Ford-ing ahead (From Bournemouth Echo)

Ford-ing ahead

11:19am Friday 26th February 2010 in

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The Fiesta is the best selling Ford in Dorset. With demand fuelled by the government scrappage scheme, Keith Motors, Lambs of Ringwood and Verwood Ford all agree that sales of Ford’s popular hatchback have been particularly strong.

“The Fiesta has been phenomenally successful. We have sold more than 400 Fiestas in the past year to locals,” said Mike Conley, general sales manager at Keith Motors in Christchurch and Lambs of Ringwood.

“It was car of the year last year and has been a runaway success.

“There have been limited supplies of the car during 2009 but in 2010 stocks are more plentiful.

“The Fiesta is a small car with a big car feel. It is better made, has a better specification, includes modern technology and drives like a big car.”

Jason Smith, director at Verwood Ford added: “The Fiesta is the most popular car we sell because it is not how a Fiesta used to be. It is very good to drive – it drives like a bigger car but is more economical.

“The new Fiesta has been out for 18 months and is a completely fresh design. It’s not like you would imagine. It’s a younger person’s car – very stylish.

“People are looking for value for money. I think they are spending a little more,” said Mr Smith, whose dealership sells “300 new and used cars a year”.

It is not just the Fiesta that has been popular, though. Dorset’s dealers might well have sold more Kas if it had not been for limited supply and that makes the sales process difficult “because we are taking orders four months ahead”, said Mike Conley.

“With the Ka, stocks are very limited so those interested need to get in fast – when they’re gone, they’re gone,” he added.

Verwood Ford’s Jason Smith believes that the Ka has attracted a wide following because of its striking design.

“The new Ka is individual,” he said. “A lot of cars look the same these days but the Ka looks different. It can appeal to a boy or a girl – they can both relate to it – it’s open to anyone from the retired to young people. You can customise it with different graphics.

“There is a three to four month waiting list for it,” Mr Smith said, adding that in an extreme instance he “ordered one last May and it arrived this January”.

“It’s down to supply and demand but Ford is ramping up production again. People want to see them in the showroom not just look at a brochure.”

The Ford Focus has been in its current guise for the past eight or so years when it replaced the Escort and according to Mr Conley at Keith Motors it “is in its final year in this format”.

“There are tremendous deals on them with scrappage – there is a £7,000 saving,” he said.

“The Focus is the favourite car in its segment. The build quality is so good. Ford has lost its image of making cheap cars that you owned for a few years and then dumped.

“In Germany the TAG report, which is like the Which? report, rates the Focus above the VW Golf, which is made in Germany.”

The dealers agree that “Ford’s build quality is much better than it was 10 years ago”.

These vehicles now come with a 12-year anti-perforation warranty so there are no concerns about rust.

All models have 16 valve VTEC engines and road tax on the 1.4 litre and 1.6 litre diesels costs just £35 a year.

Fords come with a three year 60,000 mile warranty and 12 months AA cover.