Reply to: MOT conundrum

[Ruse]

Flip. I bought a new car at auction on Thursday. A Ford Focus 1.8. But that's not what's flipped, it's a nice car and I can't really fault it yet. I couldn't face taking my old car (worth approx. £0) to the knackers yard that day or yesterday. The nearest I got was a quick look on the Interweb for scrap yards, while the car sits on the road lonely and unloved without an MOT and hence valid insurance. So anyway I took the old girl out for a bit of a spin today, you never know what day will be her last, in the hope that my shiny newish car had relegated her into emotional history.

But no, the emotions come flooding in before I even opened the oh so familiar broken door. The quirky clutch problem and the little rattles from the suspension that transmits every delicate twist and bump in the road and which was ultimately to be her downfall on MOT test day. The way the engine roars powerfully into life (it's a diesel) without a hint that it would fail to continue to do so indefinitely, or perhaps longer. It has just always worked faithfully and relentlessly, even on the day that I plot her demise.

Sadly I have nowhere to store it and the coppers would be after me like bloodhounds on heat if I kept it on the road without MOT, tax and insurance and in an unroadworthy condition. I wish I could keep it just a little bit longer. I ask the insurance company to give me a week's temporary cover, even though deep down I know they would get funny in the event of a claim and pay out bugger all. Should I take some photographs before taking it to the knackers yard to be shredded? How can it be that she will cease to exist in car form and be gone forever? She has always been there.

The tyres (plus spare) are all in good nick too. Very sad.

So moving, why can't we have a smiley with tears rolling down it's little face ?

[DimPrawn]

Reminds me of the day I drove my old Lancia Beta Coupe to the scrapper many many moons ago.

I loved that car.

[TimberWolf]

Flip. I bought a new car at auction on Thursday. A Ford Focus 1.8. But that's not what's flipped, it's a nice car and I can't really fault it yet. I couldn't face taking my old car (worth approx. £0) to the knackers yard that day or yesterday. The nearest I got was a quick look on the Interweb for scrap yards, while the car sits on the road lonely and unloved without an MOT and hence valid insurance. So anyway I took the old girl out for a bit of a spin today, you never know what day will be her last, in the hope that my shiny newish car had relegated her into emotional history.

But no, the emotions come flooding in before I even opened the oh so familiar broken door. The quirky clutch problem and the little rattles from the suspension that transmits every delicate twist and bump in the road and which was ultimately to be her downfall on MOT test day. The way the engine roars powerfully into life (it's a diesel) without a hint that it would fail to continue to do so indefinitely, or perhaps longer. It has just always worked faithfully and relentlessly, even on the day that I plot her demise.

Sadly I have nowhere to store it and the coppers would be after me like bloodhounds on heat if I kept it on the road without MOT, tax and insurance and in an unroadworthy condition. I wish I could keep it just a little bit longer. I ask the insurance company to give me a week's temporary cover, even though deep down I know they would get funny in the event of a claim and pay out bugger all. Should I take some photographs before taking it to the knackers yard to be shredded? How can it be that she will cease to exist in car form and be gone forever? She has always been there.

The tyres (plus spare) are all in good nick too. Very sad.

[threaded]

Ford, Fix Or Repair Daily

don't buy one.

In Danish it translates to 'poo'

Only the police and sales reps whose boss hates them have to drive them. No one else does. Which, with the downturn, pretty much means if you've a Ford behind you it's the Police, or the Police mechanic out on a test drive.

As a perfect example there was a good one in the local papers the other day where a woman was moving into her new apartment in Copenhagen and someone took pictures, and sent them to the paper with the question "Why is it Police officers are allowed to use work vehicles to move home." It was a Ford you see, bit of a giveaway.

[AtW]

The main drawback was the Ka's 1300 cc OHV four-cylinder Endura-E engine, a design dating back to the 1960s Kent engine used in the Ford Anglia.

The engine is not the main drawback - I would not want to be seen dead in it, literally!

It's cr@p looking car too - are you a contractor or what?

And it has 3 star NCAP safety rating meaning you and your passengers won't survive a mishap on the motorway.

"The frontal tests are performed at 64 km/h (40 mph) into an offset deformable barrier of similar mass and structure as the car itself. [3] The side impact tests are performed at 50 km/h (31 mph), but the side impact pole test is performed at 29 km/h (18 mph). The pedestrian safety tests are performed at 40 km/h (25 mph)."

Your 5* Aego won't save you on motorway either...

[DimPrawn]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Ka

The main drawback was the Ka's 1300 cc OHV four-cylinder Endura-E engine, a design dating back to the 1960s Kent engine used in the Ford Anglia.


It has a top speed of 96 mph, which means it is fine for town driving, but on the motorway, it is going to be very loud and very stressed at 80 MPH.

And it has 3 star NCAP safety rating meaning you and your passengers won't survive a mishap on the motorway.

Ideal car for a 17 yr old town driver though.

[Paddy]

• its only 1 step up from a bubble car
• Early versions are prone to over heating as the engine is shoe-horned into an engine bay that is rather small
• Men just look stupid driving them

Ford, Fix Or Repair Daily

don't buy one.

[ctdctd]

Anyone got anything good or bad to say about the Ka?

It rusts like a rusty thing that rusts.

[Spacecadet]

Yeah, having looked around and thought about it a bit, the Focus is now top choice. Send is a Ford Ka. Can't decide whether a Ka is a bit too small though.

Anyone got anything good or bad to say about the Ka?

• its only 1 step up from a bubble car
• Early versions are prone to over heating as the engine is shoe-horned into an engine bay that is rather small
• Men just look stupid driving them

[TimberWolf]

Focus?

Yeah, having looked around and thought about it a bit, the Focus is now top choice. Send is a Ford Ka. Can't decide whether a Ka is a bit too small though.

Anyone got anything good or bad to say about the Ka?

[OwlHoot]

Working in IT is so yesterday.

Too true. My PC says it's 00:19am - Time for beddy byes.

[TimberWolf]

Apparently so, when they don't post in TDP...

Working in IT is so yesterday.

[AtW]

Contracting work? You mean some people on here still actually work

Apparently so, when they don't post in TDP...

[TimberWolf]

How much do you charge per hour or per day of contracting work?

Contracting work? You mean some people on here still actually work

[threaded]

How much do you charge per hour or per day of contracting work?

Yer on the ball there. Deflation eh...