laser wheels Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 Okay, long story short: was not getting on with the PT at all so swapped it back for the old man's SportKA. Looks tidy, doesn't it? Still got it's fuel filler, so that's a start. Looks okay this side, too. Oh, hang on, that looks a bit loose. No problem, though, soon sorted... Bugger. Is that rust? Yup. Okay, normally a bit of rust doesn't phase me too much, but let's look at the last two MOTs... Firstly, this is the one that came with the car: Looks okay, but what's this? Seriously, we all know KAs like to rot but does anyone think this is suspicious? What you can't see in the picture above is that the outer panel has seperated from the wheel arch along the edge. Surely that wouldn't pass an MOT? I find it hard to believe that it would not have been like that when it was done in July. I tried to get a picture - if you start at the edge of the tyre and follow it all the way up that is all rotten! And it's not just the rust concerns, either, it's the fact that it genuinely doesn't feel safe to drive. At low speeds - and I mean walking pace sometimes - the front wheels just tuck in when turning to the right. Then at speed it just drifts all over the place. Tried to take it up to 60 on the dual carriageway earlier today and it felt like the steering wheel was just not connected to the front wheels, like it just wanted to drift into the central reservation! I also nearly had an off the other day when it nearly spun coming of a NSL roundabout onto a slip road despite only doing about 40. I know it's damp out but this is silly. My gut instinct is that something is off somewhere. It could just be the cheapo Zeta tyres on the back, but I'm not sure. Took it straight to my local indy and booked it in for tomorrow. I have two options: they can just put it through an MOT for me or give it a full inspection and a report. At least with the inspection if something is wrong I will still have a nice bit of ticket, but if it's shagged I wouldn't want to drive it anyway and I certainly wouldn't sell it on. If it does pass, though, I then have a fresh ticket and I can punt it on in good faith. So, what would you do? Bite the bullet and gamble on an MOT? Or just get a report first and hope it's not too fucked? I need to make a decision by tomorrow afternoon... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 I see little sense in paying for an MOT that you're fairly certain it will fail when just getting a report and keeping the current MOT is an option. Sure it might have some rust but looking it it's far more solid than lots of other Ka's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sigmund Fraud Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 I know you don't want to hear this, but a good SportKa feels very sharp to drive, even on crappy tyres. If this drives like a pig, it's probably fucked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crapcarcollector Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 Just over 20k miles at last MOT? I don't think it's going to be that bad, it probably needs bushes or a joint, don't the heel joints wear on these causing grief? anyway, I think that with some weld age, and some bits this will live to fight another day no problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laser wheels Posted January 4, 2016 Author Share Posted January 4, 2016 I know you don't want to hear this, but a good SportKa feels very sharp to drive, even on crappy tyres. If this drives like a pig, it's probably fucked. Exactly. Despite having an extra 100k on the clock, shit tyres, and generally being a bit baggy my old Puma still felt ace. And this is supposed to be better than a Puma. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cavcraft Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 How much is an MOT these days, even with a discount? £30? That's probably 3/4 of what the car is worth when it shits out at the test. Advertise it on Gumtree or Facebook for £120 ono and take anything you get offered over £40. In fact (sorry) I wouldn't even waste 57p's worth of petrol driving it to the MOT place. EssDeeWon, UltraWomble, The Moog and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_Rocket Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 I never managed to figure out why, but Mrs Rocket's Ka was the only vehicle that both of us spun while entering roundabouts or slightly damp corners on a semi-regular* basis. My guess was that her car had been badly repaired in the past. They're not all as bad as that surely?Vagueness at the front will be the lower arm bushes, of which yours has had an advisory for previously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Split_Pin Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 Looks like the prescribed areas were welded according to the MOT? Just have a look underneath with a hammer yourself. If it inly needs bushes at the front, Id say go for it, and you will quickly see if its either rotten or been tickled crudely at the front with a Portapower in tje past. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timewaster Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 I've never driven a sport Ka but the standard ones handle a treat.I would expect worn joints and/or bushes are at fault. As for the Rot... Well it is a ka after all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cort16 Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 Has the mot not changed now so if you take it in with a valid mot and it fails it now has no mot?Sounds like somethings come adrift at the front somewhere. If it's that bad it should be obvious to your garage once they look at it.I;m going to go for the anti roll bar mounting has sheered off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Split_Pin Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 Old MOT still valid until expiry. John F 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sigmund Fraud Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 Old MOT still valid until expiry. Yes, but if you plough into a bus stop full of kitten-stroking nuns, your insurance company is guaranteed to use the MoT failure information as proof that your car was unroadworthy, so they don't have to cover you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bren Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 Shit tyres can make a good car handle like a shopping trolley. laser wheels 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PiperCub Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 Old MOT still valid until expiry.^^ Erm, no, it's not. Once you have another MoT done and it fails it effectively invalidates the old one. I know this sounds (& is IMO) fucked up but that's the way it is now. The rational for this is that the wonderful VOSA (or whatever it's called now) Database can only cope with the latest test when referencing to ANPR cameras apparantly so you can't use the car if it fails unless you are taking it for repair. Now whether this is a deliberate ploy or not considering the database has previous MoT data, I'll leave up to you to decide.This was a shock to me when I learnt about it last month. BTW - as others have said, a Ka, even a rather crappy one, should drive sharply, go-cart like, if not, there's problems. Tamworthbay 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tamworthbay Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 As above, last mot is the only one valid. An mot fail means the car is unroadworthy and it is illegal to drive an unroadworthy car on public highways. A valid mot is a legal way of denying you know of any faults for a year, but even then you can be done e.g bald tyres. As soon as the car fails you can't claim not to know of the fault. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John F Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 I checked this with my MOT tester last time I was in... yes, the old MOT remains in force until its expiry date but if the vehicle has faults that render it unsafe you could still be committing an offence. Anyway, this probably won't prove popular on here, but here goes... That SportKa is actually quite tidy for what it is, and they'll all be gone in 5-10 years, so surely the Autoshite thing to do is save it? Add to that the inevitable sporty* Ford scene tax it will accrue as time goes on, it might well be worth saving this one from the crusher. [leaps into flameproof bunker] Bren and Bobthebeard 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cavcraft Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 John F, on 04 Jan 2016 - 5:23 PM, said:SportKa ... they'll all be gone in 5-10 years, Good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PiperCub Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 Anyway, this probably won't prove popular on here, but here goes... That SportKa is actually quite tidy for what it is, and they'll all be gone in 5-10 years, so surely the Autoshite thing to do is save it? Add to that the inevitable sporty* Ford scene tax it will accrue as time goes on, it might well be worth saving this one from the crusher. As far as I'm concerned you're quite right, in about 5-10 years all those people who had a Ka as their first car will be getting a pang of nostalgia as start thinking 'Wouldn't it be nice to have one of those again' to relive their youth. It' s happened with proper Minis, Escorts, etc. If you're over 40, think about your first car, how much is a half decent one worth now and how common are they? The Mini I paid £85 for when I was 16 (34 years ago) - an equivilent example in the same condition now? £1000's. Plus being a Ford, it'll doubtless attract OMGOSF scene tax too. The Ka is one of those cars that I'd buy and store if I could find a decent example!!! (I know - GLWT!) Chompy's story is a common one, ask your local garage/MoT station. Shame really. Bamboocarman 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lisbon_road Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 As you know the car, may I ask if the 20K miles is correct? Mind boggling to have all this at that milage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vulgalour Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 Chompy's green car was great. You could watch the seats moving independantly of the car while he drove down the street it was so bad. It really didn't look it either, it looked quite tidy. I do like the Ka, for what it's worth, and they will certainly be collectible and indeed already are for the right spec. A SportKa is one of the more desirable options out there. Yours is exhibiting rust in the usual spot so the easiest thing to do before taking it for an MoT would be to pull out the back seat and trims and see how much rust there is inside. I bet it's between Some and Fucked. Bobthebeard 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr_Bo11ox Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 Ka's are ace and are a flippin hoot to drive. Any MOT testers care to comment on this 'new MOT overrides the previous one' stuff? Thats the first I've heard and it sounds a bit flaky to me. mat_the_cat, alf892 and strangeangel 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twosmoke300 Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 Ka s and fiestas are the only modern ish cars I know that deflect enough when on the ramp to make opening the doors difficult . Rusty_Rocket 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_Rocket Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 The weirdest thing was, Mrs Rocket's KA wasn't rusty, it went through two MoTs in our possession with next to no work. It still went to its death at 10yrs old though. I would have loved for someone to explain exactly why it was so lethal in the wet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bren Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 I expect you to find some grot but generally the car looks tidy. Time will tell....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cort16 Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 It says here it's still valid but im sure I read something last week saying that it would be made invalid. I can't remember where I read it though https://www.gov.uk/getting-an-mot/after-the-test Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strangeangel Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 And it's not just the rust concerns, either, it's the fact that it genuinely doesn't feel safe to drive. At low speeds - and I mean walking pace sometimes - the front wheels just tuck in when turning to the right. Then at speed it just drifts all over the place. Tried to take it up to 60 on the dual carriageway earlier today and it felt like the steering wheel was just not connected to the front wheels, like it just wanted to drift into the central reservation! I also nearly had an off the other day when it nearly spun coming of a NSL roundabout onto a slip road despite only doing about 40. I know it's damp out but this is silly. I've driven plenty of old shitters on cheap (and occasionally bald) tyres, and never experienced anything like that. I neither like these nor have any prejudice against them, so my honest opinion is this: with everything taken into account I'd get rid of that for whatever you can while it has some ticket left. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D Spares & Tyres Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 Bent bottom arm probably. This are made if tin and a minor impact with a kerb will bend it Take it for test, its still got a value Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiC Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 Ka's are ace and are a flippin hoot to drive. Any MOT testers care to comment on this 'new MOT overrides the previous one' stuff? Thats the first I've heard and it sounds a bit flaky to me. I'm not a lawyer, but this is my belief on it... It's illegal to drive a car on the road that is not roadworthy - with a valid MOT or not. An MOT is basically an inspection by a competent/trained mechanic to see if a car meets a number of requirements that asses if it's roadworthy. So if you fail a MOT, your basically having someone that the government has approved to, recording and saying your car isn't fit for the road. Now of course there are a number of reasons why you may fail. For example if your dipped beam has failed, then it may not necessarily be dangerous to drive on the road during the day. However if you have a failure because your track rod arms are/have failed then it could arguably be dangerous to drive. Then there is the issue of if you don't believe the test was conducted accurately/properly/etc and thus driving it elsewhere to get tested. So I guess if you have a accident during this time that could be attributed to something that fails an MOT, it'd be a argument with the insurance company/police/court/etc. That's my general understanding on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobblers Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 Hey that's no amount of rust for a KA, I reckon testers will always advise rust on a Ka because VOSA would be very very surprised to see a test with no mention of it. It looks a decent example of one of them, a test is £30 and it might hardly need owt.Or you could just get your head underneath and poke about with an old spoon and see how many places it goes through yourself.My mums old Ka was terrifying to drive after fitting wonky pattern wishbones which knocked the alignment all over. Similarly when the rear axle bushes went. Both fixed for £50 and 2 hours labour. If Ii's otherwise a good car then just stick it through a test, you might be pleasantly surprised. laser wheels 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr_Bo11ox Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 I'm not a lawyer, but this is my belief on it... An MOT is basically an inspection by a competent/trained mechanic to see if a car meets a number of requirements that asses if it's roadworthy. So if you fail a MOT, your basically having someone that the government has approved to, recording and saying your car isn't fit for the road. That's my general understanding on it. Thanks, thats cleared it up a treat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now