P Reg '97 Ka, 79000 miles.
I've posted about my Ka before re: it uses a lot of oil. This has progressed from a mildly concerning but reasonably manageable 800 miles to the litre to a worrying 250-300 (at last measure, 150 miles ago) to the litre. During this deterioration I have done 6,000 miles in 3 1/2 months so at this rate I don't think it's going to hold out much longer...
I've been advised it could 'just' be the valve stem seals, which I guess I could deal with, or it could be more terminal i.e. piston rings. I know these engines don't last forever so I'm not sure whether to take the gamble with the former or not!
So I have a few options really...
Bearing in mind I am coming up to the end of my trial in my new job and the car is due it's MOT very soon after:
-Fix the valve stem seals, keep it a bit longer, hope that it doesn't cost much to get through the MOT in July and then run it to the ground
-Ignore it, stop driving from Mid Wales to North West England every other week for the time being, keep putting oil in (I only do 100 a week locally, its the longer journeys that rack the mileage up) and flog it at a car supermarket when my trial is up in June, using it as a deposit against a newish car, probably a base 207 at a push, but I'd be happy with a nearly new Ka with the better 70bhp engine (guessing these don't have the problems of the old one?)
-Do the above but without taking on the burden of a new car, instead going for a used but slightly healthier car. Perhaps budgeting say a grand for the switchover to something a little newer.
If I choose the third option, there's a fairly good chance I'll get a friend's Seat Ibiza GTi Cupra Sport 2.0 8v. Quite a jump in performance and as a result the insurance is silly money, but i imagine it would go down in due course? The car is mechanically sound, she uses it daily and is pretty gentle with it, and it would come with 12 months MOT. It's a '99 T with 70-odd thousand and she only wants £1300 for it. Is this a daft idea or is it feasible given I do a reasonable amount of mileage and would benefit from a bit more 'go' anyway?
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So I have a few options really... Bearing in mind I am coming up to the end of my trial in my new job and the car is due it's MOT very soon after: -Fix the valve stem seals keep it a bit longer hope that it doesn't cost much to get through the MOT in July and then run it to the ground
Reasonable option. Try and put 300 pound aside for seals and other bits? My guess is that you will end up getting rid of the car anyway as it is already run in to the ground. It depends how long you keep it.
-Ignore it stop driving from Mid Wales to North West England every other week for the time being keep putting oil in (I only do 100 a week locally its the longer journeys that rack the mileage up) and flog it at a car supermarket when my trial is up in June using it as a deposit against a newish car probably a base 207 at a push but I'd be happy with a nearly new Ka with the better 70bhp engine (guessing these don't have the problems of the old one?)
Wait until your trial is up and dont commit to finance until YOU GET that job. Cant pay the bills with no income. I imagine a 207 iis better than a Ka. Thats your choice but would have low monthly payments.
-Do the above but without taking on the burden of a new car instead going for a used but slightly healthier car. Perhaps budgeting say a grand for the switchover to something a little newer. If I choose the third option there's a fairly good chance I'll get a friend's Seat Ibiza GTi Cupra Sport 2.0 8v. Quite a jump in performance and as a result the insurance is silly money but i imagine it would go down in due course? The car is mechanically sound she uses it daily and is pretty gentle with it and it would come with 12 months MOT. It's a '99 T with 70-odd thousand and she only wants £1300 for it. Is this a daft idea or is it feasible given I do a reasonable amount of mileage and would benefit from a bit more 'go' anyway?
This sounds OK, but make sure you get it checked over first. Dont believe all the hype about its a minter until you have seen proof.
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P Reg '97 Ka 79000 miles.
... worrying 250-300 (at last measure 150 miles ago) to the litre.
Well. Are you sure it's going out of the exhaust pipe, and not somewhere else? You should, at that figure, be able to see quite a lot of smoke from time to time.
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