Unique Auto

Posts Tagged ‘used ford’

I’ve fallen hard. I couldn’t help it, there was something about that body, those sleek curves, those gleaming shanks that sang to my heart in a way that I’ve never before known. I couldn’t refuse?

Yes, you’ve guessed it, I’ve splashed out on a Ford Mondeo. I couldn’t resist the Mondeo’s charms, despite space in my garage getting a little cramped. The Ford Mondeo is the paragon of performance, a princely car that has exemplary handling.

Forget your supercars and 4×4s, when it comes to a driving experience that can’t be beaten there’s nothing like a pleasingly muscular little model that makes short work of city centres and eats up the miles on the motorway. If I sound like I’m biased, well that would be a sound assessment. But it’s hard not to find in favour of such a super little car.

I’ve had my fair share of hulking great off-roaders, in fact I have a Series IIA that still takes on dirt tracks with gusto, and similarly I’ve had a couple of slinky little supercars (convertible models, of course) that could cut a dash and left me feeling as if I’d just stepped out of a Bond film. But the car that I enjoy the most, the drive that I look forward to, is the Ford Mondeo. Who knows why? Maybe it’s the comfortable interior, the gloriously reassuring feeling of a solid car that is eager to please. Or perhaps it’s simply the fact that there is nothing to dislike about the Mondeo model.

Try as much as you like. You could say that it’s too brusque in appearance, that you prefer a more minimalist approach. But that’s just splitting hairs over looks. Deep down, you know that despite being sensible, despite not being a flashy little sprite that’s only as high as your waist, the Ford Mondeo is a car that’s practically perfect in every way.

I have the sudden urge to get all existential…so I will.

There are certain things that will never change in this universe, regardless of time or tide. British summer-times will always be grey affairs permeated occasionally by a pathetic ray of sun, Pease Porridge is a dish that will never be eaten by anyone south of Carlisle and Bob Geldof will always be a self-righteous crab with more in common, genetically, with a than a human being. Amongst all this irretrievably crushing monotony there is one constant that refuses to disappoint and continues to delight; the simple pleasure of driving a Used Ford car.

Ford have always been inherently capable of producing cars that exceed expectation in almost every conceivable category it is possible to evaluate a car by. The engines are always high performing, but economical and ecological. The handling is always amazingly pin-point precise and the envy of many ‘higher-brand’ manufacturers. The very experience of being sat in a Ford is a pleasant one, combining comfort and practicality almost effortlessly.

Sadly though, some greedy merchant bankers went a bit OTT recently and now the country is ruined financially. It would be perfectly accurate to say that a Tramp’s soiled hankie is probably worth more than your house right now, so it would also be a fair assumption that you’re not exactly going to be ‘flash for cash’. Therefore it is face-smashing-into-a-brick-wall annoyance when your old motor breaks down for the last time and you realise you need a new one. What are you going to buy a new car with? Magic beans? Pleasant thoughts? Mother-in-law’s homemade crumble??? Not likely. You need a cheap car that is also reliable, stylish, well-performing and has room for the entire family. What a surprise! You’ve found yourself at a used Ford Dealership!

The Ford range has does a pretty good job at catering for all tastes, styles and persuasions of human-life. Are you single? Looking for a nippy little number, with a growly engine, neat looks and cool-points to boot? Look out for a used Ford Fiesta 2.0 ST 3dr Hatchback. Are you married, with two kids and an unquenchable passion for golf? Why not keep your eyes peeled for a Used Ford 2.5 ST 5dr Hatchback. Are you an executive, with lots of travelling to do, great impressions to make and need reliability and great performance? What you need is a Used Ford Mondeo 2.0 TDCi Ghia. There is virtually no lifestyle or situation that cannot be perfectly catered for by one of the Ford family. You would be hard pushed to find better quality for your hard-earned cash as well.  

Ford are also in possession of an enviable reputation in terms of reliability and very low cost repair and maintenance. In the current dire economic climate it is extremely important to be sure that your investment is not going to let you down as soon as your drive off the forecourt. Ford arguably offers a better guarantee with their reputation than virtually any other car manufacturer and that kind of peace of mind is very hard to come by these days.

The Ford Mondeo has firmly planted itself into the nation’s collective conscience as the stylish saloon of choice. The Ford Mondeo has been through a variety of image changes and has quickly evolved from a rather dumpy looking long haul car, to a sporty, sleek and attractive saloon. I have slight concerns that I am slightly concerned would prevent me from investing in a brand new Ford Mondeo.

Firstly, I like to think of myself as something of an individual. I enjoy wearing clothes that few other people have, listening to music that is not enjoyed by the entire population and driving cars that have considerably more character and individuality behind them than the Mondeo does. It has to be said that if you leave your home for any period of time, you can virtually guarantee you will see the minimum one Ford Mondeo making its way past you.

Secondly, I question whether the Ford Mondeo has the ilk of luxuriousness that I would require from my car choice. I’m not referring to gadgets such as sat nav or video screens in the rears of the seats; I am talking about that masterly comfort and smooth driving performance that you only get from a certain pedigree of car.

When I was looking for a brand new Saloon car I definitely had these concerns in mind, but decided to heed the advice of the majority of automotive critics and give the Ford Mondeo a fair trial. I decided to visit my nearest Ford Online dealership to set up the test drive.

As it happens I am awesomely happy that I gave the Mondeo a test drive, as it proved itself to be something of a revelation. The comfort of the drive was similar to that of a car worth fantastically more than the Mondeo. It undoubtedly is the King of Saloons.

Economically-speaking, things have taken a rather sharp turn for the worst haven’t they? With the budget announced recently and the scurrilous promises of politicians that we will drag our way out of the financial mess, it seems that the bubble has finally burst on the globally-held capitalist paradigm. However, we all still need to operate our daily routines despite the gloomy cloud of recession hanging over our heads. One of the most costly outgoings any individual or family have is likely to be buying cars. We all need to drive them and we all need to buy them, but when spare money is scarce and the risks of heavy investment are high, how do you go about buying a car?

The answer is to buy a used car. The used car market has long-since shook-off the shackles of being a shark-infested market and has become considerably more consumer friendly over the past decade. Out of the myriad of car manufacturers out there, I would highly recommend Ford as a paean of reliability, style and performance.

Depending on your requirements, there are a variety of used Ford models to choose from. For the new or young driver, rarely deviating from the A-to-B driving route of home-to-college, the Ford Ka is a perfect example of cost-effective yet stylish motoring. For the more serious drivers amongst us, the Used Ford Fiesta represents a great choice of punchy engines, stylish body work and reliable engineering.

I could go on, but I feel it is best that if you are looking for a Used Ford, you pop down to your local Ford Dealership and have a look for yourself. As a recent customer myself, I cannot stress how important it is to find a reputable dealer and go to the dealership armed with questions and queries. Make sure they can find the right Used Ford for you.

So what’s the cheapest new Ford money can buy?  Pat on the back if you answered Ford Ka, shake of the head if you didn’t (the answers even in the article title!)  Yes after a staggering 13 years, the Ka is still going strong, but now it’s had a makeover…

To coin a well ploughed phrase ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it’ and to be honest despite its advancing years the old Ka didn’t look dated and still drove the wheels off the competition.I used to drive the Ka when I didn’t fancy taking the bus and always found it a riot, with the 1.3 litre engine pulling a car that weighed as much as a bag of sugar along at a fair pace.  Even though it was bubble shaped it still handled well, even if the skinny tyres started to let go if you were overeager. 

It was a fashion accessory as much as a car, the type of item you’d find sticking its head out of a handbag rather than being topped up with oil.  It was a cheap Ford too with new ones starting from as little as £4,995.  Yes there was painted metal on the inside of the doors rather than sumptuous leather and ok the gear stick just stuck out of the floor like a van, with no attempted aesthetics, but it had charm.

So when I tell you the new Ka is a million miles away from this you’d be right to start worrying.  The first thing that strikes you is how grown up the new version is.  It’s still very funky but is essentially a Ford Fiesta that has been put in the wash on too hot a temperature.  This however is no bad thing as the new Fiesta is not only a great drive, but a brilliantly styled vehicle.  The Ka isn’t quite as pretty although without my glasses on I couldn’t tell the difference so it can’t be too bad.

To drive, the car is very similar to the new Fiat 500 – in fact it’s the same.  The reason for this is quite simple really; both the Ka and 500 are built in the same factory in Poland using the same parts.That’s right, the new Ford Ka isn’t a completely new design after all.  Don’t despair though as partnerships are not necessarily a bad thing, just look at Starsky and Hutch or Tango and Cash.  The 500 is a hoot to drive and therefore so is the Ka, with it feeling every bit as nippy and fun around the city as a small car should be.

The interior is a massive improvement on the outgoing car, including a space-age centre console finished in silver and matching art deco door handles.  Even the gear stick now looks good as it protrudes from the dashboard, falling easily to hand.  The seats are firm but hold you in place well and the driving position is good unless you’re over six foot.  When you consider the majority of Ka ownership is women I don’t think this will be an issue.

One thing that will be however are the headlights.  For all the good in the rest of the car, it must be pointed out that they are dimmer than an asbo child with a pea for a brain.  On normal beam I had to keep checking they were on, when I switched to full beam the situation got worse as oncoming traffic kept flashing and blinding me to say my lights were too bright, yet the switch to full beam made no discernable difference from the driving seat.I had a similar problem with my current car and bought some high powered (but legal) replacement bulbs that have improved things exponentially.  I suggest this is the first accessory you buy for the new Ka.

I feel I’ve put a dampener on the new Ka, but for it to remain a ‘cheap Ford’ in the current economic climate, GM had to be sensible and build it in collaboration with Fiat and unfortunately the headlights have slipped through the net.  No matter, the rest of the car is just as good (with a far superior interior) to the old Ka, just with a more grown up feel that does make the oldie look a tad dated when parked next to each other.  The 1.2 litre Zetec version costs £9,295 and returns an impressive 55.4mpg, resulting in a measly road tax cost of £35 for the year.

Just think with all that money you’ll save you can buy as many replacement bulbs as you like.

These days it is a commonly held opinion that buying products based entirely on sentiment is probably a bad idea. For example, I’m sure everyone at some point, whilst leafing through the racks in a music shop, has stumbled upon a ‘gem’ from the past. I’m positive that I am not the only person who has shelled out hard-earned money on an absolute stinker of an album based purely on the fact it was part of a parent’s record collection which was entertaining as a child. In the spirit of honesty, the album in question was Wings Greatest Hits…and yes, I am ashamed. However, whilst looking for a used car recently, my mind was lured back to my childhood. My father was a Ford fanatic; upgrading to the latest model Escort or Sierra every couple of years or so. So naturally, the first thought to pop into my head was, “I guess I'll buy a Ford”. If I were to let sentiment completely over-rule my better judgment I would have scanned the pages of Autotrader for an 1987 Escort LX 1.6. I’m not that sentimental though.

After checking a few websites, reading a few reviews and being schooled on the ways of the Ford by my sage and learned father, I decided that for a practical runabout a Used Ford Focus would be a great choice. The combination of price, performance, practicality and Ford’s awesome reputation just seemed to scream “buy me!”

I believe that to enjoy a car to its maximum capacity, you should choose one that matches your personality, driving style and general demeanour. This is the only minor drawback when considering buying a Ford Focus; they are ten a penny in virtually every town and thus any individuality is lost once you hand over your money and put the keys in the ignition. However, with so many engine and trim options available, it would be impossible to find a model that didn’t get my blood pumping.

After numerous test-drives and much deliberation, I plumped for a used Focus 1.6 Zetec. Part of this choice was based upon the quality of the vehicle during the test-drive and the rest was based on the fact it was an ex-demonstration model at a very reasonable price, which (the dealer had assured me) was definitely going to be snapped up soon if I didn’t get my wallet out…but then again I guess he was bound to say that.

Initial impressions were really good. The trademark Focus responsive handling proved to be very much intact as I tested my new purchase on the country roads near my home. The engine was punchy, eager and made the right amount of noise to slap that textbook new car grin firmly on my face. My second task was to take my dad for a spin to see if my Focus lived up to his Ford expectations. He didn’t look too happy as we were driving around and I began to feel slightly uneasy, as though I had let him down by buying an inferior car. After 20 miles or so I pulled over and asked him what he thought.

“Its a shame”, he said with a sigh. “Its a shame I’m not driving it.”

So there we had it; the vote of confidence from the man who drove nothing but Fords for the best part of 27 years. If it passed his approval test then I would be 100% sure that I had made the best choice. The only thing that confused the old man were all the readouts on the electronic dash. The engineers at Ford seem to be very keen to give you every single atmospheric measurement and observation possible, only stopping short at providing you with the shipping forecast.

In summary, it may not be the most individual of cars, but there is a damn fine reason for that. The Ford Focus is without a doubt the best performing and best value small family car for its price range. In these economically shaky times, value for money is an absolute must and a used Ford Focus will definitely supply that.

At any one time, in any city of the United Kingdom you care to choose, at least one hundred thousand drivers will be slightly irritated by the intermittent beep of the Ford Focus’ ‘the door is open’ / ’you haven’t done up your seat belt’ / ‘it’s a bit cold outside’ tone. They may also be bored to tears with the plain interior, the uninspiring plastics and the general feeling of ennui that envelops any Focus owner. So why on Earth do people keep buying them?

Ford’s tradition for outselling the competition has slipped slightly on a historical scale. The Ford dynasty now sits 4^th in the table of highest selling car manufacturers behind Toyota, General Motors and Volkswagen despite holding second place for something close to a million years. This has most probably got a lot to do with globalisation, out-sourcing and recession and other terms from the economists lexicon as opposed to Ford making a colossal engineering boob. Nevertheless, it’s an interesting statistic considering that the Ford Focus is absolutely everywhere!

When walking through town, variations of a Focus theme will be seen anything up to one hundred times a minute. I use the term ‘variation on the Focus theme’ as Ford have pulled the oldest car engineering trick out of the bag; by adding a couple of letters to the Focus badge, you can release a new edition and extend the car’s lifespan limitlessly. Does anybody know what Zetec, ST or C-MAX actually mean? probably not…but the public continue to buy the Focus. Their only concern is the £12 Smoker's Pack.

The reason why Used Ford Focus’ outnumbers people by at least nine to one in this country is a relatively simple twofold paradigm; the Focus provides quality and value for money. In many ways it is the automotive equivalent of a plague; popping up in a stealthy manner, hoping no one will notice that it is slowly taking over the world.

In these economically dire times, the public are demanding the best possible vehicle for the lowest possible price. The days of affluence, reckless spending and an insistence on remaining de rigeur at all times are long gone. Here to stay are the days of huddling round a solitary burning coal for warmth, eating cold beans to save on energy bills and wearing your grandmother’s hand-me-downs because you can no longer afford a decent pair of jeans.

So while we’re irretrievably sinking beneath the gloomy waters of a global recession, why not drive a car that is great quality for money, cheap to maintain and the best performer for its class? It may not be exciting…or fashionable, but it’s the Focus and it might just be the best you can afford. The 1.8 Petrol & 2.0 Diesel also better 50 mpg so it’s an ecologically sound vehicle as well.

For me, the Focus really shines when you put it to the test. I was happy to frighten my family during a road trip around the leafier parts of cheshire in a Focus.6 Zetec (a relatively standard model). I was extremely surprised by how the Focus smoothed out the bumps and bends as my mother screamed for her life. I laughed as the engine roared from 0-60 in less than ten seconds, whilst my father put his hand over his eyes and wept. I exhaled in wonder as the Focus slalomed round the wooded scenery whilst my dog howled in terror. The point is; as the driver I never once felt like I was not completely in control. My family were in fear of their lives, but I was as calm as if sitting on a sun lounger, sipping a cocktail.

For less than £10,000 you will easily be able to find a used Focus, with great spec and much better performance than its closest competitors (Citroen C4, Vauxhall Astra and the Volkswagen Golf). Ford have manufactured a car that won’t ever be considered ‘cool’, ‘hip’ or any other trendy adjective you choose to bandy about, but what they have done is create a practical and enjoyable car for the public. The Ford Focus is a resounding success.