Cloninger Ford of Hickory

Service department to have work done on a car purchased at Cloninger is false. If you by a used car that’s not a Ford they will up sell a warranty and then when the car breaks down they will send you to a at Cloninger is false. If you by a used car that’s not a Ford they will up sell a warranty and then when the car breaks down they will send you to a different dealership where you will have to fight with them about getting service done. John and Ashley were totally unprofessional while making me go to another dealership to get our van fixed. One of their mobile mechanics even came to look at our car and couldn’t complete the service because he did have a non Ford diagnostic tool. Service manager John trains his team to not work on all models outside of ford and then sends them to other dealerships to pass the buck without trying to help their customers who spend thousands of dollars purchasing vehicles from them. Do not buy any vehicle outside the Ford models as Cloninger in Hickory has no plans on being able to service those vehicles. Which my family had better experience with Cloninger in hickory but we will never do business here again nor will we ever recommend their dealerships More

The smoothest purchase at a dealership I’ve ever had . very courteous and friendly. Yet very professional.. very courteous and friendly. Yet very professional.. More

Great service! !! Purchasing process was easy and fast. Customer service was excellent and every one was friendly! They had the truck I was looking for on hand. !! Purchasing process was easy and fast. Customer service was excellent and every one was friendly! They had the truck I was looking for on hand. More

Overall one of the best experiences I have had with a new vehicle purchase. Ty Flowers was a wonderful salesman who did everything I ask to assist me. The dealership has to bring in my truck from their Sal vehicle purchase. Ty Flowers was a wonderful salesman who did everything I ask to assist me. The dealership has to bring in my truck from their Salisbury dealership and did so quickly and with no strings attached that I had to purchase the truck. I am especially happy to have Cloninger’s lifetime drivetrain warranty. More

Extremely professional sales staff and management. No pressure approach with good product knowledge from sales team. No pressure approach with good product knowledge from sales team. More

Dalton Phillips recommended this dealer location to me and Dominic A closed the deal. Thanks guys! and Dominic A closed the deal. Thanks guys! More

After having a bad experience at the ford dealership in Shelby I emailed Cloninger Ford. From the first response back from Jonathan it was a pleasure dealing with your sales team. They delivered what t Shelby I emailed Cloninger Ford. From the first response back from Jonathan it was a pleasure dealing with your sales team. They delivered what they promised. I handed them a check and was out of the dealership with a 2025 Explorer in a little over an hour. More

This dealership changed my mind about buying from a dealer. No tricks, no gimmicks, straight talk and lived up to their commitments. I will consult them first on my next purchase. dealer. No tricks, no gimmicks, straight talk and lived up to their commitments. I will consult them first on my next purchase. More

A trusted member of your team, and a dear friend of mine, once shared with me his deep desire to change the negative reputation that car dealerships often have. He spoke passionately about his commitment to once shared with me his deep desire to change the negative reputation that car dealerships often have. He spoke passionately about his commitment to earning the trust of customers. I truly believe he is doing his best to achieve that. Unfortunately, our experience was far from what he would have hoped, and I’d like to explain why. My wife and I, along with our two dogs, were among those devastated by the historic hurricane that ravaged Western North Carolina. Thousands were displaced, and many lost their lives. We, too, lost everything. Our 5th-wheel RV, which had been our temporary home while our house was being built, was completely submerged. All we had left were the clothes on our backs, our dogs, and our 2021 2500 Silverado. In the aftermath, we scrambled for shelter, often relying on the generosity of friends and family. Hotels were full for miles—from Statesville to Charlotte—leaving us without a stable place to stay. After losing our RV, we decided to trade in the Silverado, no longer needing a vehicle to tow a home that no longer existed. I reached out to my friend, who kindly connected us with Mike Davis, Sales Manager at the Hickory location. I made it clear from the start that we were in no position to haggle. We had neither the time nor the emotional energy for the usual back-and-forth of negotiating. When we arrived, Mike paired us with a new salesperson, Jacob Ritz (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550736910932), who mentioned that he, too, had been displaced, which we initially took as a sign of understanding. But as the conversation progressed, he began sharing fears about looting and social unrest, which quickly made us uncomfortable. We had already endured so much; we needed compassion and efficiency, not stories meant to heighten anxiety. We selected the first truck he showed us, eager to move forward as quickly as possible. But when he returned with the trade-in value and price, it was far beyond what we expected, even though I had made clear we were a referral and had lost everything. His response was disheartening. Leaning in, he said, "Look, I’m in the same boat as you." At that moment, my trust in the process began to unravel. It was clear that Jacob didn’t grasp what it meant to be truly displaced—homeless, with no certainty of where we’d sleep that night. After nearly three and a half hours, we were still negotiating, our dogs growing restless, and our patience wearing thin. In a last-ditch effort to close the deal, Jacob said something that stunned me: "I need to look after myself in this deal." It felt like a betrayal. We weren’t just customers trying to buy a truck; we were a family in crisis, hoping for a bit of grace and understanding. The finance department made things even worse. Despite telling them repeatedly that we didn’t want an extended warranty, they persisted, and then they tried to offer us an inflated interest rate, even though my credit score was over 800. I was exhausted, but I knew enough to push back. Eventually, they agreed to a fairer deal, but by then, the damage was done. I had lost faith in the dealership's ethics. In the end, we signed the papers, but not because we trusted Cloninger Ford. We were simply too worn out and desperate to find a place to sleep. My dreams that night, though, were not of gratitude toward your dealership but of the sense of betrayal I felt, and the hope that no one else would have to go through what we did. More

Disappointed in the extra money I had to o pay $250. To get radio fixed the truck was advertised with Apple CarPlay and blue tooth neither worked and I was told by sales manager and service manager that To get radio fixed the truck was advertised with Apple CarPlay and blue tooth neither worked and I was told by sales manager and service manager that it would be fixed free of charge John the sales associate was very good to work with. The 3 star rating only reflects management. Sincerely Greg Proffitt More