The Ford Mondeo 2.0 TDCi Zetec 5dr has been named Used Car of the Year 2010 while the Ford Focus has won best Used Green Car.

At the price of just £8,600 the 2007 Ford Mondeo model comes with all the kit, car parts and space the modern day family requires and £10,000 less than the price of a new one, making it the Used Car of the Year according to What Car?

The Land Rover Discovery also did well winning the 4×4 category of the competition.

The Ford Focus 1.6 TDCi 90 Styles 5dr priced at £7765 for a 2008 model won the Used Green Car award as it emits just 118g/km of CO2, costing just £30 a year in road tax and £900 in fuel based on driving 12,000 miles.

“It’s hard to find fault with the Ford Mondeo – especially at the price,” said Steve Fowler, What Car?’s editor-in-chief and Used Car of the Year judge.

“It’s a comfortable cruiser for covering motorway miles, yet it’s still great fun to drive and makes an extremely capable family car. There’s loads of cabin space, and it’s solid and well put together.”

Vauxhall also did well with its Corsa being named the best used supermini, their Vectra Estate the best estate, and the Zafira the MPV category.

The Mercedes-Benz S320 CDI was named the best luxury car and the Porsche Boxster 2.7 won the best used sports car award.

The judging panel came from a range of backgrounds from car dealerships, British Car Auctions, experts from What Car?, Warranty Direct and online retailer Autoquake.

The winners were judged under nine categories and were assessed for running costs, reliability, drivability, quality, longevity, safety features and desirability.

The Kia Cee’d 1.6 GS won the Small family car category and the Ford Mondeo 2.0 TDCi Zetec 5dr the Family car and compact exec.

Ford Mondeo Car Parts

Ford car parts are available from 247 Spares, we have the largest online stock of quality vehicle parts, both old and new, ranging from spare tyres, engine parts, body panels to inner lining and seat covers.

The new Ford Ranger has made its debut at the Australian International Motor show in Sydney and aims to be available for purchase by 2012. Find Ford car parts for less now.

Designed to be more powerful and confident, the all-new Ford Ranger also boasts some impressive new car parts such as a new engine, including a Dagenham 2.2 litre diesel, six-speed automatic and manual transmissions.

“The new Ranger is an exciting and dynamic vehicle that will undoubtedly raise the bar in the pickup market,” said Stephen Odell, Ford of Europe chairman and CEO.

Building on the Ranger pickup capability it Ford boast that the car blends a spacious, comfortable interior with what is intended to be exceptional towing and payload ability.

It also features a new rear-view camera system, voice control, Trailer Sway Control, Adaptive Load Control. It is available in three different cab body styles, 4×2 and 4×4 drivetrains, four series and two ride heights.

“In many areas of the world, the role of Ranger has changed,” said Craig Metros, Ford Ranger chief designer.

“It still has to be a work vehicle, with a durable interior and the ability to carry a heavy payload, but it also serves a dual role with refinement, comfort and more consumer-friendly features topping the list for many buyers.”

The new model also has increased fuel economy with enhanced maintenance advances, aimed to reduce ownership.  Furthermore, three passengers should be able to more easily fit into the second row as it offers better foot clearance and it also means that getting in and out is easier, also.

Ford Ranger Car Parts

As for any new model that comes onto the market, 247 Spares acquires spare parts to replace worn or damaged ones vehicles may require.

At 247 Spares we have the largest stock online of Ford Car Parts including a large range of Ford Ranger, Ford Transit and more Ford vehicle spares.

The Ford Transit van is releasing 100 special edition Transit SportVans celebrating 45 years of selling vans.

With such a fun new release many current Transit owners are likely to purchase van parts to spruce up their existing vehicle,

The Transit SportVan models being released were first created in 2006 for those who were keen to make a bold statement with a distinctive red livery.

Previous models including Performance Blue with White stripes, the Sea Grey with silver stripes, the Panther Black with silver stripes, the Frozen White with blue stripes, and the Ink Blue with silver stripes are all sold out.

“We know that ‘white van man’ is image conscious both personally and for his business,” said Mark Simpson, Ford of Britain’s marketing director.

“The SportVan is a real head-turner as well as a reliable workhorse and that’s why they sell out so fast.”

Based on the popular 260, the Transit SportVan boasts a short wheelbase with front wheel drive, a 140PS 2.2 litre TDCi diesel engine and a six-speed transmission and is the first medium sized van of its kind to include a DAB radio.

On sale at the end of October at £22,630 the van also sports 18in graphite colour alloy wheels, twin exhaust pipes and spoilers and along with the Colorado Red paint it has Le Mans-style white bonnet stripes.

Ford Transit Van Parts

Van maintenance can mean regular visits to the garage and constant up-keep due to the high mileage many vans rack up.  Ensuring the van performs well for each business venture can often require hefty costs for replacing van parts.

247 Spares offers top quality discounts on all new and used van parts and keeps a healthy stock of most Ford Transit van parts required by van owners including braking, engine and tyre spares.

Ford’s Fiesta range is undergoing a revamp which will see all newly-ordered models come complete with Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) as standard.

Safety, technology and powertrain upgrades are being added to the already popular range, which tops the UK sales charts.

The move brings the Fiesta in line with the manufacturer’s large and medium care line-ups, it also represents a good deal for buyers as ESP previously cost roughly £300.

Additionally, the Studio series will come with heated door mirrors and, remote steering-mounted controls and two extra speakers.

At the top end of the range, the Titanium models now come with Bluetooth and USB connection, worth around £200, as standard.

There are also improvements in CO2 emissions in all three of the engine choices, with the 1.6-litre 95PS the most efficient at 107g, but the biggest drop is in the 1.6-litre Ti-VCT 120PS, which has dropped from 139g to 134g.

Ford recently unveiled its S1600 model, a limited edition released based on the Zetec-S.

Ford has unveiled a limited edition model based on its popular Fiesta Zetec-S.

Only 650 of the new Fiesta S1600 cars are available, and they come with a standard specification that includes alloy pedals, heated leather sports seats and a choice of engines.

The sporty model boasts a unique front bumper with flared lower valence panel, extended side skirts, large rear spoiler and allow wheels.

Available with a 1.6-litre, DuratecTI-VCT engine or enhanced 1.6-litre Duratorq TDCi engine, the model also comes with side airbags, motorsport-branded floor mats and costs £16,655.

Gill Palmer, Ford of Britain’s Fiesta product manager, said: "Since its introduction, Fiesta and sporting pedigree have never been far apart and the latest incarnation of that is S1600, bringing extra motorsport feel to the award-winning Fiesta style and driving quality."

The Ford Fiesta is Europe’s best-selling car in 2010 so far, with a total of 140,496 sold, according to figures from JATO Dynamics.

The Ford Fiesta is Europe’s best-selling car in 2010 so far, according to figures from JATO Dynamics.

In March, the Fiesta led the way from the Volkswagen Golf to be the month’s bestseller, taking it to the top of the charts for year-to-date sales.

In total, 140,496 Fiestas have been sold this year, meaning the Ford model has edged ahead of the Golf, which has seen sales figures of 135,048.

Last month, 68, 630 Fiestas were sold, representing a 25.8 per cent rise on the previous year, while 56,845 Golfs were sold during the same period, the automotive date and intelligence provider revealed.

David Di Girolamo, head of JATO consult, said: "Fiesta has been closing the gap to Golf through 2010 and there are a number of factors behind this. The buoyant sales markets so far this year are those where Fiesta is popular and are also scrappage-influenced markets, driving purchase of small cars."

The Fiesta was also the strongest selling used car during the last quarter of 2009, according to data from Experian Automotive.

Those buying a second-hand car should bear in mind some important tips to avoid disappointment.

There are four standard checks which all buyers should make before committing to a purchase, according to a helpful hints article in the Times Online.

Starting with the interior, check to see if all the switches and lights work, and make sure it is dry, if not there may be a leak.

Check for dents, scratches and rust on the bodywork, making sure to take a close look and keep an eye out for areas that have been re-sprayed.

Don’t forget to inspect the boot and pull back rubber seals in case they are hiding rust or other forms of deterioration in the bodywork.

The article also advises to run the engine and test if the exhaust is smoke free once it’s warm, otherwise there may be a problem.

Finally, always take the car for a test drive and make sure to properly test the steering, breaks and general handling.

Data from Experian Automotive revealed the best-selling used car was the Ford Fiesta.

Ford is utilising advanced radar technology to give drivers of its S-MAX and Galaxy models a safer driving experience.

The car manufacturer’s Blind Spot Information System senses when a vehicle has entered a blind spot zone on either side of the car.

When this happens, the driver is warned by an LED light in the wing mirror on the side that corresponds to where the vehicle has just entered the blind spot.

"In busy traffic, it’s very easy to lose sight of vehicles when they move into your blind spot," said Dr Torsten Wey, Ford’s driver assistance technologies supervisor. "With its distinctive warning light, this system helps drivers to think twice before switching lanes or changing direction without checking their blind spot, hopefully preventing a collision or a near miss."

The system uses two sophisticated multi-beam radars which are mounted in the outer corners of the rear bumper.

Car insurance company Swinton recently said that an increasing number of accidents were being caused by distracted drivers using their mobile phones to access social networking sites like Twitter.

Car manufacturer Ford sold 22,128 cars in January, signifying a strong start 2010.

The figures are a five per cent increase on the same month last year and 6,122 sales ahead of its nearest rival firm.

Ford Fiesta and Ford Focus were the first and second best sellers respectively in the UK market, with sales driven by extended scrappage scheme incentives, and the company took 15.7 per cent of January vehicle purchases overall.

Nigel Sharp, Ford Britain managing director, commented that 2010 will present the company with challenges but the group has the vehicles and expertise to maintain a strong sales momentum.

"We have further enhanced Ford’s offer by paying this year’s VAT rise and look forward to new Ford S-MAX and Galaxy models on sale this spring," he said.

This month the S-MAX and Galaxy won awards in the Best Mini-MPV and Best MPV categories respectively at the 2010 BusinessCar Awards.

Car manufacturer Ford has been commended at the 2010 BusinessCar Awards.
The firm scooped accolades in the Best Mini-MPV and Best MPV categories for its S-MAX and Galaxy models.

In the latter category, Ford has come out top for four consecutive years.

Speaking about Ford’s continued success, BusinessCar editor Paul Barker said: "The S-MAX and Galaxy have proved their worth to the business car market, with the people that experience and rely on the products every day – the readers of BusinessCar – voting in their droves for the two models in their respective categories."

Last month, Ford was praised by visitors to FleetDirectory.co.uk, who claimed that the Mondeo was the best fleet vehicle in the UK.

The car was described by Richard Lawton, a spokesperson from FleetDirectory.co.uk, as a hugely popular model with a long-established reputation.

He claimed that Ford’s latest additions to the Mondeo, including the firm’s ECOnetic technology makes its popularity as a fleet vehicle understandable.