Ford Ka mk1 buyers guide

A short guide on what to look out for if you want to buy a Ford Ka

[@BilbosBaggedYou]

Instant buyers guide for a Ka: Check EVERYWHERE for rot. Done

[@mayhemmechanics4068]

As you should for any old car

[@davidealexandrusuvac3245]

My Ka from 1997 still rocking fine, no rust 140.000 km

[@gingerbizzleable]

I have a 2007 silver KA and I love it, always been reliable and has passed all the MOT's since I've had it. Good little first car

[@GECKOZFTW]

Yep, I agree. My Ka has been very reliable in my time as owner. I am switching to a 1997 Mazda 323f on the 2nd of September so look out for a video about that car too.

[@gingerbizzleable]

@@GECKOZFTW Looking forward to it, love your vids btw :)

[@tomdude75]

I have a 2007 ka which failed its mot yesterday 😂

[@forgottendailys]

Lmao, mines a 2007 silver as well

[@therelaxafterrevision8073]

Thanks, Hero. Excellent that half of your car worked so you could show the working and wobbly sides.

[@GECKOZFTW]

I'm glad you enjoyed the video. The Ka served me great as a first car. Very good on fuel and never let me down. It only left me unable to drive it once when the battery died during the 1st lockdown but that's nothing major.

[@ADAMLFC92]

My first car was a 2005 Ford KA that I bought for 350 quid. Loved it at first, but after a year of ownership the rust was really starting to settle in, both sills, around the petrol cap in particular. Thermostat is also a massive problem on this car. Sold for scrap in the end, good for a run around type car but not long term ownership.

[@tomdude75]

I still have my 2007 ford KA, but new drivers should stay clear of them, unless you can find a really clean one thats been garaged all its life, but thats like finding a needle in a haystak

[@ADAMLFC92]

@@tomdude75 I think they're good for new drivers, very easy to learn the ways of the road in them and how to actually drive, however, these aren't long term cars, a year or less at most.

[@ceunabugatti]

Good video mate, ive got a 2004 KAY-AYY (wrong but better), great first car. Dont take yours for granted mines got manual windows, no air con, no demisters and no boot unlock. Worst of all no central locking. I personally like the lack of rev counter, really makes me feel the car so my gear changes are smooth af.

[@GECKOZFTW]

Cheers. I agree that it's nowhere near as bad of a car as people think. They drive brilliantly, are comfortable enough and give you a reasonable amount of space. I'm planning to sell mine when my insurance cover runs out. It'll have a fresh MOT by then and I'll most likely list it for about £500. The plan is to get a 7th gen Celica as my next car.

[@forgottendailys]

@kong same here

[@abdulroshan2264]

SI sI😢.0

[@speakfreeley4473]

Bought an original Ford Ka last summer for £450, same age as yours, but only because my much preferred classic cars were/are off the roads & needed a cheap small runabout to get me places for time being. It was either this or hiring vehicles until my classics were ready which is expensive. Generally good but not 100% clean. Can see what look like some rust bubbles but currently unconcerned. Mk1 Kas were a bit rust prone. Have a slight coolant leak with it. Like you had the faded Ford badges but bought some Ford badge stickers for that size from EBay, fitted them & for a small thing transformed the car. Set of 4 for £4.50. Gave the other two to another Mk1 Ka owner. Inside still has the original radio/CD player & still works well. Internal boot opening button worked at first but no longer does. Internal trim-piece for gear-stick is missing but unconcerned. Does at least get me around & is ideal as a stop-gap car, until my classics are all sorted one shape or another will do. Classic cars, certainly over 40 years old are tax exempt & MOTs optional which is what I have, so savings made there & if I want to get MOT'd, no rush. Much prefer big cars, particularly in classic format but the Ka is suitable for now & glad I got one under circumstances. BTW I'm over 50.

[@Munkenba]

I'm thinking of a similar purchase. My classic is 38 years old so it can't come with me on my move to London next month. I won't sell it, but I'll need something ulez-able for the two years that the other car will take to age a little more. How are your thoughts on the ka seven months on from your comment, has the rust worsened?

[@speakfreeley4473]

@@Munkenba Rust on my Ka not got any worse, but tailgate has stopped opening from outside as well as in. Under circumstances still glad I got it, though be glad when the day comes I can get rid.

[@Munkenba]

@@speakfreeley4473 Any fun to drive at least? I imagine it's like an old mini, or is it much more dull?

[@speakfreeley4473]

@@Munkenba I certainly find it to be a nippy car, so you'll get something out of that. That said it's not the sort of vehicle I would have gone for under normal circumstances, but don't let that put you off. Although I own the more basic 'Style' version, I would recommend that you get the more powerful versioned 'Sport Ka'. Will have more goodies fitted as well if you're not in too much of a rush & there are bargains to be had. Brilliant 'Sport Kas' you can get for under a grand, though what you get is down to you.

[@shiisreformed5988]

The most UK thing I have ever seen

[@GECKOZFTW]

Thanks I guess?

[@shiisreformed5988]

@@GECKOZFTW no problem.

[@turd6776]

...

[@JamieRyan92]

I've just bought one for £50, 2002, 64,000 miles, very little rust, and body in near perfect condition lol

[@GECKOZFTW]

How come it was only £50?

[@Bav-s30z]

£50?

[@JamieRyan92]

@@GECKOZFTW they couldn't get rid of it! They'd tried at 150, then 100. Then I finally saw it for 50 and grabbed it. Hardly using it tbh as I have a works van soo...

[@mxhsinn4481]

@@JamieRyan92 sell it to me please

[@jewelliam5292]

Thank you for this guide. I'm about to look at one.

[@tomdude75]

Thats not a bad KA for the price. I have a 2007 KA style, had to have welding done on it last year, but apart from that been a solid car

[@GECKOZFTW]

That's how I've been finding mine. It's slowly rusting away but I'm not worried since I've already got my next car sorted. It's served me well. Never failed to start and always got me where it needed to get me.

[@judejohnson9645]

Just bought a Ford Ka a coupler hours ago. It's a 2006. Really decent. Have no idea where to open the bonnet though

[@GECKOZFTW]

It's under the steering wheel

[@akaski777]

Nothing but trouble overheating . Blown head gasket. New gearbox after 45k . Window switches don’t work . Rust underneath. Rear wiper , sills replaced, Petrol filler . Rust . Heater switch won’t work stuck on hot . Pay the extra get an aygo

[@GECKOZFTW]

Unless you’ve owned one, I don’t believe that your Ka has all these issues. Sounds like you had one that wasn’t maintained at all. Any car that’s neglected will have big problems. Oh, and I’ve driven an Aygo, and it is less comfortable, slower, louder and the interior is horrible.

[@tina3601]

Did you change the radio? If so, how?

[@bjornborg8213]

Future classic

[@russel5848]

Awesome, got one for my young boys.good small car its beginning to whine when started,the mechanic talked about changing the steering pump,is that so

[@GECKOZFTW]

If it whines when you turn the wheel that could be the steering pump

[@neiledwards4923]

The Ka is a Ford fiesta with a different body shell. Both were notorious for rusting on the sills, which this video does not even mention. We are talking about catastrophic rusting that can kill a Ka that's only done less than 50,000 miles. It eats the sills and floor, suspension mounting points, seat belt anchorage points etc. Avoid these notoriously rust prone cars like the plague!!

[@GECKOZFTW]

Why avoid it if you only need a cheap daily? For their value, there aren't many better cheap small cars for very little money. You can buy a decent Ka for less than £500, drive it until the MOT expires as your daily if it's rusty and then buy another. Apart from rust, these cars are very reliable

[@damien1986]

My first car was a KA! It was a 2001, bought in 2009. Didn’t last long. Wrote it off as I lost the rear end! Oops

[@Jaxs2]

Yep just don't buy one !

[@k8ebarton]

you’ve definitely sold yours by now but i’m planning to buy a 2009 ford ka, it’s this model just one of the later ones manufactured. i don’t know anything about cars so im just a bit worried that i’ll be caught out by something. do you have any tips on what to look out for? it passed its MOT about a week ago, but im worried that there may be issues with the clutch or gearbox or something that i may not notice. i’ve been saving for a long time so just don’t want to get ripped off! any advice would be appreciated, thanks.

[@GECKOZFTW]

The best way to test things like this is to see the car in person and test everything. Make sure the car goes okay, stops well, that the clutch doesn’t slip, test that all the equipment works, etc. As a whole, buying an older car, you need to accept that there may be parts that need replacing. The mk2 Ford Ka is based on the Fiat 500. All the engines are Fiat. If you are buying a 1.2 petrol, it’s generally a good and reliable engine

[@alexmac101]

Problem is that the when they put grit on the roads in the winter, the wheels splash salt water up behind the fuel cap and underside of the car. That’s where your rust and corrosion problems come from. Never want to buy one of these that’s been by the coast because of the salt and sea spray in the air

[@GECKOZFTW]

Yeah you're right. I bought mine from around London and at the time it wasn't bad at all. There's surface rust on the sills now and the back of the fuel tank but that's also just surface rust. I intend to sell the car and get something nicer around September anyways so it doesn't concern me. Also a massive thanks to you for watching the video and providing even more useful info for those who are interested in buying a Ka used.

[@stanleyleopard6799]

That locking fuel cap at 3:40 doesn't look like the original. Probably an aftermarket item, explaining the poor fit. Did you need a separate key for it, rather than the ignition key?

[@GECKOZFTW]

Yeah it's not the original. And yes I had a separate key

[@footscorn]

Actually that pronunciation is incorrect regardless of what the brass says. The word means " soul" or more specifically an Egyptian equivalent and is pronounced " kah ". This was also given as it's meaning when the car first went on the market - by Ford back in the late nineties.

[@GECKOZFTW]

Yep I know. That's why I pronounce it as Kah instead of Kay-Ay.

[@jontallon73]

Kah as in car not Ka as in cat

[@MarcMarriner]

Indicator stalk fails to cancel

[@GECKOZFTW]

@@MarcMarriner Never heard of that on these cars 🤷‍♂️

[@crustysock1236]

What are the speakers like in this car? Obviously not expecting much, but can they handle bassy music?

[@GECKOZFTW]

They actually can. The speakers on mine are standard and there's only 2 of em, the sound system is surprisingly good

[@simomessek934]

Hey, I just found this video it's pretty useful I just wanna ask some question about ford ka a 1999 model is it good for a first car and it's actually still worth about 3000 dollars in my country crazy right anyway I found one for 2800 dollars look pretty good with a pretty interior but my concern is about the fuel consumption and what's your experience so far with this ford ka? And Endura-E OHV is it good enough? if so how can i check this kind of motors when buying?

[@GECKOZFTW]

First, thanks for watching my video, hope you like it. In terms of fuel consumption, the Endura-E and the Duratec Rocam use a similar amount of fuel, with the Duratec being slightly more efficient. The only real check you should do with the Endura is how it sounds. If it's tapping extremely loudly, the valve clearance needs to be adjusted. If the owner says that this is how the car has sounded for a while, I'd suggest looking for another Ford Ka because this could be a good indication of poor maintenance. While the Endura is a loud engine, it shouldn't be hella tappety. In case you buy a Ka with the Endura, get a set of feeler blades and check the valve clearance once a year and adjust it if you need to

[@GlossaME]

Quick buyers guide: Don't pay more than 300 Euros/Pounds or potatoes

[@nigelbryant5932]

How about washing the car?

[@GECKOZFTW]

Not really possible, sold it nearly 2 years ago now lol

[@markussteinmann2890]

On my Ford ka I have a rubber that seals just beneath the fuel cap around the fueler. Maybe on your car the rubber is missing? Here in South Africa we have a problem with the heater valves. In 7 years I have replaced it 3 or 4 times now. I don't know if its a problem in the UK.

[@GECKOZFTW]

Might be missing but I'm planning to sell the car. However if I buy a SportKa to follow up I might look into a way of sealing that area off if nothing was there from factory, just to slow down the build up of rust there. I'm sure you know that around the filler is the most common area for rust on a Ford Ka

[@markussteinmann2890]

@@GECKOZFTW To be honest. When I watched your video that was the first time I saw rust around the filler area. I have no rust around the filler area.

[@GECKOZFTW]

@@markussteinmann2890 It's probably because the UK gets a lot more rain, as well as snow, which means grit and salt on the roads

[@markussteinmann2890]

@@GECKOZFTW You're 100 % right. It only make sense that you will have much more rust in the UK.

[@GECKOZFTW]

@@markussteinmann2890 Some Ka's sold here go for as cheap as £150 because they fail the yearly inspection for rust

[@welln0w]

interesting

[@xxunicornxx7803]

Would you recommend this as a first car, I have about £1300 so I can get a rust free(ish) high spec model. I would probably want it for a couple years until I can afford something better.

[@GECKOZFTW]

Yes I would. They are good on fuel, very easy to drive and if you need to change anything, parts are cheap and easily available. Also, despite being an old car, you can actually safely run these on E10. Main thing you’re looking for really is rust.

[@xxunicornxx7803]

@@GECKOZFTW thanks for the help man, parts look mega easy to find since you can practically buy another one for a tuna sandwich and a 10p

[@GECKOZFTW]

@@xxunicornxx7803 That's right. If you go to look at one, the main areas you should check for rust are: -Around the fuel filler -Underbody -Suspension towers -Sills

[@xxunicornxx7803]

@@GECKOZFTW thank you

[@newoaknl]

@@xxunicornxx7803 .. and subframe motor

[@isaacadams7169]

anyone know where i can get a rwd ka as my friend had one but i cant seem to find it

[@GECKOZFTW]

There was never a RWD Ford Ka. If your mate's Ka really was RWD, he must have converted it. If you plan on doing that, it's gonna cost you thousands and will only make sense if you're doing an engine swap. If you are swapping the engine, here are my suggestions: -2.0 Zetec blacktop -2.0 Cosworth YB

[@mayhemmechanics4068]

Fix it and solve the issue Simple

[@GECKOZFTW]

Well that’s gonna be hard, I sold the car 3 years ago

[@mayhemmechanics4068]

@@GECKOZFTW shame

[@GECKOZFTW]

@@mayhemmechanics4068 Not really, I was only keeping for my first year of driving

[@mayhemmechanics4068]

@@GECKOZFTW shame

[@TheyWillDie97]

It s like a 30.000 turkish lira (4500 usd ) in TR :D

[@windoak2113]

That sounds quite expensive. Are all used cars priced like that?

[@TheyWillDie97]

@@windoak2113 yes there is a lot of tax on cars and etc. its %250 tax price if u buy 1.8 engine new car u need to buy 2 more to government :DD

[@anthonyisk704]

@@TheyWillDie97 Is it going to change if a party like CHP takes over?

[@alex_5animationsroblox783]

check for rot cos these cars ROT

[@arrasabdessamad3866]

Is it good car ? I want to buy one

[@GECKOZFTW]

If you are looking for a cheap beater or your first car then go for it. You can get them very cheap and with a lot of equipment. Just make sure that if you buy one, that it is 2002 or newer. The Ka's from 2002 to 2008 have a better SOHC engine. The ones before 2002 have an old Endura-E OHV.

[@arrasabdessamad3866]

@@GECKOZFTW thank you for this info ..the one I found its from 1997 ..and cheaper but I dont know if it's good deal or not

[@GECKOZFTW]

@@arrasabdessamad3866 Ok the older cars from those years are more prone to rust than the newer ones and have the OHV Kent engine. Here are the main things you should look for: -Rust on the sills -Rust on the underbody -Rust around the fuel filler cap -A tapping noise from the engine. This one is the most important one in the older cars. If you hear the engine tapping really loudly that means that the current owner has not adjusted the valve clearance. The Kent engines don't have hydraulic tappets, meaning that every now and then, the valve clearance needs to be checked and if it's out of tolerance, adjusted using a ratchet and socket and feeler blades. Other than that, check the things that I've listed in the video. The Kent engine is reliable, but it needs to he taken care of. If you do buy the car, the first thing you should do is check the valve clearance. Best of luck man.

[@arrasabdessamad3866]

@@GECKOZFTW thanks a lot for all this informations 😊

[@GECKOZFTW]

@@arrasabdessamad3866 If you need any more, just give another reply.

[@turd6776]

I see lots Ford ka

[@T0MMYDUDE]

yes they are common in the uk

[@loisveton154]

That is the ugliest car throughout history 😂 but good vid haha

[@GECKOZFTW]

So uhhh have you forgotten the fiat multipla?

[@loisveton154]

My Channel Lacks Originality well.... that can be first haha

[@GECKOZFTW]

@@loisveton154 Either way I'm glad you enjoyed the video. I plan to upload again soon so be on the lookout if you wanna see a similar video in the coming week.

[@cormacwall5134]

how can u spend 580 on a ka like wha tf

[@GECKOZFTW]

I wanted a cheap first car and this car was the perfect pick. It only had 66k on the clock and 11 months MOT. Even has working air con so it's the best £580 I've ever spent.

[@davidjenkins351]

I got one for 300 pounds

[@mindoza44]

total sheds END OF !! ford motor co should be sued for producing such crap !!

[@GECKOZFTW]

Did you ever own or drive one? If you haven't you can't really give a proper reliable opinion on it. Everyone who I know that also had a Ka also liked it and had no issues with it

[@19800bon]

You obviously never owned one or driven one! Great wee cars, I had 4 of them, really nippy and great on fuel

[@grolfe3210]

This is a really bad example and the car you do not want to buy! They are a cheap car to by and there are good and bad ones out there. There are three major dents and damage areas that would cost more than the car to fix, it all just looks tired and tatty. Bad panel fit all round and too much rust. Get one with nothing wrong with it for £200 more! Lots around with low miles. Personally I would not go for a KA, they are an old chassis with a very old engine and there are far better options out there. VW Fox/Up! or Polo for example.

[@GECKOZFTW]

It was my first car. I didn't care about the bodywork. I only cared that the mechanical components were in good order as I was only going to drive it for a year. Considering it only cost me £580, the fact it has 11 months MOT and working air con, it was a good deal.

[@grolfe3210]

@@GECKOZFTW Fine if that is what you want but the video is "buyers guide", most people would want a nice looking car and also you will get nothing for it when you sell it on.

[@GECKOZFTW]

@@grolfe3210 A car doesn't need to be pristine for a buyers guide. I sold this car nearly 2 years ago for £400 so I was happy