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I have a friend who is selling his mums car because she is unable to use anymore and i think i have found a jem. Ford Ka S plate and low mileage £1000. I think it sounds brill but trying to find out what kind of car the Ka is.
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Take a look at this:
www.honestjohn.co.uk/index.php?url=/carbycar/index...m
and see what you think. If you're tall, I'd say no but for a grand - (depending what you call low mileage), sounds like a good buy.
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Adam
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im 6ft. it has been used from new to go to church and supermarket
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A Ford Ka is not as much of a problem for tall drivers as a lot of of other much bigger cars. There is a fair bit of headroom and the seat goes a good way back. I am 6' and I do use a Ka for a 70 mile cross country commute most days, without any discomfort.
My only concern would be the use the car had previously. Lots of short journeys do a a great deal more harm than long journeys where the car has had time to warm up.
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Check the spark plugs will come out before you buy.
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i found the ford ka head room to be superior to many others (im 6foot5) - worst is the clio - terrible.
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if u dont buy it - i would be interested (provinding its the ka²)
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Buy it, it's a bargain, assuming it's in good condition.
I just brought an S reg Ka2 in as part exchange, we valued the car at £1700, so if you can buy an S reg Ka for £1000 then go for it, bearing in mind that the Ka that I brought in will end up on a forecourt for a lot more than £1700 ;-)
Blue
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What Blue said. The car's half price, essentially, so unless there are major issues (particularly the plugs mentioned above - although even then it could be worth it, depending on repair quotes) then bite their hand off.
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Driven a few, great handling the 1.3 engine is not that powerfull though is gutsy at low revs making it fun to drive, particulary wind country lanes. Watch for rust, I don't think Ka's are galvanised as are most contemporary Fords.
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I'm 6'3" and I had no problem driving one. I'm not sure I would describe it as having good handling exactly, but for a grand for an S plater you really can't go too far wrong...as others have said, bite their hand off!
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I've driven 3 different Ka courtesy cars, and I found the driver's seat to be excrutiatingly uncomfortable ~ in fact the most uncomfortable car seat I have ever sat on. Fortunately no single journey was greater than 25 miles, because that was about all I could stand in a Ka. And before you ask, I'm not unusually short or tall, and I'm not physically mis-shapen!
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L\'escargot by name, but not by nature.
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I did a 280 mile round trip in a Ka courtesy car, comfort no problem, as I said before great fun on the back roads.
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Asthetically, I think the Ka is very challenged (especially the hideous rear), but two of my friends have owned them, and think they're great.
One friend is now on her third, buying new and running for three years each time. She is a self employed hairdresser, and finds the Ka perfect for the job round town and out in to the Sticks.
The other friends recently sold their early first generation Ka, purchased second hand, after four years of trouble free ownership where the Ka was the sole car in the household. He is 6'3" and she ate all the pies, and neither had any comfort issues. Their Ka was used for everything from shopping trips to holidays in Scotland (they live in the South of England).
Previous poster's comments about checking that the spark plugs can be removed before you part with the dosh are very valid. Really check, as they can corrode in situ.
Other than that, for a grand, and knowing the history, you are unlikely to go far wrong.
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An S reg Ka for 1k, you can`t go far wrong. I liked the interior design and the drive for this class of car. I recently sold my sister`s 30 thousand on the clock, 99/t collection model. Car driven in the North East and the corrosion on the floor pan and round the sill area was terrible. The mechanic that does work for me said its the worst car (for its age) he`d seen in many years for corrosion, and would have needed welding for next Mot. Car looked pristine until looking below the surface, so just have a look for corrossion.
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forgot to mention - my only dislike is the interior.
one one hand it is viewed as stable and funky - on the other (my hand) i consider it to be ugly and not practical.
i heard its getting a new interior next year?
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My wife bought one of these about 3 years ago. Against my advice it has to be said, my recommendation was a Polo, but she likes the Ka styling so went for it, and she still absolutely loves it. Contrary to my expectations, nothing has fallen off it, it's been absolutely reliable even after standing outside in the depths of several bavarian winters (-20C) and has always started first time except for one occasion when she left the interior light switched on and flattened the battery. Not only that, it's also good to drive. The power steering is very direct, turn-in is good and the 1,3 has more torque than I expected, assuming the air con is switched off. Only thing I would say is that the dealer found some rust on the floor pan at the last service which was immediately treated, but I'd forgotten that cars rust these days, especially after only three years.
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I had a Ka2 for 4 years. I'm 6'3" and it wasn't a problem. However I wouldn't try getting someone in the back seat behind me...
Check the plugs come out, they often seize. It cost me 250 quid-ish to have them drilled out at a back-street garage.
mike
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I had a Ka for 3 years and loved it. For the price, insurance costs and petrol costs, i don't think i could have asked for a better car. It was fantastic fun to drive especially on the twisty stuff, and cruised happily at 70mph.
People often complain about the fact that the seats are extremely uncomfortable and cause back ache. I would agree in that these seats are not forgiving if even slightly badly adjusted; after about 20 mins you end up with a cracking pain in the small of the back. Adjust them properly (imo slightly more verticle than you think you will need with other cars) and they are fine (did 600 miles a day in it several times and no pain, well not in back anyway ;) ).
Rustwise, there are stories about how badly they rust, and on brief glance they do not appear to be undersealed to the standard that Fords like the Mondeo and focus ar. In the 3 years i had mine, not a point of rust either on top or bottom. If you are concerned it may just be worth getting it up on a ramp and checked, and then if you have the cash to spare and want to keep the car for a long period of time get it Waxoiled.
The car as a whole is fairly basic, but look at service history, and bills, the spark plugs are changed at 3 year intervals, but due to aformentioned problems of them corroding and sealing into the head it is important to see if copper grease has been smeared onto the threads. If the car has been used for short journeys make sure that the oil has been changed at regular intervals. Also if the Ka has ABS check that the fluid has been changed regulary (every 2 years) and that the system is working perfectly.
Check for accident damage, the bumpers may look perfect but may be covering up some accident damage (the front bumper on the sides is hollow, and thus any impact is transfered straight to the metalwork behind, often leaving the bumper looking fine afterwards.
The last gripe a lot of owners have with the Ka is that it always crunches into reverse. There is usually a simple cure for this, and that is to make sure that the car is at a complete standstill when engaging reverse, and not rolling forward (as is explained in the manual ;-) )
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Iv owned my ford ka (60bhp) for over a year now. I brought it from a franchised dearler in Aylesbury. It is the 'collection model' with electric windows, power steering, colour coded trim. Its on a y-plate 01 wiv 24575 miles on clock wen purchased, its now got 32500 on the clock.
Iv done quite a few long journeys in it, twice ive done 1k in a week, despite its noisy aceleration its quite peaceful & relaxin whilst cruising on the motorway, it has plenty ov torque whilst going up steep slopes on a motorway, especialy wen u r overtaking slow lorries!
Iv been running mine on shell optimax 4 a few months now and i can honestly tell u it drives more smoothly then ever and also returns an average of 50+mpg!
The only real complaint is the trim quality, on my rear bumpers ive noticed the paint finsh peelin off round the edges. I think the ka must of been in a collision before i owned it and the paint shop didnt do very good job whilst respraying. The finish is also prone to scratches from the car wash but then i think this is the same with all motors anyway!!
Apart from all this Im very happy with it id have another 1 next time!!! Happy motoring :-)
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We've had three brand new ones in our home;
first new KA in 2000, then 2001 and 2002 and son has moved up to a Fiesta Flame. Bought the Ka's for free insurance and same applies to the fieast.
although we only had the cars for a year and one had 1800 on the clock when we sold and the last one had 6500 on the clock - the car with it's pas drove like a big car and felt big, possible becuase of the two big doors.
the ride was good and sofet, you sit higher than most other cars, good on petrol and now even better with the new enginge.
for 1k - go for it - a lot of car for the money.
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