Ford Ka (1996 - 2008) 1.3i Black 3d (1999/T) Owner Review

What does this car say about you?

Very little. It's easily lost in a queue of traffic.

What do your friends / family / neighbours think of the car?

My friends think it's hysterical (a lad with a 'girly' car) and my parents are a bit sick of it now to be perfectly honest.

Would you buy this car again and why?

No. This is an extremely unreliable and outdated car and I was a bit of an idiot when I didn't do my research in the first place.

What are you likely to buy next?

Something newer, more reliable and definitely more capable on the road, perhaps a Volvo S40 2.0L.

Type of dealer you bought from?

Didn't buy from a dealer

Did you buy this car new?

No

What price did you pay?

£1,400

When did you buy the car?

July 2010

Did you get a good deal and why?

Paid a bit over the odds at the time but the car was in decent condition and is a very rare trim.

Is there any special reason why you bought this car?

What was the dealer like?

Okay, but was adamant he wouldn't take any less as he had 'someone else interested'. I struggled to get him down that much. He was also a little pushy.

What's it like to drive?

Can be quite fun on B-roads and handles almost like a go-kart. The engine, however, is pretty bad. Based on the old Kent series, the Endura E is of an overhead valve design, so it sounds like nails being shaken around in a metal bucket under hard acceleration. Performance is poor by modern standards (13.4 seconds to get to 60) and it produces a pitiful 59bhp. It can do 30mph in 5th gear, although there is very little pull. Long motorway journeys are a drag, as the engine is screaming at anything past 70.

What's it like to park?

With the power steering it's not to bad to nip in and out of tight spaces. The overhangs are short so it's easy to judge distances. The turning circle, perhaps surprisingly, is quite poor.

Have you had any problems with the car?

Lots! Granted I wasn't expecting miracles but it takes the biscuit. So far the following has gone wrong: -Offside drive shaft has snapped twice. -The central locking blows if the boot release switch is pressed. -Exhaust rusted through. -Bodywork rust EVERYWHERE. On the doors, sills, bootlid, bonnet, around the filler cap and now on the sills. -Coolant leak. -Bonnet stay fell out as the grommet disintegrated. I understand the car is old but it really is ridiculous the amount of this that have gone wrong. I am extremely disappointed with Ford.

What's most practical about your car?

One redeeming feature is that parts when they are required (all the time) are very cheap when bought from a breakers yard and still pretty cheap when bought new. I do all my own servicing and repairs where I can, so costs are kept pretty low. Fuel economy is okay; I sometimes get 34mpg out of it.

Favourite gadget, option or accessory?

The heated rear window is nice when you have to push it! In all seriousness, the Ka is very spartan in terms of equipment and there's very little in the way of mod-cons, although there is power steering which is a godsend around town.