written by cjMoser180 on 25/06/2014
This design is incredible! You obviously know how to keep a reader amused. efeedgcbgege
written by kellythomas28 on 12/08/2013
I bought my 54 plate street ka at a car auction last december. i was desperate for a car as my previous car had been wrote off and my courtesy was being collected a couple of days later so i did buy it out of desperation and it was the only decent looking car there. i knew i was taking a chance with it being a car auction and you have no idea what your buying so was expecting a bit to be wrong with it but when i won it at £1400 with 10 months mot and 4 months tax and only 40k miles on the clock i didnt mind. the drive back was lovely i was well impressed. gear change was really smooth. the heated leather seats are really comfy and everything seemed fine i was proper chuffed with my little bargain... And then it rained. went through a puddle on the side of the road (just a puddle, not a ford, reservoir or a canal- a puddle) and the engine cut out. got it going after about half hour being stuck down a country lane, then hit another puddle i couldnt avoid. cut out again. so an hour late for work that day. window wipers snapped off- obviously when raining- not good. engine management light comes and goes as it pleases. ive noticed its when its tipping it down with rain or really sunny. another thing when it rains- theres a leak or a loose seal on the passenger side and it lets all the rain in to the point i have a massive puddle in the footwell which i have to get a cup to scoop it out. the button for my roof dont work. although you can reach into the boot and pop the clasp so still managed to enjoyed the summer weve had this year. door handles- driver side went. i went to the scrap yard and bought a handle and had a mate fit it. needless to say it went again a week later so just been climbing through passenger side then last week that side went too so was locked out my car. hit another puddle (quite a big one) but cut my car out for 3 and a half hours. took breakdown that long to get to me by which point my car had started again so that was a waste of the £40 call out fee. the lights are a right pain to change and ended up scuffing my paintwork changing the brake lights and the alarm does have a mind of its own sometimes. had 2 flat tyres in a matter of months and they do seem to go down quite quickly. tax is excessive but i dont find it that bad on petrol. i get about 240 miles to a full tank which costs me less than £50. i really like the way it drives (as long as it dont get wet) but just dont think im going to be able to cope with it throughout the winter. im going to see how it goes through the mot next month and get a full service but its on its last chance. i dont want to get to a point like some people have with theres on here when i could just sell it now while the problems arent that bad.
written by on 18/07/2013
I have a Ford Streetka 1.6 Red. Love it to bits. Recently had to have the cylinder head changed. It ran perfectly for a while but then developed an intermittent fault. Starts first time every time. This is followed by either it running perfectly or running dreadfully. I have had the plugs and coil pack replaced. The problem (or not) seems to depend on start-up. It always starts first time but the it either runs well or badly. My travel yesterday highlights the problem. Started well and ran well. Drove to garage about 1 mile away. Started well and ran well. Drove 31 miles including M25 so journey included everything from stop/start to 70 mph. Parked and did some shopping. Started car which then ran dreadfully for about 11 miles. Stopped to report fault to a friend who I was now going to be late meeting. Started car and it ran perfectly for 20 miles. Parked car at home. Started car about 40 minutes later and ran dreadfully again for the 4 miles before I parked it for the night. When it is running badly it feels as though it is only running on three cylinders but I am sure I can here the sound og the four. Help................
written by Veryteedoff on 13/07/2013
I've had my Ford Street KA for 6 years and for the first 3 I loved it! So many features and it looked great, it was at that time the best ford i'd ever had (previously owned two fiestas and a puma). But over the past few years it has been one issue after another. Many of the things other people have highlighted on this site have all gone wrong on mine too, despite regular services, and it's costing me an absolute fortune. The door handles have broken twice on each side, both have been replaced twice. However it still has ongoing issue, every so often going into lock and unlock mode, lights flashing, doors locking and unlocking. I've had all the bushes and arms replaced, front and back and it still clonks over bumps. It's had to have a new clutch as it suddenly wouldn't excellerate or do anything whilst stuck out in the fast lane of a motorway - a very scary journey home! It's also had a new exhaust sensor, an abs sensor, and several sets of tyres. It now has engine issues, revving far to high that it sounds like youre in third when your in fifth and like the engine will explode any minute, it blasts hot air out whenever you get stuck in traffic for a couple of minutes, it has an intermittent problem with four way flashers going off as you drive along which can only be solved by stopping, removing the key, locking it and then unlocking it! Embarrassing and infuriating! I would love to get rid of it, but at this moment in time I'd probably only get scrap value for it. In a bid to at least try to resolve the current engine problems so that I can try to sell it, I've taken it to three independent garages, none of whom have had any interest in trying to tackle it, instead finding other more minor things to do. In the end I bit the bullet, braced myself for a big bill and took it to a ford garage hoping they'd sort it, as the so called experts. They had no interest in sorting it either! On arrival and initial inspection they said it was noisy and agreed it seemed to be revving high, but later in the day said a road tester found it to be fine!! They didn't run the diagnostic test they said they'd do, just a quick spin up the road! They claimed the car was old and as a convertible, would be noisy! If they really think 65k miles is a good life for a car it says alot about what they think of their manufacturing! I fear to many long trips and the engine will probably go, it's revving at 4,000 revs doing 70. I can only guess Ford is all to aware it's one of the worst cars they have ever made and hence have no interest in trying to fix them! I loved ford cars, have been looking at what I might buy next, but after this piece of rubbish and the disgusting response I had from the ford garage I will never buy a ford again.
Written on: 24/05/2014
same with my wifes car, it was great when first bought, she loved it..... but then all the problems started, 4 door handles on drivers side, 3 on passenger , 2 lambda sensors numerous suspension bushes, wishbone arm, 2 thermostat housings, plugs ,,2 sets of plug leads , 2 coil packs, electric swith for roof not working anymore, headlight bulbs, which are impossible to fit without dismantling whole of the front of car. I just laugh about it now......
written by on 26/03/2013
So I have had my streetka for 4 years in October, I bought it thinking what a wonderful car it would be after having a Ford Ka previously which might I add has never been a problem and is still being used by my nan despite being a very old one at that. Anyway I have this streetka on finance which I pay £190 a month for, which is fine but on top of having to fork out for petrol as it drinks an awful amount of it for the size of engine. (When I can use it that is) The car tax is very steep also. Since having the car which is exactly 3 years and 5 months I've had nothing but trouble!!!! The passenger door won't open from the outside, I have had to replace the clutch, the idle control valve has gone twice and now for the 100th time my car won't start, I can't even open the boot or use the fob to open the doors! Complete waste of time and money. Wouldn't recommend this car to anyone! I have this car sitting outside for the majority of the time, because I can't keep forking out every month because something else has gone wrong! Thank god for the breakdown company.... Sure have got my monies worth from them!
written by lisa.sian on 15/03/2013
I bought this car thinking it would be cheap to run and that I would really enjoy driving it. Its cute, its funky, quite girly and mosty of all its unique. I couldn't have been more wrong. My boyfriend who is a mechanic thought it was great to begin with, wanting to drive it all the time etc, however he now says how horrific it is and that I need to get rid of it. Which I am. Both my door handles have broken. Hand break never seems to stay tight for long and has actually snapped resulting in my car rolling down a car park into a bush, resulting in me needing a new rear light. Alarm also has a mind of its own and goes off even when the car is unlocked and simply won't stop, so it can take up to half an hour to get into the car! (Which is very embarrassing when you're in the middle of town.) Exceptionally heavy on fuel for the size and type of car that it is, only getting about 28 mpg out of it. Also, does not handle the road well at all - I do not feel safe in this car. Rear window has cracked, the seal on the passanger side is non-existant and leaks into the passanger side footwell and even my heated seats have seemed to have stopped working. The fact of needing the key to open the boot is not a very good idea as my fiend accidentally locked mine in the boot 100 miles away from home and couldn't get back in. Then found someone with a ford key and that managed to open it via the little 'secret key hole' inside. Which was handy but completely goes against the point of the safety aspect of it as anyone can get into your boot, which appears to be what ford was trying to prevent. Absolutely rubbish car. Some people say to keep it now I have had so much work done on it, but I want a car that I can rely on and feel safe in, not one that constantly breaks. Will be selling this summer.
written by Cazzy_1 on 03/11/2012
I have ad my street KA convertible for 2 years and every time I don't run it for a week it won't start. Have ad a new battery and alternator and the garage have said they can't see anything wrong. Surely this is not right . What appends if I leave it at the airport whist on holiday ??? Please can somebody help. I am female and on my own and have to rely on a grate Carol
written by on 24/10/2012
Great car but needs looking after. 05 with 45K, Had to replace 1) Thermostat gasket £35 only from Ford!, 2) removed heater valve and removed small piece of plastic holding it open - cold air only! 3) Engine light came on New Lambda from FORD £179, Bosch from Eurocarparts £60. 3) New O ring for Temp sensor - have to buy sensor £16. 5) Now broken front spring anothe £50 from Euro's. Finally this morning rear screen split another £60 from Ebay. Never spent so much so quickly on a 2nd hand car. Will look to buy another one next spring though as its great to drive!
written by on 11/07/2012
I love my car but yes it takes up petrol like there's no tomorrow. Advantages: heated screens, leather interiors and pretty spacious boot Disadvantages: parts can be expensive as some can only be purchased from Ford , my door handle has broken twice, the engine space is tiny so a lot of mechanics try to fix something whilst simultaneously breaking something else, the bulbs are really difficult to replace in the front headlights. I sometimes wonder whether the cuteness outweighs the drawbacks with functionality
written by on 17/05/2012
I bought my 2003 53 plate StreetKa 6 months ago in December 2011 and have had several problems since, despite the car only having 35,000 genuine miles on the clock when purchased. These include: Handbrake cable snapping - new one to replace. Roof leaking during all of the rain we have recently had. Boot popping mechanism going - so no boot and expensive to fix. Leaking Coolant Tank - new one fitted New front suspension arm New thermostat as engine was over heating More recently due to the engine over heating and having a new thermostat fitted, the engine started to over heat again leading to (what the garage suggested) may be head gasket problems. Needless to say, the car was not at this point worth spending any more money on and I have recently changed for a reliable, economical Hyundai. Yes the car had a roof that came off, but let's be honest - you may get to use it a dozen times in a year with the British weather. The engine also never felt right - if trying to pull away in a higher gear from a roundabout (say 3rd) the engine would stutter as if there was a blockage in the fuel line or something. It would lack power - very disappointing. Road tax is expensive = £135 for 6 months, and the car was very heavy on the fuel, especially with driving 50 miles a day to work and back. I wouldn't recommend this car as I have had too many problems, and in all honestly, it has some what tarnished Fords reputation in my eyes.
written by partyguinness on 27/06/2011
I now drive this car. Belongs to girlfriend. Sold my 2 litre BMW so perhaps I am not the best person to be reviewing this as pretty much every car is a let down after driving a 3 series for the last 10 years. Problems are mounting up. 1. The switch to pop the roof no longer works; 2. Very heavy on petrol; 3. The drivers door handle has now broken. The passenger side broke last year; 4. Driving over 50mph and the engine feels like it will fall out; 5. Bushes have been replaced; 6. Plastic windscreen has cracked. 7. Wipers are flimsy; 8. Amazingly, there is no mechanism to pop the boot (or fuel cap) within the car itself. Must use the key. Maybe these are normal for small cars! Overall its a piece of rubbish but I guess if you only drive 5-7k per year around town and dont know any better then go for it.
Written on: 27/07/2011
ive got one too.....my problems are very similar....dodgy door handles.....my driver side broke last year.....the button for the roof no longer works......quite a noisy little car......alarm has a mind of it's own, heavy on petrol, plus the engine management light always comes on and off however it's always passed it's m.o.t. Bad celectrical connections obviously and very cheaply made. But it looks good and for a girl thats not doing lots of miles.....it's ok. But i wouldn't shout from the hill tops about it.
written by on 06/05/2011
I have a 2004 Streetka Luxury. In my opinion the car is brilliant. Does exactly what is say's on the tin - an affordable two seater with relatively low running costs.
The engine is very robust and the gear change is just so good. The heated leather seats are amazing, especially on a chilly evening drive to the local beach and also hold you snuggly in its sumptuous leather.
The hood - although manual, can easily be put up/down in under 30 seconds which is faster than many electric variants. (Just ensure the rear window is not kinked whilst pulling the hood down or you run the risk of the rear window cracking).
Also, the hood folds into its own storage compartment so the very large boot remains the same size with roof up or down (unlike all other metal folding roof convertibles)
Fuel consumption isn't great, returning around 30 mpg around town and road tax is a whopping £245.00 per year. But, I guess if you want a 80 mpg diesel city car you wouldn't contemplate buying a Streetka anyway.
Although Ford, these cars were exclusively built in Italy by Pininfarina and the build quality seems so much better than my Sportka. When you close the door you get a satisfying VW clunk. Also, they don't suffer from the usual 'Rust-around-the-filler-cap-syndrome' that affects all Ford built Ka's.
Admittedly they are not without their faults, but name a car that is? Things to look out for are front suspension (check for uneven tyre wear), heating and ventilation (check heaters operate both hot and cold) Air conditioning (that the system blows icy cold), Worn steering wheels (the coating cracks and peels) and ideally, view the car when the engine is cold ( the auxiliary belt tensioners tend to squeak on start-up if worn). Saying that all the above can be remedied with little cost but can aid you in bargaining a good deal.
My opinion is: If you want a lovely looking sub £5k 2 seater convertible with bags of appeal then look no further!
written by on 01/05/2011
I'm only writing this review because I think there are too many unfair and inaccurate reviews of the Streetka on this site. It's a 2-seater convertible and so, of course, it's impractical. Having said that, the boot is enormous for a sports car. Yes, the road tax is high at £245 (May 2011 cost) and the petrol consumption is only so-so at 35 mpg (my figures - measured over 5000 miles), but the car handles like a dream, has fully adjustable, heated leather seats, looks great, and the hood can be flung up or down in less than 30 seconds.
As an ex KA and SportKA owner I can say that the StreetKA is by far the best of the bunch. In three years my only real costs have been servicing (with cheap parts if you can do the work yourself) and a faulty heater control valve. Every KA I've owned has suffered from the control valve problem. Fortunately my StreetKA has not required a new ABS unit, as my SportKA did (it's a common problem with 2005 models).
Regarding complaints about faulty doors/alarms/handles/hoods I honestly think users aren't reading the handbook properly or performing correct routine maintenance. For example: the boot, hood and central locking systems are all interlinked so trying to open the hood if the boot isn't properly closed won't work - and vice versa. The alarm will go off if the the hood is up and the boot isn't fully closed, and the hood won't open if the boot isn't properly closed. It all sound complicated but, in essence, just make sure that doors, boot and hood are all properly closed and opened before performing any actions with the key remote.
Door handles on all Ford KAs can get stiff so just adjust the door striker plate or grease the cable before it becomes a serious problem. Sometimes I think people don't use any common sense: tugging away at stiff handles until the cable snaps or the handle mechanism breaks is crazy. No car is entirely maintenance free!
In fairness I must add that my StreetKA is only used in the summer months and is tucked away in an atmosphere-controlled garage over the winter. It's not the sort of car to leave standing out in the cold and the rear screen WILL split if, like another commenter on this site, you attempt to fold down the hood in the middle of winter -- but the same is true of every soft-top car that uses a vinyl rear screen instead of a glass one.
written by on 13/04/2011
I have had this car for 6 years and it has been my little baby... It has done 43k miles and during the last 12 months has been a nightmare. I'm going through tyres like no tomorrow, I've had new bushes, new suspension, starter motor, windscreen washer system, coils, the engine management light has come on many times.. hence new oxy sensor and plugs etc all these jobs costing anything from £50 - £300 + each time. And today.... my clutch has gone approx price £400+ and my mechanic says that he can hear a noise which he thinks is the alternator. And I bet I've missed a couple of things off that list! Its serviced every January as well so its looked after but at the moment things are not good.... maybe I've seen the best of my little friend!! Not happy :(
Written on: 12/05/2012
Hi,I've only had my streetka for 6 months and like you it's my little pride and joy however I found out today that my clutch has gone and is going to cost around £500 to fix. I'm absolutely aghast as firstly I thought ford parts were cheap and secondly the car has only done 30,000 miles. Having seen your list of faults I hope I'm not going down the same road as you! Bit worried .....
written by on 31/03/2011
Having had this car from new I can honestly say I am really pleased with the performance. The only problem I have had is with the drivers door. I had to have the mechanism replaced last year. Apart from that everything has been fine. Both MOT's have been passed with no work needed. Its a little heavy on petrol, high on road tax but a pleasure to drive. I will be keeping it for a while longer yet.
written by on 02/02/2011
I bought my streetka last year from a small dealer and it turns out I have been had! I swapped my lovely little fiesta for this car and it has cost me a fortune. First, passenger door handle went £50. It drinks oil and petrol. Broke down, fuel pump needed replacing, £400. 4 new tyres another £400, 6 months later 2 front tyres bald again. Took for a service, needed new wishbones, bushes, alignment, tracking, and the 2 new tyres, £500! Also needs brake fluid etc filling up. Car was not well looked after before me. The tax disc is £130 for 6 months! Yes its fun, and cheap to buy, but I would rather spend my money on going out not on fixing a car and worrying if it will break down.
Just think about it before you buy, yes its different, yes its funky, but if you are broke due to repair bills how much fun is it really? I only bought it in March 2010 and it has cost me nearly £1500!!!!
Written on: 29/05/2011
I to am furious, I swapped my lovely ka for a street ka.one of the worst cars. EVER.you have my sympathy. The same as you,numerous door handles,numerous thermostats/gaskets/housing/tyres/wateer pump etc.How can these manufacturers get away with it! Mine is an 04plate+has cost me well over 2k just to fix it+8k to buy, and low mileage(coz it doesn't go half the time). Its been valued at 2maybe 3k..daylight robbery.
Written on: 20/06/2011
Sounds very familiar I have also replaced wishbones, a broken driver handle and 2 bald tyres after 6months ..... 2100 miles later. I am afraid to say I am not impressed
written by on 29/01/2011
had the streetka as an xmas gift last year, i totally fell in love with it! to look at its just super cool,funky and a lil bit sexy lol,iv driven a lot of cars and 4x4 and the streetka and ka are the most fun cars to throw around the place! .... BUT in the summer the car seems to over heat with the fan on nearly all the time and constanly have 2 fill the water every 2 weeks,FUEL,if this sh**y tax driven country stoped fuel tax id fill it up everyday and drive,i bearly get 25mpg(my mums landrover does 40)and road tax! what a pi*s take,i only covered 5000miles over 12months so what has co2 got to do with it?my average is lower that the 20quid bracket! im goin on now lol but over all it a fun car reasonably priced,road tax and fuel consumpsion is heavy!my parnter has a vauxhal tigra 1.2 diesel,road tax is dirt cheap put 20quid in and it goes forever 65(mpg)it feels more of a car but doesnt drive nowhere as fun as the streetka!
written by on 28/01/2011
I picked up my Streetka for £5000. The aircon has a problem, but that's the only fault. During the warmer months the hood is up and down all the time. It handles really well, and although the 0 to 60 is over 12 seconds, it corners very well so it feels sporty. Tyres are cheap. Fuel economy not great, but compare it with other roadsters! All in all, it's a great little car. In the evening, we often pick-up a coffee from the drive-thru, head to the seafront, put the hood down, turn on the music and relax under the stars. Priceless!
written by on 12/01/2011
Hello, i bought a powder blue streetka 2months ago from a small private garage, its absolutely gorgeous, i got a bargain aswell!! 3k for heated leather interior, alloys, 6cd changer, etc etc. I have had the car on finance, after having the car delivered to me, come night time, i switched my headlights on, i have no dash lights on the rev counter!! i looked everywhere for a switch, but was very disappointed that my new car had a problem already!! especially as when i bought my first car, i got ripped off to bits and had so many troubles!! so as u can imagine i felt very upset!! anyway rang the garage i got it from, turns out they have shut down!! he says he will call me tomorrow to arrange to fix it as im still under 3 months guarantee!! im very skeptical and upset, what do i do if i cant get hold of him again?? how much is it to replace? also my engine fan comes on more often then i would of thought, but i hear thats quite common in the streetkas, and im probably being paranoid because i had so much trouble with my first car!!
all in all, the cars fantastic, such a looker and very smooth to drive, it turns heads for sure!!
written by on 04/01/2011
This car is the worst car i have ever owned!! Two weeks of owning it, it breaks down on the busy M1 because the alternator has packed up. Constantly having to replace the Wheels (even tho tracking is fine) suspension erosion on mot advisory notes!! Two Lambda sensors were replaced recently at a costly £300 the engine light is still showing which leads to further problems prob the CAT!!! Heating has just packed up and aswell as that the dash lights have decided not to work anymore!!! Not to mention fuel consumption is high and the road tax for six months is £130 disgraceful cant wait to get rid!!!!
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Msfruitful's Response to kellythomas28's Review
Written on: 18/02/2014
Sorry to hear so many problems with your street ka but you gave me so much to laugh about proper belly laughs. I have had my street ka for 3 days the first day I refueled with petrol and the starter motor blew up the second day the radio and boot decided to shut down, but the worst of all is I can not see a thing through the rear plastic window, completely not sure what tomorrow is going to bring but it may be a refund request.