I have become a Hamden statistic and had my car stolen . Luckily car was found with very little damage. Car towed to BTF. We are long time customers of BTF and their excellent customer service was even more so during this crucial time. At one point we were out of country on vacation and called in for an update and the service department were quick to update us on repairs along with updating us on conversation they had with our insurance carrier. Previously while out of state and in VA, my car died on me. After reaching my spouse he immediately got in touch with BTF and their staff were willing g to call ford dealer in VA to assist and get me and car back home. Would recommend read more

Brought the car in for a soft brake pedal. No fluid loss, no puddle in the garage The first Ford dealer wanted to charge me twice for the diagnostic fee. Left there. Bob Thomas called the next day, told me there are 2 "pressed" brake line leaks and the engine has to come out to replace the brake lines, cost with tax $6,700.00. I said don't do anything else, charged me $220.00 diagnostic fee. Brought it to a non -dealer mechanic...they found air in the brake line; brake pedal is back to normal. That was over a month ago and the brake system is back to normal. I'm just reporting what happened. Did they misdiagnose? You be the judge!!! read more

Simply the most amazing car dealership ever. Joe and Janely welcomed us and I felt immediately comfortable buying my dream car BRONCO Joe explained everything thing to me and Janely the sales person, was incredible. She test drove with me and answered any and all questions. Very knowledgeable about the car I wanted. Shortly after this wonderful transaction I drove my dream. BRONCO home and very happy. If you are looking for a car Bob Thomas is the place to go. read more

We leased a Ford Edge from Bob Thomas in 2019 and decided to purchase the vehicle once the lease ended. The team at Bob Thomas was super helpful and made the whole experience very easy for us. George in the Finance Department was especially personable and helpful. He and his team went the extra mile to be sure everything went smoothly. I would highly recommend this dealership to others and Bob Thomas will be our first stop when we are in the market for a vehicle in the future. read more

Transaction was the most dissapointing experience that i have ever had. The financing was a nightmare, and after signing was contacted because the payoff on a trade in was put down as incorrect from the number I received from the bank. Due to that error on their end, I had to write another check. Got the vehicle home and discovered a fluid leak. Scheduled an appointment with my mechanic, and discovered $3000 worth of repairs needed. Full disclosure, we purchased as is and it had higher miles. My problem is that their service dept. didn't even look at it. They obtained the vehicle and slapped a for sale sign on it after they washed it. They offered no assistance. What they did offer were a bunch of excuses. Will not return. read more

WARNING!!! You most likely already know that ford is not the truck you want to buy. However if you didn't know I bought a truck 1 year ago. Since then it has been serviced 5 times for pretty major issues. They sold me on a warranty that they would provide me with a car if My truck ever needed service. However, every time they somehow never have a car available leaving me wonder what is the point in buying these expensive warranties. In short I will never but another ford snd you shouldn't either. Dodge seems to be more money but if you take a look at the cost of repair and car rentals you will need with ford ... then you might just want to by the dodge. #ford Ford Motor Company #buyadodge #ramforthewin #neverbuyford #lemon read more

The service department at B.T.F. costumer service can be EXTREMELY rude to customers in person and over the phone. Ex.: call them airheads, curse at them, and hang up on people on the phone. Also they installed a new battery and they forgot to install a part and left it on top. I noticed this immediately because the hood of my car was bulging. They didn't even apologize! read more

Been looking for Bronco Sport for the longest for my wife! I saw they had it on the lot and drove over an hour to see them right as they were closing. James gladly let me test drive one even though it was late and even put a deposit down on the one in the showroom that night. I live in Massachusetts but was trying to register in my home of residency in Florida and James and his did their due diligence to get it registered in Florida. Very communicative throughout that complex process. James made this one of the best and simplest car buying experiences and painlessly easy cause honestly can be rough. My wife absolutely LOVES it by the way. These guys will go above and beyond for you. read more

See all

The absolute worst experience DO NOT TRUST A WORD THEY SAY (LIES). I took my Windstar there 17 weeks ago for a recall. they told me to bring it back in two weeks and it would take a week to fix, i did that. When I arrived two weeks later for my scheduled appointment the other counter person chuckled and said it would be at least two weeks to fix. 10 WEEKS later after 11 phone calls and (no return phone calls) the SERVICE manager Explained? to me that because the government was paying people so much to stay home they could not get any mechanic to look at my car because the government was paying more than BOB THOMAS FORD was paying to "Qualified mechanics". Really!!. Did he really just tell me that?? . After two more weeks (12 weeks total) they, at my suggestion, offered to buy the car back from me as it would cost Ford more to repair than the value of the car. They agreed and the next day i signed the car over to them on their promise to pay me out. That was six weeks ago and i still have not received my money. 10 days ago and 4 phone calls later the "GM COLBY" lied and said the check would be mailed out TODAY and i would receive it Tuesday. I still have not received my check, TODAY i went there and he was " in a meeting with BOB" I assume Bob THOMAS??? because it was so important the customer NEVER comes first with BOB THOMAS FORD. i was TOLD the check was in the mail. Please call them and ask if this is how they treat a customer. Grand total of 17 weeks and still NO satisfaction. At what point do I call Hamden police and report my car was stolen by BOB THOMAS FORD? My advice don't buy a car here and definitely don't have it serviced by an underpaid mechanic who cant get a job elsewhere. read more

Think twice before buying at Bob Thomas Ford. I purchased a 2016 Ford F150 Lariat, listed at $30,000, from Bob Thomas Ford in August of 2019 upon being assured that the vehicle had undergone a thorough check-through by dealership mechanics. I was confident that I had made a quality purchase on a vehicle that would last me many years and had a pleasant experience with the seemingly knowledgeable and personable sales team. Despite exercising preventative caution and purchasing the Ford Extra Care Extended Service Plan, my ownership experience has been anything but pleasant. Three months into ownership a fuel pump module and catalytic converter spontaneously failed, and my vehicle repeatedly shut off while in motion. Less than 2 months later the same problem surfaced again, only this time more catastrophically. When both issues arose, the vehicle was taken to an Authorized Ford Service Center. While receiving the quote from the service center in February, service technicians uncovered a leak under the windshield that had resulted in massive corrosion damaging many wiring harnesses and the vehicle body control module which resulted in the catastrophic failure. They also informed me that the windshield was not a factory windshield and had been replaced before I bought the vehicle. Due to the extensiveness of the corrosion, this repair totaled $5000. The service technicians and a water damage appraiser from my insurance company mutually agreed that the corrosion resulting from the windshield leak had been there months prior to the vehicle's purchase in August. Aside from not being informed of the windshield's replacement, it is evident that Bob Thomas Ford exercised negligence while inspecting the vehicle before my purchase. An additional note: within 3 weeks of owning the vehicle, I discovered supporting evidence of lazy inspection and servicing, as the trailer wiring harness was not connected behind the bumper, and the cabin air filter was improperly installed rendering it entirely ineffective. The water leak and negligence have resulted in total damages of $7,000 less than 6 months into ownership. Bob Thomas Ford has shifted all blame and denied any responsibility for the consequences of their negligence. Transparency and honesty should be paramount for a dealership who wishes to carry a positive reputation. Evidently Bob Thomas Ford refuses to abide by this principle and would rather ignore problems than solve them. I highly encourage any future customer to take this review to heart when considering Bob Thomas Ford as this situation speaks miles to their "attentive vehicle inspection" and the sad irony of "Quality means doing it right... When no one is looking" as stated by Henry Ford and posted on Bob Thomas' website. read more

what the hell is going on with these mark up prices. Not just that but what about the quality of all the new Ford vehicles it's horrible Ford cars are falling apart literally. Do not buy Fords anymore GM is in the same boat junk read more

GARBAGE! Bought a Ford Focus SEL 2012 about 2 years ago. The Radio went completely DEAD. I was told by a representative that "it sounds like a quick reset issue." I then was transferred to another representative who told me to even get it looked at would be a 108$ fee, AND THEN I'd be charged for the actual repairs or reset. It's clear that they are not willing to work on manufacturer issues without milking you for money. DON'T DO IT!!! read more

I went into the store to talk to someone regarding a particular vehicle that I saw online. The vehicle was still available. I walked in and there were three salesmen sitting at their stations having a chat. I spoke in general that I would like to talk to someone about a vehicle that was in the showroom. All three of them looked at one another and finally someone stepped up and said "he" will assist you. I talked to the "assigned" salesperson about the vehicle and mentioned that I am pressed for time and would like drive it the next day at 1pm. He loaded my information in his phone and said it would be ready. I walked in the next day at 12:59 pm and the vehicle hadn't moved. The salesperson I talked to had a customer in front of him. Someone else approached me and asked could I be helped and I said that "he" was helping me yesterday to drive that (pointed) vehicle at 1pm today. "He" didn't budge or acknowledge my existence. He could've excused himself from his clients and spoke with me for a moment....didn't happen. I stated that it's obvious that I wasn't taken seriously and I'm sure, very sure, that had I looked "different" that I would've been taken serious. I didn't have a suit on but I was very presentable, had my Veteran hat and mask on so it wasn't the clothing. I even showed the salesperson my vehicle I was renting was the same model I was looking at....helps me to decide. And I asked him to convince me to turn in this rental and buy from Bob Thomas. I left... no one tried to stop me nor did "he" try to call. I ended up calling and speaking with the sales manager who was fair in his explanation that the original salesperson didn't relay the test drive request to him. My point of writing the review is for the following: If you have a problem with a customer and you feel as though your time may be wasted, pass them off to someone else. Don't lose a sale for the store because of your personal issue. I say it's personal because he didn't acknowledge me nor did he call to set it up again, even after I talked with the manager. It's shameful! You definitely would've had a sale. And....to think that I have a reservation for a F150 Lightning with that dealer.....will be refunded....Sorry Ford. read more

Service Review - I returned to Bob Thomas Ford with a problem with my brakes. I had to wait for 2 hours and 45 minutes for my vehicle to be done, also I was the only (and last customer) who did not have their vehicle brought to the customer waiting area. I was handed the invoice which showed that the job had a one hour labor charge. After finding my Explorer in the parking lot my older opened his door first and stated that the inside of the truck was really hot,. The weather was a dry 80 degrees. The inside cabin was sweltering. I started to adjust the controls and found that the rear cabin had its heat turned all the on maximum, looking at the gas gauge it was obvious that gas was missing from my drop-off time. They worked on my Explorer for an hour took it outside and ran it with the heat blasting for an hour and 45 minutes.. Oh by the way I also had the right front windshield trim fly off my vehicle while I was driving. I brought my vehicle to another Ford dealership to show the piece that flew off and they stated that my vehicle was in an accident even though B.T.F. stated that on CARFAX it was never in an accident. Bob Thomas Ford once again lied about the integrity of their vehicles. read more

Amazing experience! Recently purchased an Explorer from here and can't say great enough things about the car and the staff! Colby and Jessica were fantastic and made the entire buying process so quick and easy! Unlike other dealerships I've been to with rude, pushy, and arrogant salespeople, Bob Thomas does it right every time! I've never felt so comfortable and at ease buying a car. Definitely the best prices around! This is the second purchase our family has made from them, and will definitely be back in the future! Highly recommend! read more

Just took ownership of a new Ford Ranger,i left my old dealer after 18 years of doing business.Bob Thomas gave me the time and respect i have never had.It was a great experience and everyone was very happy,you know when you walk into a place and everybody is cheerful its a good work environment and people like there jobs.Thats exactly what i found at Bob Thomas.FORD Motor company should be very proud of this dealership. read more

I have purchased two vehicles here at Bob Thomas and I am almost ready for my third and I can't wait till that day comes. Everyone here at Bob Thomas ford is top notch, I will not buy from anywhere else.. thanks For the great service read more

I already talked one neighbor out of buying a Ford from this dealership minutes after I left today. I talked them out of a Ford altogether. I have an issue with Ford Corporate and their nasty door latch recall. I will not put my children back in my car. The remedy was to buy another Ford. I will not. I asked for the loaner car for another day until a manager from corporate called me back in the twenty four hour window they promised. They would not loan me the car for another day. read more

I have done business with Bob Thomas for 20 years. Never a problem. I trust Bob Thomas implicitly. No pressure sales. Awesome service dept and the best body shop in town. Just bought my 6th vehicle with the help of Bob Thomas. Thanks Bob read more

An terrible experience with both the dealer as well as Ford itself. They play games between them. Leased a 2015 Escape that had to have engine jobs done in the first year. Waited over three hours when my 2018 Explorer broke down, now the tires are wearing out with 18,000 miles on them. Was sent bills for unpaid tolls with $25 service charges on them. After wasting the better part of an hour on the phone with Ford and faxing proof of payment to two locations the bill was never resolved. Promises made that people will get in touch with you and it never happens and I could go on and on. Do yourself a favor and look elsewhere because this dealer and this brand feel like they are doing you a favor selling you a vehicle. read more

We came here in summer 2011 looking for a new car. We were helped by Ed, a regular looking middle-aged guy who was not pushy at all: he presented the inventory, invited us to take a look, but did not push when we didn't like a model or feature. He ended up talking us into a used car, which was not at all what we anticipated getting when we walked in and we were more than wary about getting a lemon. But it was only a two-year old model, so we bit. Our car has been nearly problem-free for 3 years now and the one defective part that appeared two years later was covered by the warranty after putting on 100k miles. The sales experience wasn't what gets the stars though. It's that we got a solid, reliable car -- even my skeptical parents have been surprised. That, and the service department has been great. We were going there regularly for oil changes while the car was under warranty and when that one issue had to be fixed, but we've continued since I feel like they treat me fair. They don't find mystery "problems" and when I recently reported that one of the dashboard lights had gone on indicating an actual problem, they discovered that a sensor was malfunctioning and a repair would cost an arm and a leg. But they told me that, honestly, this was not anything essential and they recommended against fixing it unless I had money to spare. That's not a report you'd expect from someone trying to pull money out of you -- the service department treats you pragmatically and squarely. I didn't think much of them when we first started going, but over the years I've grown to appreciate how few problems we've had with the car and with the service. Peace of mind is worth a lot. And for someone who sits in the waiting room during service, let me add that I certainly appreciate the desk, free wifi and free coffee! read more

WOW! I happened to be looking for the 2016 Explorers and came upon some bad reviews for Bob Thomas Ford. I have had Explorers for the past 13 years. My current Explorer came from Bob Thonas Ford as a lease with an option to buy at lease end. I was baffled by the bad reviews I viewed here on Yelp. Honestly, I can say that I have had nothing but a very good relationship with this dealer from the time I walked in to lease my latest Explorer (my first lease in my lifetime). The service department has been nothing but courteous...yes, sometimes it seems like service should be lightning speed...but, I've rarely had to wait over an hour. I would expect a longer wait time if I had not made an appointment or if I had a somewhat serious problem with the vehicle. I used to go to another Ford dealer in the area and compared to Bob Thomas Ford it was like night and day. I'd chose Bob Thomas again. And, would choose an Explorer again. I'm not degrading the issues and poor reviews left by others, however, I think that some of them sound a bit exaggerated. I would hope they are as I can't imagine any dealer servicing vehicles with the outcomes some say they experienced. Again........I was looking to see the 2016 vehicles as I either have to return my vehicle at lease end in April or purchase it. A big decision which I'm planning ahead of time....however, I'm 99% sure it will be an Explorer and that it will come from Bob Thomas Ford. It's simply my own truth and I thought it would be fair for me to take the time to leave them a review from a customer who is happy with their service. read more

As owner of a small business we purchased our first Ford Transit Connect just 2 years ago from Bob Thomas Ford. Had a great deal then. So, here I am two years later purchased our second Ford Transit connect. I found them to be understanding to my company needs and a no non-sense approach. When I needed some additions to equipment the Transit, our sales rep was more than helpful and went out of her way to find the equipment I required. I would recommend Bob Thomas Ford to anyone looking for a great deal. Worth the trip and location is easy on, easy off the Merit Parkway. read more

Absolutely the best car buying experience I have ever had. I bought a Ford C-Max hybrid from Bob Thomas in May. As this is an unusual vehicle, they worked hard to find the one I wanted. Ten weeks later the car was wrecked in an accident. The sales staff, especially Jay Proto, has gone beyond everything I could have expected to help me replace the car. At the same time, they have all shown great care for my wife and I as people, not just as customers. I may never buy a car from any other place. read more

They did everything right. Sales staff was honest, up-front, and super helpful. They gave me a great deal right off the bat, one that I wasted my time on trying shopping around to other dealers. I would go back there for my next ford in a heartbeat. read more

It's zero stars. Bob Thomas sold me a 2012 Ford Focus with a defective transmission. The car is a lemon. Can't be fixed. Staff was not helpful and now I am left with a car with little to no resale value. There's also a class action lawsuit for this specific transmission defect. Do not buy a car from here. read more

Great sales staff, impolite service manager. My Ford Focus goes to Crest.

The alternator on my vehicle broke while I was driving on the highway on my way home from work. I had my car towed to Bob Thomas Ford as it was the closest dealership around. I left my car overnight and called the next morning to explain that the alternator needed to be replaced. I know cars well enough that I've done my own repairs before, but replacing an alternator on my vehicle is not an easy job so I brought it to the dealer. I received a call from the service manager at 1:50pm. He explained that the estimated repair price would be $785. He explained the cost of the alternator to be $342 and the job would be about 3.5 - 4 hours of labor. I asked if there was any way that the job could be done cheaper through discounts, promotions or cheaper parts. He said no and I understood. Specifically, he said that they had to use Ford parts otherwise the warranty would be void. I have a separate issue with the Ford warranty policy, but that's irrelevant as it does not relate to my review of Bob Thomas Ford. Since I was told they had to use Ford parts or else the warranty would be void, I searched online for Ford parts and I found fordparts.com. This site lists all official Ford parts and what the retail price is for them. Here, the exact same alternator that was used in the repair of my car is listed for $304.83 after the core return. The dealership explained to me that the cost was $342 after the core return, so I was confused, but it was not enough money for me to complain about. I planned to simply ask about it at the dealership. I went in the next day to pay for the repairs on my car. I politely went to the cashier to pay for my repairs before even discussing the pricing question. The woman who provided my bills was EXTREMELY rude for no good reason. I had a smile on my face, I was polite and I didn't even mention the pricing question yet. Even another girl in her office asked if she was ok, to which she rudely responded with "I am taking care of it!" I feel bad for her co-worker. After I paid for the repair, I went over to the service counter to talk with the service manager, who was again very polite and friendly. He thought the price difference was odd as well and recommended I talk to the parts department. I walked into the parts department and was greeted by a man who didn't want to help at all. Word for word, I politely said, "I just had the alternator replaced on my Ford Escape and I have a question. This might be a stupid question, but I went to the fordparts.com website and noticed that the retail price after the core return for the same part used in my repair is listed at about $40 cheaper. Do you know why that would be?" His unprofessional first response was, "Well, I don't know what website you're on." I explained that it was the fordparts.com website. He took a minute, looked around on his computer and then he told me that they charged me that much more because they had to buy this part from another dealer. I calmly said that it didn't seem like a fair practice since I can go to fordparts.com and pick it up at another dealership without any extra cost. Why would this dealership be charged extra? Furthermore, my receipt shows a list price of $386.41 and a $45 credit for the core return, which comes out to $341.41. Nowhere is there a charge for shipping from another dealer. I asked the Parts Associate if they could credit me for the difference. He said, "No, but maybe next time when you come in and mention this, we can give you a credit." Obviously, this is a lie or I would've been given a credit now. Next time, I'll pay $200 more to tow my car to a different dealership. I'm not upset at the cost of the repair. I'm disappointed with the unethical business practices and the failure to acknowledge it when I asked. Normally an angry customer is rude, but I was polite the entire time, even after I left. If I've learned anything in life, I know that you get further by being nice than you do by being rude and angry. I will never return to Bob Thomas Ford. Ford Parts Website with the price for this alternator: http://www.fordparts.com/Commerce/PartDetail.aspx?n=RU5QI%2bEUKBNhXrhXZAGSEQ%3d%3d&id=229295640&m=2&search=true&year=2006&make=Ford&model=Escape UPDATE: I just found a link that makes this even more infuriating. I searched Fordparts.com where you can also buy directly from other dealers. I searched for this part at Ford of Branford and it only costs $274.35 after the core return! This is absolutely ridiculous. So not only was the fordparts.com website cheaper, the next closest dealer offered it even cheaper than that. Where did the mark up really come from? Here's the link: http://www.fordparts.com/Commerce/PartDetail.aspx?n=RU5QI%2bEUKBNhXrhXZAGSEQ%3d%3d&id=229295640&m=2&search=true&year=2006&make=Ford&model=Escape read more

Was looking to buy a car last summer. I went into Bob Thomas knowing I wanted to test drive and learn a bit more about the Ford Focus. Within the first 5 minutes I wanted to walk out. The salesman I got informed me that I would love the Focus because it was blue tooth compatible- so that I could "talk while you drive and put on make-up." WTF??? It didn't get any better from there. I've been driving manuals since I was 15. They did not have a manual on the lot. I told him I'd come back another day. He insisted on showing me the car, so I could see its "features." After showing me the interior fabric and carpeting (seriously? I know I have boobs but give me some credit) he asked if I wanted to test drive it. No thanks. It may be the same engine, but the drive is completely different. Horrible experience. Just horrible. read more

Bob Thomas ford came highly recommended to us. Despite the fact that we have 2 ford dealerships very close to our home, we decided to head down to Hamden to check it out. I was in search of a specific vehicle with specific options. I was aware of one in Rhode Island, and it met my needs. It was a 2014 (brand new) and could have saved us a couple bucks (over the 2015 special order) and it offered instant gratification.. However, we were so impressed by our salesman (Reece Wallace) and Bob Thomas Ford itself that we elected to order our vehicle on the spot (instead of schlepping to Rhode island). The negotiation process was easy and respectful. They didn't string us along with drawn out theatrics, and we arrived at a very fair price. From my first phone call to the moment we drove our car off of the lot, our dealings with everyone were nothing short of excellent (even our 2 small kids were treated wonderfully).The dealership is spotless (even the restrooms). Our car was supposed to take 8-10weeks. It came in 7 weeks on the nose. I got the call just before 1pm and they hustled to prep it for pick up by 6pm. Paperwork was prepared and took less than 30 minutes to sign. Reece gave me a thorough tutorial on the numerous features my vehicle came with. His easy going and fun personality made buying a car so much fun. Shout out to Colby, too. He was a gentlemen and very professional. Can't say enough about the crew at Bob Thomas. read more

We walked in for our 10:30AM appointment on Dec 27 to test drive a specific 2014 Escape Titanium that we had worked out the price and everything over the internet with their internet sales rep Nancy. Instead we walked out in rage! After we walked in, the receptionist took a quick glance at us and before we said a word told us that the service department was in another building! What a biased prejudgment! We then explained to her that we were there to see Nancy because we had an appointment with her. She told us that Nancy was not in, and she looked at her book and said that we did not have any appointment! We explained to her about our arrangement with Nancy and asked her to just call Nancy to confirm. She did not make the call, instead she waved a sales lady over. We had to explain the situation to the sales lady again and said that we really did not like this situation. She then told us that she would talk to their general manager, Mark. She walked over to chat with Mark for a few minutes. Mark then stood up from his desk, walked inside, and reemerged a few minutes later with a folder in his hands. He handed the folder to that sales lady and spoke to her for a minute. She then proceeded to us again saying that she would work with us. Of course we were not happy. We had asked them to call Nancy, they didn't even try. No one there had even apologized for the situation. We walked in expecting the vehicle ready by the door for us to test drive, instead they just gave us someone to work with. She then said that she would have Mark to work with us. She walked over and talked to Mark for a minute. Mark took over the folder from her, studied it for a few more minutes, and then walked over to us asking what we were in for. By that time I was frustrated. I said "you should have known what we are in for by now! You have the folder in hand and we had even told the receptionist and the sales lady twice!" Mark immediately shot back that of course he did. I said that we were not happy with Nancy's lack of professionalism, and that she should have told us that she would not be here with us at the appointment time, and she should also have had someone to ready the vehicle for us awaiting our test drive as what we had scheduled with her for. Mark said without hesitation that Nancy had always been very professional! What an attitude! Instead of apologizing for our inconvenience and our feeling, he actually defended her! He's probably the highest ranking customer facing manager in the dealership, yet he lacks the most basic customer service empathy and skills. There is simply no customer service DNA in this dealership! Avoid at all cost! read more

My husband bought a car from Bob Thomas Ford his Salesman was Tony Olivia , I was very impressed with how he went above and beyond the call. It was time for me to buy a car and I knew I wanted him to be my salesman.The true test of a good dealership is not when you buy the car but when there is a kink in the road!! I had a few bumps and not only Tony but the owner, manager , and service department also went above what was expected!! I would highly recommend this dealership and Salesman. read more