(another) expensive week in Ford Ka ownership

[White Lightning]

Well, I have not been on here much recently ... mainly because we are really busy at work at the moment and it is very stressful. But another (smaller) reason is that I have been busy fiddling with the Ka again.

Started it up on Thursday morning last week and noticed that the exhaust was blowing slightly from just behind the flexi section. That went from a slight blow to the exhaust breaking in half behind the flexi on Saturday morning and a new exhaust was needed.

Went for a pucker exhaust system from local Ford dealer, was £124 with a small discount. Still cheaper that the cost of a cheapo system fitted by Humphries or Kwik Fit*.

* - well, until I had to pay them £30 to undo the two rusted nuts where the exhaust joins the downpipe as I didn't want to risk breaking the studs and I have not got a heatgun! Grr

Anyway, got the new exhaust fitted on Monday (took the day off work) but noticed whilst the exhaust was off just how bad the corrosion was underneath now. I knew it was not great as there were two advisories on the MOT last year for corrosion underneath but I had not got around to do anything about it yet.

So, rang a local mobile welding blokey and he is coming out on Saturday morning to weld it up. He's had a look already and to sort the two bits out is going to be around £140-£150.

So, that's £300 the poxy thing is going to cost us this week ... add that to the £500 odd we have already spent on it this year for the suspension bits and the £300 we spent last year getting the sills done and it's starting to become a little money pit

[HJM]

In hind sight would have been cheaper to chop it in for a nice little jap run around ?

Still if you've got a Fix Or Rust Daily what can you expect ???

I could understand if they drove well but I would say not.

I suppose the deed is done now - keep fingers crossed you have cheap motoring out of it for a while longer.

H

[White Lightning]

In hind sight would have been cheaper to chop it in for a nice little jap run around ?

Indeed ... we could have had a mint little 1.0 litre Micra that my best man was selling last year but Kate didn't like it as it was gutless and handled like a small boat.

Still if you've got a Fix Or Rust Daily what can you expect ???

I think you can apply that logic to the Ka or the (older) Fiesta. But, I think the Focus is a much better car as they have the galvanised body and came with a 12 year anti corrosion warranty (versus 6 year on the Ka/Fiesta). We are certainly thinking about getting one of those next ...

I suppose the deed is done now - keep fingers crossed you have cheap motoring out of it for a while longer.

H

Hopefully ...

[White Lightning]

I could understand if they drove well but I would say not.

Oh, I would actually disagree with this though ... I think the Ka handling is great for a little car, you want to take a ride with Kate around the Bracknell roundabouts sometime and you will see what I mean

[Turbo_Steve]

Now you've fixed it, get it another MOT and flog it!!!!!

[White Lightning]

Now you've fixed it, get it another MOT and flog it!!!!!

That was my plan Steve

The MOT is due in September and we will have had it 3 years at that point so Kate already fancies something else. So, the plan (if finances allow at the time) is to sell it on at that point with a 12 month ticket.

Focus 1.6 Zetec looks to be top of the list for the replacement at the moment ... 2k-2.5k gets you a reasonable low mileage (sub 70k) model with air conditioning these days ... we were going down the Civic route but we think they look a bit dated these days tbh.

[MPBVr4]

Focus 1.6 Zetec looks to be top of the list for the replacement at the moment ... 2k-2.5k gets you a reasonable low mileage (sub 70k) model with air conditioning these days ... we were going down the Civic route but we think they look a bit dated these days tbh.

The Phase 1 Focus was great little car, we've had two 1 petrol & 1 diesel. Preferred them to the Phase 2 we had afterwards.

[White Lightning]

The Phase 1 Focus was great little car, we've had two 1 petrol & 1 diesel. Preferred them to the Phase 2 we had afterwards.

Thanks Malc ... that's good to know.

It would be a phase 1 I think as I have not seen any phase 2 Zetec models with air conditioning (which was optional on the Zetec model) and the required mileage for less than 2.5k.

[Spirit]

Glad to hear you got it sorted out mate, but £300........ouch !

[The Vee]

Does seem a shame with some of these little Fords. Not including mods etc, I've probably spent more on maintainance and repairs in two years on our Fiesta than I have all told on the Galant

[Nick Mann]

Bummer. I guess it's that time to make a decision about moving on....

Incidentally, when getting baby seats for our cars a couple of weekends ago, we were told that the best car for a babay seat is a Ford Focus. Not really being a fan of Ford, I instantly started considering the Mazda 3. Fundamentally the same car, with a Japanese twist? Just some food for thought....

[White Lightning]

Not really being a fan of Ford, I instantly started considering the Mazda 3. Fundamentally the same car, with a Japanese twist? Just some food for thought....

Really ... I didn't know that

[I-S]

A couple of weeks ago my accord was in a bodyshop having the corrosion problem with the door fixed up. During that week I had a hire car and various lifts, giving me experience of three cars all in the same class:

58 Vauxhall Astra 1.6 (hire car, drove it to/from huntingdon)
58 Seat Leon 1.8 (lift)
07 Mazda 3 2.0 Sport (lift)

Astra was a 3 door and a pile of crap. Noisy as hell, bad rear visibility, poor fuel consumption (34mpg average?! My accord does 33!), etc.

Leon again noisy, not very refined and the interior was just awful - full of nasty, hard plastics and very spartan.

Mazda 3 - Is this car REALLY in the same class as the two above? If anyone was given a choice of these three and didn't take the mazda.... well, they deserve to drive one of the above! The mazda was refined, quiet, smooth riding, far more spacious and a much better interior.

Get one.

The platform is the Ford C1, jointly designed by volvo, ford and Mazda.

However, you won't find a 3 for £2.5k.

[White Lightning]

Ah, just realised Nick said a Mazda 3 ... I was thinking 323

[Subaru ETA]

the Ka was actually designed as a throw away - not really designed to last that long...

the 1.6 focus is VERY hard on front brakes. i have replaced them at 17000km. thats before its first service!! they are also known for water leaks into the cabin via the poorly sealed cowel panel and for coils packing up. they also MUST be run on the highest octane you can get to make them run correctly.

if you have the coin i would be going for the mazda 3