Ford Ka - what to look for?

[cobra kid]

A young colleague is looking at a 10 year old Ka.

Two options so far (both the same age).

1. 80k miles and needs a timing belt change. 4 owners.
2. 23k miles and hasn't had a belt change yet. 1 "lady" owner.

There's about £500 difference in the price.

Any obvious things to look for and a direction to head in?

[Scrump]

I think this is the later shape Ka. If so it shares a lot of underpinnings with the Fiat 500.

From your two cars the lower mileage one sounds a much better buy assuming condition is good. I would be trying to negotiate on a new cambelt in with the purchase price (if it is from a dealer)

[ZX10R NIN]

As above the KA & Fiat 500 are the same car, negotiate the price of the belt & pump off of the price, then go & look at the second one first, remember buy on condition.

[cobra kid]

I said pretty much the same as both of you. At that, age, it's more about condition.

[cobra kid]

He's spotted two "vehicle odometer adjustments" on an MOT checker website. Both of them a haircut. Dodgy?

[A500leroy]

cobra kid said:

He's spotted two "vehicle odometer adjustments" on an MOT checker website. Both of them a haircut. Dodgy?

not really the kind of car that does massive miles or is worth clocking, for example if it had done 48k it worth £3k, if it had done 70k it still worth nearly £3k

[Nelka]

My daughter had one as her first car. Just sold it, 2009 one lady owner car, bought at 28k & sold at 39k two years later.

No evidence of belt changes. Needed a new battery in its first winter, apart from that started on the button every time & needed nothing. Both MOT’s passed with no advisories. Serviced it myself for about £60 including spark plugs.

Told her when she sold it that’s as cheap motoring as she’ll ever get.