£20 for 20 minutes of your time with Heartlands Ford’s Motability team

For people with disabilities and their carers, choosing a car can be an extremely confusing process. The importance of selecting a car that meets your needs now and in the future is paramount and with a huge range of vehicles currently available - expert advice is vital.

Heartlands Ford is the UK’s leading dealership group for mobility needs, having won Motability’s prestigious “Dealer Group of the Year” award for the last four successive years.

Their enthusiasm for the Motability scheme means that they are now “putting their money where their mouth is” and offering anyone who is eligible for the scheme but does not have a Motability car at the moment, a £20 supermarket voucher in return for 20 minutes of their time to learn how Motability can help provide worry free motoring – no purchase necessary!*

Each dealership has four or more of the UK’s best-trained sales and service Motability specialists to advise you on your purchase. They can also arrange for any special adaptations to be fitted to your chosen car to suit your requirements.

Malcolm Tutton, Heartlands Ford’s Head of Motability said: “Whether you drive yourself or prefer to be driven, with a car from Motability you really can look forward to worry free motoring – get out and about and enjoy life with more independence. Whether it’s a trip to the shops or a day out in the countryside, a Motability car can make your journey more relaxed and “Worry-free”.

To benefit from the Motability scheme, you simply exchange your mobility allowance – either the Higher Rate Mobility Component of the Disability Living Allowance (currently £49.10 a week) or the War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement (currently £54.85 a week) – for a brand new car.

Your car comes complete with a host of benefits including insurance, tax, breakdown cover, servicing, replacement tyres and a wide range of free adaptations. Many cars are also available at "Nil Advance payment" so all you will need to budget for is your fuel!

Heartlands Ford’s “20/20” offer is open until 31^st March 2010 so to receive your £20 voucher in return for 20 minutes of your time, get down to your nearest dealership now to find out more!

Further details can be found on www.heartlands-ford.co.uk or by contacting:

Heartlands Ford, 971 Kingsbury Road, Erdington, Birmingham. Tel: 0121 377 3000

Heartlands Ford, Aldridge Road, Perry Barr, Birmingham. Tel: 0121 344 5252

Heartlands Ford, Saxon Drive, Tamworth, Staffordshire. Tel: 01827 306700

*one voucher per household

Twitter ignored by dealers?

According to Car Dealer Magazine, TWITTER and Facebook are opportunities being missed by the vast majority of UK car dealers reveals one expert.

GForces* has found that less than 10 percent of the UK’s top 200 car dealers are represented on social networking sites. Methods include having a Page on Facebook, communicating via Twitter, or simply posting thoughts and insights on a blog.

Commercial director Tim Smith said car dealers are thus missing out on a prime free PR opportunity. ‘Blogs, Facebook and Twitter can be a very useful addition to a dealer’s marketing arsenal - having a blog, for example, improves your business’s online visibility by using keywords related to your activity and products, and back-links to your website, to improve traffic.

Smith revealed some huge numbers. ‘In August, 14.5 million people in the UK visited at least one blog, representing 41 per cent of the total internet audience. ‘If just 0.01 per cent of these find their way to a blog maintained by your business, then you have an opportunity to market your stock to a wider, previously untapped audience. ‘Customers are already engaging with social media, and dealers would do well to think about how to tap into its true commercial potential.’ 

Smith even revealed some advice for car dealers starting out on social networking. How many are you following? 

GForces’ Top Tips for social networking 

• Maintain it – Make sure you do so regularly and react when interacted with. 

• Offer something – People ‘friend’ companies because they’re looking for a reward. Disappoint them and they won’t be back. 

• Give it impact – Be relevant. This will mean more links and more traffic. 

• Combined approach – Establish your presence in a variety of social media. 

• Ensure accuracy – Despite their informality, Tweets and blogs still need to be correct. 

* GForces is a web management company

Does this ring true? How many other industries are missing out on a great opportunity without realising it?

If you'd like to follow us on Twitter, go to www.twitter.com/HeartlandsFord 

Spreading Christmas Cheer!

Christmas came early in 2009 for more than 350 disadvantaged children across the world - thanks to the generosity and goodwill of local communities in Birmingham.

In the two months leading up to Christmas, individuals and groups dropped off present-filled shoeboxes to Heartlands Ford showrooms in Erdington, Perry Barr and Tamworth which once again opened up their doors as part of the annual ‘Operation Christmas Child’ appeal.

Heartlands Ford acted as a collection point for the appeal run by the Samaritan’s Purse; which brings joy and happiness to children in hospitals, orphanages, refugee camps, homeless shelters and impoverished neighbourhoods in some of the world’s poorest countries.

Nigel Vollrath, General Manager at Heartlands Ford said: “This was the fourth year that we have taken part in this appeal and we are delighted that we could help bring a little bit of extra happiness to so many children. It’s such a great cause and we would like to thank everyone who donated shoeboxes, in particular the Erdington Woman’s Guild and Grenfell and Saltley Baptist Churches”.

In 2008, the Samaritans Purse volunteers sent 1.2 million shoeboxes to children across Eastern Europe and Africa. Since the appeal began in 1990, more than 60 million boys and girls have received a present filled shoebox. 

All the staff had great fun getting involved themselves and agreed that the mountains of shoeboxes that were delivered, definately gave the showroom a fantastic 'Christmassy' feel!

FRESH LOOK FOR MPV FAVOURITES

Local Ford dealer Heartlands Ford is gearing itself up for the imminent arrival of the new, top-selling S-MAX and Galaxy seven seat MPVs, which are being unveiled on 13^th January at the Brussels Motor Show.

With fresh designs, both models introduce new interior materials and features, a range of more efficient engines and a host of driver focused technologies aimed at improving safety and comfort.

"Ford has given both cars a fresh new look and more premium appeal, but it is beneath the skin that the major changes have been made," said Jim Higgins, Regional Director at Heartlands Ford, adding, “S-MAX and Galaxy were the first Ford vehicles to include elements of Ford’s 'kinetic design' styling which has transformed the way people view the Blue Oval brand.”

More Distinctive Outside

From its launch in 2006 the S-MAX quickly established itself as a car without peers – a sporty, high quality and well-equipped crossover that provides the benefits of a people mover, but without sacrificing style or driving enjoyment.

The new model maintains this tradition and has been thoughtfully updated with significant detail changes to the exterior, including a strongly sculptured bonnet and all-new front fascia, emphasised by a distinctive gloss black lower grille.

The rear of new S-MAX has been re-designed with a more dynamically profiled tailgate and new LED tail lights that extend deep into the rear side flanks.  Boosting its premium appeal is a horizontal satin chrome bar which runs between the LED tail lights and is embossed with the S-MAX logo.

The new Galaxy also features a re-designed frontal section.  A new, more sculptured, bonnet combines with new front fascia design and new-look fog lights. Titanium and Titanium X models come with chrome bars in the upper grille as well. The roof incorporates new bolder integrated silver rails, while at the rear, distinctive new LED lights and a body-coloured lower fascia are standard.

More Luxurious Inside

Carefully balanced new colour and material choices deliver a luxurious and dynamic feel. For both vehicles, the Ford FoldFlatSystem comes as standard for the second and third row of seats.

S-MAX high series models get a new multifunctional overhead console with generous stowage, sunglasses holder and child-watch mirror, and a new one-piece panorama roof equipped with power sun blinds. For the first time high series S-MAX models, and all models fitted with the panorama roof, get a new LED interior lighting system.

Power and Economy

Ford's new S-MAX and Galaxy are the first vehicles to offer an all-new 2.0-litre Ford ‘EcoBoost SCTi’ engine, which heralds a new era in Ford's petrol engine development. The new engine has a maximum output of 203 horsepower at 5,500 rpm, enabling the S-MAX to achieve 0-62mph in 8.5 seconds (8.8 seconds for the Galaxy) and a top speed of 137mph (135mph for the Galaxy).

Yet even with this responsive performance; fuel economy and CO₂ emissions are significantly improved. Compared with the previous 161 horsepower 2.3-litre automatic powertrain, CO₂ is reduced by 19 per cent to 189g/km - even though the new 2.0-litre SCTi engine has over 25 per cent more power! This translates into a combined fuel economy of just 34.8mpg* and an extra urban figure of 44.1 mpg*.

At the same time, Ford's diesel offering for the new S-MAX and Galaxy has been significantly improved. For the first time, the upgraded 2.0-litre Ford Duratorq TDCi engine is also available in three power levels – 115, 140 and 163 horsepower.

Enhanced Safety and Comfort

The new S-MAX and Galaxy are Ford of Europe's first vehicles to feature the new ‘Blind Spot Information System’. This radar-based technology warns drivers of vehicles in their blind spot area. Also, the new ‘Adjustable Speed Limiter Device’ (ASLD) is designed to help drivers set, and then not exceed, specific speed limits unintentionally – another first for Ford of Europe.

^*Note: Fuel economy figures quoted are based on the European Fuel Economy Directive EU 80/1268/EEC and will differ from fuel economy drive cycle results in other regions of the world

For further details and to see the complete Ford range contact your local main Ford dealer at:

Heartlands Ford, 971 Kingsbury Road, Erdington, Birmingham. Tel: 0121 377 3000

Heartlands Ford, Aldridge Road, Perry Barr, Birmingham. Tel: 0121 344 5252

Heartlands Ford, Saxon Drive, Tamworth, Staffordshire. Tel: 01827 306700

Alternatively, visit Heartlands Ford at www.heartlands-ford.co.uk

IS YOUR CAR READY FOR THE BIG FREEZE THIS WINTER?

It’s that time of year again – when everybody is dusting off their winter boots, gloves and scarves and bracing themselves for the cold weather outside. 

However, while it’s easy for us to prepare ourselves for the winter ahead, have you thought about how you can do the same for your car? 

Cold weather, dark nights and busy streets can introduce more hazards than usual into everyday journeys, so it’s important to pay extra attention to your vehicle’s health and carry out a few simple checks before you set off onto the roads.

Local car dealership Heartlands Ford has compiled a handy list of pre-journey checks that you can make yourself to minimise the chances of being involved in an accident or breakdown this winter: 

Check your brakes

Look for any signs of wear and tear; listen for squeaks and pump brakes with your foot, taking note if they feel ‘spongy’. If in doubt, get them checked by a professional. 

Tyres

Ice can seriously affect your tyres’ ability to grip the road so it’s important to check that each tyre tread is at least 1.6mm. Ideally you will have between 2-3mm of tread left during the winter. You should also ensure that all tyres are pumped up to the correct pressure, according to your manufacturer’s specification (this will usually be listed inside your car door when opened up).

Top up your anti-freeze 

Check which sort of antifreeze is best for your car and make sure that your radiator is topped up. Usually, you will need to create a 50-50 mix of both antifreeze and water.

Oil 

Check the oil levels regularly and keep topped up to avoid any damage to your engine. 

Battery

Check your battery before the cold weather really starts to set in. You may want to consider replacing it if it is more than five years old – particularly if you own an older car which has problems starting from cold. Excessive use of lights and heaters can also drain a battery, which is why battery failures are one of the most common breakdown faults during winter. 

Lights 

Low visibility for yourself and other drivers is a common cause of accidents. Ensure that all lights, including indicators, fog lights and brake lights are working properly and are wiped clean of any mud, snow or spray. 

Windscreen and windows 

Again, to combat poor visibility, keep your windscreens topped up with water and screen wash. Take the opportunity to check the condition of your wiper blades and ensure that they clear the screen effectively. 

Servicing 

It’s good practice to put your car in for a service at this time of the year, particularly if you haven’t had one in a while. This will ensure that your car is in tip top condition to keep you going and won’t leave you out in the cold.

To encourage drivers to put safety first this winter, Heartlands Ford is offering a great ‘Value Service’ to owners of Ford vehicles aged three years old or more. 

Available at any dealership or Rapid Fit centre, the £99 Ford Value Service includes an oil change, new oil filter and new air filter as well as a comprehensive Visual Health Check covering more than 25 vital maintenance and safety assessments. 

Among the items examined are the brakes, clutch, seat belts, tyres, steering, suspension links, drive shafts, wheel bearings, transmission, wheel nuts and several major engine components, including the cooling system. 

For more advice on preparing your car for winter or to book your car in for a service with Ford-trained technicians, call into or visit your nearest Heartlands Ford dealership or service centre: 

Heartlands Ford, 971 Kingsbury Road, Erdington, Birmingham. Tel: 0121 377 3000 Heartlands Ford, Aldridge Road, Perry Barr, Birmingham. Tel: 0121 344 5252 Heartlands Ford, Saxon Drive, Tamworth, Staffordshire. Tel: 01827 306700 

Alternatively, visit Heartlands Ford at www.heartlands-ford.co.uk