Bit different from the Jag, eh? SN02 FVT was bought in 2005 as a replacement for my previous Ka, a purple Mk 1 that expired after well over 100,000 miles and a dodgy engine swap. Many, many, many miles later (about 134,000 so far) FVT is still running and has well and truly replaced the first one. I took a wee while to warm to it though.
Spec wise, it's a Ka Collection in Panther Black metallic with cloth seats, an RDS 6000 EON CD/Radio, electric windows, central locking, and a 1.3 litre Endura-E engine which can trace it's design lineage back to the Ford Kent found in Anglias and the like. Since purchase I've added the 15" O.Z alloys, a G-Max sports suspension kit, wheel spacers front and rear, the shorty aerial plus a chrome trim for the exhaust. Everything else is standard.
I can't begin to tell you how much fun it is to drive this wee thing. It's no rocket but since you barely have to lift for any corner it feels faster than it is. The handling is helped by the lowered suspension and slightly wider track, but that comes at the expense of comfort - just ask my partner who gets car-sick on long journeys!
Sadly, the intergalactic mileage has taken its toll on the Ka. The situation right now is this: the engine is oil-tight but very noisy and it leaks coolant. This coolant loss has been a minor long term problem which was partially resolved using Radweld which stopped a water-pistol like stream from the intake manifold. There is a new leak now, not a dreadful one, but the coolant drips onto the engine, pooling around the No. 1 plug where it burns off thanks to the heat. That means I can't drive the car with the windows open because after a while the fumes get too much. Previously, coolant used to leak from the thermostat housing. That was resolved by removal, cleaning off the corrosion, then refitting with new gaskets and sealant. No idea what the solution will be this time though.
Over the years it has been a reliable workhorse, hammered around the country, abused, and taken for granted. I didn't scrimp on servicing though and whatever needed done to it when it was needing done, was done. For instance it has had at least 3 steering racks, a power steering pump, several wishbones, pads, discs, drums, shoes, heater control valve, heater blower motor resistor, coolant temperature sender, new catalytic converter and manifold, complete new exhaust, new coil, a replacement headlight, a new clutch and a new flywheel. I've kept pretty much all of the receipts, stamped the service book and farmed out any work that I couldn't undertake myself. The Ka has paid me back by not letting me down. The only time I have had to pull over and stop was when it first became apparent there were overheating problem as a cloud of steam curled up from the bonnet while I was in traffic. After cooling down it got me home. It has always got me home - even when the clutch disintegrated, taking the old flywheel with it...
Time passes though and anything well-used will wear out. If the Ka lasts until its next MOT in August I will be happy. If by some miracle it passes, I'll be happier still, but in the back of my mind I'll be waiting for the day it goes bang. A pass in August is unlikely without some serious structural welding and a new windscreen. Unfortunately when Ford built the Ka they used foam on the inside of the body in areas that attract moisture. The foam traps the moisture and the car rusts from the inside out. 'FVT has rusted out around the fuel filler cap, rear crossmember/boot slam panel, offside sill, both front sill ends, base of A-pillars, round the rear wiper spindle and on the front of the offside wing (had an argument with a BMW once). Here are some pictures to show just how bad it is...
The boot & rear crossmember
Left side of boot & rear crossmember
Edge of boot, rear wing
Offside rear quarter panel
Rear wiper attachment
Fuel filler cap. There is no metal here. Only Duck Tape...
Nearside A-pillar base
Offside A-pillar base and cracked 'screen
Front of offside wing
We'll see what happens come MOT time. Just now though I am still enjoying what has been, and continues to be, a great wee, fun car. Having two constitutes a fleet as far as I'm concerned and I'm very happy to have them both!
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