1. Home
  2. Car Maintenance
  3. Buying a KA

Buying a KA

Saw a 53 KA with 29K today. Low mileage means body & trimmings are in good condition but the silencer has already been replaced which is an obvious mechanical victim. I doubt whether it will see much more than another 20K before it gets turned into a fridge anyway. The important thing is that the wife likes the colour.

Anyway, a question for anybody knowledgeable about the KA. The rear suspension creaks on one side. I can't tell whether it's just a damper or one of the beam bearings. Is this likely to be a concern?

Secondly, it is a version which had natty stick on trim on the rear edges of the doors that have come off leaving behind unsightly adhesive. Suggestions on techniques for removal would be welcome.

Reply to
DavidR
Loading thread data ...

Also, it is supposed to have ABS. I couldn't find the valve block to confirm. Where is it?

Reply to
DavidR

IIRC the abs lump is underneath at the back, rear subframe mount bushes are common, as is a noisy shock absorber.

Reply to
Mrcheerful

You might succeed with cellulose thinners, but you need to try them on a very small insignificant part first to make sure they don't remove the paint. I doubt if they will remove modern paint, but it's possible.

Also it's better to buy a 5 litre can for about £10 from a motor factor than a small tin from Halfords for about £5. Then you've got some for later because they always come in handy.

Rob Graham

Reply to
Rob Graham

Label remover from RS Components (rswww.com). Try it on a hidden area first.

Reply to
Chris Bartram

"DavidR" gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

FFS, it's a 7yo Ka. The body could _very_ easily be a bag of rotten s**te. Look _carefully_.

Not surprised. Very low mileages are death to exhausts.

Reply to
Adrian

Which engine is it ? We had two KAs, a 1997 and a 2002. The initial 1996 1.3 OHV was punchy, but the engine management was changed around 2000, and our 2002 model was pants. The engine was updated again after 2002, but I'm not sure when, to 69 hp from 59 hp. The suspension was also different in the later one, the handling was not as good. Neither had ABS.

I would try WD-40 on the sticky mess, it works really well for sticky label removal, and will not dissolve the surface finish of the car.

HTH

David

Reply to
David

Seconded. IME it has no effect on modern water based paints. And for the DIY decorators, a soak in cellulose thinners, followed by a nice stiff wire brush is an excellent way to restore old, dried up paintbrushes. Works better than most propriety brush cleaners IMO. Mike.

Reply to
Mike G

"DavidR" wrote

Thanks for the replies. We've now put our money down on a 54 40K'er. A more optimal mileage & no suspension creak.

ABS mystery solved. Using the spec buttons on Autotrader gives wrong info. Even so, hiding the valve block at the rear seems odd.

Reply to
DavidR

"Adrian" wrote

It was interesting to compare & contrast with one that had 76K. Warm running was obviously fine for the oily bits but the effect of the extra muck & bullets very noticeable. This dropped it into the banger margins.

Reply to
DavidR

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.