Ford Ka - MOT advisories at 9 years - tyro

My Ford Ka is just coming up to its 9th birthday, and has just got through the MOT (with a couple of hundred pounds of work - see 008 and 009 below). What do people make of these advisory items? Which ones should I be concerned about - and how concerned should I be?

"001 Nearside front lower Suspension arm has slight play in a pin/bush [2.4.G.2]

002 Offside front lower Suspension arm has slight play in a pin/bush [2.4.G.2]

003 Nearside front Subframe mounting prescribed area is corroeded but not considered excessive [2.4.A.3]

004 Offside front Subframe mounting prescribed area is corroeded but not considered excessive [2.4.A.3]

005 Nearside front lower Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) slightly corroded [2.3.2]

006 Nearside Macpherson strut has slight movement at the upper attachment [2.5.A.1c]

007 Offside Macpherson strut has slight movement at the upper attachment [2.5.A.1c]

008 Offside rear (sill) Suspension component mounting prescribed area repaired, but not inappropriately [2.4.A.3]

009 Nearside rear (sill) Suspension component mounting prescribed area repaired, but not inappropriately [2.4.A.3]

010 Fuel tank corroded"


Incidentally, the original fail notice included the following (which was put right so that the car got through the retest)

"Front brakes imbalanced [3.7.A.2d] **DANGEROUS**" with the note: "Brake Failures: RBT Front Brake Imbalance: 46%"

Ford Ka - MOT advisories at 9 years - sandy56
about normal for a 9 year old Ford Ka.
Ford Ka - MOT advisories at 9 years - madf

It depends on how long you kep the car:

Which ones should I be concerned about - and how concerned should I be?

"001 Nearside front lower Suspension arm has slight play in a pin/bush [2.4.G.2]

Just leave it : normal wear.

002 Offside front lower Suspension arm has slight play in a pin/bush [2.4.G.2]

Just leave it : normal wear.

003 Nearside front Subframe mounting prescribed area is corroeded but not considered excessive [2.4.A.3]

Slap on some grease/oil/waxoil/other preservative after a quick wire brush. Or do nothing if you plan to seel soon.


004 Offside front Subframe mounting prescribed area is corroeded but not considered excessive [2.4.A.3]

Slap on some grease/oil/waxoil/other preservative after a quick wire brush. Or do nothing if you plan to seel soon.

005 Nearside front lower Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) slightly corroded [2.3.2]

as 001

006 Nearside Macpherson strut has slight movement at the upper attachment [2.5.A.1c]

as 001

007 Offside Macpherson strut has slight movement at the upper attachment [2.5.A.1c]

as 001

008 Offside rear (sill) Suspension component mounting prescribed area repaired, but not inappropriately [2.4.A.3]

009 Nearside rear (sill) Suspension component mounting prescribed area repaired, but not inappropriately [2.4.A.3]

Ignore

010 Fuel tank corroded"

Slap on some grease/oil/waxoil/other preservative after a quick wire brush. Or do nothing if you plan to seel soon. But as it is the tank and it's petrol.. spray on some waxoil/dinitrol after wire brushing..

Ford Ka - MOT advisories at 9 years - tyro

Thanks for that, madf

It depends on how long you keep the car:

Aye, that's the question.

The indy who did the work recommended that I sell before the next MOT. But I so much enjoyed driving the car home - the best part of 100 miles - that I am now thinking what a good wee car it is. And if I do end up spending a few hundred quid next year - well, it is less than the few thousand I'd spend to replace it.

Unless, of course, I could find a vehicle that really excited me and that my wife was also happy with!

Ford Ka - MOT advisories at 9 years - mss1tw

Thanks for that, madf

It depends on how long you keep the car:

Aye, that's the question.

The indy who did the work recommended that I sell before the next MOT. But I so much enjoyed driving the car home - the best part of 100 miles - that I am now thinking what a good wee car it is. And if I do end up spending a few hundred quid next year - well, it is less than the few thousand I'd spend to replace it.

Unless, of course, I could find a vehicle that really excited me and that my wife was also happy with!

If you know the mechanical parts of the car are otherwise sound, as long as the tin worm hasn't got too far into the chassis it may well work well to patch 'er up for a few more years.