SportKa MOT advisories question - oil leak

AliceBanned

PS The mechanic said they think the misfire could be 1 of 4 coil packs but it is not showing and the engine light is off. They would have to remove them all to find out but he thought best I keep an eye on it.


After using it today and yesterday I can't be sure but it seems to be using up fuel more quickly. The engine is quieter than it was before but there is a whirring sound that wasn't there before. It could be that this is the normal engine sound and I had forgotten though! It has been very loud lately.

red_eye

AliceBanned wrote: »

Hi

My Ford Sportka, 12 years old failed MOT a week ago on emissions - but sensors were cleaned out it passed after that.

I am trying to stick to a budget but not sure what to do. Ideally it needs a service very soon as it has been 10k miles since the last service, but it has been seen my a local mechanic for a brakes issue so was fitted with new discs and pads - they gave it a glance over at the time.

On the advisory from the MOT it states 'oil leak from area of filter'. As it hasn't had an oil filter change for a bit over 10k miles should I get this looked at, and should I really have at least an interim service done?


Another advisory this time is 'nearside front wheel slightly distorted' and some corrosion on offside outer sill. I can see the rust - two 2" diameter sections where the paint has gone completely.

I just had to fork out for the break discs and a new windscreen..so trying to budget but it is a nice car and it seems to be slowly becoming less so and/or needing a lot more spent on it. I know that's normal with older cars but I am just trying to weigh up what my options are.

I am also considering whether to keep it. I only do about 4k miles a year. I do like driving it but as it is 1.6L engine the road tax is £240 per year so it is not the cheapest. MOTs - it has passed since I bought it about 4 years ago apart from tiny issues such as bulbs and then this time it failed for the first time on emissions.I only use it socially as I get public transport to work but I live in a town so do need it at the weekend and eves. I know some newer cars cost nothing in road tax and might cost less in repairs in the future - but at the moment have no funds for a newer car unless by HP.

Get those sills cleaned and covered these ka rust like fords from the 80's

AliceBanned

Well all cars rust by that age don't they?!


I have already done this as mentioned in other parts of the thread, and the sills did not get a mention in the recent MOT.

sun-n-moon

Just my opinion I know but. This car seems to have quite a few issues and to me £500 is a lot of money to spend on these. I personally would get rid of it. You can buy a decent enough small car for about £800 that will be a lot more reliable. Every car I have scrapped are due to rust issues, though running pefectly. You seem to be having both rust and mechanical. I'd buy a decent Yaris or Nissan Micra. They will run forever if you keep on top of them and are known for virtually no mechanical issues. The Yaris is pretty good on the rustfree thing. I currently run a Yaris Verso that I bought 3 years ago for £1000. Yet to spend a penny on it at 140k miles. My daughter had a 2000 1.0 yaris that had done 130k before she sold it on. Cost her £60 in repairs in 4 years. Obviously plenty will disagree with me but had to say my piece.
Good luck. Jim

arcon5

AliceBanned wrote: »

Well all cars rust by that age don't they?!


I have already done this as mentioned in other parts of the thread, and the sills did not get a mention in the recent MOT.

Well yes but the real issue is when it becomes corrosion and fails a test which some cars hit quicker than others.

Mazdas for example are bloody awful

AliceBanned

sun-n-moon wrote: »

Just my opinion I know but. This car seems to have quite a few issues and to me £500 is a lot of money to spend on these. I personally would get rid of it. You can buy a decent enough small car for about £800 that will be a lot more reliable. Every car I have scrapped are due to rust issues, though running pefectly. You seem to be having both rust and mechanical. I'd buy a decent Yaris or Nissan Micra. They will run forever if you keep on top of them and are known for virtually no mechanical issues. The Yaris is pretty good on the rustfree thing. I currently run a Yaris Verso that I bought 3 years ago for £1000. Yet to spend a penny on it at 140k miles. My daughter had a 2000 1.0 yaris that had done 130k before she sold it on. Cost her £60 in repairs in 4 years. Obviously plenty will disagree with me but had to say my piece.
Good luck. Jim

Thanks sun-n-moon I will bear all this in mind.


I haven't found the car unreliable at all - it has had two engine warning light problems, and each resolved. It has failed 2 MOTs both on emissions but it is 13 years old. Otherwise it has been fine - the coil springs are wear and tear and it is the sport version so the suspension may be making it slightly more prone to those breaking.


I think it is partly pot luck and yes I could buy a Yaris for £800 but equally it could fail in some way, and is no less likely to do than the SportKa, which is I am sure far more fun to drive.


There is a point at which I would not continue to spend much on my car, and would get shot and it may well be at the next MOT but I can't see myself spending much more on it for a year - if I do then I will definitely feel it isn't worth keeping. It is probably worth £1k so I do personally think worth spending £500 for repairs/wear and tear and a failed MOT which failed on the single emissions issue only due to it needing a new part. It could be as mentioned earlier by someone in the thread that the lambda sensor needed replacing because of a wider issue, but the mechanics didn't seem to think so. I don't feel it is worth replacing this car for another one with high mileage/old, but at some point I would prefer a 3-4 year old car to replace it, but that is a big spend that I can probably not afford for a long time. It's a tough call and I know what you are saying but I guess I like the car in many ways and I know it's weaknesses, whereas a 'new old' car could have all manner of hidden problem areas.

AliceBanned

arcon5 wrote: »

Well yes but the real issue is when it becomes corrosion and fails a test which some cars hit quicker than others.

Mazdas for example are bloody awful

I am aware that Ford in general might have a shorter shelf life in terms of bodywork. So I think mine may be getting near the end. It may or may not so I am starting to put some money aside each month. I suppose it depends how long you want to keep the same car and how much you are able to spend on one. Either way most cars are a bit of a pain financially.

Strider590

AliceBanned wrote: »

Well all cars rust by that age don't they?!


I have already done this as mentioned in other parts of the thread, and the sills did not get a mention in the recent MOT.

Yes they do, but then I bet your Gold/Silver jewellery corrodes too? Would you throw that away?

Just take some wet/dry paper to it, keep going until you hit clean metal, then paint over it with some Hydrate 80 rust killer, at least it'll help to stop it spreading any further.

Hermione_Granger

Strider590 wrote: »

Yes they do, but then I bet your Gold/Silver jewellery corrodes too?.

Silver jewellery corrodes but providing the gold jewelley is of a high carat, it won't corrode.

BeenThroughItAll

arcon5 wrote: »

Well yes but the real issue is when it becomes corrosion and fails a test which some cars hit quicker than others.

Mazdas for example are bloody awful

When it becomes corrosion? What is rust to start with then?