Gem State Stores Change Hands
A larger auto group founded in the industry’s early years sold two franchises to a neighbor group that's on a growth spurt.
The purchasing group entered franchised auto retail in 2024 when it picked up a Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram dealership and a Ford franchise.
Stellantis
Two Idaho dealerships have a new owner after a transaction between two Utah-based auto groups.
Young Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram and Young GMC, both in the southern Idaho town of Burley, were picked up by the growing Mountain West Auto Group in a deal handled for seller Young Automotive Group by Performance Brokerage Services.
The franchises make nearly 15 stores between Idaho and Utah for Mountain West, which was formed in 2017 by Jake and Becca Casperson as a vehicle import and wholesale operation.
The group entered the retail side of the business with an independent store purchase in 2021, then branched into franchised retail in 2024.
Following the recent sale in Idaho, the CDJR store was renamed to reflect the Mountain West brand, while the Young brand was dropped from the GMC dealership. Both will stay at their current locations.
Young Automotive still has more than 30 dealerships across Utah, Idaho and Montana, after current dealer principal and fourth-generation owner Spencer Young Jr. made an expansion push when he assumed leadership in 2014. Seldon “Jack” Olsen started the business in 1924.
More Industry
Charging In Motion
Honda has been researching wireless in-motion charging for electric vehicles since 2025, and new technology developments have put it a step closer to a final product.
Read More →
Twin Cities Stores Sell
Minnesota-based Walser Automotive Group made what it called the most significant acquisition in its history with a three-rooftop deal in Minneapolis.
Read More →
U.S. Auto Sales Still Below Prepandemic Levels
Mobility Global industry observers don’t expect the market to return to the higher volumes that became routine before Covid but to stay well below its potential.
Read More →
The Powertrain Shift
Electric-vehicle owners are backpedaling, according to new data, with product availability driving many to shift back to gas-powered engines.
Read More →
Achromatic Autos
The shades that dominate the U.S. car market don’t call attention to themselves, though grayscale may have plateaued after a 30-year upswing, research shows.
Read More →
Used-Vehicle Affordability Worsens
Listing prices in August defied seasonal trends, rising above $27,000 for the second time this year.
Read More →
First-Half Dealership Deals Up
Buy-sell activity shows that acquirers are looking for value and scale as many retailers seek to leave an increasingly competitive and complex market, Kerrigan Advisors reports.
Read More →
Kia Closes Out Summer With a Bang
Its U.S. subsidiary broke multiple records in August, in part due to a surge of demand for hybrids models.
Read More →
Indiana Dealership Changes Hands
A 30-year-old Ford dealership in Indiana has a new owner and will soon be undergoing renovations to meet manufacturer requirements.
Read More →
Texas Dealership No Longer in the Family
The Ford store, a longtime cornerstone of the Houston market, is now part of one of the fastest-growing U.S. auto groups.
Read More →