McGrath Family of Dealerships (McGrath Auto Group)
McGrath Family of Dealerships is a four-generation, family-owned franchised auto group in Eastern Iowa operating 13 OEM brands across Cedar Rapids, Dubuque, and Marion, with integrated sales, in-house financing, service, parts, collision, and fleet/commercial operations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1952
- HeadquartersCedar Rapids, United States
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What McGrath Family of Dealerships (McGrath Auto Group) does
McGrath Family of Dealerships (DBA McGrath Auto Group) is a privately held, four-generation family-owned franchised auto dealer group founded in 1952 by H.B. McGrath and headquartered in Eastern Iowa. The company operates retail showrooms across Cedar Rapids, Dubuque, and Marion, representing 13 OEM franchises spanning mass-market, import, and luxury brands (Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, GMC, Hyundai, Jeep, Kia, RAM, Toyota, Volkswagen). It self-identifies as the Corridor's #1 auto dealer in its market and reports 13,000+ five-star Google reviews as its primary reputation signal.
The business operates an integrated vehicle-lifecycle model combining new-vehicle sales, used and certified pre-owned (McGrath Certified, McGrath SmartBuy) sales, in-house financing (McGrath Credit, including credit-challenged underwriting), service and parts, a dedicated tire center (McGrath Tires), and a collision center. Adjacent offerings include a Fleet & Commercial program with dedicated account management, mobile service, and pickup/delivery. Technology stack is standard dealer tooling: Cars Commerce for inventory, Dart Offer for trade valuation, BotDoc for document collection, plus online payment calculators, financing applications, and a dedicated McGrath Reviews platform. No proprietary AI/ML, no app, and no API surface is disclosed.
Go-to-market is omnichannel but showroom-anchored: physical retail in Eastern Iowa as the primary channel, supplemented by an online storefront for browsing and lead capture, and a direct field-sales motion for fleet/commercial accounts. Revenue streams span one-time vehicle sales (new and used, MSRP-based), recurring/transactional F&I via McGrath Credit, transaction-based service and parts, and commercial fleet sales. Customer base is predominantly individual retail consumers in Eastern Iowa, with secondary exposure to commercial/fleet buyers and credit-challenged consumers served through McGrath Credit. The company has no disclosed institutional ownership, no PE backing, and no M&A activity in the input data.
McGrath Family of Dealerships (McGrath Auto Group) firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- McGrath Family of Dealerships (McGrath Auto Group)
- Legal name
- McGrath Family of Dealerships
- Website
- https://mcgrathauto.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1952
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- McGrath Family of Dealerships is a four-generation, family-owned franchised auto group in Eastern Iowa operating 13 OEM brands across Cedar Rapids, Dubuque, and Marion, with integrated sales, in-house financing, service, parts, collision, and fleet/commercial operations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
McGrath Family of Dealerships (McGrath Auto Group) industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Automotive Retail Dealership
- NAICS
- Used Car Dealers (441120)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Dealer-Sold & F&I Administered Service Contracts (Dealer Obligors) (FSAJALAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Auto & Vehicle Loan Brokerage (FSAEAEAK)
Keywords
Where McGrath Family of Dealerships (McGrath Auto Group) is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cedar Rapids
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
McGrath Family of Dealerships (McGrath Auto Group) business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Vehicle Sales: New and used vehicle sales across multiple brands including Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, GMC, Hyundai, Jeep, Kia, RAM, Toyota, and Volkswagen. Revenue generated through vehicle transactions with MSRP pricing and dealer incentives.
- Finance and Insurance Products: Financing services through McGrath Credit, offering competitive rates and in-house financing options for customers with various credit profiles. Revenue from financing interest and F&I products.
- Service and Parts: Service centers providing vehicle maintenance, repairs, and parts sales. Multiple service locations including mobile service and pickup/delivery options.
- Fleet and Commercial Services: Fleet management programs, commercial vehicle sales, and specialized commercial services for business customers.
- McGrath Certified Pre-Owned: Certified pre-owned vehicle sales with Like It or Exchange It guarantee, providing warranty-backed vehicles with inspection and reconditioning.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | New Vehicle MSRP Pricing |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles |
| Subscription | Monthly | Financing through McGrath Credit |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Service and Parts |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels10 records
McGrath Family of Dealerships (McGrath Auto Group) product offering
Product offeringCore offering
McGrath Family of Dealerships is a family-owned multi-franchise auto dealership group that sells new vehicles across 13 brands and used vehicles through McGrath Certified and McGrath SmartBuy programs across Eastern Iowa. It supplements sales with integrated financing (McGrath Credit, including credit-challenged buyers), service and parts, a collision center, tire sales, trade-in acquisition (Trade or Get Paid), and a Fleet & Commercial program for business buyers.
Product overview
McGrath Family of Dealerships is a multi-location auto dealership group serving Eastern Iowa, offering a comprehensive automotive ecosystem. The core business centers on new vehicle sales across 13 brands (Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, GMC, Hyundai, Jeep, Kia, RAM, Toyota, Volkswagen) and used vehicle sales through multiple programs including McGrath Certified and McGrath SmartBuy. The company operates an integrated model combining vehicle sales with financing services (McGrath Credit), trade-in programs (Trade or Get Paid), and extensive aftersales support including service centers, collision repair, parts departments, and tire services. Fleet and commercial vehicle solutions round out the business-to-business offerings. The product portfolio functions as a unified dealership ecosystem where vehicle sales, financing, service, and trade-in programs interconnect to serve both retail and commercial customers throughout the Cedar Rapids area.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- McGrath SmartBuy: Used vehicle program offering quality pre-owned vehicles
- McGrath Certified
- McGrath Credit
- McGrath Auto Care
- McGrath Tires
- McGrath Cares
- McGrath Fleet & Commercial
- Pat McGrath Chevyland
- McGrath VW Hyundai of Dubuque
- McGrath Ford Hyundai Kia
- McGrath VW of Marion
- McGrath Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram
Quantifiable outcome
- Trade value assessment in as little as 15 minutes
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use McGrath Family of Dealerships (McGrath Auto Group)
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
McGrath Family of Dealerships (McGrath Auto Group) technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
McGrath Family of Dealerships (McGrath Auto Group) partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves1 record
Expansion highlights6 records
McGrath Family of Dealerships (McGrath Auto Group) competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Asbury Automotive Group: Large publicly traded US dealership group operating 150+ new-vehicle franchises across multiple brands. Comparable as a multi-brand retailer with full F&I, service, and parts operations, though at much greater scale and geographic breadth than McGrath.
- Lithia Motors: Largest US automotive retailer with hundreds of franchises and a growing digital retail platform (Driveway). Comparable multi-brand dealer model with integrated financing and service, providing a national benchmark for what scaled regional dealership groups can become.
- Group 1 Automotive: Public dealership group with ~200 dealerships across the US and UK, representing similar OEM brands (Toyota, Honda, Ford, BMW). Same multi-franchise retail model with F&I and service integration that McGrath operates at regional scale.
- Sonic Automotive: Public dealer group with EchoPark used-vehicle standalone stores plus franchised dealerships. Relevant peer because McGrath's McGrath Certified and SmartBuy programs mirror EchoPark's attempt to defend against digital used-car disruptors.
- CarMax: Largest US used-vehicle retailer with omni-channel model including appraisal, financing, and extended service plans. Comparable on the used-vehicle and certified pre-owned side of McGrath's business, and represents the digital-first competitive pressure McGrath faces.
- Holman Automotive: Large privately held automotive group with franchised dealerships plus fleet leasing and parts distribution. Comparable for the integrated retail-plus-fleet model McGrath operates, particularly the Fleet & Commercial division.
Regional players
- Kayser Automotive Group: Family-owned multi-brand dealership group based in Madison, Wisconsin, with similar Midwestern roots and multi-franchise strategy. Comparable as a regional family dealership group with overlapping OEM brands and similar community-focused value proposition.
- Billion Automotive: Family-owned dealership group serving Sioux Falls and surrounding South Dakota region with multiple rooftops across major brands. Direct analog to McGrath in scale, family ownership structure, and Midwest regional footprint.
- Dahl Automotive: Multi-generational family dealership group based in La Crosse, Wisconsin, with similar brand portfolio including Ford, Toyota, Hyundai, and GM franchises. Comparable in operating model, community orientation, and regional Midwestern geography.
Others
- Cox Automotive (Manheim): Wholesale vehicle auction operator and parent of Kelley Blue Book, Autotrader, and Dealertrack. Relevant as the upstream infrastructure provider whose products (KBB valuation, Dealertrack F&I) underpin dealership groups including McGrath, and as a competitive threat in vehicle remarketing.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
McGrath Family of Dealerships (McGrath Auto Group) social profiles
Digital presenceMcGrath Family of Dealerships (McGrath Auto Group) financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
McGrath Family of Dealerships (McGrath Auto Group) leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
McGrath Family of Dealerships (McGrath Auto Group) funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
McGrath Family of Dealerships (McGrath Auto Group) M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about McGrath Family of Dealerships (McGrath Auto Group)
What does McGrath Family of Dealerships (McGrath Auto Group) do?
McGrath Family of Dealerships is a family-owned multi-franchise auto dealership group that sells new vehicles across 13 brands and used vehicles through McGrath Certified and McGrath SmartBuy programs across Eastern Iowa. It supplements sales with integrated financing (McGrath Credit, including credit-challenged buyers), service and parts, a collision center, tire sales, trade-in acquisition (Trade or Get Paid), and a Fleet & Commercial program for business buyers.
Is McGrath Family of Dealerships (McGrath Auto Group) a public or private company?
McGrath Family of Dealerships (McGrath Auto Group) is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was McGrath Family of Dealerships (McGrath Auto Group) founded?
McGrath Family of Dealerships (McGrath Auto Group) was founded in 1952. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is McGrath Family of Dealerships (McGrath Auto Group) based?
McGrath Family of Dealerships (McGrath Auto Group) is headquartered in Cedar Rapids, United States, in the North America region.
How does McGrath Family of Dealerships (McGrath Auto Group) make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Vehicle Sales are the primary driver. The others are finance and Insurance Products, service and Parts, fleet and Commercial Services and mcGrath Certified Pre-Owned.
Who are McGrath Family of Dealerships (McGrath Auto Group)'s main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Asbury Automotive Group, Lithia Motors, Group 1 Automotive, Sonic Automotive, CarMax and Holman Automotive. Regional players are Kayser Automotive Group, Billion Automotive and Dahl Automotive. Cox Automotive (Manheim) is listed as an others.
Does McGrath Family of Dealerships (McGrath Auto Group) have an API?
No public API is recorded for McGrath Family of Dealerships (McGrath Auto Group).
What industry is McGrath Family of Dealerships (McGrath Auto Group) in?
McGrath Family of Dealerships (McGrath Auto Group)'s product category is Automotive Retail Dealership. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAJALAD, Dealer-Sold & F&I Administered Service Contracts (Dealer Obligors), with a secondary code of FSAEAEAK, Auto & Vehicle Loan Brokerage. Its NAICS code is 441120.