Meet our staff…

Larry LaFon, owner of Advantage Toyota, is from Logan, West Virginia and has been a lifelong ‘car guy’ since 1973 and Logan is where he started his first auto dealership for Lincoln Mercury…some of you may remember his old commercials that ran on WSAZ…you've got a family lawyer, a family doctor, why not a family car dealer? His philosophy of running a dealership has remained consistent throughout the years and it is his belief that if they do things the ‘right way,’ they will have your trust and the trust of your family throughout the years.

Larry has been married to Evelyn for 42 years and they have two children, Mary LaFon, of Raleigh, who works in real estate and Chris LaFon, who works as a lawyer in Chicago and is married to Jocelyn. Larry and Evelyn are the doting grandparents of Gracie (3) and Harper (2) and spend as much as time possible visiting with family.

When asked about something most people don’t know, Larry revealed that he attained the awards of Eagle Scout and God & Country and it was the “hardest thing I've ever done.” Something else people may not know is that Larry doesn't consider himself a ‘car guy’ and what he enjoys most about the business is the opportunities it gives him to develop relationships and mentor his staff as well as other people in his daily business dealings. His has a strong philosophy of giving back to the community that supports his business and children’s’ charities are what tugs at his heartstrings. He currently services on the board of the Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Tri-State, Inc. and the West Virginia Automobile Dealers Association. Larry recently sold his Toyota and Honda dealerships located in Beckley to focus his time and energy in the tri-state area.

Connect with Larry here on Facebook or stop in at the dealership to stay ‘hi’.

What's the most random thing you've seen at a drive through?

We came across this hilarious image and we want to know, have you ever seen anything random or weird at a drive through restaurant? Share in the comments below and if you're feeling up to it, throw a caption at us! 

A Little History Lesson: Toyoda to Toyota

Toyota was started in 1933 as a division of Toyoda Automatic Loom Works devoted to the production of automobiles under the direction of the founder's son, Kiichiro Toyoda. Its first vehicles were the A1 passenger car and the G1 in 1935. The Toyota Motor Co. was established as an independent company in 1937.

 

Vehicles were originally sold under the name "Toyoda", from the family name of the company's founder, Kiichirō Toyoda. In April 1936, Toyoda's first passenger car, the Model AA, was completed. The sales price was 3,350 yen, 400 yen cheaper than Ford or GM cars.

Since "Toyoda" literally means "fertile rice paddies", changing the name also prevented the company from being associated with old-fashioned farming. The newly formed word was trademarked and the company was registered in August 1937 as the "Toyota Motor Company".

http://www.advantagetoyota.com/index.htm

Meet our staff...

 Have you ever wondered who responds to your email requests when looking at inventory at Advantage Toyota? Tyler Rice is our Internet Sales Manager. He is the grandson of Ronnie and Jean Kouns of Huntington, Jackie and Tom “Rose” Tomblin of Logan, WV and the son of Huntington native, Susan Kouns and Tom Tomblin. Approaching graduation from Marshall University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Advertising, Tyler is no stranger to hard work and a busy schedule. He’s an active member of Marshall University’s chapter of the American Advertising Federation, a member of the school’s student run advertising agency and a competitor for Marshall University’s competitive forensics team, “The Thundering Word.” Tyler started his career at the dealership as a Sales and Leasing Consultant but jumped at the opportunity to make our customers’ online interactions more pleasurable. With Tyler and his energetic personality, all tasks (even car buying) become fun and enjoyable. In the little amount free time he does have, he can be seen downtown or with family and friends.

Reach out to him by email (trice@advantagetoyota.com), connect on Facebook at www.fb.com/tyler.rice or follow him on Twitter @ts_rice.

Need a new part for your car? We have you covered!

The Parts Department at Advantage Toyota Scion maintains a comprehensive inventory of high quality Toyota Genuine Parts. Our highly knowledgeable staff is here to answer your parts inquiries. Should we not carry a part for which you're searching, we can always order it for you and receive it within a timely manner.
Click here to order the parts you need.

Thank you for this great review on Yelp!

"Van knew exactly what part I needed and took care of me right away" -Jennifer B.