The Mountain West has added two new members in Idaho.

But we’re not talking college football realignment.

Young Automotive Group has sold its Young Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram and Young GMC dealerships in Burley, Idaho, to Mountain West Auto Group.

That’s according to a news release from Performance Brokerage Services, which advised on the sale.

Young Automotive Group was founded in 1924 in Morgan County, Utah. A century later, it includes more than 30 automotive, powersports and truck & trailer dealerships throughout Utah, Idaho and Montana.

Mountain West Auto Group, meantime, was launched in 2017 by Jake and Becca Casperson, who started a vehicle import and wholesale business in Logan, Utah. The company entered auto retail in 2021, opening an independent dealership, before acquiring a Ford and CDJR store in Preston, Idaho in 2024 as they expanded to the franchise dealership segment.

Mountain West now has four franchise dealerships in Idaho. The two acquired dealerships will now operate as Mountain West Burley Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram and Burley GMC, respectively.

John Mecham and Jonny Mecham, who are the Rocky Mountain partners at Performance, were the sell-side advisors on the deal.

“This buy-sell was a joy to work on,” Jonny Mecham said in a news release. “The Young family has been close to the Mecham family for many years, having shared space as car dealers in Utah, while also mirroring a father/son connection. Spencer and his team are savvy dealers that will continue to grow as we usually see them on the buy-side.

“We first met Jake and his team when they were up and coming independent dealers looking for their first stores and have cultivated a friendship ever since. Now with several stores across Idaho and Utah, we anticipate many more deals to come! Often with these transactions, we are seeing someone exiting the industry so it’s always wonderful knowing we’ll get to see two great relationships continue to grow going forward.”

Capital adds to Carolinas footprint

Moving over to the Southeast, Raleigh, N.C.-based Capital Automotive Group has acquired six Larry Cloninger dealerships and an independent collision center, all located in the Carolinas.

Capital said in a release the purchase includes:

  • Toyota of Florence in Florence, S.C.
  • Cloninger Toyota in Salisbury, N.C.
  • Cloninger Ford in Salisbury
  • Cloninger Honda in Salisbury
  • Cloninger Ford of Morganton in Morganton, N.C.
  • Cloninger Ford of Hickory in Hickory, N.C.
  • Cloninger Collision Center in Salisbury

“When you spend your life building something, the people you ultimately entrust it to matter tremendously,” Larry Cloninger said in a news release. “I have known Tim and the Michael family for more than 40 years. I know the kind of people they are, the way they operate their dealerships and the importance they place on their employees and communities. There is a tremendous amount of comfort in knowing these stores and our people are being handed to a family we know, respect, and trust.”

Tim Michael of Capital Automotive Group added: “Larry has been a friend of our family for more than four decades, and that makes this acquisition incredibly special to us. We have tremendous respect for Larry, his family, and the organization they have built. You don’t create a legacy like this overnight.

“It comes from decades of hard work, relationships, and doing the right thing for your employees, your customers, and your community. We are honored that Larry has trusted our family with what he has built, and we take that responsibility very seriously.”