Im looking to get rid of my KA had it 5 years now.Im looking at px it and putting that and 2k to another car.Looking for something that will be able to do a daily commute of 60 miles over the tops on M62.The Ka struggles with overtaking on the hills.
What would I expect to get in px ? Its a 2000 w with 85k bit of rust on boot and dent on drivers door not much service history although i have had it serviced while i have had it.Its in all honesty below average inside,has a CD player, 6 months tax and a couple of months MOT.I ve guessed at about 500.
Been looking at a fiesta 1.4 or 1.6 is there much difference between the 2 engines ?.Possably a micra or astra. Any suggestions ?
Many Thanks
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I may be wrong but I think the 1.4 and 1.6 are both Zetec S engines so pretty much the same the 1.6 just has a lot more power.
I would say £500 if you're lucky, my friend sold one like that a year ago and got 650 for it although it had no MOT and the cross member was very rusty. I have also noticed that these old Ka's seem hard to shift. I think Joe Public know they are prone to rust so older ones seem to loose their value. Somebody near me has been trying to sell a 2001 model for £1200 and still cannot sell it. Another person is selling a 2001 model for £800 although with 12 months MOT I saw it at the roadside and it looks like it will never see another MOT, the sills were quite rusty etc.
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id be looking at a fiat panda
you'd be surprised how good they are compared to the car you're driving
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 09/03/2009 at 18:19
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what about reliability of a panda ? probably keep this next car at least another 3 or 4 years.To be fair to Ka its nver let me down bar service items just think its time to get something else before big bills come in.
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OK, Ramite, I'm a self-confessed Panda enthusiast but the New Panda is bullet-proof.
My daughter, who does not do car maintenance, has a 1.1 Active that has clocked up 30,000 miles without a fault.
I've had 3 years out of a 4x4 Climbing and have now moved on to a Panda Cross. Both these 4x4 vehicles have been abused and have shown no serious faults.
If you clock up the miles on the M62, go for the 1.3MJ diesel, lots of power but economical, you won't regret it.
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...compared to the junk youre driving...
The Ka changed the face of small car motoring in the UK and the OP has had good service from his, despite admitting he hasn't looked after it that well.
Describing the Ka, or even this Ka, as junk, is clearly, er, rubbish.
Agree with the comments about the Panda, for the M62 it wants to be diesel.
The diesel gives the car what could be called motorwayability.
For a commute of that length, I would be thinking about moving up a size - Focus/Astra.
I think Nissan Almeras are supposed to be cheap and reliable.
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I agree, a slightly larger car might be the way to go.
Rot aside, the Ka is a brilliant small car. Better to drive than more modern machines, including its replacement, light, easy controls, economical, reliable, cheap to service and repair - what more do you want from an A to B town runabout? It's not a car for a 60 mile commute though, and neither was it designed to be.
I also agree for those M62 hills, you need a good, torquey turbodiesel.
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you want might want to try a fiesta zs, great little cars, cheap too.
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Looking at HJ used car bit i have come up with so far a civic around a 2000/1.Mazda 323,almera or maybe a proton gen2 or a multispace HDi.Anyone know what any of these would be like ?
Looked at a yaris maybe servicing cost fairly high ? Same for a jazz ?
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We had one of the first Berlingos (1.8 petrol) and a Picasso HDi - neither were famously economical on motorway runs but both were a relaxing comfortable drive. The Picasso would only return low 40's mpg which was a disappointment as it replaced a scruffy Mondeo 2 ltr petrol that would comfortably do 38mpg on the same run. Aerodynamics on MPVs and vancars clobber the economy on motorways although tall sixth gears can help.
I'd stick with your initial thoughts - Japanese petrol for reliability (Almeiras always seem a lot of car for the money) and Fiesta 1.4/1.6 or next size up Focus/Astra 1.6 petrol for the same plus inexpensive servicing and parts. If fuel economy is a high priority then the Panda diesel shouts are good with low insurance and road tax.
I guess you're looking at 15,000 maybe 20,000 miles a year which some say is around the tipping point for diesel vs petrol on fuel costs. Also equates to only two small services and one medium or one large every two years which is going to be a relatively small portion of your total motoring costs.
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If you're just looking for extra performance in a KA,SportKa!!
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I have owned both the KA and Panda. To drive they're completely different, the KA is one of the best small cars around for sheer driving enjoyment. Unfortunately the same cannot be said of the Panda. That said the Panda has loads of character and it is well built and is a very sensible purchase.
If you want more power with the same fun as the KA go for a Fiesta, same handling bigger engine.
Ive never understood why people have it in for the KA? The build quality is a bit fragile but surely the car great fun to drive, Compare it against all that Asian rubbish, Picanto etc, often recommended and truly dreadfull cars to drive.
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well ive been underneath a brand new old model KA and they were always rusty from new, totally unacceptable in my view
the old KA engine design is prehistoric and goes out of tune straight away
compare and contrast with recent pandas, galvanised rust pretty much unheard of
engines are sweet especially the diesel
i like the way the panda handles
and of course ford have paid the panda the ultimate compliment the new KA is based on the 500 platform which itself is based on the panda platform
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And Fiat have returned the compliment by using the Ford suspension on the Abarth.
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>>the old KA engine design is prehistoric and goes out of tune straight away
>>Granted the design of the engine is elderly but please tell us what goes out of tune straight away;I've owned several,driven more and would love to know.
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And Ford ceased fitting that engine in 2002!!!!
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no they didnt its the same engine only more recently with new "reduced friction" components in all old model KA, changing the name doesnt change the engine
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I see; a new design of engine with chain driven OHC,hydraulic tappets and roller cam followers is still the SAME engine???
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Its not the same engine. The Endura basically an HCS Kent unit with a modified multipoint injection system and a different manifold layout. It a push rod overhead valve unit. The Duratec is an an 8 valve over head cam design it is much quieter than the old engine.
However I rather like the Endura, it feels very torquey, and it is very simple, all you need to do to it is adjust the tappets every 30k, check the oil every so often, give it pletny of oil changes and they just go on for a high migh milleages. There is no need to worry about cambelts on this engine.
In the 15,000 miles we have had my dads the only engine repair I;ve had to is replace a split breather hose which was causing it to idle rev.
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I had an early Fiesta with the Valencia engine as it was called then and it was still running well when I sold it with 155,000 miles in it-mind you I did fit a new set of standard rings at about 110,000 miles.
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That is what killed my MK3 Fiesta, the piston rings, but I did buy it at 102k without history. Looking back I really regret selling that car, it was actually a very solid car underneath despite its grand age of 12 years old. The speedo used to wobble too though which suggested a problem with the gearbox so would have needed a new engine, new gearbox, new clutch it just wasn't worth it.
Endura's are great engines which are very cheap to own longterm but you have to expect some niggles and servicing is very important.
The rusted plug problem is always commented on here and the media but the plugs were left in my dads car for two years and they came out very easily no rust on them at all. I would imagine for them to rust in the block they would have to be left for years and years without a change. It was the one check I forgot to make when I bought my MK4, I got home and found the plugs had rusted in so badly into the block. I was kicking myself over that.
I know when ever my dads goes into a garage the first thing the mechanics usualy say is "thats the engine to have on these cars, none of that zetec crap...." yet the press love the Zetec so much more as it is a much better engine until it goes wrong.
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Endura's are great engines which are very cheap to own longterm but you have to expect some niggles and servicing is very important. yet the press love the Zetec so much more as it is a much better engine until it goes wrong.
HJ in Saturday's DT:
"Avoid the ancient 1.3 eight-valve pushrod engine like the plague that spawned it."
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UPDATE
got rid of the Ka for a 04 focus 1.6 zetec with 47k. cost to change was 3150.Pretty happy with deal I got.Alot better on motorway a nice car.Many thanks for posters help.
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UPDATE got rid of the Ka for a 04 focus 1.6 zetec with 47k. cost to change was 3150.Pretty happy with deal I got.Alot better on motorway a nice car.Many thanks for posters help.
I presume the Focus is a lot quieter than the Ka? The one big fault IMO of the Ka is noise at 50mph+.
Regarding other comments, the old Ka is cheap to run, cheap to service, regularly gives me 45mpg, and is very stable. I've taken mine to 110mph on the clock and it felt fine. You can't say that of many other small cars, such as the old Micra which could wobble horribly. As far as I know most small cars are not designed to last 10 years, and if they do, it's a bonus. But you do see a lot of old Ka's about, depite rust.
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