were not exactly talking stock for stock here...

Correct, but it was mentioned in his article hence why I pointed out the reasons I'd opt for a rabbit gti over a festiva.

[fstamand]

The stock Festiva doesn't need sway bars, or strut braces.

If you look closely on how the front suspension is designed on a Festiva, you'll find that the sway bar has a huge role to play in the handling.

[Prafeston]

To make a VW handle like this you would spend twice as much money, same goes for a CRX and you would lose a lot of the daily driveability.

On that note...I'm curious, if you don't mind telling us, how much you have invested into your Festiva. Bought price, upgraded items price. We can leave out tire cost and shop time...though I am curious how much time has been spent tweaking this beast!

[Advancedynamix]

If you look closely on how the front suspension is designed on a Festiva, you'll find that the sway bar has a huge role to play in the handling.

Lol, very true! And the rear trailing beam is nothing more than a big sway bar itself. I guess what I meant is that the Festiva doesn't need upgraded sway bars. In fact, I'm looking to remove the front bar and use trailing links (drag bars) like the Kia Rio uses. But, that's a subject for part 3 of my writeup. The CRX and MK1 vw seem to need sway bars in the rear to aid in turn in. The mk2 vw doesn't because it's beam is an active trailing beam much like the Festiva. A lot of people look at the simple Festiva trailing beam as inferior to more complex rear suspension systems. This is a misconception, because the trailing beam is the perfect solution to suspension on a light weight FWD car. It is independent, it incorporates anti sway in it's structure, it's natural arc is congruent with approaching bumps, it's durable due to it's simplicity, it's lightweight and as it flexes with side load it offers 3 wheel steering. That's right, your trailing beam was intended to flex under side load. This is a secret I learned a decade ago while racing MK2 VWs. They need flex, they need some body roll.

[bhazard]

Re: The Festiva Advantage

So the shell I bought last year has an aspire beam that is completely boxed in...welded up... what's it good for then?

[festyfreak39]

So the shell I bought last year has an aspire beam that is completely boxed in...welded up... what's it good for then?

seems a bit extreme,

Probably good for a boat anchor?

[Advancedynamix]

Just a side note, I have literally driven every suspension package imaginable on a mk1/mk2 VW, from Autotech, Nuespeed, Ground Control, ABD, tt, Shine, Bilstein, Koni, Sachs, Carrara, H&R, Moton, ABT, Raceland, Ohlins and JRZ. I've owned or installed them all. I've track tuned more VWs than I can remember and owned close to 50 cars myself. If you need advice about getting your MK1/2 to go faster I'll tell you a big secret. Sell it and get a Festiva. I love my dubs, but they are show cars now, I don't take them seriously after owning this Festiva, and all my VW friends who ride in this car know why. I hang out with guys who drive M5s, S4s, and 911s. They all respect the Festiva because none of them can keep up with it.

[Advancedynamix]

seems a bit extreme,

Probably good for a boat anchor?

+1
Boxing in an active beam is like filling your rear tires with cement.

[Advancedynamix]

Like Bustiva mentioned, the Festiva rotates easily with a bigger engine in the front, no need for more bar. He likes his loose, but is doing more autocross than road coarse. Tail happy at 120 is not much fun.

[bhearts]

how much money worth of parts do you have in this car?

[DON SVO]

how much money worth of parts do you have in this car?

Define money and define parts. There's a ton of trial and error to find a terrific setup, so the output of $$$ will differ wildly from actual investment.

Case in point: the baddest road car around, a Bugatti Veyron, COSTS Bugatti money every time they sell one. Why? They've invested more into R&D and toss away concept/design stuff than they will make back on a 1.6MM car.

The point is that asking him what his setup costs Average Joe is going to be a totally different animal than where his bank account stands Ask instead, "what would I pay to get to where your car is at?"

[WTFestiva]

I wanna bring this back cause i wanna hear parts 2 and 3, unless i missed them somewhere.

[greywolf200]

I wanna bring this back cause i wanna hear parts 2 and 3, unless i missed them somewhere.

X2, this is really great. I hope you have time to continue it. All of my experience has been modifying RWD and is worthless......:gritteeth: