auto: An Exercise in Sentimentality

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 definitely 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; updating 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 know, 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 the 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 great. 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 a while I pulled over and asked him what he thought.

“Its a shame”, he said. “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 was 100% sure that I had made the best choice. The only factor that perplexed 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.

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Tuesday, March 17, 2009

An Exercise in Sentimentality – The Ford Focus

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