Eide Automotive, Lithia, and Van Tuyl bet big on Subaru in latest buy-sell deals

The pandemic-fueled dealership buying spree may have settled down, but the mergers and acquisitions experts at Haig Partners say 2025 looks like another strong year for the market. Transaction volume is still well above pre-COVID levels, and deep-pocketed buyers—ranging from private equity to family-owned groups—are driving further consolidation.

1. A familiar face returns to Gulfgate

In Houston, Gulfgate Dodge-Chrysler-Jeep-Ram has changed hands, but the new owner is no stranger to the dealership. Tony Thomas, head of Tony T Automotive Group, bought the store from James Davis. Davis is a respected figure in the industry and spent years supporting minority dealers.

Davis, who got the dealership in 2002 and later became president of the Chrysler Minority Dealers Association, said selling wasn't an easy choice.

Thomas knows the store well. He worked at Gulfgate from 2010 to 2015, holding various management roles before leaving to buy dealerships in Arkansas and South Carolina. Now, he’s back in Houston as the new owner, rebranding the store as Tony T Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Gulfgate.

2. Eide Automotive expands in North Dakota

Eide Automotive Group has purchased Chevrolet of Mandan and Subaru of Mandan from Foundation Automotive. The dealerships will now operate as Eide Chevrolet and Eide Subaru, bringing Eide’s store count to eight across North Dakota and Minnesota.

Foundation Automotive, which runs more than 20 dealerships across many states, said the sale will help “shift our focus to growing our core markets.”

3. Lithia keeps the deals coming

No surprise here— Lithia & Driveway LAD ( ▼ 0.61% ) is still on the move. The country’s most aggressive buyer added Elk Grove Subaru in California, its second Subaru acquisition of 2025.

Lithia, which operates over 340 dealerships across the U.S., Canada, and the U.K., expects Elk Grove Subaru to add $100 million in annual revenue.

4. Jim Shorkey Group adds a key Toyota store

In Pennsylvania, Jim Shorkey Auto Group has snapped up Toyota of Greensburg, further expanding its Northeast presence. The Pittsburgh-based group, founded in 1974, now owns 17 dealerships.

Toyota is a powerhouse in the Pittsburgh market, growing sales by 15% in 2024, the highest among volume import brands. The Greensburg dealership, a six-time winner of the Toyota President’s Award, boosts Shorkey’s presence in an area with strong population and economic growth.

5. Larry Van Tuyl doubles down in Colorado

Less than a month after buying his first dealership in Colorado, Larry Van Tuyl is at it again. The CEO of VT Companies picked up Groove Subaru in Denver, acquiring it from Summit Automotive Partners.

The move follows Van Tuyl’s recent purchase of Groove Toyota in Englewood, also from Summit. Both stores will keep the Groove branding.

Van Tuyl, who built Van Tuyl Group into a 78-store empire before selling it to Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway in 2015, is methodically rebuilding. His Visionary Automotive Group now operates 10 dealerships across Arizona, Texas, California, and Colorado.

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