Ford Ka: good or rubbish?
Discussion
My Mate has one that he uses as a courtesy car for his garage. I have driven it a few times and it is a right laugh you can really throw it into the bends havent had so much fun in years. It is a bit small and basic inside but it has an ok stereo, keep fit windows (but it doesnt matter because you can reach the passenger side window while driving lol), if my wife could manage with a smaller car this is what she would be driving.
breamster said:
I had one as a courtesy car whilst my wife 206 was being repaired. The 206 felt like luxury afterwards it was that bad.
Simple is not the same as bad. Not everyone cares a hoot about gadgets and toys.breamster said:
Loathsome cars; slow,...
Not around town or in any tight spot!breamster said:
uncomfortable,...
Can't say I noticed...breamster said:
noisy ...
See above, its not really what the KA is about...breamster said:
and embarrassingly ugly.
Are other modern small cars so much better? It grew on me over time and at least it wasn't designed by the guy with one picture drawn with a bent ruler and a photocopier that every other car maker went to.breamster said:
I drove probably 100 miles in it and it quickly became the worst car I'd ever driven. Even worse than the Yugo Yastava - at least that had comedy value.
I drove 110000 miles in mine and it was honest about what what it was and fun. Other cars I drove over the time were sometimes more refined, faster or more comfortable or had more toys but... all were more expensive, less manoeuvrable and less fun.I test drove one alongside a Corsa, a Clio, and a Polo. I didn't like the way it drove, it seemed very reluctant to pick up speed. In addition I had a preemptive feeling that the spartan interior, while cool at first, would start to bug me. I couldn't get a decent driving position either, although that was perhaps me more than the car.
The Clio and Polo were decent cars, but I was thrown off by the Clio's 110k miles (51 plate) and the Polo had no service history. I went for the Corsa, it was a decent price and the car's been a good runabout since. While I'm not recommending any car over another, as perhaps my experiences weren't truly fair, I'd plump for a Corsa in the price bracket. It's cheap to run, cheap to insure, parts are very available, and it's not as bad a car as people make them out to be. (although you're not going to be enjoying any country roads in it)
The Clio and Polo were decent cars, but I was thrown off by the Clio's 110k miles (51 plate) and the Polo had no service history. I went for the Corsa, it was a decent price and the car's been a good runabout since. While I'm not recommending any car over another, as perhaps my experiences weren't truly fair, I'd plump for a Corsa in the price bracket. It's cheap to run, cheap to insure, parts are very available, and it's not as bad a car as people make them out to be. (although you're not going to be enjoying any country roads in it)
I used to like them, but had a hire one recently that was no fun at all. Since they do seem to be quite polarizing, I'd suggest having a proper try in this one, if you can, before you decide.
I know that cheap rental cars are never going to be great, but the handling was just nothing like I remembered from years ago, and it was not at all happy on a-roads.
I know that cheap rental cars are never going to be great, but the handling was just nothing like I remembered from years ago, and it was not at all happy on a-roads.
Chicane-UK said:
- 1.3 engine is utterly gutless at motorway speeds but even with 4 people in the car, it performs almost identically in town driving, pulling away from lights, etc.
And they are very noisy on the motorway. Went to London at the weekend and had to have to stereo cranked up to hear what people where saying on podcasts, although some of that was down to bad mixing.
breamster said:
I had one as a courtesy car whilst my wife 206 was being repaired. The 206 felt like luxury afterwards it was that bad.
Loathsome cars; slow, uncomfortable, noisy and embarrassingly ugly. I drove probably 100 miles in it and it quickly became the worst car I'd ever driven. Even worse than the Yugo Yastava - at least that had comedy value.
Hmmm.Loathsome cars; slow, uncomfortable, noisy and embarrassingly ugly. I drove probably 100 miles in it and it quickly became the worst car I'd ever driven. Even worse than the Yugo Yastava - at least that had comedy value.
Chicane-UK said:
The last two car my missus owned were Ka's... for her, a car is just a tool to get from A to B and she didn't care less about optional extras and showing off so a bargain basement Ka was fine. She picked up a brand new one in 2007 for £4995 on the road!
Overall they were superb really. On the plus side:
Bad side:
I thought that all Ka's apart from the Sportka used an old Kent lump - Pushrod city, hence why they were so tappettyOverall they were superb really. On the plus side:
- 1.3 engine is utterly gutless at motorway speeds but even with 4 people in the car, it performs almost identically in town driving, pulling away from lights, etc.
- Quite comfy on a long drive - drove to Cornwall from the West Midlands and didn't get out the other side deaf or aching anywhere.
- Quite economical obviously!
- Seemingly very reliable. One warranty claim on the most recent Ka before we got rid of it... and the older one which she owned for about 6 years had a known fault with the power steering rack leaking which was very cheap to fix.
- Could fit a bike in the back with the back seats down!
- Handled quite well - chuckable little go-kart. Poor mans Mini
Bad side:
- Not exactly a large boot
- Quite noisy engine, utterly gutless on the motorway or for overtaking or anything.
Edited by littlebasher on Monday 4th October 20:51
Edited by littlebasher on Monday 4th October 20:52
littlebasher said:
Chicane-UK said:
The last two car my missus owned were Ka's... for her, a car is just a tool to get from A to B and she didn't care less about optional extras and showing off so a bargain basement Ka was fine. She picked up a brand new one in 2007 for £4995 on the road!
Overall they were superb really. On the plus side:
Bad side:
I thought that all Ka's apart from the Sportka used an old Kent lump - Pushrod city, hence why they were so tappettyOverall they were superb really. On the plus side:
- 1.3 engine is utterly gutless at motorway speeds but even with 4 people in the car, it performs almost identically in town driving, pulling away from lights, etc.
- Quite comfy on a long drive - drove to Cornwall from the West Midlands and didn't get out the other side deaf or aching anywhere.
- Quite economical obviously!
- Seemingly very reliable. One warranty claim on the most recent Ka before we got rid of it... and the older one which she owned for about 6 years had a known fault with the power steering rack leaking which was very cheap to fix.
- Could fit a bike in the back with the back seats down!
- Handled quite well - chuckable little go-kart. Poor mans Mini
Bad side:
- Not exactly a large boot
- Quite noisy engine, utterly gutless on the motorway or for overtaking or anything.
Edited by littlebasher on Monday 4th October 20:51
Edited by littlebasher on Monday 4th October 20:52
Whilst they don't have a good image and the engine is lacking power, they are actually a laugh to drive. My other half has one and I've driven her home a few times and was shocked how well it was hanging on in the bends.
It's by no means a sports car and I personally wouldn't drive one as a man but it will do you for what you need.
It's by no means a sports car and I personally wouldn't drive one as a man but it will do you for what you need.
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