About Rock Ridge Auto Sales

Why We Started Rock Ridge

Rock Ridge Auto Sales began long before it became a dealership.

While working full-time as an engineer, the founder of Rock Ridge spent evenings and weekends restoring classic muscle cars simply because he enjoyed it. Growing up near Pittsburgh, he watched rust destroy otherwise good vehicles. It wasn't unusual to see cars only three or four years old with rust holes large enough to put a baseball through.

After moving his career to North Carolina, he was amazed at how clean Southern vehicles were. Whenever he found one, he would call family or friends back home. Before long, someone would drive—or even fly—to North Carolina to buy it.

What started as helping family and friends find dependable, rust-free vehicles slowly grew into something much bigger.

How We Choose Our Vehicles

We look at many vehicles that never make it onto our lot. On average only 1 out of 100 cars and trucks make the grade to become part of our inventory. 

Before offering any vehicle for sale, Rock Ridge asks one simple question:

“Would I feel comfortable recommending this vehicle to a member of my own family?”

If the answer isn't an immediate yes, it doesn't become a Rock Ridge vehicle.

Some vehicles are rejected because of mechanical concerns. Others simply aren't the kind of vehicles we want our name associated with.

Paint fades. Seats wear. Bumpers get scratched.

Those things don't concern us nearly as much as reliability, drivability, maintenance history, and overall condition.

We would rather pass on a flashy vehicle with hidden problems than sell something we wouldn't feel comfortable owning ourselves.

Our Philosophy

Our goal is to describe every vehicle honestly and accurately so you can decide whether it's worth your time to come see it.

We would rather you arrive pleasantly surprised than disappointed.

In fact, we hope the vehicle exceeds your expectations.

Our reputation is worth far more than making one more sale.

More Than Just Selling Cars

Over the years we've actually talked customers out of buying vehicles.

• A motorcycle that was too powerful for an inexperienced rider.
• A sports car when dependable family transportation was the better choice.
• A regular-cab pickup when a growing family really needed an extended cab or quad cab for extra seating.

The Rock Ridge Story

What began as a hobby eventually became a dealership.

After more than thirteen years in business, our philosophy hasn't changed.

Today Michael Harding manages the day-to-day operation of the dealership. His mechanical knowledge and understanding of the used vehicle market have grown tremendously, and together we continue to follow the same standards that started this business.

We also buy vehicles directly from the public, from new car dealer trade ins, sell on consignment, and occasionally offer specialty vehicles including classics, custom cars, campers, motorhomes, commercial trucks, and motorcycles.

The name Rock Ridge Auto Sales comes from the small community of Rock Ridge, North Carolina, where the dealership began. Later we discovered it shared its name with the town in Blazing Saddles—which inspired our slogan:

Blazing deals! No surprises.

Our Promise

Whether you're buying your first vehicle from us or returning for another, you'll always receive the same honest advice we'd give our own family.

We'll never claim every vehicle is perfect.

We will do our best to make sure there are no surprises when you arrive, inspect it, and take it for a drive.

That's the Rock Ridge difference.