Ford KA - love 'em or hate 'em

Ford KA

I have bought my 2nd Ford KA!  I needed a cheap runaround to get the kids to school and back.  This particular example of modern transport has no heating, no radio (speakers have blown), no powered steering, no electric windows, a rattly exhaust, a dodgy door lock, a dodgy looking stain on the roof and it smells of feet.  I LOVE IT.  It has real character.

I had one for two years before I had the kids. It was pink. I loved it - it was actually a KA2 but hey we won't get too technical here. It was the first car I had specifically chosen - I was looking for a KA rather than a cheap car. I was looking for a yellow and black one as I wanted a car that stood out from the others. However when I discovered a pink one in the paper, I had decided it was mine before I even saw it. When I did see it I bought it.

I tried for a very long time to get the bumpers to be black again. I used 'back to black' and various colour improvers but the bumpers seemed determined to remain grey. I discovered that this was because they were, in fact, supposed to be grey!  I had to sell it when the kids came along as trying to strap twin babies in the back of a Ford KA was a nightmare of contortion and head banging.

I swapped the original KA for a Renault Megane scenic which was loads bigger but which blew up after 6 months. I then got a Fiat Bravo which was fab but a bit of a fade into the background car. I sold the Bravo when I bought my Fiat Coupe 1996 in broom yellow which I love but was not good for short local journeys.

I therefore bought another KA as a 2nd car runaround what a stunning example of modern engineering it is. However - this particular one is a bit - er - basic! for want of a better descriptive term. It is 'P' reg which, I believe is the oldest they get. No Power Assisted Steering, this means I get monster dimwit looks when I am trying to park the thing. Yes it is small, yes, it should squeeze in anywhere. However, it doesn't. I am left a sweating fuming mess when someone is watching me park or pull into or out of a space. It is NOT easy with no powered steering. It has no electric windows either - you have to WIND the windows up and down - how quaint. There is no heater AT ALL and in the winter it is mighty freezing. If you want to clear the windows you have the air blower on - this is all or nothing - in that it works only on setting 4 which is full blast. Bearing in mind this is only going to be COLD air this makes things interesting to say the least. On a cold, wet day you have to drive with the air blasting on full which is mighty noisy and with the windows open. Also the boot does not open - the key goes click click click and round in circles. So to use the boot space - which is only the size of a lipstick anyway, you have to lob your shopping over the back seat. This is made easier by the lack of a rear window shelf thing. Getting the shopping out again though is a different matter.

If you want to let passengers into the car you have to open the passenger door from inside - it will not open from outside. So you have to get in from the drivers side and lean over to open the door. Not so easy if your passengers are three years old twins who do not find waiting on the pavement very interesting - far more fun to run off while you are faffing about. Next there is the brilliant stereo system on this little KA. Actually - the lack of a stereo system. When I bought the KA the stereo was missing. I assumed the previous owner had had their own stereo in it and had removed it before selling it. I put my own in after I bought the car - only to find the speakers were blown. So - no music in the car either.

Despite its various - er - character building qualities it does have a few redeeming features. It gets me from A to B remarkably economically. I can park it anywhere and not worry about some plank nicking it. I really, truly do not care if it adds another scratch or two to its already - er 'interesting' paintwork. The car itself smells of feet. Not mine - really - I have tried air freshners and all sorts but it still smells of feet. Also there is a very interesting 'stain' on the roof - as if someone has opened an exploding can of ribena from the drivers seat. The paint is dull from years of neglect, the seat covers are ripped and the car has been, generally, unloved and neglected.  How much did this remarkable feat of engineering cost me? £450. Flipping bargain I guess. I do like the Ford KA (the original one). I don't like the new style.

When I worked in an insurance company a chap asked me what is a good car to buy for cheap insurance. I said the Ford KA was a very low group so could be a good bet.
He said "Yes, but who would want to be seen in one of those things?" The answer, my friend - is 'I would', as would, I believe, anyone else who has ever driven one.