Today, I want to take a moment to publicly recognize two outstanding men -- Brian and KJ -- for what they did for me. This was more than a vehicle purchase. This was a milestone in a journey that started years ago when I raised my right hand and swore an oath to defend this great nation. As a disabled U.S. Army Aviation Veteran, life after service comes with challenges that many people will never see or fully understand. The uniform may come off, but the weight of sacrifice, the memories, and the physical toll don't. So when I say that buying my first brand-new car means something deeper to me, I truly mean it. It represents perseverance. It represents faith. It represents pushing forward despite setbacks. It represents the American promise that hard work, sacrifice, and determination still matter. From the very beginning, Brian treated me with respect -- not as a number, not as a transaction, but as a man. He took the time to answer every question, made sure every detail was clear, and worked hard to make the process smooth and honorable. His professionalism and integrity stood out in a world where those qualities sometimes feel rare. But I especially want to recognize KJ -- a fellow Veteran. There is a bond between those who have worn the uniform that doesn't need long explanations. It's built on shared understanding, discipline, sacrifice, and brotherhood. KJ carried himself with that same sense of duty and integrity that we're taught in the service. He didn't just help me buy a vehicle -- he stood beside me as a brother, ensuring I was taken care of the right way. There were no games. No pressure. No runaround. Just honesty, transparency, and genuine respect. That matters! As Veterans, we understand what it means to serve something greater than ourselves. We understand commitment. We understand sacrifice. And when we see those values reflected in others -- especially in business -- it deserves recognition. This wasn't just a sale. This was a moment of dignity, respect, and gratitude shown to someone who once wore the uniform of the United States Army Aviation branch with pride. That means something. Brian and KJ represent the kind of men and professionals who restore faith in how business should be done -- with honor, integrity, and heart. To both of you -- thank you. Thank you for your professionalism. Thank you for your respect. And KJ, thank you for your service and for standing strong for a fellow Veteran. This is what taking care of our own looks like. Proud to recommend them to anyone -- especially my fellow Veterans. God Bless America. read more

I recently purchased a new Grand Highlander from Shawn Belcher at Cloninger Toyota in Salisbury, NC. It was without a doubt the best experience purchasing a car I have ever had. I live in Nashville, TN and our dealers in the area either lied through their teeth or let me know they did not care if I bought a car from them or not. When I found the car I wanted at Cloninger Toyota, I called and they could not have been more pleasant to deal with. They responded quickly and were completely honest throughout the entire transaction. Every employee I met spoke to me with a kind attitude that made me feel like they were glad I was there. Once we had negotiated a deal, I flew to Charlotte to get the car. They met me at the airport on time and the driver was a pleasure to speak with. He was a retired veteran that made you feel like you were a friend. After we arrived at the dealership they had everything ready to go and all I had to do was sign the paperwork. I was on the road driving back to Nashville in short order. Shawn, my salesman, was absolutely fantastic. He was completely on top of everything and was the most helpful salesman I have come across. I am in Sales myself and appreciate the work he put in to make the sales go so well. If you want a new or used car do yourself a favor and call Shawn for help. He is really good and worth your time. He is now my salesman for future purchases. It is a little more trouble buying a car 400 miles away but worth it to me to deal with a group this good that I can trust. read more

DO NOT BUY HERE! DO NOT SERVICE HERE! If I could give 0 stars, I would. Managers Fadi, Ron, Glenn and others are full of false promises. Not to mention how pretentious the "new" GM Mark Smith is. I have come onto the lot without being greeted but had a bunch of people sitting in the gazebos outside. They lie about their price, they lie about a lot of things. Their service department is so slow, it's as if they only employ sloths. These people will tell you anything to get you through the door and then if you do purchase, they will forget you in a pinch. If you are shopping for a Toyota or Ford, please go elsewhere. Scott Clark and Hendrick are volume stores, Cloninger is not. Cloninger will take you and bend you over so please do your homework people. This is nothing new, I know people who work there and they tell me the horror stories that come from this place. I have experienced it first hand as well and urge you to consider other stores before doing business here. Several of my colleagues are also informing me of the issues they encounter here, it's just no one really posts about it. Gary Sloan is no longer a manager here, please fix the information below. You can't even find any other associates on their poor website aside from service. read more

Five-Star Experience with Tina Poole! If you're shopping for a Toyota and want someone who genuinely gets it, look no further than Tina Poole. From the moment we walked in, Tina was the perfect balance of knowledgeable, patient, warm, and completely non-pushy -- which feels almost unheard of in car buying these days. She listened to what we wanted, respected our budget, and never once tried to steer us into something we didn't ask for. What truly set her apart was how she stayed with us all the way to the bitter end, even when the sales manager couldn't quite get to the price point we felt was fair. Most salespeople would have checked out emotionally the second the deal looked unlikely -- but not Tina. She remained supportive, upbeat, and genuinely invested in making sure we felt comfortable and confident, no matter the outcome. Even though we didn't finalize the purchase that day, we left feeling amazing about the experience -- and that alone speaks volumes. Tina earned our trust, our respect, and honestly, our future business. We'll be back because of her. If you want a car buying experience that feels human, honest, and refreshingly pressure-free, ask for Tina Poole. She is a rare gem in the auto sales world! read more

For our sales person Hunter, Fountain We were glad you answered the phone at Cloninger when we called, and we are also glad that you were at the dealership when we arrived later that day. You were friendly and very helpful in answering questions, and when you didn't know an answer, you quickly found out the answer to our questions/concerns. Cloninger is fortunate to have you represent our dealership. You were straightforward with us, and you care about people though you are only 20 years old. We were impressed with how thorough you were and how well spoken and mature you are for your age. We have shared with friends and family about your character, your concern for clients, your intellect and great personality. For such a young man, you appear to be comfortable in your role, and you made us feel comfortable from the first time we met. We wish you the best as you move forward and advance at Cloninger, and we will be glad to send other car-shopping folks your way. All the others in sales, management, or finance were very personable and capable. Apparently, the entire Cloninger group knows how to hire employees who care about their customers. Take care and may God bless you every day! Benny and Bonnie Moose read more

I purchased a new vehicle from Cloninger Toyota during the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of a chip shortage, I was given only one key fob. Three years, several different sales representatives, multiple phone calls (to Cloninger and Toyota National) later, Mr. Shawn Belcher took care of my problem immediately. He didn't have to help me (as he wasn't the one that sold me the vehicle), but he did. Mr. Belcher met me at the service department and personally made sure the problem was resolved. Mr. Austin Owens in the service department was professional and courteous. I probably would not have recommended Cloninger Toyota until my interaction with these two gentlemen, who I hope are representative of the rest of the staff there currently. Thank you Mr. Belcher. read more

I pulled into the lot just to check out the new 4-runners and Tacomas. Found myself driving back the next day to finish the deal on a Camry se. We pulled in the lot later in the afternoon and were met with Christie Foutz. She put me in my first brand new vehicle and I never once felt in pressure in making my decision. The majority of my experience on the lot was talking with Christie. Overall, I had a great experience up there. It didn't feel like I had kicked a hornets nest when I pulled onto the lot with sales professionals flocking to and being treated like just a customer. Christie Foutz and Kevin Plant are great to talk to and will definitely have you confident that you are getting a great deal and more importantly a great vehicle! read more

Brian, is who you NEED selling you a vehicle. He is extremely down to earth and extensively knowledgeable about the vehicles he is selling. He is not pushy. He spent valuable time with us insuring all questions were answered and our car buying experience was thoroughly handled. He meticulously looked over the vehicle with us to insure all needs and concerns were taken care prior to us leaving the lot. He even offered to schedule future time with us if further questions arose AFTER we had already purchased the vehicle. This man went above and beyond his position. Ask for Brian if you want someone who actually cares about you and takes pride in his job. read more

Tina Poole, Is the best car dealer that we've ever dealt with. She was patient with us. I know we might've been a hard customer. We were real picky about what we wanted and she said that she would make sure we got what we wanted. I've never experienced any dealership with an employee, friendly, kind, and patient as she is, she was excellent on everything that she's did.. My husband and I will tell our family and friends about her and tell them where to come to buy their next car. Thank you Tina Sincerely, Matt and Sondra Hearne read more

If I could give a sixth star to Cloniger Toyota's Nat Venning I would do it in a heartbeat. I purchased a car from Nat and it was a great pleaseure dealing with him even through he is in North Carolina and I'm in New York . Nat made it an pleasurable transaction. The dealer's staff made what could have been a difficult long distance transaction into a smooth and easy one. I've dealt with many car dealers and salespeople over the years and Nat is one of the very best, straightfoward, honest and respectful. Thanks Nat. read more

Gage was knowledgeable, patient, and incredibly easy to work with--never pushy and always honest. He took the time to really understand what I was looking for, answered all my questions clearly, and made the entire process smooth and stress-free. He followed through on everything he said and made sure I felt confident and taken care of from start to finish. If you're going to Cloninger Toyota, ask for Gage--you'll be in great hands. Below are some pictures of some beautiful vehicles he sold. read more

Easiest car buying experience I have ever had. I came in and was greeted and taken care of right away by Brian Sheldon. He gave me a number and I told him where my cap was. He spoke to his manager and we negotiated to a fair price and I drove away a satisfied customer shortly after. So far the car runs great and is a blast to drive. More people should learn manual transmission. I will definitely be willing to come back for my next car...hopefully not for a while though, ha. read more

We check for a 2026 hybrid Grand Highlander at 5 Toyota dealerships in a 50 mile radius. Everyone told us it was a 30 day wait. When we met Shawn, he scoured the region and found a car he had to trade with and delivered the car to us in 10 days and we loved the price!! Shawn was amazing and so was the team at Cloninger Toyota! Today we drove our 2026 hybrid Grand Highlander 45 miles back home! Thanks Cloninger Toyota and a special thanks to Shawn!! John read more

I had an amazing experience at this dealership purchasing a car for my son. The salesman Shawn Belcher was awesome! He went above and beyond to help us find the perfect car. The best part was Shawn took the time to listen and understand what we were looking for and found it!! We felt like a part of the family the entire time. Come to find out Shawn is a "Toyota Pro". If you're in the market for a car, I would call Shawn. You won't regret it! read more

Got a new 2026 4runner hybrid. Eli and the sales team helped me get precisely what I wanted without trying to upsale me on higher trims. Instead they helped me get the few features I wanted into the lower trim for a very reasonable price relative to the higher trims. The whole staff was great, but Eli stands out as friendly, helpful, and a fun guy who loves to laugh. I will be calling on his help again for my daughter. read more

Today I bought my third Toyota from the best salesman and person in the industry. Shawn Belcher is honest, kind and always quick with a smile. Once again, I told him what car I wanted. He located it and had all the paperwork ready when I arrived to pick up my new Toyota. The entire process could not have been easier. Cloninger Toyota, as long as Shawn Belcher is there, you have my business. read more

Deandre was amazing to work with! We didn't know if getting approved was even possible, but he made it happen and helped us drive off in our dream car--a 2019 Challenger! He went above and beyond to guide us through the process and made everything stress-free. We're so grateful for his professionalism and dedication. Thank you, Deandre, for making this happen for us! - John Locke & Sonya Gomez read more

Eric was amazing! He helped me get my 2020 Honda Accord and I absolutely love it. From start to finish, he was super attentive, patient, and made the whole process smooth and stress-free. You can tell he really cares about helping people find the right car. I highly recommend asking for Eric if you're looking for someone honest and professional -- he'll definitely take good care of you! read more

I need to give a shout out to my car salesman Eric K. He was kind, honest and humorous. I came in asking for something very difficult and he was able to work with the finance manager and get me somewhere I'm a little more comfortable. I also want to give a shout out to KJ. He was very kind and patient and made this the most painless buying process I've ever had. read more