Ford SportKa
Author
Discussion

the_bakerboy3685

Original Poster:

74 posts

125 months

Monday 28th May 2018
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Thinking about looking at one of these that I've seen for £995 on a 57 plate with 50k on the clock.

It's got an MOT with no advisories until November although I don't think it has a service history.

I'm no stranger to the Ford Ka but never had the Sport version before and have read how much fun then can be with the 1.6 engine as opposed to the standard 1.3. Has anyone had one of these or know of anything to look out for in particular? I know rust is an issue on them these days especially round the filler cap so I would def look out for that. Any help appreciated!

anonymous-user

74 months

Monday 28th May 2018
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It's a bit of an unsung hero car, but the rust is simply savage on them all.

Tread careful.

Turn7

25,106 posts

241 months

Monday 28th May 2018
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Like all Ka, they will have MOT top mount issues (even if barand new,Ive seen testers try to fail them)

Rust around the filler cap due to muck building up behine the arch liner....

Other than that, fill yer boots, cheap to run and pretty hard to kill......

Alex_225

7,243 posts

221 months

Monday 28th May 2018
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I can't comment on their reliability as they get older, although rust seems to be a prevalent on all the older KAs out there.

My mum had one that she part ex'd back in about 2010, I absolutely loved it. Wasn't hugely quick but nippy and really satisfying to drive. Great handling and as mentioned, one of those really underrated little hatches.

I'd say the only downside to it was it's fuel economy, really rubbish considering but then it is quite an old school engine by all accounts. Still, it's a car that I think is great and now super cheap. smile

Turn7

25,106 posts

241 months

Monday 28th May 2018
quotequote all
End of the day, the engine is an injected crossflow pretty much.......need valve clearances checking very regularly but still a reliable old lump

the_bakerboy3685

Original Poster:

74 posts

125 months

Monday 28th May 2018
quotequote all
I currently have a 1.3 Zetec which I bought as a second car as my other car is on a PCP of 10k miles a year and I do way over that now since moving and changing jobs. It's done pretty well in the 16 months I had it but having a few issues now.

I've always fancied the Sport but does seem hard finding a decent one as they either seem to have a list of advisories or as mentioned are rust buckets!

I might look at the one I said about but the seller has conveniently taken no pics of the side the filler cap is on!


alorotom

12,636 posts

207 months

Monday 28th May 2018
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I had a sportka for a while ... on a 54 plate.

It was a proper little chuckable go kart and loved it till it stranded me after an electrical gremlin kept destroying alternators and resulted in me being powerless and lightless on a major 3lane A road in the dark at rush hour. The 3rd time it happened I had to leave it and returned a few hrs later to tow it and it had been vandalised, seats slashed, all windows smashed, wheels removed, tinted lights removed - insurance wrote it off (shock horror)

It wasn’t great on fuel or insurance but I would have another if a decent one came up locally cheap enough

the_bakerboy3685

Original Poster:

74 posts

125 months

Monday 28th May 2018
quotequote all
alorotom said:
I had a sportka for a while ... on a 54 plate.

It was a proper little chuckable go kart and loved it till it stranded me after an electrical gremlin kept destroying alternators and resulted in me being powerless and lightless on a major 3lane A road in the dark at rush hour. The 3rd time it happened I had to leave it and returned a few hrs later to tow it and it had been vandalised, seats slashed, all windows smashed, wheels removed, tinted lights removed - insurance wrote it off (shock horror)

It wasn’t great on fuel or insurance but I would have another if a decent one came up locally cheap enough
Ouch what a lovely way to come back and find your car!

I know fuel economy wont be great being an old 1.6 but that's not a deal breaker.

The one I am thinking of viewing has had 4 owners too which I am a bit nervous about, especially as no mention of service history.

andymc

7,555 posts

227 months

Monday 28th May 2018
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expensive tax