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Archive for the ‘Mercury’ Category

“It” Lives!

Monday, April 26th, 2010

We tell you all the time that “Hassett Has It,” and it’s true … but what is “it,” anyway?

Anyone who’s ever been to Hassett of Wantagh knows we’ve got the cars. Anyone who’s ever dealt with us for repairs or maintenance knows we’ve got the service. And anyone who’s ever bought a vehicle from us knows we’ve got the best prices. They don’t just call us Long Island’s No. 1-volume Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Subaru dealer, you know.

Individually, none of these things are “it.” Not every dealership is as committed as Hassett to the best selection, the best service and the best prices, and these things are critical to our success, but they’re still not “it,” not entirely.

“It” can be hard to define. You definitely know when it’s there and you definitely know when it’s not, but it’s still difficult to pin “it” down. One thing is certain, though: You can’t fake “it.”

And when you’re as good as Hassett, you don’t have to. For instance, consider Hassett’s exclusive Owner Advantage Program: On top of the selection, the service and the prices comes this goody bag of complimentary benefits, which apply to every vehicle Hassett sells.

“The Owner Advantage Program is our way of saying ‘thank you’ to our loyal customers, and our way of saying ‘come on in’ to new customers,” says Hassett General Sales Manager Lou Evans. “We know we have the best prices on the greatest cars, we know we have the most efficient and professional service facilities on Long Island, and we’ve always made friendly and timely customer assistance a priority. But the Owner Advantage Program is the cherry on top … it’s our version of above-and-beyond.”

For a seven-time consecutive winner of the Ford Motor Co.’s President’s Award for Customer Service and a repeat winner of the Subaru Stellar Performer Award, improving customer service can be a daunting challenge. The Owner Advantage Program, therefore, had better be pretty special.

It is.

Free first service for all new and certified pre-owned vehicles. Every fifth oil change free. Unlimited free car washes for the first month of ownership. Free loaner cars available for scheduled service visits. Saturday service hours. Round-the-clock roadside assistance for all new vehicles. Exclusive access to Long Island’s largest parts inventory and the Island’s most skilled commercial truck service facility.

Add to these impressive benefits instant cash off on your next Hassett purchase, a rewards program offering five percent in service/parts credit for every dollar you spend and a plethora of impressive, vehicle-specific incentives – free first-year service and a 4-year, 50,000-mile, bumper-to-bumper warranty on all new Lincolns, and a three-year, 3-year, 36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty on all new Ford, Mercury and Subaru vehicles – and you have the finest customer-appreciation package available.

You have the Hassett Owner Advantage Program. You have Hassett’s definition of “above and beyond.”

You have “it.”

Posted in Awards and Special Recognition, Ford, Hassett Automotive, Lincoln, Mercury, Monthly Spotlight on Hassett, Subaru, Trucks | No Comments »

Mercury rising, and rising, and rising

Friday, March 26th, 2010

It’s 80 years later, and Edsel Bryant Ford’s brainchild – a line of cars to fill the price gap between popular Fords and luxurious Lincolns – is still going strong.

The Mercury line has undergone some changes over the years, but remains a mainstay of American ingenuity. Named for the fleet-footed Roman god of commerce, the first car in the line (the Mercury Eight, a.k.a. the “Super Ford”) was designed to be powerful and stylish – and yet economical. After World War II temporarily halted production, the vehicle sped to new heights; by 1950, less than 20 years after the first Eights rolled off the line, Mercury sold its one-millionth car.

By the time “Rebel Without a Cause” James Dean drove a customized ’49 Mercury in the 1955 classic, Mercury’s legacy was set. The 1960 introduction of the Comet (Mercury’s first luxury compact) and the Meteor (a downsized sedan) reflected a growing trend toward smaller cars, but it was 1967 when Mercury burned its indelible mark on American highways with the arrival of the Mercury Cougar, the iconic muscle car.

The line would grow to include models of assorted shapes and sizes, with vehicles such as the well-appointed Grand Marquis and the sporty Capri (now a favorite among niche collectors) capturing the fancy of various market segments. Some models would be swallowed by the tides of history, others would rise to replace them – but the move toward smaller and more efficient vehicles was constant, as was the loyalty inspired by Mercury’s relentless quality.

Today, Mercury is dedicated to the safest, most comfortable ride at the best price. From the Milan Hybrid (granted 4.5 out of five stars by influential reviewer CNET) to the Mariner Hybrid (deemed America’s most fuel-efficient mid-size sedan by R.L. Polk & Co.), Mercury is opening new doors to fuel efficiency, power and style.

The Milan and the Mariner have both been honored for their passenger-safety protocols. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety named the electronic stability-controlled 2009 Milan a Top Safety Pick for midsize cars, while the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gave the 2009 Mariner its highest crash-test rating.

The positive trends continued in 2010. Citing a design that’s “more European in style” and a “more contemporary” interior, reviewer AutoMedia.com deemed the 2010 Milan Hybrid “much improved” and praised “the mid-size segment’s best gasoline four-cylinder fuel economy.”

Other Mercuries garner their own positive press. AllAutoReviews.com called the 2010 Grand Marquis “the perfect family car,” while Car and Driver dubbed the 2010 Moutaineer “a quiet and supple driving experience” and “a true SUV for those who still want one.” Edmunds.com, meanwhile, called the Mariner and its smaller-SUV ilk “one of the near-perfect compromises of the automotive world.”

Bottom line: They don’t look like your great-grandfather’s “Super Ford,” but today’s Mercury vehicles maintain the same standards and value. Foreign-bred competitors are good at playing catch-up, but they can’t match Mercury’s automotive depth – or its innate understanding of the American driver.

Looking for the best deals in fuel efficiency, luxury and style? Look no further than the famous Mercury line. Of course, Hassett Has It – and we’re ready to share!

Posted in Awards and Special Recognition, Mercury, Monthly Spotlight on Hassett | No Comments »

More Than Just a Car Lot

Tuesday, March 16th, 2010

We’ve mentioned, once or twice, that Hassett of Wantagh is Long Island’s No. 1-volume Ford, Lincoln and Mercury dealer, and not exactly slacking with the Subarus, either. This is more than some statistical claim to fame stamped on a business card. It’s a truth we work hard to maintain, a fact we’re very proud of and, in the end, the ultimate reflection of Hassett’s drive to be the best – and our belief that being the best only starts with the best cars.
Where it goes from there is up to your dealership of choice. At Hassett, we think it should involve a deeper relationship with the customer than the typical browse/haggle/buy dalliance. Many of our customers are repeat buyers – longtime clients who know when they come to Hassett, they’re among friends.

To create and strengthen these bonds, Hassett makes every effort to understand our customers – what they want and need when they come see us, and what they don’t. That’s our definition of customer service, of making a relationship instead of a sale, and it’s just one of the reasons the Ford Motor Company has honored Hassett with its President’s Award for Exemplary Customer Service seven consecutive times.

You may know that Hassett carries a full line of Ford F-Series trucks – the No. 1-selling vehicle in the U.S. for 33 straight years – but do you know how far Hassett goes to understand the mindset of the typical truck buyer? Joe the Plumber, Larry the Landscaper, Eleanor the Electrician … these are the people on our minds, people with jobs to do who choose their rides based on performance, not promises.

So Hassett has joined the Nassau Suffolk Landscape Gardeners Association, and was an official exhibitor at the association’s 42nd annual Professional Turf, Plant and Tree Conference last week at the Nassau Coliseum. And in January, Hassett participated in the National Association of the Remodeling Industry tradeshow at the Cradle of Aviation Museum – as an official NARI member.

What does a car dealership have to do with landscaping and construction? Not much … except that these professional contractors are the ones buying the trucks, so Hassett wants to learn everything about them we can. What tools they carry. What materials they haul. How far they haul them, and under what conditions. Now, when contractors come in to discuss their truck requirements and options, Hassett is already wise to their needs – and can fill them better. That’s building a relationship that goes beyond the sale.

You also know about Hassett’s award-winning customer service (we just told you!), but did you know we want to meet you whether you’re buying a car or not? More and more past, current and future Hassett customers are signing on to our growing Social Media network, which includes Facebook, YouTube and Twitter pages. Learn about upcoming deals and programs at our sprawling Sunrise Highway emporium, discuss personal Hassett experiences or just talk cars – however they tune in, this lively association of auto enthusiasts expands each day, and Hassett is thrilled to connect with and learn from each new friend.

When you’re No. 1, there’s always someone looking to take you down. That’s why Hassett of Wantagh always strives to put the customer first, ensuring that along with exceptional vehicles and superior deals, our customers and friends enjoy an outstanding car-buying experience. The greatest selection, the best prices and exemplary customer service that goes way above and beyond – when we say Hassett Has It, that’s what we’re talking about.

Posted in Community Outreach, Events, Ford, Hassett Automotive, Lincoln, Mercury, Monthly Spotlight on Hassett, Subaru, Trucks | No Comments »

“Reduce, reuse, recycle.”

Friday, January 15th, 2010

It’s the mantra of a world going green … but an auto dealership? That depends on the dealership, of course. At Hassett of Wantagh – where the Ford Fusion Hybrid, the North American International Auto Show’s prized Car of the Year, is among the best sellers – reducing, reusing and recycling take entirely different meanings, and important ones at that.

Namely: Reduce your expenses, reuse some of the highest-quality automobiles in the world and recycle your enthusiasm for the car-buying process.

Hassett is giving older cars new leases on life through its well-stocked and meticulously maintained Pre-Owned Division. According to Pre-Owned Sales Manager Sal Rivela, the division is tearing it up of late – a sign, Sal suggests, of a national economy on the mend.

“Things were so bad last year, and a lot of buyers stayed away,” he says. “Now they’re coming back, and they’re looking at pre-owned first as they try to stay within a budget.”

That’s never been easier at Hassett, where up to 100 top-quality pre-owned vehicles are waiting for a new home. Makes and models of every shape and size – four-cylinders or six, practical mid-sizes or sporty convertibles, even the coveted Shelby GT500 – are readily available, along with “the biggest inventory of pre-owned Ford Mustangs on the Island,” according to Sal.

“We specialize in Mustangs,” he adds. “They’re the hottest cars right now.”

Pre-owned Ford Explorers are popular among those in the market for an affordable and reliable SUV, Sal notes, while pre-owned pickups – particularly Ford’s super-tough F-250 – are also showing resiliency.

Every vehicle in Hassett’s Pre-Owned Division undergoes a 131-point checkup, an exhaustive battery of tests designed to optimize the vehicle’s residual value and street life. The best of the best become Hassett Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles, with six-year/100,000-mile warranties, 24-hour roadside assistance, lower interest rates – currently as low as 3.9 percent – and even a full tank of gas.

And for every pre-owned vehicle Hassett offers, the dealership provides a Carfax report at no charge. “We have absolutely nothing to hide,” Sal says.

Longtime customers expect nothing less from a dealership with a 26-year history of stellar service. And with Hassett offering top-dollar for trade-ins and planning a bevy of pre-owned specials for the coming President’s Week sales bonanza, the time is right to come in and check out the deals.

“These are great cars,” Sal says. “And the best part: They’ve already gone through depreciation. When customers go with one of our certified pre-owned cars or trucks, it’s all about short- and long-term savings … and finding the perfect vehicle, at exactly the right price.”

Posted in Ford, Hassett Automotive, Lincoln, Mercury, Monthly Spotlight on Hassett, Subaru | No Comments »

Regarding Henry

Tuesday, November 24th, 2009

To our friends and neighbors:

American business icon Henry Ford once noted, “Business is never so healthy as when, like a chicken, it must do a certain amount of scratching around for what it gets.” This was certainly a year for scratching, but thanks to our steadfast clients and some terrific deals on some really great cars, Hassett of Wantagh is stronger than ever.

So as we come to the end of 2009’s political and economic roller coaster, we want to thank the loyal customers who stuck with us through these tough times.

The recession that dramatically weakened our national economy is “officially” over, but its effects are still with us. America has just started on the road to recovery. This will be a difficult test of our national mettle, but as always, America will rise to the challenge. At Long Island’s No. 1 volume Ford, Lincoln, Mercury dealer, we’re proud to do our part by providing solid jobs – from the service lane to our showroom – and the most reliable vehicles on America’s roads.

You know, while Ford built what is arguably the most successful company in history, the Great Depression lurked. But Ford, as much a visionary as an automaker, was characteristically prepared. By 1929, he’d opened assembly plants in Australia, India and France, and had successful dealerships on six continents. Far from abandoning his American operations, the brilliant industrialist was actually addressing several concerns: A staunch believer in peace through international trade, he was also ensuring Ford Motor Co.’s continued viability, despite a declining American economy. “Before everything else,” Ford would say, “getting ready is the secret of success.”

There’s a sweet logic there. We’re getting ready for a big 2010 – but first, we’re closing 2009 with an expression of gratitude for our customers and friends: Hassett, a six-time winner of the Ford Motor Co. President’s Award for Exemplary Customer Service, is tying ribbons on a pair of customer-appreciation events, the Lincoln “Wish List” event and the Ford Year-End Sales Event.

“Wish List” is how Lincoln does a year-end clearance: the season’s best values on the entire 2010 line, including the standard in luxury sedans, the MKS; the mighty midsized MKZ; the finer all-wheel drive crossover, the MKX; and the all-new seven passenger luxury crossover MKT.

Representing the latest in opulence and technology, the Lincoln line (featuring the popular Active Park Assist system) boasts unmatched power, environmental responsibility and high-tech comfort – from the MKT’s three rows of luxury seating to the MKS’s available EcoBoost™ engine (V8 thrust with V6 thirst) to the MKX’s panoramic Vista Roof™. This “Wish List” has it all, wrapped in phenomenal prices, outstanding financing options, generous rebates and great lease deals. That’s what we call an economic recovery!

Also waiting under our tree is the Ford Year-End Sales Event, which features great deals on some of America’s safest cars. In fact, when the Virginia-based Insurance Institute for Highway Safety awarded its “top safety pick” this week to 19 passenger cars for the 2010 model year, Ford Motor Co. led the way with six awards.

Subaru, another make we know a few things about here at Hassett, tied for second with five Insurance Institute awards. For the record, neither the Honda Accord nor the Toyota Camry were among the Insurance Institute’s 2010 “top safety picks.”

Ford’s Insurance Institute honors came on the heels of Motor Trend Magazine naming the Ford Fusion its 2010 Car of the Year. The Fusion – which Motor Trend dubbed the “do-it-all sedan [that’s] better, smarter, nicer, prettier, comfier, leaner, meaner and greener in every way” – is one of several Ford models featured in the spectacular Year-End Sales Event. Also featured is the Ford Escape, always a favorite of the J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study.

“A business that makes nothing but money is a poor business,” according to old Henry Ford, and we couldn’t agree more. So we’re working hard to thank a community that has always embraced us. From our family to yours, have the safest and happiest of holiday seasons. We’ll see you out on the road!

Best,

Lou Evans, General Manager, Hassett of Wantagh

Posted in Awards and Special Recognition, Ford, Hassett Automotive, Lincoln, Mercury, Special Promotions, Subaru | No Comments »

Recycled Rides: Cash for Clunkers Program Sweetens the Deal for Customers with Trade-ins

Wednesday, July 29th, 2009

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Hassett of Wantagh, Long Island’s largest Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Subaru dealer is proud to announce their participation in the Cash for Clunkers stimulus program, which kicked off on July 24th.

This eagerly anticipated, government-sponsored program makes it easier and more affordable than ever for customers to turn in their old vehicles for vouchers of up to $4,500 toward the purchase of a new ride!

At Hassett of Wantagh, customers who take advantage of this program will receive a government voucher of $3,500 or $4,500 toward the purchase of one of 20 fuel-efficient Ford, Lincoln and Mercury models or any Subaru in exchange for their qualifying trade in. The Cash for Clunkers voucher is in ADDITION to all other manufacturer incentives offered when purchasing a new vehicle.

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To see if you qualify and for additional information, visit www.cashforclunkers.ford.com or download a printed
reference guide below:

Then visit Hassett of Wantagh, Long Island’s No. 1 Volume Dealer, to RECYCLE YOUR RIDE! The program runs through Nov 1, 2009, or until the government allotment of $1 billion runs out. HASSETT HAS IT!

Posted in Ford, Hassett Automotive, Lincoln, Mercury, Monthly Spotlight on Hassett, Special Promotions, Subaru | No Comments »

Ford is different, and so is Hassett, and we’re out to prove it.

Monday, June 29th, 2009

Ford is different, and we’re out to prove it.

You can see it in the new high-quality, fuel-efficient vehicles we’re delivering to you — with the lowest financing possible. And by not taking any government assistance, we’re in control of our own future. We’ll just stay focused on making the best cars and trucks possible.

We’re doing our part to keep the economy moving in the right direction by offering you value for your money. You’ll find this value in any of our fuel-efficient, high-quality,technologically advanced cars and trucks.

When you step into the Hassett showroom and grab the wheel of any Ford, Lincoln, or Mercury vehicle, you’ll see and feel the difference almost immediately. It begins with quality that can’t be beaten by Honda or Toyota. And it continues with features like our EcoBoost™ technology, designed to deliver the fuel efficiency of a V6 engine with the power of a V8. We also offer the most fuel-efficient mid-size sedan in America, the 2010 Ford Fusion.

As a Ford, Lincoln, Mercury dealer, we’re proud to be a part of this new direction. But the difference doesn’t end there. Ford CEO Alan Mulally put it like this: “The real difference is in our plan, the strength of our great new products, and our quality, fuel efficiency, safety, and value.”

Hassett is different, and we’re out to prove it. The Hassett automotive family will introduce you to a higher level of ownership pleasure and value than you’ve ever known.

As a Hassett owner, you’ll receive a level of personal attention and service excellence that has made Hassett a Long Island legend. Whatever it takes to make your driving experience a happy one, Hassett Has It! That’s why we’ve been one of the tri-state’s leading dealerships for more than 30 years.

At Hassett, you’ll always find the finest selection of quality vehicles at the best prices. Just as important, you’ll deal with professional sales & service people who recognize your importance and worth, and go beyond your expectations to deliver complete satisfaction.

It’s this total dedication to our customers that has earned Hassett a sterling reputation among Long Island’s civic, business and financial communities, as well as national industry prominence. For six straight years (2003-08), our dealership has earned Ford Motor Company’s coveted President’s Award for customer satisfaction!

Visit us soon and experience why Hassett of Wantagh enjoys such esteemed recognition and outstanding customer loyalty … Hassett Has It!

Posted in Ford, Hassett Automotive, Lincoln, Mercury, Special Promotions, Subaru, Trucks | No Comments »