Right the girlfriend has asked me to get your opinions even after i showed her the last thread lol

this is the car....

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...e/radius/10/postcode/me173ry/page/1?logcode=p

Unfortunatly i cant be there to help her look but im trying to give her a list of things to look for soo if you guys could give some extra points it would be great

She has a budget of around 800 but can only really stay local to Maidstone suggestions of other cars are welcome lol

Thanks Andrew

Its alright as a little run around but just to let you know, the interior is HORRIBLE when you actually get in them imo lol

I know iv tried to talk her out of it lol

Atleast its not quick lol

soo whats the usual faults with ka's

Not too sure tbh, the only problem with my aunties is that my uncle used to nudge it along with his nissan 4x4 haha dont think he liked it that much either...

Haha i wanted her to get something fiat but she refusing

rust is ment to be bad on the ka

lol buy my punto sporting..only a few problems with it..
Or just get her a sei and charge her when you buy it haha

Its only as bad as any other marque r.e. rust

Can be an issue on the bootlid though

Ok as a runaround, interior is basic, in fact its a basic car so not much can go wrong

Find out if its a zetec engine though, if its an endura engine it will be poor mpg and poor perfromance etc

Pretty sure its going to be an endura

AppleSei said:

Its only as bad as any other marque r.e. rust

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not true others are galvanised

did you read the thread where i ask for info on these?

Yhep i was asking specific to this car lol and i showed her that thread

Fiatseicento2002 said:

Pretty sure its going to be an endura

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it will be at that age.. some of the later Ka's used an updated version called the Rocam engine. e.g sportka and streeka. there was no zetec option on the KA.. biggest problem with the Ka was rust around the filler cap. actuallty rust everywhere lol. ford learnt a big lesson with the KA and fiesta with rust.. if she really must buy a KA i would try for one with colour coded bumpers and as much kit as possible.

on the upside i think they use a chain instead of a cam belt

my mother had to buy a car for the first time in many years after my dad died & the motobility car had to go. she had a limited budget, i looked around with her & 2 years ago to the month we bought a ford KA. its been brilliant, never let her down once & just sailed through its mot with no faults at all. road tax is cheep also!. her 1.3 is very nippy & good mpg. i do all her servicing (doing one this weeked for her), its a brill car, yes little rust around boot lock, but thats all. i would reccomend to anyone & think they are a joy to drive

Avoid at all costs.

The spark plugs often seize on the Ka and sometimes the head needs to come off to get them out.

Try and get one that's been maintained as well the valve clearences tend to go after a while giving it the traditional takka takka noise. Five min job to do though. It's a pretty indistructable engine the endura. 30 year old design ftw

Springs - I've heard of people saying there blighters for snapping springs!

Its a common fault with them something with the springs snapping - as for the main details why i cant tell you - its only by ear what i've heard

Ziggy

due to the number of fatal rta's on grampian roads involving ka's get somthing else dude ie bloke at work got hit by one but he was in a 26t lorry i dont know if the impact killed her or the fire after, cant do a link but evening express 24/09/ 2010 woman killed in fireball crash theres a short vid

AppleSei said:

Its only as bad as any other marque r.e. rust

Click to expand...

That is so not true, youngest's GF has a 3 y/o KA and it has loads of rust spots on o/s and n/s doors.
Local ford stealer reckoned it was stonechips - I had to explain (in a loud Yorkshire accent, in a very busy stealership) how stonechips are external whereas these rust spots are coming from underneath the paint - ie, the paint is still there and bubbling up whereas stonechips tend to remove paint.
Youngest was changing a rear bulb the other day & discovered her boot has the makings of a fishpond - the carpet is absolutely sodden & everything stinks.
According to the stealers, that's all down to something being spilled - they really do try to take the **** out of young drivers don't they?

BTW, isn't the KA just a panda with a dodgy bodyshell?