OWNERS of Ford and Lincoln vehicles get a pat in the back for choosing to buy Ford Mustang, Ford Mustang GT, Ford Explorer, Lincoln MKX and Lincoln MKT as the five models were recently recognized in the 2013 Kelley Blue Book “5-Year Cost to Own Awards”.
The award from KBB.com intends to highlight total spend on vehicles or cost to own a vehicle in the United States, way beyond the purchase price. It factors in financing, insurance, fuel consumption, maintenance, depreciation and other extra expenses that most owners do not include in their calculations when buying a vehicle.
“It’s great to see more and more industry experts recognizing Ford and Lincoln products, and the KBB.com award is yet another great testament,” said Larry Prein, Ford Middle East’s MD. “Cost of ownership is really two-pronged: First to consider is the depreciation and the second, of course, is what you spend with the use of your car such as fuel, maintenance, and repair costs. At Ford, we already address the factors that influence depreciation within our Ford pillars of Quality, Green, Safe and Smart.”
Maintenance cost, another driver of total ownership cost, is significantly lower with Ford vehicles, according to Chris Noel, Ford Middle East’s regional director for customer service. “Over the past years oil change cycle has been increased from 5,000 km to 8,000 km, which translates to lowering maintenance cost at least half of what was normally spent.
“Additionally, Ford dealers in the region are adding free service and maintenance packages starting with 3-year/60,000 km, and offering plans of up to 5-year/200,000 km, tailored to meet owner needs,” Noel explained.
In Saudi Arabia, Al Jazirah Vehicles Agencies Co. (AJVA), the local Ford and Lincoln importer-dealer, currently offers additional warranty coverage of 5 years/200,000 km (over and above the Ford manufacturer’s warranty of 3 years/60,000 km) together with a 5 year/100,000 km 24-hour free roadside assistance. This, in addition to a 5-year/100,000 km powertrain warranty and a 3-year/60,000 km free service and maintenance package on select vehicles, giving Ford owners complete peace of mind.
Lincoln products in the Kingdom are offered with AJVA’s 5-year/200,000 km warranty (over and above the Lincoln manufacturer’s warranty of 4 years/80,000 km), along with a 6-year/110,000 km powertrain warranty, as well as 6-year/120,000 km 24-hour free roadside assistance.
KBB.com presents the “5-Year Cost to Own Awards” annually to honor individual winners in 22 different market segments, plus two overall brand winners.
Ford, Lincoln vehicles cited for favorable ownership cost
Ford, Lincoln vehicles cited for favorable ownership cost
Fans bid farewell to Japan’s only pandas
TOKYO: Panda lovers in Tokyo said goodbye on Sunday to a hugely popular pair of the bears that are set to return to China, leaving Japan without the beloved animals for the first time in half a century.
Loaned out as part of China’s “panda diplomacy” program, the distinctive black-and-white animals have symbolized friendship between Beijing and Tokyo since the normalization of diplomatic ties in 1972.
Some visitors at Ueno Zoological Gardens were left teary-eyed as they watched Japan’s only two pandas Lei Lei and Xiao Xiao munch on bamboo.
The animals are expected to leave for China on Tuesday following a souring of relations between Asia’s two largest economies.
“I feel like seeing pandas can help create a connection with China too, so in that sense I really would like pandas to come back to Japan again,” said Gen Takahashi, 39, a Tokyo resident who visited the zoo with his wife and their two-year-old daughter.
“Kids love pandas as well, so if we could see them with our own eyes in Japan, I’d definitely want to go.”
The pandas’ abrupt return was announced last month after Japan’s conservative premier Sanae Takaichi hinted Tokyo could intervene militarily in the event of any attack on Taiwan.
Her comment provoked the ire of Beijing, which regards the island as its own territory.
The 4,400 lucky winners of an online lottery took turns viewing the four-year-old twins at Ueno zoo while others gathered nearby, many sporting panda-themed shirts, bags and dolls to celebrate the moment.
Mayuko Sumida traveled several hours from the central Aichi region in the hope of seeing them despite not winning the lottery.
“Even though it’s so big, its movements are really funny-sometimes it even acts kind of like a person,” she said, adding that she was “totally hooked.”
“Japan’s going to be left with zero pandas. It feels kind of sad,” she said.
Their departure might not be politically motivated, but if pandas return to Japan in the future it would symbolize warming relations, said Masaki Ienaga, a professor at Tokyo Woman’s Christian University and expert in East Asian international relations.
“In the future...if there are intentions of improving bilateral ties on both sides, it’s possible that (the return of) pandas will be on the table,” he told AFP.
