A Ka question.

[waremark]

Does it have a rev counter? I would not like to have a manual car without one.

[skodatezzer]

It can be cool



just be aware of the compulsory footwear



Alasdair

Just imagine turning up to an ADUK driving day in that!!

[Gromit37]

Back in 2006, I had a 54 plate Ka 'Collection' and I liked it a lot. Much better to drive than any of it's direct competitors. So much so that I bought the 1.6 Sportka a year later. ABS was standard by that time. Usually only one airbag. Cheap to insure and low cost maintenance. However, they do rust badly. Fuel economy is relatively poor and emissions are high. But the gear box is great to use, they really do ride well and are fun. Parts are plentiful and cheap. The engines were upgraded from the Endura E to the Duratec by early 2000s, but still an old pushrod 8 valve engine design. 70 bhp if I recall. On a twisty road, they really do shine. You really do need to check for rust, especially in the door sills.

Oh, and along side my current main car, a Suzuki Swift Sport, I have a Streetka convertible. Good to drive but like all original Kas, the interior is very dated.

Regards

Gromit

[Mr Cholmondeley-Warner]

....nudging 100k miles when the coolant hose fell off and threw the coolant everywhere a few months ago. It was still drive-able, but the heater and all the blowers were packed up, which meant it was dangerous to drive as you couldn't demist the windscreen on the move!

But she says that was the first major failure they had with their Ka ...

That's hardly a "major failure". A hose, which should probably have been replaced years before, perished and split. Routine inspections and regular maintenance would almost certainly have prevented that from happening. In days gone by, savvy motorists would probably have carried a spare in the car with them, but hoses are made of sterner stuff (like Kevlar) these days, and the DIY spirit of car owners is weaker.

[Mr Cholmondeley-Warner]

The engines were upgraded from the Endura E to the Duratec by early 2000s, but still an old pushrod 8 valve engine design. 70 bhp if I recall.

Endura engines (based on Kent) are pushrod, but all Duratec engines are OHC.

[Silk]

I'm very tempted by the LuxuryKa models, simply because they've got the electric demisting windscreens, which is a great thing to have!

I'd stay away from them. The elements are very obvious and very distracting. It's one of the main reasons I didn't even consider getting a Ford.

[Mr Cholmondeley-Warner]

+1. I loved the one in my Mondeo in the 90's. Occasionally with low sun the elements were visible, but mostly the eye just tuned them out.

[Silk]

I'm very tempted by the LuxuryKa models, simply because they've got the electric demisting windscreens, which is a great thing to have!

I'd stay away from them. The elements are very obvious and very distracting.

Shoe menders.

Your vision must be defective.

[fungus]

Silk has xray vision. The electric front screen on my Fiesta isn't a problem.

[waremark]

Silk has xray vision. The electric front screen on my Fiesta isn't a problem.

Nor mine on my Jag, nor my daughter's on her Fiesta.

[Silk]

I must have defective vision too. When I had a Mondeo I loved that function on cold frosty days.

My car's always garaged at night, so it's never a problem. Not that we get many cold frosty days in this part of the world - probably less than half a dozen this winter.

[TheInsanity1234]

It can be cool



just be aware of the compulsory footwear



Alasdair

Oh absolutely! If I get a Ka, I shall nip right out and get a pair of those immediately!

I'm very tempted by the LuxuryKa models, simply because they've got the electric demisting windscreens, which is a great thing to have!

I'd stay away from them. The elements are very obvious and very distracting. It's one of the main reasons I didn't even consider getting a Ford.

My dad's got a Galaxy with them, and they don't bother me at all.

The only time they bother me is when the sun is pretty much shining directly into the windscreen, but usually, at that point, I have more important matters to be concerned about than a few wires dispersing the light, i.e, the fact I'm being blinded by the sun and I've got to get the sunvisor down and my sunglasses out!

Does it have a rev counter? I would not like to have a manual car without one.

The lower level models don't, but the LuxuryKa models definitely do!

[WhoseGeneration]

It can be cool



just be aware of the compulsory footwear



Alasdair

Except and I'm surprised no one else has realised and commented, that image is of a Nissan Micra CC.
A limited edition in that colour to support a breast cancer charity.

[TheInsanity1234]

It can be cool



just be aware of the compulsory footwear



Alasdair

Except and I'm surprised no one else has realised and commented, that image is of a Nissan Micra CC.
A limited edition in that colour to support a breast cancer charity.

Ah, really?!

I wasn't aware of that!

[akirk]

it is but I was more thinking of the colour matching - besides they are both small pink convertibles

Alasdair