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There are many little-known resources for finding pre-owned motorcycles for sale. If you have decided to start your search for the perfect bike, there will be many factors to consider. If you want something very specific, you may be better off hiring a broker to help you track down and acquire that special motorcycle. If you are not as picky or find yourself on a budget, you may find the following list of resources very helpful in finding a suitable bike at a great price.

Police Auctions

Motorcycles, dirt bikes and scooters that have been seized at crime scenes or confiscated for other official reasons usually become government property that is then sold to the public at auction. Most of the time you don’t hear about these auctions because they generally have very little publicity. Many municipalities have information about police auctions on their Web sites. They may post auction dates or even list individual property for sale. If your local government’s Web site doesn’t have this information posted, you can call the Sherriff’s office or highway patrol to inquire about auctions. Make sure to ask about special requirements and other information you may need to purchase a motorcycle at auction.

Ebay

When using Ebay Motors or other popular auction Web sites to search for a used motorcycle, keep in mind that the bikes you come across can be located anywhere in the world. Of course, there are search parameters you can determine to ensure that the results delivered are all within a certain number of miles from your home. You can decide how far you are willing to drive to pick up your motorcycle and search Ebay for bikes within that distance.

If you are into restoring vintage bikes or customizing Harley Davidson motorcycles, you may be willing to pay for shipping costs provided you find a great deal. If this is the case, Ebay and other auction sites are great places to find what you are looking for.

Online Classifieds

Because posting ads on online classifieds sites is free or very cheap, the best deals can generally be found here. One of the benefits of using online classifieds to find your motorcycle is that you can search locally or regionally. Depending on which site you use, you can search the top two or three larger cities that are closest to you. Again, this will depend somewhat on how far you are willing to travel to check, test drive and ultimately pick up your used motorcycle.

Another benefit of online classifieds is that you can post a listing yourself. For little to no money, you can actually place an online classified ad stating exactly what you are looking for in terms of a used motorcycle. Responses will typically come in the way of emails or telephone calls from prospective sellers who may have a used motorcycle that you may be interested in. Consider this “putting out your feelers,” and do it regardless of what other (more aggressive) search methods you employ.

Yard/Garage Sales

Looking for a used motorcycle by visiting yard sales or garage sales in your local area can be fun, but very time consuming. Unless you live in an area where there are very many motorcycles, you may spend a long time looking at yard sales. On the other hand, if you have already placed an online classified ad, are searching Ebay daily, and also happen to visit yard sales in your neighborhood on the weekends, then you’re only helping to increase your chances of finding a truly great deal on the motorcycle of your dreams.

Also keep in mind that by visiting yard sales, you may come across an opportunity to buy a bike that the seller hadn’t yet considered selling. Many people invest in motorcycles on a whim, without truly weighing out all the pros and cons. Having a motorcycle takes a lot of time and money, and many people end up dropping the hobby. If you visit a yard sale and notice a motorcycle parked in the garage, looking like it’s just gathering dust, it doesn’t hurt to ask about it. You may stumble across a great deal!

Used Bike Lots

Used bike lots are a great place to see many used motorcycles in one place. As with cars, you must realize that buying from a dealership will generally be more expensive than buying your motorcycle from a private seller. On the other hand, buying your motorcycle from a bike dealership will give you the opportunity to purchase a warranty.

If there isn’t a used motorcycle dealership near the town or city where you live, you may need to travel a bit to get to one. This might be well worth it if you’d like to choose from a large selection, be able to test drive your new bike, and deal with an established business.

Motorcycle Message Boards

Motorcycle message boards are a great forum for finding information on where to get certain bikes or bike parts. The motorcycle enthusiasts that frequent these message boards can be novices or very knowledgeable, but they share your passion. Posters may have great ideas about where you can find a great deal on a used bike, they may actually know of a motorcycle for sale that is a great deal, or, they may even have a motorcycle for sale that you might be interested in.

Newspaper

Your local newspaper is a great place to search for motorcycles for sale right in your area. The motorcycles advertised in the newspaper classifieds may be listed by dealerships or private sellers. The benefit is that every motorcycle listed here will be close to your geographical location.

Shopping for a Deal

No matter where you decide to start your search for a used motorcycle you will increase your chances of finding what you want if you employ two or three of the methods. Make sure to do your homework by having an idea of what you want and what to look for. Also, make sure that you test drive the motorcycle and feel comfortable with the price and deal.

To find the best deals on used motorcycles, motorcycle parts and motorcycle gear, visit CycleLeeg, a popular online used motorcycles for sale website.

Volkswagen’s Polo. There’s something just that little bit special about it. Those clever men and women behind such iconic and era defining vehicles as the Beetle and the Golf GTi certainly have a knack for making compact cars. When the air-cooled engine of the beetle became superseded by more modern, water-cooled powerplants, and when the Golf began to grow bloated and put on weight with each successive iteration, the engineers at VW found themselves once again with a supermini-shaped hole and without a supermini-shaped peg to plug it with.

Cue the Polo. Legend has it, marketing chiefs at Volkswagen chose the name ‘Polo’ because, like ‘Golf’, it is a sport widely associated with a social upper-class; and while the original Mk1 Polo may have looked up rather than lived up to those lofty connotations, I can happily inform you that the opposite is in fact true of the current model.

I don’t mean to imply that the new Polo has suddenly appeared, well-built and sophisticated, after so many years of mediocrity within an oversaturated market. Rather, the car before us today is the product of those many years devoted to refining the original car.

That’s not to say that it’s been an entirely plush ride either: the engineers from Wolfsburg seemingly ignored some of basic principles of automotive design and construction when they built their third sub-compact car, however today’s Polo stands testament to both the successes the marque has enjoyed, and also to those failings suffered over the course of its lifetime. From the woeful build quality of the cars first off the production line, to the exhilaration of the record-breaking, supercharged MkII G40 variant; the current car really does feel like it has learned from every lesson.

My first ever experience of driving a car was in a first-generation Polo. I drove figure-eights in a good friends field and in spite of the fact that under my command the universal joint on the steering column failed, we remain friends to this day. Even with my youthful exuberance, I found it hard to find merit in the car. Most people, when asked to recall their first driving experience, talk of the liberty and exhilaration of the experience. I on the other hand, am more likely to mention the cramped interior or the sluggish 1100cc engine. Bear in mind these are the observations of a fifteen year old!

But each time the Polo had a makeover or a revision, the same Volkswagen engineers that had fumbled the ball during the car’s initial production, found ways to make up for their miscalculations. And they kinda over compensated…

The MkII G40 I mentioned earlier displaced just 1300cc but generated 115bhp. It reached 62mph in an impressive 8.1 seconds and could achieve a top speed of 122mph. Since the G40, Polo’s have been quick.

The MkIIIF had an entirely galvanised body and chassis mated with an over-engineered electrics and engine management system. I once installed aftermarket door speakers in a modern Japanese supermini, and the door cards were made of pressed plastic and behind them the door panel itself was made of what appeared to be wafer-thin tin. I did the same to my Polo GTi manufactured in the same year, and the corresponding door card was made out of a super-dense fibreboard with a plastic and fabric external covering and a medium-density foam internal filling to act as a sound dampener. Since the MkIII, Polo’s have been reliable and well built.

And now we’re on the MkIV, which is in fact approaching the end of its production cycle. With the next model scheduled to debut at the Geneva motor show later on this year, I wonder what we’ll say its contribution to the Polo legacy has been. Will we say ‘since the MkIV, Polo’s have been economical and environmentally responsible? The Polo BlueMotion would have it so. With a 1.4l diesel engine which returns up to 72mpg while outputting just 99 grams of CO2, it’s certainly possible.

One thing is for sure though, right now, with a new version on the horizon, there are some exceptional deals to be had throughout the current Polo range. From humble beginnings, the current Polo has evolved into a sophisticated and distinguished car.

Jon Barlow is a writer and motoring enthusiast currently writing for the automotive industry. Here he talks about the Volkswagen Polo

The latest Pro Ceed range from Kia is becoming increasingly popular due to exceptional quality and value for money. This 3 door hatch is making its reputation as being one of the most competitive vehicles in its class, all backed with an unrivalled 7 year or 100,000 mile warranty.

With many people feeling the effects of the downturn in the economic situation in the UK, finding a new car which provides high performance and reliability with affordable pricing is a necessity for many. Kia appear to have incorporated all of these aspects into their latest range of sporty looking cars without adding a sports car price tag.

The Pro Ceed 1.6 CRDi 3 includes a host of interior and exterior features which come as standard.

Inside the Pro Ceed you will find generous head room and leg space for the driver, front passenger and rear passengers. Kia have optimised space by including a storage box into the front arm rest. The rear seats fold to provide additional luggage space when there are two people onboard.

Six airbags are included in this model, along with standard central locking, electric front windows and electronically operated door mirrors. Part leather seating enhances the overall interior feel and appearance.

With rake, reach steering wheel and console which emulates the metallic trim on the door inlays the interior is stylish and comfortable. All models have a CD player and iPod compatible USB and AUX sockets fitted as standard.

Kia boasts Artificial Intelligence, AI, air conditioning in the top of the range models, offering complete internal temperature control for both front and rear seat passengers. They claim their AI air con prevents the unequal distribution of cold air which is seen in other cars.

The exterior has a sleek streamlined appearance with very snazzy black bezel lamps. All models have alloy wheels, with locking wheel nuts fitted as standard, along with body coloured bumpers and door handles.

All models have ABS braking system as you would expect from a car in this class and above. With top speeds of over 100mph on all models, all of the models in the Pro Ceed range are nippy and fast.

Road handling is reported to be excellent, with a comfortable ride across on most road surfaces. The Pro Ceed is the ideal about town or long distance car. Proving an average fuel consumption of over 58mpg this model provides a sporty look without being a gas guzzler. CO2 emissions are also low for a sports style car, 126g/km, comparative 18%, which puts it in the lower end of the CO2 tax bracket.

Kia request 12,500 interval servicing, combined with the very generous warranty the Pro Ceed takes a lot of beating for a car of this class. If you are looking for a new sporty looking car which is both economical and stylish the Kia Pro Ceed offers exceptional quality. Some approved Kia dealerships have some excellent special offers, which could save you hundreds of pounds off an already very competitively priced sporty 3 door hatch. Go along to your nearest approved Kia dealership and take a Kia Pro Ceed for a test drive to judge the quality and value for yourself.

Book a test drive to see the exceptional qulaity and outstanding value for money the Kia Pro Ceed has to offer at Charles Hurst Group.

The publics and car critics previous conceptions that Kia only make cheap and uninteresting Korean cars has been dispelled with the launch of their Pro Ceed range last year.

The Pro Ceed offers exceptional quality, at very affordable prices. This 3 door hatch is Kia’s sporty version of their popular 5 door Ceed. It is slightly longer and lower than the Ceed giving a sleek and streamlined look.

With the longer front doors access to the rear seats is very easy. The Pro Ceed provides plenty of headroom in the front and despite the sloping roof still allows taller people to sit comfortably in the back without brushing their heads on the roof. Rear leg room is also generous for a sporty car. Comfortably seating four, and at a squeeze five, the Pro Ceed offers an un-cramped interior.

The entire Pro Ceed range comes with alloy wheels as standard and useful iPod compatibility, with both USB and AUX sockets, as well as a CD player.

The luggage space is generous for a car in this class. With rear folding seats you would be hard pushed not to get all of your luggage safely stowed away. Kia have also utilised inside storage effectively, there are plenty of accessible storage spaces in all models.

Kia have included two petrol and three diesel engines in their Pro Ceed range. Four models were launched last year, the final diesel model was launched this February.

The Pro Ceed has a smart sporty look with black bezel lamps, body coloured door handles with a trendy metallic trim on the door inlays and console. A range of colours are available, including a very sassy white.

Each model in the range offers good overall road handling with sufficient power for driving in and out of town. With a top speed of over 100mph on all models, far more than the legal driving limits in the UK, the Pro Ceed offers comfort and driving control on smooth or rough road surfaces.

Well built and distinctive styling puts the Pro Ceed into a very favourable position for a car of this class. With an unrivalled 7 year or 100,000 mile warranty the Kia Pro Ceed offers exceptional quality and excellent value for money.

Inside the Pro Ceed is well equipped, nothing too flashy, but all controls are easy to access and operate. Six airbags are fitted as standard on the 1.6 CRDi 3 model, offering safety for both driver and passengers should the car be involved in an accident.

Artificial Intelligence air conditioning has been included to offer complete control for both front and rear seat passengers. Kia also boast that the air conditioning can be directed to the glove box to provide a mini cool box.

With over 58mpg and CO2 (tax) of only 126g/km the Pro Ceed is an economical and ecco-friendly car to run.

If you are looking for a sporty car which is easy to drive and well equipped the Kia Pro Ceed offers fierce competition to its rivals in the same class. Take one for a test drive and judge for yourself the exceptional quality and road handling the Kia Pro Ceed has to offer.

Book a test drive in a new sporty Kia Pro Ceed with Charles Hurst Group.

The sceptics who thought that Kia only made cheap cars will need to re-think. The newest range of Pro Ceed appears to have proven that the most critical will need re-consider their opinion.

Kia have produced a well made sporty looking 3 door hatch which offers exceptional quality for a car of this class. The Pro Ceed is said to be the sporty version of the already popular Ceed range. The new sleek look is in part due to the slightly longer body coloured doors. The door inlays have be given a stylish metallic finish which coordinates with the console of the car adding to the overall stylish appearance of the Pro Ceed.

The exterior style looks impressive. It is complimented by black bezel lamps and trendy alloy wheels which come as standard across the range. Pro Ceed is available in the latest bright colours which includes a very chic white, which is a real head turner.

Taller people will be pleased to know that the interior head room is very generous. Anyone would have to be well over six foot before their head brushed the roof. Back seat passengers are also offered generous head room even with the sloping of the roof. The longer doors enable easy access for rear seat passengers, four people can travel in comfort with the generous back seat leg room allowance.

Kia have given careful consideration to personal comfort. Seats have leather trim and are fully adjustable. The entire range includes air conditioning as standard along with USB and AUX sockets which are iPod compatible. Interior storage has been optimised, the rear seats fold to provide additional luggage space when needed.

The Pro Ceed is easy and relaxing to drive. Road handling is positive even on tight corners. With a six speed gear box the Pro Ceed handles well on both rough and smooth road surfaces. Although not designed as an off-road car, it can handle uneven surfaces pretty well for a car of this class.

Kia are in no doubt as to the quality of their cars, as such they offer an unrivalled 7 year or 100,000 mile warranty across the range. This in itself speaks volumes as to the precision manufacture and careful thought the designers have put into this sporty style car.

With low CO2 emissions and an average 58mpg, the Pro Ceed offers exceptional economy, along with trendy styling and a very competitive pricing. The Kia Pro Ceed range includes two petrol and three diesel engines.

The price range also takes some beating. Approved Kia dealerships are also offering some very tempting special offers, combined with the reduction in VAT, the Pro Ceed offers outstanding value for money.

The Kia Pro Ceed is definitely worth giving serious consideration to for anyone looking to buy a new car with sleek lines and a sporty style. Arrange for a test drive to dispel any doubts you may have had about the quality, road handling and style of a car manufactured by Kia.

Charles Husrt Group offer the sporty Kia Pro Ceed range.

Kia have redesigned their latest innovative range of cars the Pro Ceed to provide flair and style in a sporty 3 door hatch back. Only sharing the front wings and bonnet with its already popular 5 door Ceed cousin.

Quality engineering is backed by a 7 year or 100,000 mile warranty, which no other car manufacturer has managed to rival to date.

Kia have launched their latest edition to the Pro Ceed range with some very tempting short TV advertising. A clever and intuitive way to impact their intentions of offering affordable sports coupe styling to a European audience.

With sporty steel exhaust, colour coordinated bumpers, door mirrors, door handles, rear spoiler and a contoured front grille, the Pro Ceed is an impressive looking car, set to rival others manufactures in this class of car.

An impressive average fuel consumption of over 58mpg and CO2 of only 126g/km, this sports style car offers exceptional value for money. Some approved Kia dealerships are also offering some very generous special offers on the new Pro Ceed range which could save hundreds of pounds off the already very competitive list price.

Depending which model you choose 16 or 17 inch alloy wheels are included with the price, along with essential locking wheel nuts. Tinted glass, without shade band also comes as standard on three models. The top of the range has privacy glass fitted on the rear door, rear quarter and back-lite.

Inside the Pro Ceed all models have RDS radio with CD audio with MP3 player, along with six speaker audio system. USB and AUX sockets and iPod cable also come as standard across the range. For safe and easy operating the models all have steering mounted audio controls. An impressive list to suit all personal audio preferences.

The Pro Ceed offers comfortable and generous seating for four people. With plenty of head room and leg space, complete with fully adjustable driver and front passenger seats and a multitude of storage space this car offers style and comfort effortlessly.

Head room is also generous in the rear, with slightly longer doors than the Ceed, climbing in and out of the back is far easier than in other 3 door hatch models in this class.

The boot size is generous for the size of the car. The rear seats fold to provide additional luggage space when needed.

The Pro Ceed offers a comfortable ride on both uneven and smooth surfaces with easy and relaxed driving.

The car critics are finding it hard to find any disadvantages at all with the Pro Ceed, most agree that the car has style and panache and all the latest mod cons you would expect to find in a sports style car. One thing they do all agree on is the exceptional quality and outstanding value for money the Kia Pro Ceed offers.

Demand for the latest Kia Pro Ceed is expected to be high. Visit your nearest approved Kia dealerships and take a Pro Ceed for a test drive to see for yourself the remarkable qualities of this very affordable sports style car.

Charles Husrt Group offer the sporty Kia Pro Ceed range.

Air bags are standard equipment in almost all new cars and are designed to provide supplemental protection provided by safety belts in frontal crashes, with the emphasis on supplemental. Air bags are designed to limit head, neck and chest injuries by creating a cushion between the occupant and the steering wheel, dashboard, windshield and other surfaces. But they only supplement safety belts, they do not replace them! They do however increase your chance of surviving frontal crashes which account for approximately half of all crash deaths and serious crash injuries.

Air bags have saved thousands of lives in accidents and have a good overall safety record but unfortunately, there are risks posed by air bags.

Air bags are designed to cushion the head as it moves forward or sideways after impact, thereby offering protection to an average-sized adult. They are deployed within five-tenths of a second after impact at speeds of between 225 and 320 kilometers per hour. At this speed it stands to reason that a deploying airbag can cause serious or even fatal injuries if you are not properly positioned or restrained.

Wearing a properly adjusted seatbelt and adjusting the front seats of the vehicle as far back as possible will reduce the chances of injury. Ideally there should be at least 25cm distance between the centre of the driver’s chest and the steering wheel to allow sufficient room for the airbags to inflate.

Keep the space between you and the airbag clear so objects aren’t pushed towards you when the airbag inflates if your vehicle has side airbags or curtains in the rear.

Whether you’re a child, a frail senior citizen or an able-bodied adult the safest place to ride in any car is in the back seat, properly restrained, away from the impact of head-on collisions. This is even more the case in vehicles fitted with airbags. Because of the potential dangers associated with the deployment of air bags it is recommended that children aged 12 and under ride in a vehicle’s rear seat in properly secured child restraints.

The bad news about air bags is that even low speed crashes can deploy an air bag that can cause serious injury or even kill children, short adults or any passengers who are improperly belted. More than 100 children have been killed by deployed airbags and in most of these fatalities, the children were riding in the front seat, either in a rear-facing child safety seat, unbuckled or not wearing the shoulder portion of the safety belt.

This is why it is important to be aware of the potential dangers of air bags and how to properly protect children and adults from any risks associated with them.

Surveys indicate that as many as 35% of young children ride unrestrained. Air bags pose special hazards for any children who ride unrestrained or incorrectly restrained in the front seat. Pre-crash braking can cause an unrestrained child to be thrown against the dashboard in the vicinity of the passenger air bag. This could activate the airbag and the inflating airbag and its plastic cover can impact the out of position child with sufficient force to seriously injure or even kill the child.

Rear-facing safety seats are designed for use in the rear seat of a vehicle. Placing the infant in the front seat of a motor vehicle with a passenger-side air bag is extremely dangerous as during a forward impact, the rapidly inflating air bag could strike the safety seat with enough force to seriously injure or kill the infant.

Forward-facing safety seats, used for toddlers and older children, will place children closer to the dashboard than the normal adult seating position. Therefore, the safest practice is to place all child safety seats in the back seat of the vehicle. The vehicle seat should be adjusted as far back as possible from the dashboard in instances when you have no other choice but to place a forward-facing safety seat in the front of a vehicle with a passenger-side air bag.

In conclusion a few tips to avoid injuries associated with airbags:

- Always wear seat belts and ensure that all passengers are properly restrained.

- Seat children age 12 and under in the rear, properly restrained.

- Do no hunch forward over the steering wheel or dashboard

- Do not lay your arm on top of the steering wheel; it will be forced backward into your face if the airbag deploys.

- Do not allow passengers to rest their feet on the dashboard as their feet and legs will be pushed back at them violently if the airbag deploys.

- Sit up straight with your back against the seat and your feet flat on the floor.

- Never place books or heavy items on the top of the dashboard

- Move the front seats as far back as reasonably possible to allow sufficient space for the airbag to deploy in the event of a crash.

- Have pedal extensions installed if your legs are too short to reach pedals comfortably when seated with your chest 25 cm from the steering wheel, or if you cannot see over the steering wheel without leaning forward.

Your car insurance will cover the replacement of you airbag in the event of an accident. It is your responsibility as driver to ensure the safety of all the passengers in your vehicle.

The author specializes in car insurance. To read more on vehicle insurance, visit getinsurance.co.za

The latest range of sports style cars from Kia, the Pro Ceed, are expected to be in high demand due to their competitive pricing, style and performance. In addition to the existing value for money Kia offer, approved Kia dealerships have some very tempting special offers across the Pro Ceed range which reduce the cost even lower.

Kia have not compromised on quality. All models come with alloy wheels, colour coordinated bumpers, door handles, rear spoiler, contoured front grille, and sleek black bezel lamps. To complete the trendy style tinted windows are also fitted as standard.

The interior has air conditioning and includes a host of interior audio applications, making the Pro Ceed range one of the most competitive cars in its class.

Fuel economy plays a large part in the popularity of the Kia Pro Ceed. With a very cost effective 58mpg and low CO2 emissions the Pro Ceed fits well within the budget and price range of most people who are looking for excellent value and style in a car.

The Pro Ceed offers generous head and leg room for the driver, front seat passenger and rear seat passengers. Even people over six feet tall can comfortably drive or be a passenger in a Pro Ceed without brushing their head on the interior roof. Extra long doors make access to the rear seats easy. With stylish leather trim on the seats, the Pro Ceed offers a comfortable ride over both rough and smooth road surfaces for all onboard.

The boot offers ample storage space for a car of this size and style. The rear seats fold to provide additional space when needed.

Those who still regard Kia has only manufacturing cheap looking cars should take a look at the new Pro Ceed range. If the badge were removed it may even be difficult to guess that this sassy sports style car was Korean. The Kia Pro Ceed is a real head turner which offers comfort and style across the range. It is the ideal car for singles, couples and families who are looking for value for money and panache in a new car.

The Kia Pro Ceed has been designed for the European market, as such the Pro Ceed can only be purchased within Europe. Kia are not expected to alter their decision not to export further a field in the global market, they are concentrating on filling the gap of affordable cars which offer precision engineering, flair and style at very competitive prices.

Kia are so confident in the manufacture of the Kia Pro Ceed all models come with an unrivalled 7 year or 100,000 mile warranty. This in itself speaks volumes as to the confidence they have in the manufacture and reliability of the Pro Ceed.

Approved Kia dealership are also offering a range of attractive and affordable repayment methods to anyone wanting to buy a new Kia Pro Ceed. Go online to see the special offers and the finance arrangements the dealerships are currently offering. Arrange to take a Kia pro Ceed for a test drive either online, by phone or by calling into your local Approved Kia dealership.

Book a test drive in a sporty Kia Pro Ceed with Charles Hurst Group.

The Ford Fiesta has a long and proud history of reliability, affordability and comfort; and don’t get me wrong, these are all sterling qualities that it is right, nay, essential to demand of a compact hatchback; but for too long aesthetic appeal has been conspicuously absent from this lineage. That’s not to say that its ancestors were not once a bunch of lookers, the Mk1 and Mk2 iterations of the Fiesta had charm all of their own, boxy good looks, an aggressive stance…

But the Mk3 however, built on the more practical appeals of the vehicle and styling, sadly, took a back seat (in the Fiesta’s case, a surprisingly comfortable and spacious rear bench with a 60:40 split) and by the time the Mk4 hit dealership forecourts across the country, styling had taken a nose-dive and had quite clearly been relegated to the boot (next to the shopping, which incidentally was a priority for the designers, which was still clad in the now oh-so-unfashionable ‘carrier bag’. You know the Mk4, the very…rounded version. Not so much curvy but rather, dumpy. Not a good look for a car).

1995 was the year my interest in the Fiesta died. Anyone could get increasingly similar reliability but with better looks from rivals such as the Volkswagen Polo, Renault Clio, even from Citroen with their sizzling Saxo! The Fiesta, though still one of the best-selling superminis, had lost its sex appeal, its mojo, its…’Va Va Voom’ and others had found it. It sold on its practicality, which for a petrol-headed learner driver, made it invisible.

Imagine if you will, some ten years later on, my absolute delight then, to be presented with a nearly new 04 plate Mk6 fiesta as a courtesy car one morning when my Toyota Yaris* was in for a service. The man whose job it is to design Fiestas must have lost his set of French curves or something, and all he had left was a ruler. And what a ruler. The change between this sexy – yet distinctly menacing model, and the one it replaced was enormous. It was the difference between Comic Sans and Times New Roman: this car meant business.

Rugged good looks were achieved through flared wheel arches and a threatening new posture; the pot-belly of the recent versions had been replaced by a lean, toned physique, one that recaptured my heart and once again had me lusting after the marque. ‘Fiesta’ no longer rhymed with ‘Siesta’; now it rhymed with ‘Awesome’.

Which brings me very tidily, I think you’ll agree, to the All New Fiesta. An evolution of the Mk6, built on the strengths of the car that brought me back into the blue, oval shaped fold: style, performance, reliability, and affordability. The new car, however, adds to the mix, introducing the staple of twenty-first century living: high technology. Ford has cannily managed to integrate features usually only found in vehicles from the luxury segment of the market, commanding far higher price tags, in the new Fiesta, which swings in at as little £9195 for a base model. Of course, expect to pay a little more for such goodies as rain-sensing wipers and automatic headlamps, park assist, or the ‘FordKeyFree-System’, but even the base level ‘Studio’ Fiesta includes a high level of standard spec, including side airbags and an MP3 compatible Radio/CD player.

With the new Fiesta, Ford have put together such a complete car, such an all round performer, that it’s difficult to come up with any reasons not to run down to your nearest dealership to buy one right away. So it seems Ford can do no wrong with their new supermini, it has everything you could want, it’s cheap, it’s pretty and it’s cleaning up at automotive industry awards ceremonies all over Europe. But they have. Ford has stumbled at the very final hurdle, with an almost elementary mistake. Have you seen the advertising campaign that accompanies the car? The car in the ad is pink. PINK. Technically ‘Hot Magenta’, but basically pink. How much for one in BLACK for goodness sake…

*Beggars it turns out, can’t be choosers

Jon Barlow is a writer and a motoring enthusiast. Here he talks about the All New Ford Fiesta. The All New Ford Fiesta

In essence, a car battery is a container full of chemicals that react together to produce electrons. These electrons collect on the negative terminal of the battery. Connecting a circuit from the negative to the positive terminal will cause the electrons to flow in that direction as quickly as possible via a load - in this case, the engine. Within a car battery a negative plate and a positive plate are chemically joined by electrolytes. It contains a fixed amount of reactants and when these are discharged, both plates undergo chemical changes to become lead sulphate and the result is that the battery goes flat.

Car batteries can discharge for a number of reasons. Modern cars rely on constant power to maintain facilities throughout the day and night, such as central locking systems and motion sensor equipment. There are a variety of instruments in modern cars that require a continual power supply. Without regular charging a battery will eventually go flat. It is also a common mistake for people to leave certain systems running such as interior and exterior lights. Again, the effect is the same – the power contained within the battery discharges and the battery goes flat. The first indication that this has happened is that the engine won’t start when the ignition key is turned.

A faulty alternator in the car’s engine can also help to reduce a battery’s life span. If it does not produce enough charge to sufficiently refuel the battery, the uncharged mass will sulphate incrementally, meaning that over time the battery’s capacity will become less and less until it is virtually useless. Batteries that are becoming low will show themselves in cold weather; a battery uses more charge to turn over a cold engine and, if it doesn’t have sufficient power, the engine will not start.

When a battery will not start a vehicle, it tends to be in the most inconvenient and frustrating circumstances; a school run, a work meeting or even an emergency. Calling for vehicle assistance is not always an option and even if it is, this can take a long time to arrive. Rather than leave it to chance, many drivers are now carrying vehicle battery chargers for use in these predicaments.

CTEK have developed a Multi Vehicle Battery Charger, styled as ‘the smartest battery charger in the world’. The CTEK Multi Vehicle Battery Charger is a small, lightweight device that is easily stored in the boot of a car, making it handy and convenient in any situation.

As its name suggests, the CTEK Multi Vehicle Battery Charger is compatible with a number of vehicles and has specific settings for cars and motorbikes and offers the ability to charge smaller batteries of 1,20Ah up to much larger batteries of 120Ah.

It is easy to use and you don’t have to change settings in order for it to do its job; it can adapt its charge according the battery it is re-fuelling and, once the battery is full, it will convert to a pulse charge.

The CTEK Multi Vehicle Battery Charger can charge a flat battery in around 30 minutes, which can be less time than you would wait for vehicle assistance. Importantly, the charger itself can be completely recharged from a domestic power source overnight, making it ready for use the following morning.

A CTEK Multi Vehicle Battery Charger gives you the power to take control of any situation in which you need your battery to be working at optimum levels.

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