Welcome to Dunedin City Ford
In 1912 the Colonial Motor company limited, the then New Zealand representative of Ford activities, appointed G W Woods & company to handle the Ford franchise in Otago and Southland.
By 1915 there were 42 Ford dealers in New Zealand with Dunedin being represented by W J McCullough.
The Ford franchise policy involved a selling right with only one make of motor car, so when in 1923 Todd Bros. (the then local Ford franchise) took up another car franchise, The Colonial Motor Company Limited decided to handle Ford products in Dunedin itself.
The new dealership, Ford Motors (Dunedin) Limited, began its operations on 23rd April 1923 on the corner of Hope Street and Princes Street in what was formerly the building of the Newmarket Hotel.
The renaming of the dealership to Napier Motors Limited occurred in 1936 following the establishment of The Ford Motor Company of New Zealand. To streamline the changeover, all Colonial Motor company dealerships were renamed using the name of the incumbent Manager. The Manager in Dunedin at the time was Les Napier, hence the apparent geographical misplacement.
In 1954 it became evident that the company was in need of more space for its commercial operations and sales display areas. The first property at Andersons Bay was purchased in 1956. In 1958 the workshop was build, with a small petrol station being built to adjoin the workshop in 1965.
The Used Vehicle and Commercial Vehicle Sales Centre was built in 1964. This centre featured a distinctive "A" frame building, right on the corner of Andersons Bay Road and Macandrew Road. The major development of the administration block in Andersons Bay took place in 1968.
The year 1969 saw an important development with the opening in November of the Mosgiel Branch. In addition to Ford Parts, Service and a petrol service station, the Mosgiel Branch handled tractor and machinery sales, parts and service for the Ford New Holland Limited range of products.
With rapidly changing times the company felt that in order to progress it was necessary to revamp and consolidate, and in June 1986 the operations at Hope Street were closed and amalgamated with those of Andersons Bay.
The year 1987 saw a major re-design and development of the Vehicle Showroom, Parts and Administration Building in Macandrew Road. In the Parts area, the Parts showroom was developed, including sales counters and suspended ceiling. In the administration and vehicle showroom area, sales and administration offices were relocated from the front to the side of the building, a new main entrance was built, display windows were placed along Macandrew Road, a meeting room was established, a new toilet block was built at the rear of the building and new carpet laid throughout the building.
At the same time, and as a result of ten year of economic downturn in the agricultural sectors, the Ford New Holland tractor operations were transferred to the Mosgiel Branch of CB Norwood Limited (the NZ distributor for Ford New Holland).
Later in the same month, the Petrol Station and Workshop operations were sold as a going concern to a private local operator.
The introduction of the Resource Management Act 1992 imposed significant requirements on petrol operations in relation to environmental safety and pollution. As the petrol storage tanks did not meet the Act's on-going requirements, the Andersons Bay petrol operation was closed in September 1992.
Later that month, redevelopment of the Andersons Bay vehicle sales yard was commenced. This involved the transfer of all sales staff to the administration building, the demolition of the "A" Frame building and the development of an open vehicle display yard featuring a Maypole.
On 16 November 1992, the company officially changed its trading name to DUNEDIN CITY FORD. This name better reflects the Company's prime market areas (Dunedin City and the FORD product range).
In 1997 with the retirement of the Oamaru dealer, the geographical area for sales became the responsibility of Dunedin City Ford, and Mortimer Auto & Marine was appointed Service Agent. Dunedin City Ford leas land in Oamaru for the display and promotion of motor vehicles, and employ a resident sales person.
About the same time with The Ford Motor Company's realignment of areas of market representation, Warrens Garage, Palmerston and Robbs Garage, Roxburgh, became Service Dealers and both of these companies work with Dunedin City Ford for the retailing of Ford motor vehicles.
The year 1998 was the 75th year of continuous operation for Dunedin City Ford and celebrations were held on 16th May 1998. Former staff members and representatives from the Ford Motor Company of NZ and the Colonial Motor Company were invited to a lunch at the dealership which incorporated a substantial display of photographs portraying the history of the company. A parade of Ford vehicles through the decades made its way through the city to the dealership where they remained on display for the day. In the evening there was a more formal dinner function. The Ford Motor Company of NZ shipped the latest Ford vehicle to the dealership for the occasion, the Ford Ka, which was subsequently launched on to the New Zealand marked in November 1998.
Dunedin City ford is a leading motor vehicle dealer in Otago, winning the Ford Motor Company's Distinguished Achievement Award for excellence in quality care and customer satisfaction in 1989, 1990, 1998, 1999, and in 2000 winning the President's Award, the premier achievement for a Ford dealer worldwide.
