Automotive Acquisitions in Georgia

Classic Collision, a national multi-site collision repair operator based in Atlanta, acquired Kendrick Paint & Body, a nine-location family-owned collision repair network serving Augusta, GA and Aiken, SC. The deal expands Classic Collision’s footprint in Georgia and South Carolina as part of its ongoing network growth strategy.

Lithia & Driveway (LAD) acquired Stivers Decatur Subaru in the Atlanta/Decatur market to increase network density in the Southeast and strengthen its import mix. The acquisition, financed with on-balance-sheet capacity, is expected to bring an estimated $100 million in annualized revenue and deepens Lithia's footprint in a growth market.

Turning Rock Partners closed a $60 million growth financing to Main Street Auto, a founder-led automotive aftermarket services platform headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The capital will support Main Street Auto’s buy-and-build strategy to expand its footprint across the southern United States and accelerate acquisitions and operational scaling.

America's Auto Auction (part of America's Group) has acquired South Georgia Auto Auction in Albany, Georgia, expanding its southeastern U.S. footprint. The 7-acre facility hosts weekly dealer-consigned, fleet, lease and repo sales and will be integrated into America's Auto Auction's national network; owner Danny Acord sold the business and supported the transition.

Ray Norton Tire and Auto Center, a family-owned automotive service provider based in Valdosta, Georgia, was sold to a private investor. The transaction closed March 26, 2025 and was advised by Generational Group.

Vitu has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Dealertrack’s registration and titling businesses (RTS, RegUSA, Accelerated Title and CMS) from Cox Automotive. The transaction, backed by Accel-KKR, is a divestiture by Cox Automotive intended to consolidate titling and registration capabilities under Vitu; terms were not disclosed and the deal is subject to customary closing conditions.

Bestop, a Kinderhook-backed automotive accessories manufacturer, acquired myTop LLC, the developer of the industry’s first power‑actuated soft tops, and will integrate the technology into a new eTop product line for Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco. The deal—Bestop’s tenth add‑on—is intended to expand Bestop’s product capabilities in the aftermarket and broaden its market reach.

Mammoth Holdings LLC acquired Gloss Car Wash, a developer and operator of express conveyor car washes in Lilburn, Georgia, expanding Mammoth’s Atlanta-area footprint to 17 sites. The transaction was advised by Matthews Real Estate Investment Services and was completed with Gloss’s former owner, Viral Parekh, exiting the business.

Butler Automotive Group, a Macon, Georgia–based dealer group led by Marsh and Morris Butler, acquired Bulldog Kia in Athens, Georgia from owners David Kernall and James Hammond. The acquisition adds Butler's first Kia franchise and expands the group's footprint to 15 dealerships across Georgia, South Carolina and Florida.

Crash Champions has acquired Bavarian Body Works, adding two collision repair centers in Marietta and Atlanta, Georgia. The deal expands Crash Champions’ Atlanta footprint (now 17 locations) and brings the long-established Bavarian Body Works team into the Crash Champions network; owner Hans Ryden transitioned operations as part of the sale.

TPG (TPG Capital) has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Classic Collision, a national multi-site collision repair operator, from New Mountain Capital. Classic Collision will continue to be led by its existing management team, which remains invested; the deal (terms undisclosed) is expected to close in Q2 2024 and positions TPG to scale a leading collision-repair platform servicing consumers, insurers and OEMs across the U.S.

Vernon Krause, through Krause Auto Group, purchased Sutherlin Hyundai of Athens in Athens, Georgia from Sutherlin Automotive. Pinnacle Mergers & Acquisitions represented the seller; the dealership will operate as Hyundai of Athens as part of Krause's expansion in the Georgia market.

Perrin Automotive Group (the Perrin family) has acquired Sutherlin Cherokee County Nissan in Holly Springs, Georgia from Sutherlin Automotive. The deal expands Perrin's presence in the Atlanta metro area as part of its regional growth strategy.

Lithia Motors has purchased Wade Ford, a franchised Ford dealership in the Atlanta metro, from owner Steve Ewing. The acquisition — brokered by Pinnacle Mergers & Acquisitions — is expected to contribute to Lithia's revenue growth and expand its government fleet presence, with Lithia projecting an incremental $285 million in annual revenue.

Safe-Guard Products International has acquired Dealer Solutions and Design (DSD), a Duluth, Georgia-based provider of fixed operations design, equipment specification, installation, and project management for automotive dealerships. The deal expands Safe-Guard’s service offerings beyond finance & insurance into dealership fixed operations, with DSD leadership remaining in place to continue managing the business.

Dallas-based private equity firm Breck Partners has made a control equity investment in Alloy Wheel Repair Specialists (AWRS), partnering with AWRS CEO Rob Wheeley and management. Patriot Capital provided debt and an equity co-investment to support the transaction, which will fund AWRS’s continued growth, service expansion, and geographic scaling from its Norcross, Georgia headquarters.

Tire Discounters has acquired The Tire Barn, a second-generation, family-owned tire shop in Gainesville, Georgia. The acquisition adds a new Gainesville location and increases Tire Discounters' Georgia footprint to 22 stores as the company continues expansion across the Atlanta metro and greater Georgia.

M&D Distributors has acquired Turbo Diesel & Electric (Turbo Diesel & Electrical Systems), a family-run diesel parts remanufacturer and distributor with six branch locations. The deal expands M&D’s branch footprint into Georgia, Florida, Alabama, and South Carolina and increases its remanufacturing and distribution capabilities in high-horsepower, marine and industrial off-road markets.

ZIPS Car Wash (headquartered in Plano, Texas) acquired a Fast Trac Car Wash location in Rockmart, Georgia from owner Randy Ready. The deal expands ZIPS' footprint in the Atlanta metro — the company now operates 12 locations across north Georgia and more than 230 locations nationwide.

Salt Lake City-based private investment firm The Cynosure Group made a $35 million growth equity investment in Dirty Dog's Car Wash to fund rapid expansion. The capital will support the Georgia- and Alabama-focused operator's plan to open an additional 25 locations nationwide over the next 36 months.

Mammoth Holdings LLC acquired four express conveyor car wash locations operating as Shine-N-Go Car Wash in Georgia. The transaction is an add-on to Mammoth's platform (backed by Red Dog Equity), expanding its Georgia footprint and increasing Mammoth's location count to 22 in the state; the majority owner of Shine-N-Go contributed a significant equity investment in Mammoth as part of the deal.

Percheron Capital has signed a definitive agreement to acquire a majority stake in Caliber Car Wash, a leading express conveyor car wash platform with more than 50 existing and pipeline locations. Founders Mac McCall and Danny York will remain significant equity holders and continue to lead the company, while Eagle Merchant Partners will exit its prior majority position but retain a minority interest; financial terms were not disclosed.

KT Capital partnered with Dealer Solutions & Design’s senior management to lead a recapitalization of Duluth, Georgia‑headquartered Dealer Solutions & Design (DSD). Parkway Capital (the mezzanine affiliate of Calvert Street Investment Partners), Callodine Strategic Credit, and Pine Street Capital Partners provided subordinated debt and equity to support the transaction and fund DSD’s expansion across the United States.

Silver Oak Services Partners led a recapitalization investment in Drive Automotive Services, a multi-site operator of automotive repair shops headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The capital will support Drive's growth and expansion of its 22 repair locations and a team of over 120 service technicians across multiple U.S. metropolitan markets.

Clearlake Capital-backed Wheel Pros has acquired Driven Lighting Group (DLG), an Atlanta-based designer and online retailer of aftermarket automotive lighting products, from Kian Capital Partners. Terms were not disclosed; Wheel Pros said the acquisition expands its enthusiast aftermarket lighting portfolio and will leverage Wheel Pros' scale and operations to accelerate DLG's growth.

Pittsburgh-based private equity firm Incline Equity Partners has made a majority investment in Weaver Parts, a Carnesville, Georgia-based value-added distributor of recycled OEM auto parts serving collision and mechanical repair shops across the Southeastern United States. Incline said it will support Weaver's growth plan, including geographic expansion via greenfields and M&A, while management (led by CEO Kent Rothwell) remains in place.

Mammoth Holdings, an Atlanta-based conveyor car wash operator, has acquired Lulu's Express, a six-unit express conveyor car wash operator with locations in Augusta, Georgia and Aiken, South Carolina. Lulu's founders Carlos Marban and Robert Black made significant equity investments in Mammoth as part of the transaction, which expands Mammoth's network across I-20 into South Carolina and further builds out its multi-brand platform backed by Red Dog Equity.

Cincinnati-based Tire Discounters has acquired Porterfield Tire, Inc., a longtime tire dealer based in Athens and Watkinsville, Georgia. The family-run sale transfers ownership from founder Troy Porterfield, Jr. to Tire Discounters as part of the buyer's regional expansion.

Atlanta-based private equity firm Eagle Merchant Partners announced a growth investment in Caliber Car Wash to accelerate new unit development and membership growth. At the time of the deal Caliber operated seven express car wash locations across the Southeast with more than 15,000 monthly members; Source Capital provided debt financing to support the expansion.

Golden Gate Capital has recapitalized Tidal Wave Auto Spa, partnering with founder and CEO Scott Blackstock, who will remain CEO and a significant shareholder. The transaction will provide development resources to support aggressive new-unit expansion, acquisitions and continued growth of the company's Unlimited Wash Club membership program; terms were not disclosed.

FullSpeed Automotive, a portfolio company of CenterOak Partners, has acquired American LubeFast (ALF), a quick-lube provider with 50 locations across Georgia, Florida, Mississippi and Alabama. The add-on expands FullSpeed’s footprint to over 560 locations and deepens its presence in the Southeast as ALF locations are converted to the Grease Monkey brand.

New Mountain Capital has made a growth investment in Classic Collision, an Atlanta-based multi-site operator of collision repair facilities. The partnership will support Classic's accelerated organic and acquisition-driven expansion as the company builds toward a national presence; Classic's founder and management remain invested.

Mammoth Holdings, an Atlanta-based express conveyor car wash operator, has acquired Wash Time Express, Inc., a single-unit express conveyor car wash in Austell, Georgia. The seller and founder Richard Bailey, Jr. reinvested a significant portion of proceeds into Mammoth and will join the company as an operations consultant and shareholder; Mammoth's platform is backed by Red Dog Equity with additional partnership from The Pritzker Organization.

Kinderhook Industries acquired RR Manufacturing, LLC and Rocky Ridge Transportation, LLC (together, Rocky Ridge), an OEM-authorized specialty vehicle manufacturer based in Franklin Springs, Georgia. Kinderhook plans to expand Rocky Ridge's product offerings, production and sales capabilities; financial terms were not disclosed and Rocky Ridge's CEO Burl Outlaw remains an ongoing equity investor.

Huron Capital’s XLerate Group acquired Southeastern Auto Auction (SEAA), adding the Savannah, Georgia auction to its nationwide remarketing platform as an add-on acquisition. The deal expands XLerate’s footprint in the South Carolina/Georgia/Florida corridor and SEAA will be operated by Bill McCready as general manager under the XLerate platform.