time to tart up the soggy old waterbed.

The mileage is spot on. They don't go backwards. If you try they stop working. And they won't wind past 999999. This one works. It has 187k kms on the clock.

The early models have some weaknesses like aircon/clock display, but fixes are available, but I'm not going to bother with that.

Suspension parts are wear and tear items like brakes and tyres. The fact that the manufacturer charges several limbs for parts doesn't mean I need to use them. Doing the balljoints and bushes will set it up for another 60-100k miles.

Seriously, this is a long term keeper. I've already owned it for longer than any other car or bike I've ever owned.

Assuming I don't write it off on the track, I don't plan on ever selling it.

Mind your head as I overtake you on my hoverbike.

(c:

That was during a period of being made redundant twice, and losing my mother to cancer within a period of 6months.

The daftness of the rangie gave me a giggle even though it was impracticle. I didn't lose too much on the few months I owned it and the new owner loves it.

My daily travel distance and time has doubled and with my back the need for barge comfort is more important.

What I plan to do is do the ball joints and bushes and see if that sorts the diving/rolling which I'm told it can make a major difference to.

Then decide on wether the shocks and needed.

Yep

Yadda yadda... our KA cost £450 in January, and has been 'properly reliable' since.

-------------------------------------- I've had my £400 T5 for 2 weeks now and have done over 800 trouble free, comfortable miles. Adding another 300 (hopefully) to that this weekend.

in

No... he wants a big overdraft to pay for all the work that's needed to the suspension on his barge.

HTH

-- JackH

in

Good stuff - how are the toys etc. on it?

Every single one I looked at in the cheaper end of the market when I was considering getting one a while back, had lots of electrical niggles.

-- JackH

Remember my =A3300 T16S :)

--=20 Carl Robson Audio stream:

Remeber when I bought it, everyone reckoned

None of the above have happened in the last 6 months and some wear and tear items have worn enough to warrent replacement.

all the work that's needed

Something expensive has failed, or rather is failing to the point you've got to throw a load of wad at it - a grand for remedial suspension work is expensive in my book... especially on something not even that 'focussed', as it were.

Certainly doesn't fall within the domain of 'bangernomics', which I seem to remember this car was all about according to you when you saddled yourself with it.

Well you wouldn't, would you - to do so would make you look like a numpty who wouldn't listen. ;-)

None of the above has happened with our KA either, funnily enough.. well, it needed a new exhaust and sump earlier in the year, but then it was bought at a price that reflected this and it's still worth more than what we paid for it including getting those replaced.

Something expensive *is* failing - see above.

-- JackH

Sorry if I sound like I drive a Passat, but:

Seems to have borne some fruit.

At the end of the day though, the price of the car wasn't very high, you got a lot of car and you don't have to justify what you spend to any of us.

(c:

Good stuff - how are the toys etc. on it?

Every single one I looked at in the cheaper end of the market when I was considering getting one a while back, had lots of electrical niggles.

-----------------------------------------------

Toys are limited as it's an early low spec one. But computer works fine, as does e/w (all round), e/m, c/l, e/s/r, dead locks, alarm, heated rear windows/mirrors and the heater itself. Only thing that doesn't work is drivers heated seat, but passenger one works fine. When you sit in the car with the engine running (with no passenger) without your seatbelt on it's the pasenger side seatbelt warning light that flashes. I'm thinking it might have something to do with that - maybe some mixed up wiring somewhere? So it thinks no-one is on the drivers seat so doesn't put the heater on. Need to investigate!!

Yea but it's still a Ka ;-)

New posters could be forgiven for thinking you an Steve are the same person hehe!

Ah... French.

Good benchmark to judge everything else by. ;-)

-- JackH

Even if all you do is get them out of one lower mileage but smashed Lexus (or whatever they call this variant), and fit them into a higher mileage but not totalled one?

-- JackH

Yeah but... it's still proof you don't need to buy an old barge if you want something reliable and comfortable for pennies... and mine was exceptionally cheap for what it was.

I'm actively looking into getting a 106 GTi at the mo - just waiting to find the right one for the right money and then we'll probably get rid of the KA... which will be a shame, as it was bought purely on the strength of being dirt cheap and probably something to make a few bob on once I'd used it to get me out of a hole, and it's proven to be a really nice car... especially when you consider the ingredients. ;-)

Given it's a KA, you mean bastard child of Dervman and SteveH, surely?

-- JackH

You should TOTALLY do that right now :-p. A later one with the half leather of course.

Where's the mind bleach when you need it...

Whether it's been clocked back from the planet zorg or not it's still a pretty well screwed together RWD V8 and it was still only £800.

The seat massage blurred my vision.

(c: