Tracked deals
12
12 tracked deals across 2021-2026.
Automotive Buyers & Acquisitions in South Carolina
Buyer mix
Strategic-led
12 strategic · 1 pe
Top trend
Volume peaked in 2025
4 tracked deals announced in 2025.
Primary Insight
What Stands Out
- Dealerships & groups: Buyers such as RBM of Atlanta, Pablo River Partners, Hendrick Automotive Group, Jim Hudson Automotive Group, Group 1 Automotive, and Team Automotive Group acquire franchise dealerships across multiple SC cities.
- Car wash scale-up: WhiteWater Express Car Wash, ZIPS Car Wash, and Tidal Wave Auto Spa grow via multi-site acquisitions and planned rebranding/improvements.
- Collision repair expansion: Classic Collision, LLC acquires Performance Collision Centers to add South Carolina presence.
- Aftermarket products: Highline Warren acquires BlueDevil Products to expand brand and distribution reach.
- Geographic clustering: Greenville, Columbia, Hilton Head/Bluffton, and the Charleston/Columbia corridors appear repeatedly in the transactions.
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Top Buyers
Illustrative buyers pulled from tracked transactions on this page. This table is capped and intentionally non-exhaustive.
| Buyer | # Deals | Focus | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| America's Auto Auction | 1 | Nationwide vehicle auction and remarketing services provi... | Strategic |
| Charlie Tomm | 1 | Chairman and CEO of Pablo River Partners and former autom... | Strategic |
| Classic Collision, LLC | 1 | Privately held operator of auto body repair, mobile auto ... | Strategic |
| Group 1 Automotive, Inc. | 1 | Fortune 300 automotive retailer that owns and operates fr... | Strategic |
| Hendrick Automotive Group | 1 | Largest privately held automotive retail organization in ... | Strategic |
| Highline Warren | 1 | National manufacturer and distributor of automotive after... | Strategic (PE-backed) |
| Jim Hudson Automotive Group | 1 | Regional automotive dealer group operating multiple franc... | Strategic |
| Pablo River Partners | 1 | Jacksonville-based investment firm acquiring automotive d... | PE |
| RBM of Atlanta | 1 | Family-owned automotive dealer group operating multiple f... | Strategic |
| Team Automotive Group | 1 | Regional automotive dealership group operating franchised... | Strategic |
Acquisition Volume in Automotive in South Carolina by Year
Last 6 years
Actual
Full-year estimate
Supporting Data
Recent Transactions
-
- Buyer
- RBM of Atlanta
- Target
- Porsche of Greenville, Land Rover Greenville, Crown Nissan of Greenville
- Seller
- Asbury Automotive Group
- Industry
- Automotive
- Location
- South Carolina, United States
- Type
- Divestiture
RBM of Atlanta acquired three Greenville, South Carolina dealerships — Porsche of Greenville, Land Rover Greenville and Crown Nissan of Greenville — from Asbury Automotive Group in a transaction that included related real estate and closed Feb. 23. The Presidio Group advised Asbury on the divestiture; the deal marks RBM's first expansion beyond the metro-Atlanta area as it grows its multi-brand dealership footprint.
-
- Buyer
- Pablo River Partners, Charlie Tomm
- Target
- Dick Smith Hyundai
- Seller
- Dick Smith Automotive, Brian Smith
- Industry
- Automotive
- Location
- South Carolina, United States
- Type
- Buyout
Jacksonville-based investment firm Pablo River Partners, led by Charlie Tomm, acquired Dick Smith Hyundai in Greenville, South Carolina from Brian Smith and Dick Smith Automotive. The dealership will be renamed Hyundai of Greenville and remain at its current location, expanding Pablo River Partners' presence in the Southeast.
-
November 24, 2025
- Buyer
- WhiteWater Express Car Wash
- Target
- Time to Shine Car Wash
- Seller
- Mike Roper (Owner)
- Industry
- Automotive
- Location
- South Carolina, United States
- Type
- Buyout
WhiteWater Express Car Wash, a Houston-based express car wash operator, has acquired Time to Shine Car Wash’s 12-location South Carolina portfolio (10 operating locations and 2 in development), including eight sites in Charleston and four in Columbia. The acquisition marks WhiteWater’s entry into South Carolina and expands its national footprint to 141 locations across seven states, with plans to rebrand the acquired sites to WhiteWater Express in early 2026.
-
- Buyer
- America's Auto Auction
- Target
- Augusta Auto Auction
- Seller
- Dan Dorsey
- Industry
- Automotive
- Location
- South Carolina, United States
- Type
- Buyout
America's Auto Auction (part of America's Group) has acquired Augusta Auto Auction, a 5-acre wholesale vehicle auction in North Augusta, South Carolina. The deal preserves existing operations — including weekly Wednesday sales and simulcast/digital bidding — and furthers America's Auto Auction's strategic expansion in the Southeast; the seller is Dan Dorsey, owner of Augusta Auto Auction.
-
- Buyer
- Hendrick Automotive Group
- Target
- Love Automotive, Love Chevrolet, Love GMC
- Seller
- Love Automotive (Love family / Michael Love)
- Industry
- Automotive
- Location
- South Carolina, United States
- Type
- Buyout
Hendrick Automotive Group has acquired Love Automotive, including Love Chevrolet and Love GMC in Columbia, South Carolina. The deal expands Hendrick's South Carolina footprint and marks the company's return to the Columbia market while the dealerships will continue operating under current team leadership.
-
September 5, 2024
- Buyer
- Jim Hudson Automotive Group
- Target
- Scott Will Toyota
- Seller
- Scott Will (Dealer Principal)
- Industry
- Automotive
- Location
- South Carolina, United States
- Type
- Buyout
Jim Hudson Automotive Group of Columbia, South Carolina acquired Scott Will Toyota in Sumter, South Carolina, expanding Hudson’s South Carolina footprint to seven locations. Ozog Consulting served as exclusive sell‑side advisor to Scott Will; the transaction closed on September 5th.
-
March 11, 2024
- Buyer
- Group 1 Automotive, Inc.
- Target
- Modern Classic Motors
- Industry
- Automotive
- Location
- South Carolina, United States
- Type
- Buyout
Group 1 Automotive, a Houston-based public automotive retailer, acquired Modern Classic Motors in Hilton Head, South Carolina, adding three franchises (Mercedes‑Benz, Sprinter and Honda) expected to generate $140 million in annual revenues. The deal expands Group 1's Mercedes‑Benz and Honda footprint and adds scale to its Hilton Head operations.
-
February 13, 2023
- Buyer
- Team Automotive Group
- Target
- Addy's Harbor Dodge Ram Fiat
- Seller
- Mike Addy
- Industry
- Automotive
- Location
- South Carolina, United States
- Type
- Buyout
Team Automotive Group, a Charlotte-based automotive dealer group, has acquired Addy's Harbor Dodge Ram Fiat in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina — the group's seventh dealership and its first location in South Carolina. The seller was Mike Addy; the acquisition expands Team Automotive Group's footprint across the Carolinas as part of its growth plan.
-
- Buyer
- ZIPS Car Wash
- Target
- Islands Car Wash
- Seller
- Islands Car Wash
- Industry
- Automotive
- Location
- South Carolina, United States
- Type
- Buyout
ZIPS Car Wash acquired four Islands Car Wash locations in the Hilton Head, South Carolina market (Bluffton, Hilton Head Island and Okatie), making ZIPS the largest express-only car wash chain in South Carolina. The transaction expands ZIPS' footprint in the state to 20 locations and strengthens its coastal market presence to serve both local residents and vacationers.
-
December 15, 2021
- Buyer
- Tidal Wave Auto Spa
- Target
- W4 Express Wash
- Industry
- Automotive
- Location
- South Carolina, United States
- Type
- Buyout
Tidal Wave Auto Spa acquired W4 Express Wash’s locations, including the Bluffton, South Carolina site at 1492 Fording Island Rd, adding ten open locations and a pipeline of greenfield development. The W4 sites will be rebranded to Tidal Wave and will undergo targeted improvements; Tidal Wave, a PE-backed car wash platform, said the deal supports its aggressive expansion and development strategy.
-
- Buyer
- Classic Collision, LLC
- Target
- Performance Collision Centers
- Seller
- Lance LeHew, Performance Collision Centers (owners)
- Industry
- Automotive
- Location
- South Carolina, United States
- Type
- Buyout
Classic Collision, a national auto body repair operator based in Atlanta, has acquired Performance Collision Centers, a four-location collision repair group headquartered in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The deal expands Classic's presence in South Carolina and brings the company's total U.S. footprint to roughly 70 centers across multiple states.
-
January 12, 2021
- Buyer
- Highline Warren
- Target
- BlueDevil Products
- Seller
- The Starco Group
- Industry
- Automotive
- Location
- South Carolina, United States
- Type
- Addon
Highline Warren, a Memphis-based manufacturer and distributor of automotive consumable products and a portfolio company of Pritzker Private Capital, has acquired BlueDevil Products from The Starco Group. The deal adds the BlueDevil, Red Angel, and PJ1 brands to Highline Warren’s portfolio to expand its automotive aftermarket product offerings and distribution reach.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Which types of automotive businesses are being acquired in South Carolina?
The listed deals include dealership acquisitions, express car wash operators, collision repair providers, and automotive aftermarket products/manufacturing and distribution.
Are the acquisitions focused in particular South Carolina cities?
Yes. Several transactions reference specific markets such as Greenville, Columbia, Hilton Head/Bluffton/Okatie, and the Charleston area, along with Myrtle Beach and North Augusta.
Do the deals typically involve rebranding after acquisition?
In several car wash transactions, acquired sites are expected to be rebranded to the buyer’s brand. Dealership deals may also include renaming (for example, Hyundai of Greenville after acquisition).
Is aftermarket activity included along with service and dealership acquisitions?
Yes. The page includes an example of aftermarket product expansion: Highline Warren acquired BlueDevil Products, adding its brands to the buyer’s portfolio.
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