Major problem with 11,000 mile nearly 2 year old Ka UPDATE POST 71

Flyboy152

jase1 wrote: »

Nothing much can be done, but even so an engine misses one (time-based) service and then lets go? Seems very unlucky to me.

Well, not exactly. Although the service was not kept to schedule, one could try arguing that one would normally expect such a component to last longer, even without servicing.

It might be worth talking to Ford and seeing of they can do anything to help. Ask nicely, play the "poor little girl act," and play on their sympathies. They might contribute on a goodwill basis. It is a very, very long shot, but you get nothing without asking. They are under no obligation, whatsoever, to do anything at all, but it's worth giving it a go.

mikeouk

Mark_Hewitt wrote: »

If a Ford dealer then full repaired and serviced the car would they be able to reinstate the warranty for subsequent owners?

99% certain the answer is no, they would have to put a used car warranty on it when they sell it.
The dealer may ofcourse decide to just auction the car as is, chances are an unsuspecting person would buy it for trade market value. No one would suspect a 2 year old low mileage car would have an engine problem.

Flyboy152

Mark_Hewitt wrote: »

If a Ford dealer then full repaired and serviced the car would they be able to reinstate the warranty for subsequent owners?

It would be unlikely, it could be argued that the rest of the car could be still covered by the warranty. For example, the door locks or the electric windows etc., but not the engine. It might be possible to argue that the suspension should still be covered, but you'd be on an even stickier wicket. Most likely, however, it would be eligible for a used car warranty.

OP, if you are intending to get the work done, ask the dealer to supply a used car warranty and make sure you comply to its terms this time.

jase1

Our last second car (a Daewoo) was seven years old when we acquired it. It hadn't been serviced in nearly four years (family member had been ill and just given it an occasional once around the block for a long time), but still managed a further seven years without major issue under our care. So really this (better quality) Ford should manage much more.

bigjl

The Ka would, I suspect not use a top spec oil or long life oil, it is a city car and I would expect that it will use a cheapish semi synthetic oil.

Don't forget that this car is based on a Fiat 500, so is the engine actually a Fiat or Ford lump.

Any car on an extended interval will use top spec very expensive fully synthetic, for an example of this price up normal service schedule spec oil for a VW diesel, then check the price for the oil for the same car using long life oil. the difference is substantial.

In the OP's situation, the car has done short journeys for two years, without any maintenance since the car was bought new, stop start low mileage town driving is considered harsh operating conditions by any manufacturer whose cars I have owned.

The oil will be well kanckered after two years, hence the knackered engine. Probably came out like treacle, and I wouldn't be surprised if it was well below the normal level, hence increasing the oil degradation as the oil that is still in the engine is being overworked.

bigjl

Hammyman wrote: »

Meaningless. The service interval on my Mondeo is 12500 miles. Many wagons I've driven are on 100,000km oil changes. Oil is not what it was 20 years ago when it was past it after several thousand miles.

Yes Hammyman it is, but it also states 12 months or 12500 miles.

Yes oil has come a long way, but your car and mine are designed to be workhorses, and Mondeo Diesels only ever get fully synthetic 5w30 oil.

But don't you think that low mileage urbanuse comes under harsh conditions, always started cold, then short journey, oil not fully warmed, thus leading to build up of crud in the oil that doen't have a chance to be evaporated off when the oil gets up to temp.


People think my 6 or 7k oil change intervals with top-spec oil on my car (always done this since I was a courier) and the wifes car are mad, but most of the miles are urban, lots of stop and start, the fact that I have never had an engine failure in all those years does tend to say something, I have had crap cars that where basically drive and throw away when I was younger of course, but no decent car I have owned and used for a while has ever had an engine failure.

I do feel sorry for the OP's friend, it is an expensive lesson to learn, hopefully everybody that reads this thread will see that improper maintenance is not a way to save money, and I can't help but think the person the OP is talking about only had the car serviced when she noticed a little red light flickering on the dash and thought, oh, I had better service the car.

Sometimes peoples lack of mechanical sympathy staggers me.

Especially when you realise that Ford probably charge around £100 for the annual service on a 1 yr old car.

The standard oil service on my Subaru Legacy was only £145, at a main dealer, this was four years ago now, but worth the money, I used to do extra servicing myself, and just took it to the main dealer to keep the warranty up.

Flyboy152

bigjl wrote: »

The Ka would, I suspect not use a top spec oil or long life oil, it is a city car and I would expect that it will use a cheapish semi synthetic oil.

Don't forget that this car is based on a Fiat 500, so is the engine actually a Fiat or Ford lump.

Any car on an extended interval will use top spec very expensive fully synthetic, for an example of this price up normal service schedule spec oil for a VW diesel, then check the price for the oil for the same car using long life oil. the difference is substantial.

In the OP's situation, the car has done short journeys for two years, without any maintenance since the car was bought new, stop start low mileage town driving is considered harsh operating conditions by any manufacturer whose cars I have owned.

The oil will be well kanckered after two years, hence the knackered engine. Probably came out like treacle, and I wouldn't be surprised if it was well below the normal level, hence increasing the oil degradation as the oil that is still in the engine is being overworked.

The petrol engine in the new KA is still the 8v Durateq.

bigjl

If it is a durateq then is that a completely new design or is it based on an older Ford engine such as the old Fiesta engines like the 1.25 or similar?

StrongWork

Hammyman wrote: »

Meaningless. The service interval on my Mondeo is 12500 miles. Many wagons I've driven are on 100,000km oil changes. Oil is not what it was 20 years ago when it was past it after several thousand miles.

So you think it is fine that oil wasn't changed (or even checked I bet) for 2 years after the car was purchased (irrespective of mileage)?

Remind me not to buy a car from you.

bigjl

I think Hammyman might have missed the context of the OP's friends position, yes cars can go 12500k between oil changes, but the quality of the oil is significant and so is the usage of the car.

If for example you had a car that was only used once a week, then did a 50 mile trip to the country on quiet dual carraigways at a steady speed, then after two years the oil wouldn't be degraded badly, also the owner checked the fluids before every journey. The car would be almost certainly fine.

If however the car did 5 or 6 3 mile journeys everyday, never got properly warmed up, then add on never checking the fluids and some stop start city driving, lots of cold starts and you get the situation 11k later that the car is knackered.

I think the OP is talking about the second scenario in all honesty.

Another reason why I woul drather buy an ex fleet car with 80k on the clock at three years old and a lot of stonechips on the bonnet, all the miles have been on the motorway, and therefore the car is almost new mechanically.

I have done this for years, I would rather know it had done high miles and been maintained than buy a low miler and hope it had been maintained and not hammered round London.