Festiva vs Aspire

[rcottle]

Lots of good input - Appreciate it... Does anyone have any real life mpg numbers?

[TominMO]

Lots of good input - Appreciate it... Does anyone have any real life mpg numbers?

Try this thread: http://www.fordfestiva.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=24409

[eurotiva]

Lots of good input - Appreciate it... Does anyone have any real life mpg numbers?

You asked the right guy!!

[stevewl1164]

I rented an Aspire with automatic in 96 and it was surprisingly quiet and willing even with the automatic. Gas mileage was not too bad either.

[codex]

I weighed my Aspire at 2000 lbs exactly. Acceleration is about the same because of gearing and motor (head) differences. The Aspire is not a bad car, you get all those fancy swap items included at no extra cost! The Aspire has a tubular steel exhaust manifold, I would assume this is better than the cast Festiva manifold.

[GenevaDirt]

^^...thats what I have always heard....200lbs more.

[easywind]

As an owner of both cars a 88 Festiva and a 97 Aspire both with 5 speeds and air in both I can say the Festiva is slightly faster off the line and gets slightly better gas mileage. In the Aspires favor the car is a bit more refined, lots of sound deadening material. If I had to let one go the Aspire goes but it comes down to city parking for me, the Festiva is slightly smaller and therefore easier for me to park but if parking were no problem I would still go with the Festiva as the car has more soul.

[mechanicaldj]

please check this Aspire site out:

http://fordaspire.5.forumer.com/

[stevewl1164]

Festiva vs Aspire in parking....both are easy! Aspire has a bigger trunk than the Festiva with the seat up for passengers. The door panels seem to intrude more on the Aspire so it feels less roomy up front to me...that and the lower and smaller windshield.

As an owner of both cars a 88 Festiva and a 97 Aspire both with 5 speeds and air in both I can say the Festiva is slightly faster off the line and gets slightly better gas mileage. In the Aspires favor the car is a bit more refined, lots of sound deadening material. If I had to let one go the Aspire goes but it comes down to city parking for me, the Festiva is slightly smaller and therefore easier for me to park but if parking were no problem I would still go with the Festiva as the car has more soul.

[easywind]

Why do I feel parking in greenwich village is somewhat slightly different than parking in clayton, nc? Also the trunk in the aspire is not there and with the festiva there is a trunk cover, at least in the 88lx

[TominMO]

As an owner of both cars a 88 Festiva and a 97 Aspire both with 5 speeds and air in both I can say the Festiva is slightly faster off the line and gets slightly better gas mileage. In the Aspires favor the car is a bit more refined, lots of sound deadening material. If I had to let one go the Aspire goes but it comes down to city parking for me, the Festiva is slightly smaller and therefore easier for me to park but if parking were no problem I would still go with the Festiva as the car has more soul.

My Festys are my fun toys, they're kinda tinny, and to me are one step removed from being a motorcycle (of which I've had over two dozen (so far)); the Aspire is the "refined, practical car" that I would actually pick up my mother in. (I'm not going to subject an 89-year-old woman to Casper, for example.)

Tangent: Today on the drive home from FM3, I saw two people who were traveling on a big touring bike, towing a very small trailer. I was thinking that a Festy with the windows down gives a similar experience, but you can sit side by side, talk without headphones or shouting, and carry more stuff and/or more people. And sleep in it at rest stops. Radio, heater, don't need weather proof clothing or a helmet, similar gas mileage. Granted it's not exactly the same experience, but you can look at a bare-bones Festy as a super-convenient motorcycle.