Daewoo Matiz sold so we bought a KA

[Dirk Diggler]

If only it worked like the UK here in Ireland; insurance companies will not insure anything over 10 years old without a big premium and won't insure over 15 full stop, only a few companies excepting

 

Basically means you can't give away something 2002 or earlier

[Vince70]

We had a look at the lupo earlier and it was really a piece of Shite but not in a good way.

It came with one knackered key and the locks were dodgy and the bodywork was all mismatched and keyed.

 

The first thing I did was get in the passenger side and the door dropped.

 

Then We went for a drive down the road and there was a terrible banging coming out of it from underneath and the brakes were non existent.

And when we turned back the car started firing on three and steering seemed to be off a Sherman tank as it was so heavy and it was a complete dog without one redeeming feature.

 

I didn't look under the bonnet but the guy was a roadside trader with some real cat D scrap chod.

 

To be honest I wouldn't of given £200 for it as it was basically scrap.

[320touring]

Hey chap you have PM:)

[Vince70]

We finally bought a nice little low mileage car which had been with the previous family since new so it's only had a couple of owners and all for £500

 

The MOT history is outstanding with only one advisory in its History for a tyre and no mention of rust so today I decided to get the pressure washer out and get the crap from the wheel arches and sills and in the week it's getting a soaking in waxoyl.

 

I couldn't believe my luck as it's completely rust free underneath but it looks like it's been done before and had some sticker in the window suggesting some rust preventing measure and even the petrol cap area hasn't got any grot.

 

The only thing is which I can't believe I've done was when pressure washing the car I took some paint off around the filler cap and I'm pi.,£&ed off with myself as the car came up like new.

[Rusty_Rocket]

You go easy with that pressure washer!

 

Joking apart, it looks very clean, I'd definitely waxoil it if there really is no rust..

[cobblers]

That's the best one I've seen for years, they're a cracking car when you're not underneath them getting welding sparks in your ear.

 

If it doesn't make crunchy noises when you jack it up then it actually might genuinely be a good one, but don't get too attached.

[320touring]

These are tremendous fun to drive in a "Go Kart with windaes" kinda way. A 6ft 7 mate and I campaigned one from Glasgow to Gibraltar via Portugal.

 

7500 miles in 13 days, 53mpg at 80mph and big enough to kip in:)

[Pillock]

Honestly, that looks good! A world away from your typical pogweasel and faded bumpers job where there's a six inch hole below the filler and a Powered by Fairydust sticker on the boot.

 

I take it it's one of the late two tone jobs? Or has it had a dodgy respray?

[Vince70]

I think it's just the way the picture was taken as it's all one colour.

[Broadsword]

Well bought Sir! I was convinced that a "rust free" Ka was an impossibility at this stage. Even the 08 cars are rotten (last year of the old Ka). I had an 02 Endura-E in bright red and it was fabulous to drive. The high speed stability and handling make it the best driving small car I know for the money (i.e. pennies). The steering is just perfect on these! I had to get rid of mine in the space of 5 months. It looked "relatively" rust free when I got it but even in that short time the rot was spreading! Keep waxoyling yours if you intend to get it though another MOT. I presume yours has a Duratec unit, which is a nice gutsy engine and very different to the revvy, gutless twin cam stuff most small cars have now.

[Vince70]

The motor has got to go through a few mots and I'm sure it's going to get some scrapes on it being a first car.

But I'm still annoyed with myself with taking the paint off around the filler and seeing it's the only one I've ever seen with no rot around the cap makes it worse.

 

I can't go and put one of those stickers around the petrol cap as it will look like your covering up rot.

But I still think the paint must be pretty bad quality as I've never done that before to a car on its original paint, well that's what I'm going to tell myself anyway.

 

But you can see why these things are rust traps as it doesn't have any rear liners and I did get some serious amount of dirt out from under the arches so I've bought a cheap pressurised garden sprayer with a lance and some cheap 5 litre can of pro range clear wax oil so will get that sorted during the week, I might even dab a bit of black underbody sealant around the underneath of the rear suspension turrets as I've got some sitting in the garage somewhere.

 

It does handle well though and I prefer driving it to my E36 and the engine is a real gem and I was expecting an old Kent crossflow style rattle on startup so was disappointed but they drive lovely, it's just a shame Ford can't screw a car together with a bit of rust prevention.

 

She doesn't know she has a car yet and it's hidden up around the back of my house and I've told her I've given up looking for the time being so I think it will be a nice surprise on her 18th birthday.

 

It came with a Lego Joker key ring so her mum is going to put that in the box and give that as the present on her birthday also the insurance wasn't as bad on this one and is £1200 for the year.

[brownnova]

Good choice, they're cracking little cars.

 

Ours is (almost) rust free too and has been ideal for Mrs_brownnova to learn to drive in as it's nippy yet small enough to have good visibility, and it's been pretty reliable too.

 

Secretly I quite enjoy driving it too.... but don't tell anyone....

[SiC]

What about some touch up paint to cover and stop it rusting?

[Kiltox]

Didn't know there were any not rotten Kas left - well bought

[Tickman]

The motor has got to go through a few mots and I'm sure it's going to get some scrapes on it being a first car.

But I'm still annoyed with myself with taking the paint off around the filler and seeing it's the only one I've ever seen with no rot around the cap makes it worse.

A friends daughter had a very nice red one a few years ago and one day while he was just washing it a lot of the paint came off round the fuel filler. It was not rusty just the paint fell off as he wiped it with a cloth.

Hers was a great car and she traded it in for something with more doors so she could get a baby seat in easier.

[Bren]

I would have a sport ka but to be fair I have had enough of welding cars.

[Vince70]

I put a bit of lacquer over the bit of peeling paint so hopefully it should stop it getting worse and hold back any rot getting into the panel.

[Noel Tidybeard]

PLEASE REMEMBER- IF YOU HAVE BEEN DRIVING A NORMAL PROPER CAR* THAT FORD NEGLECTED TO FIT BRAKES TO THE KAk SO STOPPING MAY PRESENT YOU WITH A BROWN TROUSER MOMENT AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTIFICATION

 

 

*except pugrot 106 which is just as funkin bad

[Vince70]

I did wonder about the brakes as my motor stops on a sixpence compared to the Ka.

 

You can see why these rust for fun though as rust protection wasn't a priority by the looks of things and you can see these things were made to a budget..

 

So yesterday I got a can of that brush on black waxoyl under seal that had been sitting in the garage for years and plastered the suspension mounts and the underside of the rear inner wings in the stuff, then I'm going to give the underside a spray with the waxoil once the stuff arrives.

It took me a lot longer getting the stuff off my arms than it did to cover the underside.

 

By the time I've finished I think the car will be able to float and as you can see I've found my first little bit of rust but if that's all I've got to contend with then it isn't much to worry about hopefully.