The learner driver Ford Ka

Not much to report on the learner driver front, as girl child is now getting stuck in to lessons with a proper instructor. Once she has the basics and the instructor gives me the thumbs up, I will be taking her out daily for experience.

So in the meantime the Ka has become my little run around whilst the Volvo gets new brakes front and rear.
Have to admit I am enjoying driving the little beastie immensely. Something to be said for utter boggo basic driving. Makes a refreshing change to the Tesla and the xc90!


Couple of improvements on my list. It's very very noisy on most road surfaces and the steering feels very dead. It steers straight, but I am thinking the tracking might need checking. If that doesn't cure it, the yinglang ditchfinders on the front can get replaced with something a bit more quality (and hopefully quieter)
Rear left brake light still needs investigation
I think it has a slight blow on the back box
Both ford badges are tiny splodges of blue on a silver disk. Totally faded and peeled. Might get some retro replacements.
Front windscreen needs a polish. No matter what it looks dirty and grainy like it's got 15 years of mould residue stuck to it. Only really noticeable when the sun shines on it, but I know it's there and it bothers me.
Slight stuttering/misfire feeling at light throttle around 1500rpm seems to be improved now it's had a tank full of petrol and some enthusiastic driving. Might treat it to a tank full of expensive premium stuff and drive it to the office in Manchester next week. 95miles on the motorway at a decent lick with £££ go-go juice should qualify as a Spanish tune up.

Been proper lazy and the only thing I've done is polish the front screen and treat it to some nice fuel and a long run.
Misfire / surging feeling is now much reduced after two trips (200 miles) to the office and the windscreen is actually clear!!!

But to pay me back for my laziness, it's developed a squeak from the front right when going over speed bumps. Could be a control arm or an anti roll bar bush, but I'm definitely going to take a look this weekend

In other news, driving lessons with mini nicks90 has begun. She's had 4 'proper' lessons with an instructor, so I've been taking her out around Wakefield and Dewsbury nearly every day for extra experience.
Two points to note, driving instructors are pussies. So far he has taught her basic driving, left turns at a junction, right turns at a junction and thats about it. No roundabouts, no reversing, cross roads etc..
FFS, Istr that when I learnt to drive it was just in and get on and listen carefully as you go along to the instructor

Point 2, she can drive. She can listen and takes instructions well. 'we're coming to a roundabout, look right and if a cars coming from the right stop at the line. If a car isn't coming from the right, boot it and take the 2nd exit'. Bosh, she's off! Hahaha. So in my lessons, she's done left and right turns off the main road, left and right turns at T junctions, roundabouts (both mini and large and main motorway roundabouts), box junctions, the usual residential roads with cars parked on both sides and incoming traffic, and mostly all around 5-6pm in rush hour traffic. Hehehehe

She's said each time she's nervous as hell, I can tell when she gets very nervous though - as she saws at the wheel, but she's improving massively each time we go out. The more experience she has of driving in those conditions the quicker she will learn and the more confident she will become. Plus her hazard awareness is great, much better than I was at her age and she drives much less aggressively than I did/do

Mega turn up for the books, went for another driving lesson yesterday, but with the wife in the back as we wanted to get some shopping whilst out and about
The squeak is fixed!
What I thought was a squeak from the front suspension turned out to be a bit of trim just below the drivers seat on the cill. Wife gave it a thump and it clipped in to place and the squeak has gone.

The Ka continues to impress me, so far with either a) me driving it like I stole it b) learner driver - it's returned 51mpg since we got it.

MUST get round to looking at that brake light.......