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  • Small European Car

    One of the things about owning a Festiva in a college town is that you get an unusual amount of respect from the students because you're driving a "little European car." I believe that it's because so many of the students have been abroad, and have seen small hatches. It makes me wonder why more car companies don't see this as a possible scene and put the right cars out there. Let's see, we've got the Yaris, the 500, the 2/Rio/Fiesta, Mini, Aveo, Focus, Fit, CR-Z, Accent, Golf, ForTwo... So maybe 10 choices, and a very serious lack of European design. I think maybe the 500, Fiesta, Focus, Golf, Mini, and Fortwo are the only options. Very mainstream. This is for the North Americans: What ride would you want to see brought over, and why?
    In love with a MadScientist!:thumbright:
    There's a fine line between breathtaking ingenuity and "That's the stupidest thing I've ever seen!"


  • #2
    why couldnt we get the falcons... like 80s 90s and 2000s
    03 Chevy S-10 Extreme-4.3
    92 Ford Festiva GL-to be determined
    92 Buick Roadmaster Estate Wagon-5.7

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    • #3
      The U.S. needs to change some of the safety rules and allow truly small cars into the country without complete redesigns and adding 400 pounds of computerized automated platinum plated weight.

      The Tata Nano comes to mind, and I'm not saying it should be brought over without any changes at all, but clearly, with the economy the way it is, many folks will be closed out of a new car if the lowest price keeps going up. It was sometimes right around $9000 in the past few years, but I don't see any now for less than $10,500 before taxes, prep, etc. (Aveo in central OH).

      We need new cars for under $7000, preferably around $5000. With today's technology I don't why one couldn't be designed to sell for that low and still be superior in safety and fuel economy to Festivas and Aspires.

      People can buy those "slow electrics" for speeds under 35 mph in town. Most of those still cost around $10K and up. Then there is a huge performance gap between those and the cheapest ICE powered cheapies like the Rio, Aveo, etc.

      Relax the safety standards, use some newer technology for improved safety and mileage, and fill in the gap!! Start the curb weights at about 1900 pounds. No power steering needed. Simplicity rules. Possibly two passenger vehicles at the bottom.

      USE TECHNOLOGY TO CREATE SIMPLICITY, RELIABILITY AND LOW COST.

      However, I know the politicians won't go for it. Look at how the country is being run. Bigger, faster, safer, more expensive (not to mention pleasing the fatcat car companies) is their mantra.

      So that's why I drive a Festiva.

      Karl
      Last edited by Safety Guy; 08-02-2011, 01:19 PM.
      '93GL "Prettystiva" ticking B3 and 5 speed, backup DD; full swaps in spring!
      '91L "AquaMutt" my '91L; B6 swap/5 speed & Aspire brakes, DD/work car
      '92L "Twinstiva" 5sp, salvage titled, waiting for repairs...
      '93GL "Luxstiva," '94 B6 engine & ATX; needs overhauled
      '89L "Muttstiva," now a storage bin, future trailer project

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      • #4
        Yeah, I'm with Safety on it. Even when we get little cars, they cost as much and sometimes more than a "compact" car with more room and for whatever weird reason, about the same fuel economy.

        The 500 would have been nice. As would the Fiesta/2 etc, etc. Price kills them all as an option for me. My little sister just payed $10k for a used Yaris. A USED one. Well she didn't. The taxpayers did, but that's another "issue".

        Yeah, I'll second the Tata Nano notion. I'd have one.
        Any difference that makes no difference is no difference.

        Old Blue- New Tricks
        91 Festiva FSM PDF - Dropbox

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        • #5
          Little european car........eurotiva hahahahaha
          -Greg
          Euro-bprt...WORLDS FASTEST FESTIVA !!! 11.78@115.9
          BP, G trans, Megasquirt/ 550cc inj. t3/t3 (tbird) Garrett, REAR TURBO!!!! AND AC!!!!
          Redneck Engineer
          FOTY - '09
          5x Festiva Madness Attendee...FM 3,4,5,6,8
          http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpCZ7...9Pwqw-oe8s2OYQ
          http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vU_eX...9Pwqw-oe8s2OYQ

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          • #6
            Canada has always imported the A Class Benz. Not cheap - but a great small city car. In diesel!
            Correct in that anything over 10 - 12k won't do it in a big way.
            Last edited by seattlestiva; 08-02-2011, 05:37 PM.

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            • #7
              Ford Ka looked Festy-like in concept...saw a number of them in Panama. Anyone here drive one?
              1989 Red L- The Baron
              www.letstalkbeatles.com
              Link to Baron Pics:
              http://s478.photobucket.com/albums/r...nmervap/Baron/
              1990 White GL- Chuck (for now)

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              • #8
                I love small cars, but I also love unique cars. I hate seeing the same cars over and over. I like how I almost never see other festivas driving around, so that when you do it's more of a treat. Also I love how each festiva is so customizable. Every festiva is different!
                -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Nancy- 1.8L BP, aspire swap, g-trans
                The Adventures of Nancy! Build Thread
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                My Musica! Click me!

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                • #9
                  Drove a Ka all over France a few years ago. Looked fresh, even after probably 10 years in production. Opel (GM) makes some really cool little cars.
                  They imported a sleeper in the Saturn Astra.

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                  • #10
                    I had all but forgotten the Astra. I really liked it when I first saw it. Saturn getting the knife was one of the big automotive blunders of our day.
                    In love with a MadScientist!:thumbright:
                    There's a fine line between breathtaking ingenuity and "That's the stupidest thing I've ever seen!"

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Charlie1717 View Post
                      I love small cars, but I also love unique cars. I hate seeing the same cars over and over. I like how I almost never see other festivas driving around, so that when you do it's more of a treat. Also I love how each festiva is so customizable. Every festiva is different!
                      That's a big reason I love meets! Bring on FM5!
                      In love with a MadScientist!:thumbright:
                      There's a fine line between breathtaking ingenuity and "That's the stupidest thing I've ever seen!"

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                      • #12
                        I want one of these.

                        And what it could look like with some "imagination".
                        Any difference that makes no difference is no difference.

                        Old Blue- New Tricks
                        91 Festiva FSM PDF - Dropbox

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                        • #13
                          It looks a bit like a Toyota Sienna.

                          In love with a MadScientist!:thumbright:
                          There's a fine line between breathtaking ingenuity and "That's the stupidest thing I've ever seen!"

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                          • #14
                            It reminds me of Tuck and Roll from "A Bug's Life", uhh if they were cars.
                            Any difference that makes no difference is no difference.

                            Old Blue- New Tricks
                            91 Festiva FSM PDF - Dropbox

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              2012 Scion iQ, coming to America in Oct:
                              1.3 liter, 94 HP, 2100+ lbs, auto trans only, 37 MPG, $16K.

                              Average Festy:
                              1.3 liter, 63 HP, 1800+ lbs, 5-speed trans, 45 MPG, $1K.

                              Festy, properly equipped:
                              1.8 liter BP, 127 HP, 1800+ lbs, 5 speed, ~40 MPG, $2K.

                              + Aspire brake swap, rear seat trick, 195 HP turbo BP, can tow stuff. How could anyone not love these cars?!?!?
                              Last edited by TominMO; 08-03-2011, 09:22 PM.
                              90 Festy (Larry)--B6M (Matt D. modified B6 head), header, 5-speed, Capri XR2 front brakes, many other little mods
                              09 Kia Rondo--a Festy on steroids!

                              You can avoid reality, but you can't avoid the consequences of avoiding reality--Ayn Rand

                              Disaster preparedness

                              Tragedy and Hope.....Infowars.com.....The Drudge Report.....Founding Fathers.info

                              Think for yourself.....question all authority.....re-evaluate everything you think you know. Red-pill yourself!

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