Hammonasset Ford

I’ve been asked my my prior salesperson to edit my original review. So here goes. Buying a car is a very big deal in life, not to mention a hefty financial outlay, and treating a customer with respect and courtesy is normally what I look for in a company that I choose to direct my business to. This is my opinion only based on my personal experience with this dealer.

First I was contacted by a internet sales person who was very nice and he set up a apt for me at 5:30. I asked them to make sure they had reviewed my credit app and they thought I would qualify for the 0%. When I got there nobody knew that I was coming. They could not find the application and here is the best part. They listed the car as NEW on
and I get there and not only does it have 5500+ miles (they think) but the car is not there and they have no idea when it will return because the owners wife is driving it. TOTAL BAIT AND SWITCH. Ok at this point I am pissed but asked if they had any other White Expeditions and they said they only had gray. So I ask them to check if I was approved and after 20 minute of waiting I see the finance guy then go and start doing paperwork with people who arrived after me. I am so pissed at this point I go walk in the parking lot and what do I see but a WHITE EXPEDTION that they said they didn’t have. I went back in side and asked if that was for sale and they said yes but it was 66K well I never told them I had a budget so I guess they assumed I could not afford it … sounds like discrimination to me At this point after driving 40 minutes, no answer on the credit report and nothing being done before I got there and them telling me that they can sell a car that has over 5500 miles on it as new tells me these people are just looking to screw you over. I would never but anything from there. Buyer Beware!!!

I went here a couple of years ago to look at a Mercury. After test driving the car, I asked the salesman to give me a value for my trade in. They drove my trade and wrote up a report, but told me they couldn’t come up with a value and needed to consult someone (the car was an Oldsmobile, not an exotic sports car). I left that day with the paperwork and told them I would return to purchase the car the next day with my co-​signer. There was no question that I was going to buy the car.
When we came back the next day there was a «sold» sign on the mirror… great news until I found out they car hadn’t been sold to me! They sold the car right from under me and then tried to push me into a car that had more miles and was in poor condition. I was very disappointed as they wasted my time and that of my co-​signer (we both took a day off of work to do the transaction).
I then was called by them constantly for a few weeks as they tried to sell me the car again because their other deal fell through. I repeatedly told them I was unhappy about the way I was treated and would not return, but they kept calling anyway.
I won’t go back.

Trying again. I sent an email to the finance guy 4 weeks ago, asking for an «idea» of what a new Explorer would lease for. Just a ball park figure.
4 weeks. Still waiting for a reply. Man, they must be REAL busy.

I have been coming back to hammonasset ford I have had the same sales person «Cherylann «for years she knows what to do to get the deal done. I highly recommend this dealer.

Bill did a great job getting me in and out in a timely manner for my service.

I was so pleased with my experience at Hammonasset Ford. Their staff was helpful without being overbearing. It was aces all around. I would recommend them to anyone looking for a car.

I’ve never had a problem a problem here and I have purshased multiple vehicles over the past few years and have come for many tune-​ups and oil changes. I’d say the prices are all very reasonable and both sales and the service department are very helpful and personable. Also, after being in a minor accident I brought my car here to give the body shop a try and it was a swift repair and my car looks and runs like new again. You would never be able to tell that it had ever been involved in an accident. Overall, I have been very satisfied with this dealership and recommend them.

AN EXPERIENCE I’D LIKE TO SHARE:
In late fall of 2010, my then 21 year old son went to Hammonasset Ford to purchase his first vehicle. He had saved for a down payment and was prepared to make monthly payments. He bought a Ford Ranger pick-​up truck. Unfortunately, after several weeks of driving the manual transmission truck, he realized that the clutch motion was causing debilitating pain in his left knee. This theory was tested by spending days at time driving a family member’s automatic car, experiencing relief, then going back to the clutch and having the same pain return. As a runner, this pain was just not something he wanted to «live with». He went back to the dealer and they were very willing to work with him and took the truck back as a trade for a 2006 Nissan Maxima with about 60,000 miles. Both my son and I (myself, as co-​signer) felt confident enough with the dealership to go ahead with this transaction without taking much time to thoroughly check out the car. (shame on us) We trusted them. In hindsight, I think we were just grateful that they were willing to work with us in returning the pick-​up truck. My son drove the car for 5 months, with no real problems, besides a malfunctioning headlight, which he thought he could replace himself. Though he did put it off… In February of 2011 he left home for Army Basic Combat Training /​Infantry Training. He was gone for 5 months. His car remained parked in the driveway, covered. When he returned and began driving the car again, there were several issues that surfaced. Tires! Of course, after sitting for that length of time, understandable. He spent nearly $ 800 on new tires. Then awful grinding noises, and shaking upon braking. Ok, again, after sitting so long, some brake damage. Rear brakes replaced for $ 400. (at Monroe) But still, the shaking and grinding continued. Front brakes replaced, another $ 400 (Guilford Automotive Repair). At that time, it was determined that the 2 catalytic converters needed to be replaced. These were covered under a lifetime warranty, but only a Nissan dealer could do the work. But still, the shaking and grinding continued. Though it was now clearly related to the car’s shifting. The car was taken to a dealer in North Haven for the catalytic converter work. It was during that visit that we learned that the car’s transmission was damaged. We were told the fluid was «dark». And that it didn’t get that dark during the time my son owned it. And that the time it sat sitting would not have had an impact. They suggested a «flush», to buy time, but thought that more extensive work would be needed. Possibly a new transmission, a cost of about $ 5000! Wow! My son had owned this car less than a year, drove it only 5 months, had already put over $ 1500 into it, and is looking at thousands more! We went back to Hammonasset Ford. We realize that yes, we bought a used car, and that the 30 day warranty had expired. And we had declined the extended warranty. However, 2 thoughts came to my mind right away. 1) they sold the car fully aware of the transmission problem, or 2) they never fully checked out the car. From what the Nissan Dealer told us, signs of transmission problems were most likely evident at 30,000 miles.
The gentleman at Hammonasset took the car for a test drive, and did experience the signs/​symptoms of the faulty transmission. He noted that the fluid was «low» and dark, but did have the level topped off. He took a picture of the car’s VIN number, then asked us to call him back in a week. I have called several times, and sent an email, but no response. Unacceptable! We take responsibility for the fact that we purchased a POS!, and they really have no legal obligation to offer any type of compensation. But I go back to my previous thoughts: #1. They sold this car, knowing of the problems it has #2. They did not do a used car inspection. The thought foremost in mind now: They took advantage of a young man, eager and excited to purchase his first vehicle, on his own. Tough lesson for him. But one learned.
And then, the fact that my calls, and my email, have gone unacknowledged, and received no response.
This is probably the biggest disappointment. A family owned, long time local business that doesn’t respond. Even if it’s to say «we’re so sorry for this».

The salesperson (Mike Timmons) was nice and helpful, and the price the dealership offered was very attractive. However, the finance manager (Rodney Pomerleau) was not friendly. I was told that over the phone by Mike that any additional services ($ 50 nitrogen in the tires and $ 200 VIN etching) would be open to discussion before coming in. Little did I know that Rodney had already included these things on the contract because he said they were DONE already, and we had to negotiate for a while before he agreed to take off the VIN etching fee. So I gave away $ 50 for nitrogen which I don’t need and is really there to help the dealership — that’s fine since their price was really strong initially anyway. What really concerned me is when I went back out after signing the paperwork with Mike and asked where I could find the VIN etching, he stumbled and told me that the physical etching on the glass is «not done anymore and instead we have these stickers.» I called back the next day and Rodney told me the VIN etching is done inside the doors. Why couldn’t they have been up front about that? It did not leave a great impression, and I can only recommend this dealership with caution. Their price may be great, but it does come with some potential hidden fees.
Mike — kudos to you for your great customer service, although the VIN etch thing did concern me (more about integrity than the money). Rodney — you tried to rush me through the paperwork process and were not as open about these fees as I had hoped. Hammonasset Ford — your prices are low, but the way the sales process was handled for me, I can only recommend your dealership to others with a warning or two.
One last thing — not sure if other Ford dealerships do the same thing — please do not present me a copy of the post-​sale survey from Ford and ask me to rate all 5’s with that column pre-​highlighted by you. I would do that regardless if you had conducted the sale the right way and treated the customer with honesty. However, if you do not, and on top of that add insult to injury by asking me to rate all 5’s when the customer service has NOT been superb, do you really think I would do that?

I visited this place when I was here for a wedding and they were all really nice and helpful. I was just here with my friend and we were just looking, but they were still really nice and helpful.

My grandmother purchased her car here over 10 years ago. Until she died last year, she took her car here for every service, including oil changes and tune-​ups; she never took her car anywhere else. Upon her death, my brother inherited her car. After 9 months of driving it, the car shut down on my brother. He took it to his mechanic and found out that all of the wiring was original, as were many of the parts that should have been replaced during a tune-​up. The only conclusion I can draw from this is that an elderly woman was taken advantage of by a disreputable dealership. As we have no recourse, I intend to tell this story to as many people as possible. Stay away from this lying dealership that took advantage of a 70-​year old woman.