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A short while ago I got a brand new Ford Fiesta from Pye Motors in Morecambe. You may not think this is a big deal, but I have never had a new car until now and most of the cars I’ve had were at least a few years old when I bought them. So this was very good news for me; but even more exciting is that I have now become Brand Ambassador for family-run Ford Dealership Pye Motors.

Getting a new car

The Quirky Traveller new Ford Fiesta from Pye Motors

My new Ford Fiesta at Staveley Mill Yard

The first car I owned was an old black Mini Cooper in the 1970s. It had red leather seats and looked cool, but the windows didn’t open, the engine overheated at the drop of a hat and I was nearly killed when the brakes failed as I was going downhill in Shropshire. The next car was a bright orange Ford Escort that had belonged to my boyfriend. It got me from A to B via most of the UK and I sold it for £300 when I moved to live in Greece. Since then I have had many cars, including Peugeot, Nissan, Rover, Citroen, Toyota and Honda but NEVER a new one. (Travel bloggers may get to see the world but it’s not the most lucrative of jobs.) So you can imagine my pleasure when I was asked to test-drive the new Ford Fiesta this summer – click link to read my review. As you can see from the video, I was VERY excited!

Bedecked with impressive features including Cruise Control, Parking Sensors, Auto High Beam dipping headlights and Blind Spot Information System using RADAR sensors, I was like a kid in a sweet shop trying them all out. I was sorry to return the car and go back to driving my reliable but ageing Honda Jazz, which now seemed very ordinary, sluggish and lacking in any funky techy stuff. Over the coming weeks, I had a number of discussions with Pye Motors and I was DELIGHTED to be appointed their very first digital Brand Ambassador. 

Pye Motors Brand Ambassador

Nick Payne MD Pye Motors

Founder William Pye and MD Nick Payne

Managing Director Nick Payne told me the Pye Motors story. His wife’s grandfather William Pye started a vehicle repair business in Lancaster back in 1925. It’s grown greatly since then and there are now three Ford Dealerships in Morecambe, Kendal and Barrow with a team of over 140 staff. Nick says, “We don’t just pay lip-service to customer service; it’s the single most important element of Pye Motors. We have returning customers who’ve been coming to us for many years. This is a family-run business with a proud tradition of going above and beyond whenever we can.” I’ve visited all their branches and each one has a personal, friendly atmosphere that makes Pye Motors quite different from the image I had of a corporate Ford Dealership.

Words that came up in our conversations about the Brand Ambassador role included integrity, community, help, passion and fun. For me to align myself with such a big name, it was vital that we share the same values and that integrity should feature large in our relationship. The company has an excellent reputation locally and Ford is one of the world’s most famous brands, so it was important that they found the right blogger to represent them. My audience fits some of their key demographics and we share a passion for this lovely area.

Awards and trophies Pye Motors Morecambe

Pye Motors Awards and Trophies

Pye Motors plays a significant role in the local community and wants to shout more about their Lancashire and Cumbria roots. They sponsor a wide range of competitions and support various charities and local events as well as national campaigns. (A number of staff recently took part in Movember, growing splendid moustaches – some slightly less splendid 😉 – and raising lots of dosh and awareness of men’s health issues.) Both Nick and I feel there is a great deal of synergy in our shared values and interests and that the partnership will work for everyone. As their Brand Ambassador, I will be discovering more about the company and the team and exploring beautiful North West England in an #allnewFiesta.

My new Ford Fiesta

Ryan demonstrating features of new Ford Fiesta Pye Motors

Ryan demonstrating features of my new Ford Fiesta

On a sunny day at Pye Motors in Morecambe, Ryan showed me the innovative design and technology features of my Moondust Silver Fiesta Zetec. Some of these come as standard, others are extras. We took it out for a drive so he could demonstrate how the Adaptive Cruise Control works; very clever adjusting speed depending on traffic. I was somewhat mind-blown by the Active Park Assist. ‘It uses a combination of different technologies to do more than steer you into parking spots. With Park Out Assist it helps you pull out of them, too. The Parallel and Perpendicular Parking system can sense if there’s space for your car to fit, then reverse you in. The Side Parking Aid also warns you if there are any lateral obstructions.’ I’ve yet to try it for myself, sounds quite mind-boggling – think I need another lesson … Its award-winning 1.1L Eco Boost engine and Stop/Start 6 gears gives very high performance combined with money-saving fuel economy.  Ryan also highlighted the sleek new styling, alloy wheels, large boot and spacious interior. The only thing that my old Honda had better was electric rear windows; possibly worth paying extra for but not vital. You can see more of the car – and Ryan – in this video.

Nick Payne loves the North West and has an extensive knowledge of his home turf. One of the main things I’ll be doing for our collaboration is exploring north Lancashire and south Cumbria, searching out lesser-known places and sharing stories for you to enjoy. Keep up with our travels via my Social Media channels and on this blog. I’ll be using the hashtag #followpye.

New Ford Fiesta - The Quirky Traveller North West England

Morecambe Bay, Elterwater and Broughton-in-Furness

Click on the link to find out more about Pye Motors Ford Dealership and treat yourself to a test drive in the new Ford Fiesta or one of their other large fleet of vehicles. You can also find them on Twitter and Facebook. Rest assured that, however much I might love my new vehicle and collaborating with Pye Motors, I’ll be retaining my openness and honesty and my views will always be, most definitely, my own. I’m very much looking forward to our quirky travels together and if you see me out and about, give a wave and say hi …

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The Quirky Traveller Pye Motors Brand Ambassador