We?ve all sat in traffic jams, and through the haze of frustration and traffic reports on the radio, have had our eyes wander over the surrounding metal stretching back for miles. The blue oval of a used Ford, or box fresh one, invariably stares back at you ? and with good reason. For years Ford has outsold its rivals, with a new or used Ford delivering everything a car buyer could want, with cutting edge design, reliability, practicality and crucially; value for money all included. Take the Ford Ka for instance. This car is more popular among women than a small dog in a sparkly handbag and despite being 12 years old, it remains so futuristic looking, an extraterrestrial should be supplied as standard.

A perusal through a selection of the remaining Ford range has the population well catered for too. From said Ka, we have the lovable Fiesta hatchback, the mid-size Focus, the motorway stallion Mondeo and the kid transporter – the Galaxy to name but a few. Throw a few ?ST? badges onto the Fiesta or Focus and you?ll also have enough whiplash inducing acceleration for the performance purist. After all, Ford know a bit about racing too ? they supplied the engines for many Formula One cars from the ?60?s right up to 2004, many carrying the much worshipped ?Cosworth? badge. Not only that, they power the entire field in the USA?s Champ Car series which includes the famous Indianapolis 500 and have scored points in every World Rally meeting since 2002 (92 consecutive races!) clinching two championships as a result. Ford boring then, well not quite?

So, enough setting the scene ? why buy a used Ford? The best recommendation has to be commuters. No seriously, because those that pile on the pounds at corporate dinners, also pile on the motorway miles, relentlessly, year on year with their Fords happily on cruise control. This means simply that companies happily add Fords to their annual line-ups due to their near bullet proof reliability and cost effectiveness. Ok, so when the cruise control is switched off whilst sitting in a 25 mile jam and the motorway looks like the world?s largest used Ford showroom, you may want exclusivity. However, follow this logic and you?ll stick with a walkman rather than an iPod, an Atari computer rather than a Nintendo Wii and a clothes mangle rather than washing machine. The best inventions are always the most popular ? so what if everyone wants a Ford with an iPod adapter?

Ok, time for the science bit. In 2006, Ford produced 6.6 million vehicles and as of 2007, has more quality awards from JD Power (only the biggest customer satisfaction survey wizards) than any other car maker. So even though we?re only halfway through, let?s recap ? great sporting heritage, most customer satisfaction awards, trendy design, reliable and reasonable. Just in case you need more reasons, let?s see how a typical used Ford, in this case a Focus, stacks up against its competitors.

Featuring more pyramids in its design than an Egyptian desert, this family hatchback is Britain?s best selling car since its birth in 1998, overtaking the Escort, which was, of course also a Ford. You can pick up a newer face-lifted 2006 model for less than