Opinions Needed from those in the know

Legacy_user

Hi All,

Hope I am okay posting this.

I need opinions on whether to keep my car and have it repaired (failed MOT) or part ex for something else.

The Car is a 52 reg Ford KA, I've had it for a year (first car) and paid £1250 for it.

Just been for MOT and the following is needed:

Nearside front tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (dangerous)

Offside front tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (dangerous)

Offside rear body chassis is cracked, seriously effecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings

Nearside front sill subframe mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded

Offside front sill subframe mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded

Nearside front (bottom arm bushes) suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush

Offside rear (to flexible hose) brake pipe excessively corroded

Advisory - Both metal pipes to front flexible brake pipe slighlty corroded

The garage that did the MOT is a local council one and so does not do repairs - I read the info out over the phone to a local garage who need to see it but as a guideline said:

200 welding
100 suspension
100 tyres
30 for hose

The car also has an issue with the heating - I can't get the blower to be hot - whilst this wasn't picked up in the MOT I would like it fixed.

The chap at the garage was very negative about the welding being fixed on a ford KA of this age - I can't help but wonder if it is the right thing to to do get it fixed with all these issues?

All suggestions welcome, I drive the car locally only (no motorways) about 3000 miles a year

mrmot

It depends on the condition of the rest of the car as to whether you want to spend £500 on it, you need to weigh up the possibility of any other big repair bills coming up and what you can buy with the money to replace it.

It's refreshing to see despite all the recommendations on here to use the council for MOT tests, as they don't have any vested interests in doing repairs, that they can't (in this case) use the correct failures for items.

You need to clarify what they mean by this:

Offside rear body chassis is cracked, seriously effecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings

As it certainly doesn't apply to a Ford Ka.

Joe_Horner

I'm usually the first to advise keeping cars going to (and sometimes beyond) death, but in this case take it out back and shoot it.

Ka's are known for rust so what's been found this year will only be the tip of the iceberg.

I'd also be more concerned about cracks than rust - rusing is a normal process for steel, if the design is right then cracking only happens when it's been over-stressed for some reason.

If you could weld yourself it might be a different matter, but you will be paying out again next year for more of the same, and the total price you've been quoted would go a good way to replacing it with something sound without too much difficulty, especially if you look at the stuff people don't usually consider.

vansboy

Sounds like the car has done its job, for you.

If you've the money to find something newer, that is not going to need a big service or MOT too soon, then think about trading this in.

In meantime, even if you still have some of current MOT left, if you drive with the worn tyres, you will have potential risk of being prosecuted, with all the implications. Also the fact the car is technically unroadworthy, this is now recorded, so should you have an accident, you will be very much in the wrong.

Dont drive it as it is at moment!!!!

VB

roonaldo

It sounds like you bought a rust bucket. But it may have some value still as you pay £1250 a year ago, I would repair and sell with brand new MOT. You dont want to be throwing good money after bad.

atrixblue.-MFR-.

the wishbone bushes can be bought on their own without having a new wishbone (they will need a press to get them in and out garage will have one), its cheaper than buying a new wishbone and is what I would do with in this case is just to limp the parts a bit further.


The welding is going to have some issues as in its a crack, it may pay off for a floor pan complete panel in that area and have the underside pressure cleaned and wax oiled after ( a 5litre tin of waxoil or trerasutz is pretty cheap to buy I think I picked up a cheap brand 5 litre tin last year for £9.99) yes the carpet and seats have to come out and its a bit more work than patching it, but atleast it will be stronger than patch!. and do some remedial patch welding for the rest if you can get away with it, sometimes a new sill panel need putting in due to the rust spreading along the underside when they grind the paint back to weld a patch to it doesn't make sense to patch one bit and leave the rest for it to fail you again in 12 months.








pair of part worns £65.00 fitted for the front if you can take them in another car to get done.


pair of flexi brake hoses are about £22.00 plus hours fitting bleeding fluid top up (ask around family if they have any bottles of DOT 4 break fluid hanging around to take to the garage for them to top it up rather than charge you for a 1 litre bottle)


So to recap ask the garage for prices of:
wishbone bushes.
Replacement panel for rear crack VS a patch weld.
Replacement sills compared to patches, and if a patch will do the job and last.
Replacement brake hoses.
labor for Pressure wash and waxoil underneath once welding work etc complete


Things you could obtain that maybe cheaper than garage supplying, brake fluid dot 4. garage will charge for a whole litre even if they used 120ml.5litre waxoil with attachment for gun!.

Norman_Castle

The car also has an issue with the heating - I can't get the blower to be hot - whilst this wasn't picked up in the MOT I would like it fixed.

The MOT test is a safety and emissions check and not an overall condition check.
Cold heater is likely to be a thermostat stuck open. Cheap to repair.
Take the car to the local garage for a better quote. It may be more or less than the over the phone guesstimate.

As above, part worn tyres for £15-£20 each. Fine for 3000 miles per year. If the police stop you for any reason checking tyre tread depth is very easy and likely. 3 points per tyre. Don't new drivers get banned with 6 points?.

forgotmyname

Sell the car and buy a bus pass. Save us all from your dangerous illegal tyres.

AdrianC

As the last couple have said - if your licence is new (under 2yrs since passing your first test) then that pair of illegal tyres would have seen you back on L-plates, having had your pass revoked.

Go and thank the MOT man for saving you from that. Then make a mental note to check your tyres (along with various other routine maintenance points) regularly when you get another car.

This Ka is dead. They all rot like that. No, it's not unsavable - but it's just past the point of economic viability. The money it'll cost you to get it properly fixed (rather than merely propped up for another year - which is all that £200 will be, but I'd say even that's an "And the rest...") will EASILY buy you something much better.

colino

Only Kas I've seen with cracked floors (no chassis) have been in rear-enders. Either the MOT NT is way off or He's done you a favour and pointed out the fault that is sending the car to Gumtree.
Don't believe for a second, especially with that amount of welding, that your quote is anything like accurate. Ask them for a quote and take it from there, but a Ka that is on the slippery slope now is going to be a big, annual MOT bill from now on.

Slowly_does_it..

I agree with others, get rid, do not repair.

Maybe a car scrappie will come and take it away for you, you cannot drive it with tyres below 1.6mm.

Once the rust has started, you are fighting a loosing battle, and welding up the cracks will cause that area to rust as well.

Sorry to hear that a 1,250 pound car only lasted one year, look over the bangernomics success story thread on here, some cars cost way less and run far better.