Ken Vighi knows Ford trucks.

One of New York’s most knowledgeable truck experts has joined the Hassett of Wantagh team.

Ken Vighi, president of the New York Ford Truck Club Team, became truck sales manager at Long Island’s No. 1 volume Ford, Lincoln, Mercury dealer in October, and he hasn’t looked back. His new friends at Hassett “have been nothing but nice to me,” he says, and that means something coming from someone who’s sold Ford Motor Co. products for 42 years. 

Ken – KJ to his friends – is more than a Ford salesman. He’s a Ford fan. Long before he took the reins of the New York FTCT in 2004, he’d enjoyed a love affair with Ford vehicles, especially trucks. “Cut me open, I bleed Ford blue,” KJ says. “I believe in the product.” 

He still remembers the day in 1967 when General Motors workers went on strike – grim news for the young, aspiring GM salesman. “I was told to go work at a Ford store, and when the strike was over I could come back to GM,” KJ recalls. “If you learned one thing at GM, it was that Fords were junk. But, in reality, when I went to work for them I found out Ford was making great cars.” 

So ended KJ’s association with GM and began his lifelong relationship with Ford. While he’s sold every manner of Ford vehicle at one point or another, a special place is reserved in KJ’s heart for Ford trucks – particularly the flagship F150. 

“The technology, the ride, the handling, the quietness of it,” he says with considerable reverence, before reminding you that Ford F-series trucks have been the No. 1 selling vehicle in the U.S. for 29 consecutive years. 

As president of the New York Ford Truck Club Team – at 49 years running, one of the nation’s oldest Ford truck clubs – KJ’s mission is education and charity. Over eight annual meeting, the FTCT instructs young people on “how to be qualified Ford truck salespeople,” KJ says, while sponsoring fundraisers for the American Red Cross, Trees for Troops and other altruistic organizations. 

But at Hassett, KJ is all business – and business, he believes, is about to boom. 

“In the U.S., we were selling 15 million [Ford trucks] a year until two years ago,” he notes. “For the last two years, we’ve been selling about 10 million. That’s about 10 million total sales that weren’t made… and those buyers will be coming back to the market. 

“It’s just numbers,” KJ adds. “The American public has pulled its money out of the stock market and held back on purchases and put its money in the bank. Now it’s going to start spending again … I firmly believe it.” 

And Hassett of Wantagh is in the perfect position to enjoy that rebound, according to its new commercial truck manager.

“I’ve been around long enough to know that there’s always an up following the down,” KJ says. “With Hassett’s reputation, and this product line, I think we’re going to have a very good year – not just a good year, a very good year.”

How dedicated to service is Hassett of Wantagh? That’s difficult to quantify, but let’s start here: We offer not one but two specialized service departments, each equipped to deliver the ultimate service experience at prices that make competitors nervous.

 Hassett’s main Service Center is loaded with state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment and staffed by factory-trained and certified technicians ready to apply the latest tools and techniques to any automotive need. Whether it’s your new Ford, Lincoln, Mercury or Subaru model, or any pre-owned vehicle, we fix it right the first time, from oil changes to transmission repairs – a superior level of automotive service only Hassett can deliver.

 Hassett’s Commercial Truck Service Center – located on Seaford Avenue, just one-and-a-half blocks from Hassett’s main facility – is equally impressive. The 12,000-square-foot satellite facility is equipped to handle every truck-servicing need on all makes and models up to Class 8. Specializing in repairs and maintenance on diesel engines, hydraulic systems, motor homes and even construction equipment, Hassett is large enough to handle any commercial fleet – but attention to the smallest details allows Hassett to cater to the individual owner/operator.

 “Gas or diesel, we do it all,” notes Marc Zergebel, Hassett Automotive’s service manager. “Quality service, competitive pricing and guaranteed satisfaction are just a few of the many commitments Hassett makes to its customers.

 “With commercial trucks, we offer the shortest down time,” Marc adds. “With personal vehicles, our unmatched reliability makes the difference. And with all of the vehicles we service and repair, our goal is to exceed the customer’s expectations, every single time.”

 Featuring Ford/Lincoln/Mercury Genuine Parts and Service, Hassett of Wantagh is Long Island’s No. 1 Ford/Lincoln/Mercury volume dealer. It’s also a multiple recipient of the Ford Motor Company’s coveted President’s Award (given nationally to dealerships providing superior sales and service) and a Subaru Stellar Performer – a distinction reserved for dealerships that qualify for a Subaru-designed certification program containing more than 200 attributes and standards for improved customer service.

To learn more about Hassett’s spectacular servicing options, or to schedule an appointment, call Hassett today. You can reach Hassett’s main Service Facility at (516) 785-7800 or our Commercial Truck Service Center at (516) 785-0000.