thinking of buying a Ka

[rapidyellow]

I am wanting rid of my ZR soon and want something more basic so a Ford Ka is spot on for the job.

We had one years ago when they came out, on finance, but I lost my job so instead of carrying on with struggling to pay for it, we just sent it back, but I remember it was a hoot to drive, and was ok on the motorway too, didnt get into tinkering with it as it was so new "and not ours until paid for"


Anyway, I know the early ones can rot like theres no tomorrow, but I think I will be wanting the last of the year - 2008, with colour coded bumpers

what do i need to look out for other than rot [where do they rot?]

I just want it on XR2 Pepperpots, and thats it. I cant find any pics of those wheels on a Ka, but in my head they will be perfect.


many thanks for any info givage

[rattlecan]

My kids both had one as their first cars (& still have them tucked in the back of my garage) You mention rot, oh yes & particularly all around the fuel filler, but generally everywhere.

[Rich]

Mar 25, 2019 20:46:34 GMT rapidyellow said:

what do i need to look out for other than rot [where do they rot?]

Lower arms wear the bushes, top mounts wear out, rear springs snap, all leading to a very tired feeling car. Fuel tanks are IIRC metal on all models so watch out for that. Rot, well, sills- inner and outer, under the rear arch mouldings, the bottom of the front wings, the A pillars, the bootlid around the wiper, the fuel filler panel, the subframe mounting extensions, under and adjacent to the rear beam mounting points, the boot floor, the seatbelt mounting point for the front belts, and the inner wings and subframe mounts behind the strut.
Not trying to sound the harbinger of doom, a good condition one lowered on wide alloys is great. I'll vouch for that for sure, albeit it was the wifes car. Panther Black metallic. It had the lexus lights on when she bought it. So we fly-eyed EVERYTHING, lowered it, Pepper pots (good choice!) and threw the Japcan on because it was just a silly car. But it was great to hoon about in. Having a huge subwoofer in it helped really re-kindle being 18 all over again.

[astranaut]

I've had 2 separate girlfriends with 2 different Ka's, both drove any other car like they were driving the queen, both in a Ka drove them flat out, I used to love borrowing them (read stealing them as they had fuel in and leaving them .one meant I got free petrol) even though they were wheezy 1.3's, they just felt like a go kart and you were doing a million doing 27. Both had succumbed to fuel filler rot, but one had a full length webasto roof which was brilliant in the summer. I'd quite happily have one as a daily, ideally a blue SportKa.

[Dez]

Do not underestimate their ability to rot, especially in hidden places. Often by the time it shows in the surface they’re too far gone for most people to stomach (or finance) welding up. A mates Mrs had a mint one, super low miles, always garaged, has been her grans from new. Looked immaculate til it started to bubble a bit on one rear arch. Ended up replacing most of that rear corner, by the times the plastics and underseal was off it was holes everywhere.

The other perculiar fault they have which can be a total pain in the posterior to sort is the bolt for the rear void bush on the front wishbone. It goes up from underneath, through the subframe, then the nut on top sits in a recess that fills with water/mud and they rust solid. Access is super tight, just enough to get a spanner in, and cos they’re in a recess you can’t get to them to cut the head off. I’ve been brought a couple to sort out when other people have either given up trying to get them undone or totally f-ked them up doing so.

[MkX]

I imagine a StreetKa would be fun in the sun;

[kevins]

Bought a street ka for my daughter a year ago (identical to the one in the pic above) , 80,000 miles service history and cost £900, no signs of any rust but did need a couple of tyres.

Issues
ì
A/C didn't work but a £30 recharge seems to have fixed it.
It developed a missfire after she drove though flood water but a new coil plugs and leads came in at only £80
Control arm bushes were past their best so I changed the arms at around £60 the pair.
I managed to break the washer bottle cleaning leaves out of the scuttle £40 for a new one.
It also has knocks from the rear axle bushes a new pair cost £30 but I have yet to fit them

So all in not too bad and now I have done all the usual KA issues I expect a year or 2 with nothing much more than servicing.

[mr2fc]

Sportka with a zetec or FRST transplant, pretty please? On Escos alloys and coilovers...

[ChasR]

Mar 25, 2019 22:49:54 GMT mr2fc said:

Sportka with a zetec or FRST transplant, pretty please? On Escos alloys and coilovers...

Zetec? Yes. I wonder why Ford never bothered. The SportKa would have been great with a 1.6 or 1.7 engine. Instead, it got a wheezy Brazillian POS engine that wasn't quick, drank more than Paul Gascoigne given its engine size (30MPG on a run? Thank you, but no thank you....), and it was based on reliable, but by then very outdated technology, given what the competition were using.

CVH Turbo? Not many have been done that well. The issue is the turbo. Go with a big dick length Garret T3 and it compromises your rad space. I've seen people fit EWPs, second rads, had others tell them of the problems they'll face and oddly enough the same cars seem to go through to sale quite alot.

The key with a CVH Turbo is subtlety. A nice T2 will do the trick along with a large custom radiator. They are the only ones I've seen work. But when the 1.7 Zetec engine works so well, it doesn't seem worth the effort anymore, espeically when most CVH Turbos now crack blocks due to being heat cycled alot, meaning crack free blocks now command a premium.

As above they are a great laugh, but man they love to rot! Making of an RR ride? I'd say they're closer than we think. They were a very clever design back then, and done on a shoestring. It's a shame the rust prevention wasn't quite as good.

Both of the Kas I had are now dead. They were both the following:

-a 1998 Ka1 with an MS Design Bodykit, 14" TSWs, and a Sportex Backbox. I bought that as cheap transport for a while
-a 2003 Ka Sun Collection I owned from new. It had Ford Racing 7Jx15" wheels on it, Ford Racing suspension, and being a Sun Collection, it had a Webasto roof and AC. It was one of the last Kas to come off the line with the Endura engine.

[MkX]

Mar 25, 2019 22:22:51 GMT kevins said:

Bought a street ka for my daughter a year ago . . .

I think therein lies the image issue, 85% of Ka's are driven by girls, 10% by (skint) gay guys and the remaining 5% by blokes who don't give a fcuk.  They're Fords so the engineering and build quality isn't going to be up there with J & German but neither is the price. The one thing I've always heard about them is that they handle like go-karts.

[MkX]

Mar 26, 2019 0:06:32 GMT ChasR said:

Mar 25, 2019 22:49:54 GMT mr2fc said:

Zetec? Yes. I wonder why Ford never bothered. The SportKa would have been great with a 1.6 or 1.7 engine. Instead, it got a wheezy Brazillian POS engine that wasn't quick, drank more than Paul Gascoigne given its engine size (30MPG on a run? Thank you, but no thank you....), and it was based on reliable, but by then very outdated technology, given what the competition were using.

Considering the engine had it's genesis in this ↓ in 1959 I think Ford got their development costs back, and then some, by spinning it out into the early 2000's.

[joem83]

Mar 25, 2019 22:22:51 GMT kevins said:

The one thing I've always heard about them is that they handle like go-karts.

They really do, had 4 as courtesy cars when my 205 was in for repair. Really good fun, and I really did test them out (1200 miles in 10 days with 1 of them and I didn't go far lol)

[southside]

Just to add the the rot issues check for head gasket problems on the later engines, wouldn’t say it was common but it isn’t unheard of.

I seam to recall being told the StreetKa don’t suffer with rust as bad as the standard KA due to a different body/chassis design?

[kevins]

Front of the street ka is common with the regular ka , back end completely different they were made and painted by pinninfarina, the paint process seems a bit better and the rot levels seem to be more in line with other cars of a similar age.

Yes it does handle like a go kart, fuel consumption sees to be mid 30's, the very short gearing can't help with this but does make it fun to drive as does the short throw Puma based gear linkage, There is a bit of scuttle shake but no worse than a golf  convertible or similar.

[skinnylew]

Wifes Sport KA. Absolute riot to drive, accelerates well, surprises nearly everything that tries to take it on, addictive amounts of grip and fun (currently on 15" cross spoke wheels and looking good for it ), gearing is short and fun
Cost £400 on eBay 7 years ago with a blown head gasket. £1000 later (weird spec early engine parts had to come from Germany!!) and it's been faultless mostly.

Heater valve pack breaks at some point, they all go brittle and snap

Wishbones are a serviceable item - I spend £50 on a complete pair and the garage charge about £100 to fit them - every 3 years - you'll know they're worn as tracking goes and handling is poop and tyres last a month lol

Seats aren't exactly comfy, aircon/blower is rubbish, boot is tiny but surprisingly handy with the seats down.

Quite thrashy and noisy at motorway speeds, ratios are too short to make for a good motorway car, nearly 2750/3000 revs at 70mph ish

That's it, nothing else to consider.........




oh Rust can be an issue but it's limited to just the sills........and the floorpans......and the fuel filler cap........and the boot lock area..........and everywhere else.
If you want a laugh type the reg of my one into an mot checker and see just how many advisories it has had over the years on rust. Except last years weirdly, i did a large sill patch and some pin hole filling and undersealed it............but anyway.......rust.

[pow]

I want one badly, with a Puma engine done properly in it as I've never seen one completed properly. I have a Puma 1.7 track car and it's amazing to drive. My sister had a Ka (R reg one) back in the day when we all lived with our parents and I used to love hooning about in that as well, so much better than my Corsa B.

[mondeogrd]

Hired one not long after they came out when my Escort at the time ate its gearbox. Absolutely loved it on my back roads trip to work and was very reluctant to hand it back at the end of the week!

Only thing that stops me buying one now is the rot issues, but there is a yellow collection sitting on my street that tempts me to just scratch that itch.

There are repaired and cosseted Kas out there, so if you can find one, just do it.

[rattlecan]

As mentioned earlier both my kids had brand new ones as first cars, my missus had one & then a brand new street ka. My Mum has had I think 6 on the bounce. Great little cars

[duggers]

KA-rikey where did all that rot come from.....
Great cars , easy to work on but did anyone mention they rot?

[steptoeshaw]

We have a 2007 yellow ka as a courtesy car (had 16k on the clock now 20k). My mother drove the car and loved it so much she asked me to find one for her as a second car(she drives a newish merc so i was very surprised about the request from her) I managed to get her a 2007 14k mile full service history one owner from new ka for £1100. It drives like new, and looks like new bar the rust starting around the fuel flap. Other than that its mint. First thing i did was underseal the car as its like new underneath and wanted to protect it. Cracking car and very underestimated but rust is the biggest killer of these cars. She wants the rust around the fuel cap cutting out to make it 100% perfect so if there is a bodyshop in the york area that would be interested in carrying out the work at a reasonable cost she would be interested.