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I've read on here before about Ford Ka's rusting at the bottom of the doors and in the sills- but when I was in ASDA carpark I parked next to a Ka that was not only rusty there but also all round the fule filler cap, just like fiestas used to go. It wasn't just a bit of surface rust, I'm sure if you poked it your finger would have gone straight through. It was a P-reg one so must have been one of the first. SWMBO wants one so I am wondering if there any other rust traps on these, and when Ford finally got round to sorting the problem. Plus, I've never seen fiestas of that age rusting, so why the Ka?
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they were covered in rust underneath when new, i remember having good look one time, no idea whether the new ones are any better, would never happen with a nissan/toyota/etc
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Plus, I've never seen fiestas of that age rusting, so why the Ka?
You mustn?t have looked hard enough. I have seen a fair few Fiestas of this vintage which are rusty in either the sills, wheel arches or both. In fact, a lot of Fords go a bit prematurely crusty around the edges, Ka's, Fiestas, Escorts and Mondeos. However, Focuses seem to have escaped the Ford trend of rusting...for now.
But, you don't know how the car has been treat, Garaged or not, or waxed regularly etc
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Although the body of my L reg Micra was rust free at 9 years old, the underneath was rotten. My 3 and a helf year old Ford Ka is rust free. I read some where that they improved the rust proofing of the Ka some years back. Maybe someone can confirm the date.
Leif
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Because i read about the rust on the Ford Ka's ive painted rust proving along the seals on mine!
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Its not what you drive, its how you drive it! :-)
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If it was a Belladonna Purple P reg Ka that you saw somewhere in the North East then I know why it's so rusty. :-)
I took a car that fits that description in part exchange, it turned out to be a Cat C insurance write off. It was the only Ka that I had ever seen rust so badly around the petrol cap area, I can only put it down to poor accident repair, the poor little thing also had 90K on the clock which won't have helped.
Give it it's due though, it seemed mechanically fine and drove as well as a P reg Ka can.
Blue
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"However, Focuses seem to have escaped the Ford trend of rusting...for now."
I have seen many Focus examples that have a considerable amount of corrosion most of it is only surface but it is still rot.
Around the tailgate crome strip (this one is detailed on the Ford TIS system). The rear arches on some examples have also started to go. The front suspension mounting area on examples less than 4 years old has also started to corrode on a significant amount of vehicles.
Don?t get me wrong it is better built than the KA, which in my opinion contains the worst quality of bodywork protection on any new car currently available in the UK.
Even the MK3 Mondeo's are rusting around the door edges due to poor quality materials. I have also seen rust starting to fester around the front suspension mounting area on a C-Max which is a disgrace.
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"However, Focuses seem to have escaped the Ford trend of rusting...for now."
Maybe it was me who wasn't looking hard enough!!
So, how can such a manufacturer so highly regarded by the press (but not me) get away with such shoddy rust proofing. Every other manufacturer seems to have the ability to protect their cars from the ravages of rust...apart from Ford.
In their defense, their mechanical reliability seems to make up for this.
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Friend of mine has a Ka (not sure of the vintage) and it's developed some serious rust at the base of the A-pillars. Last I heard, he was trying to get Ford to rectify it under warranty, but I don't know if he has succeeded...
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If he's got service history and the dealership have stamped the "body and paint record" section of the book then he may have luck. If not then I don't think they'll be paying for anything, they're pretty harsh like that!
Blue
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Rusting along the sills and bottom of the rear arches seems to affect all late 90's Fords - Ka, Fiesta, Escort and Mondeo (including mine).
I am sure I have seen a 51 or 02 plate Ka with noticable rust on the sills....
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To be fair, my Mark 4 Fiesta had a few rust spots but for an (getting on for 10 years) old car, there were surprisingly little amounts.
The drivers door sill just after the silver door strip had a patch about the size of a 10p piece on and oddly enough, just the right rear wheel arch had the tinest amount of speckling.
The only rust I've ever seen on a Ka is on those little rivet type things that hold the rear windows in place!
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Adam
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I do not normally look at other people's cars that closely, but this morning I parked alongside a S reg Ka. The bodywork seemed fine. What surprised me was that the rear window hinges were badly rusted on the drivers side, but not on the passenger side. Could this be the result of road salt?
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They normally rust equally on each side, I'd say it's either a random fluke, or the hinges have been replaced along with the window on one side.
Blue
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New glass comes with the hinges and lock already fitted, so probably had a replacement.
(Glass-Tech)
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With the Ka rear quarter windows, you can replace the visible hinge caps by popping them off. They always rust after about 5 years and just pop off if you need to replace them.
One question directed especially to blue since he mentioned it. With ford servicing you don't tend to get the body work check done and stamped unless you ask (and pay) for it , does that mean that if its not done the body work warranty is invalidated?
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AFAIK, techincally, yes it does.
In practice if the car has a full Ford service history I don't think it matters too much, depends how picky they want to get.
I wasn't aware that they charged to do the body and paint check though, I was always under the impression that it was part of the service but that they just plain forgot to stamp the book. I don't think I would be paying my local franchise to do the paint check if they had just done a service, I'd be insisting on it being done FOC.
Blue
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