Opinions Needed from those in the know

System

Hi All,

Thanks for all the comments, advice and suggestions - Much appreciated.

I'm actually not a new driver, having driven the family car for a number of years. We relocated last year and I took a job where due to the random location and shifts I needed my own car.

Having said that I am absolutely mortified about the tyres, so I wholeheartedly apologise to you fellow motorists for being on the road!

On a serious note I will look up how to check tyres properly and make sure I add into my maintenance routine.

I've decided to take your advice and part company with the KA.

Clearly the rust/cracking issue is not going to get any better and I don't want to be throwing good money after bad.

The car went to the garage who are charging £350 for all the repairs - my thinking being I will be in a better part ex deal if the KA has an MOT and I also need to get to work in the short term.

I don't want to rush into my next purchase - clearly if I had researched "Ford Ka and "rust before your eyes" I wouldn't be in this situation now!

Joe_Horner

That's the right decision.

As for the tyres below 1.6mm, don't sweat about it too much. Despite common hype, they don't suddenly lose all grip and make you slide into the nuns at 1.599999 mm. In fact, the limit used to be 1mm until (fairly) recently and still is for HGV and busses.

In terms of driving sins there's a big difference between "slightly below the limit towards one edge" and "bald as a coot, canvas on display". Both are likely to be marked as "dangerous" by some MOT centres

AdrianC

Joe_Horner wrote: »

In fact, the limit used to be 1mm until (fairly) recently

1992... 22 years ago.

Richard53

AdrianC wrote: »

1992... 22 years ago.

For some of us, that is recent.

colino

So you fixed it, still have the heater control valve to change and now plan to get rid??

nobbysn*ts

It'll be more cost effective to keep it. It's cost £1600 now, for one year. if you sell it with 12 months mot, it'll be just over a year for £1600 minus whatever you get for it. If you keep it until the next mot, it'll cost you a maximum of £800 a year, and that assumes you don't even get scrap value. Unless a really good bargain comes along, personally, I'd wait and sell it with 3 months mot, the value won't be much below what you'd get now, the price plateaus at that sort of age, so you'd get nearly two years motoring for much the same as the price of the one.

OddballJamie

Part ex-ing it will be a waste, most dealers will just send it to the auctions and give you about the same off the new car as you would've got from haggling without the part ex.

Either keep it another 12 months as nobby said or sell it privately if you want to change cars.

We had a KA Luxury model 03 reg, short MOT usual rust was offered £300 part ex as we had already got the newer car price down. Decided to spend Saturday afternoon cleaning and polishing it, put it on Gumtree at 5pm and by lunchtime Sunday it was sold for £800.

BTW the heating problem you have is a cheap fix and worth doing in case you get stuck in heavy traffic and the car overheats. It's a common fault on some Fords.

salubrious

That is a very poorly worded failure...Oh it's a council test, enough said

For those that are wondering what the crack is;

It will be on the rear chassis above where the sub frame is mounted, the offside always go's first. The chassis swells slightly and splits. It's not a crack per se - A very common issue and not much of a job actually.

Good call on spending the 350, the KA for all their rust issues (i've failed 58 plates on corrosion) are generally reliable. Get some use out of it now, and move it on in 6 months time.