2005 Ford Ka Base 1.3 petrol from UK and Ireland
Summary:
Much more than simply a cheap car - great fun too!!!
Faults:
Nothing actually failed, but...
The coolant level needed to be regularly topped up from new and this was never resolved, despite a couple of attempts to fix it.
Needed new discs and pads at 25,000 miles - discs corroded.
Surface rust started to appear quicker than I would have liked.
General Comments:
I really enjoyed driving and owning my Ka. I bought it pre-registered with 2 miles on the clock for £4795. It was a fantastic bargain. I sold it 2 years later for just over £3300 - £750/year depreciation is outstanding!
The 1.3 litre engine was smooth, nippy and economical, regularly returning 40mpg even when driven hard. Easily capable of long journeys and would cruise at motorway speeds quietly and comfortably.
Handling was fantastic. The Ka really is like a grown-up go kart! The power steering was well weighted, very direct and body roll was minimal. Great fun to throw about on country roads!
Servicing costs were reasonable (for a main dealer) and I found a dealer that did the first two scheduled services for £103. OK, pretty much just an oil and filter change each time, but that's all you get from most dealers and they'd charge a lot more.
I bought it with the intention of keeping it for a year, but kept it for two years because I enjoyed driving it. You can't say that about many so-called budget cars.
The only slight niggles were the things listed above - persistent coolant 'leak', brake discs at 25,000 miles (which I thought was a bit too early) and most worryingly, surface rust starting to appear in several places. If a stone chip was left for even a short time during winter (salty roads), it would start to rust. Also, the lip under the sill and the painted metal areas in the engine bay and boot were starting to rust. Also, the curved area just behind the bottom of the doors is a magnet for stones thrown from the front wheels. Get stone chip protectors for this area or it WILL rust.
All in all, one of the best cars I've owned. Cheap, reliable motoring. If the dealer had fixed the coolant leak, Ford had galvanised the bodywork and the brake discs had lasted a bit longer, it would have been close to perfection! (:o)
If you're looking for a cheap car that doesn't feel or drive like a cheap car, look no further - buy a Ka!!!
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 24th May, 2008
21st Nov 2006, 04:15
Hi,
I agree with most of your points.
I too toped my wife's KA water at around 10,000 miles, now has covered 14,000 & not used any more water.
It's first service cost me £140 - 20% service discount card = £122. I walked into my Ford main dealer & negotiated a service discount card & I didn't buy the car from them. Easy done, ask to see the service manager.
I noticed that the petrol tank at the joining seems looked rusty, had it undersealed for free, again at my local main dealer. I happened to look under a few other Ford KA's at the dealership, ranging from 02's up to 04's & they all seemed to suffer from the same fault, rusty petrol tanks. Where the tank is welded together at the seems. If you have a look under your car you should be able to spot it. I'd recommend getting it under sealed, as the Ford KA petrol tanks are made from galvanised metal, rather than plastic.
You could also you your spare tyre to replace one of the front ones, spare has new tyre on it.