Tri Star Automotive Group

What Tri Star Automotive Group does

Tri Star Automotive Group (legal name: Tri-Star Automotive Group; DBAs include Tri-Star Motors, Tri-Star Auto Group, and Tri-Star) is a privately held multi-franchise automotive dealership group headquartered in Blairsville, Pennsylvania, founded in 1998 and operating approximately 251-500 employees. The group owns and operates 10 wholly-owned dealership subsidiaries across Western Pennsylvania, including Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram (CDJR) stores in Blairsville, Uniontown, Indiana, and Somerset; Chevrolet-Buick and Chevrolet stores; Ford stores in Blairsville and Somerset; a Kia store; a classic and collector car specialty store; and a budget-focused used car sub-brand (Budget Lot by Tri-Star). The technology stack is standard retail automotive: online inventory presentation, AutoCheck vehicle history reporting for used units, KBB Instant Cash Offer and Clear Car for trade-in valuation, online financing applications, and individual brand-specific dealer websites, with no disclosed proprietary platforms, AI capabilities, or APIs.

The business model is the traditional franchised auto dealer model with three primary revenue streams: (1) one-time vehicle sales of new franchised inventory (Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Ford, Nissan, Kia, Chevrolet, Buick) and used inventory (including non-franchise brands such as Toyota, Hyundai, Audi, Porsche, and Freightliner), (2) recurring service and parts revenue from on-site maintenance, repair, diagnostics, and OEM parts and accessories sales, and (3) financing revenue derived from a wide network of lender relationships that support customers across all credit tiers including subprime. Pricing is quote-based for new vehicles with unit pricing shown for used inventory; trade-in values are generated through the online tool. Customer acquisition runs through the corporate website, individual brand-specific dealer websites, organic search, and physical showroom traffic. Differentiators include the multi-brand one-stop-shop positioning, the proprietary 3-Day/150-Mile Vehicle Exchange Program, and broad subprime financing access.

Name

Tri Star Automotive Group

Legal name

Tri-Star Automotive Group

Website

https://tristarmotors.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Tri Star Automotive Group is a privately held multi-franchise auto dealer group operating 10 CDJR, Ford, Chevrolet, Buick, and Kia dealerships plus a budget used-car lot and a classic car specialty store across Western Pennsylvania, serving retail consumers in the Blairsville-Somerset-Uniontown-Indiana corridor.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Blairsville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Vehicle Sales (New and Used): Primary revenue stream from selling new vehicles from multiple manufacturers (Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Ford, Nissan, Kia) and used vehicles across all dealerships. Inventory includes cars, trucks, vans, and SUVs.
2. Service and Parts: Maintenance and repair services including oil changes, tire rotations, battery service, fluid refills, diagnostics, and OEM parts and accessories sales.
3. Financing: Auto financing services working with a wide network of lenders to help customers secure vehicle loans, including programs for customers with various credit histories.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Tri Star Automotive Group operates a multi-franchise automotive retail network of 10 dealership locations across Western Pennsylvania, selling new vehicles from Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Ford, Nissan, Kia, Chevrolet, and Buick along with a broad pre-owned inventory. The group bundles vehicle sales with in-house auto financing, on-site maintenance and repair using OEM parts, trade-in valuation, and a 3-Day/150-Mile Vehicle Exchange Program to serve as a one-stop shop for vehicle ownership in its regional market.

Product overview

Tri Star Automotive Group is a multi-dealership automotive retail group operating 10 distinct dealerships across Pennsylvania, including Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram (CDJR) franchises in Blairsville, Somerset, Indiana, and Uniontown; Chevrolet and Ford dealerships in multiple locations; a Kia dealership; and a classic cars specialty division. The group offers new vehicles from brands including Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Ford, Nissan, Kia, Chevrolet, and Buick, alongside a comprehensive pre-owned inventory. Services include on-site maintenance and repair facilities, vehicle financing programs with credit approval for all credit types, trade-in valuation tools, and a unique 3-Day/150-Mile Vehicle Exchange Program for customer satisfaction. The product portfolio is organized as a network of brand-specific dealerships unified under the Tri-Star name, with shared services including financing, parts, and trade-in capabilities across locations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Budget Lot by Tri-Star: A budget-focused used car lot operated as part of the Tri-Star dealership network offering more affordable pre-owned vehicle options.

Products and services

• New Vehicle Sales (CDJR) Sales of new Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram vehicles through four CDJR franchise locations serving Blairsville, Uniontown, Indiana, and Somerset, PA, targeted at individual consumers in Western Pennsylvania shopping for personal-use vehicles.
• New Vehicle Sales (Chevrolet/Buick) Sales of new Chevrolet and Buick vehicles through dedicated Chevrolet/Buick franchise locations in Blairsville and Uniontown, PA for individual consumers.
• New Vehicle Sales (Ford) Sales of new Ford vehicles through Ford franchise locations in Blairsville and Somerset, PA for individual consumers.
• New Vehicle Sales (Kia) Sales of new Kia vehicles through the Tri Star KIA franchise serving Pennsylvania consumers.
• Classic and Collector Vehicle Sales Sales of classic and collector vehicles through the Tri-Star Classic Cars specialty dealership within the Tri-Star Automotive Group.
• Used Vehicle Sales Pre-owned vehicle inventory featuring quality-assured used cars, trucks, SUVs, and vans from multiple brands including Ford, Chevrolet, Jeep, RAM, Toyota, Kia, Dodge, Hyundai, Audi, Porsche, and Freightliner, for individual consumers.
• Auto Maintenance and Repair On-site service centers providing oil changes, tire rotations, battery service, fluid refills, diagnostics, and repairs using OEM parts and accessories for vehicle owners in Western Pennsylvania.
• Auto Financing Financing services for vehicle purchases via partnerships with multiple lenders, with credit approval programs for good, bad, and no credit customers, and online financing applications for individual consumers.
• Vehicle Trade-In Valuation Online trade-in valuation service powered by Clear Car and Kelley Blue Book Instant Cash Offer, enabling customers to estimate their vehicle's worth and apply it toward a new purchase.
• 3-Day/150-Mile Vehicle Exchange Program Customer satisfaction program allowing exchange of an eligible pre-owned vehicle within 3 business days or 150 miles for another vehicle of equal or greater value.
• OEM Parts and Accessories Genuine manufacturer OEM parts and accessories available for purchase with ongoing specials, supporting vehicle maintenance and customization for customers.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• AutoNation: Nation's largest automotive retailer with hundreds of franchises across multiple states and broad brand coverage. Operates in adjacent geographies and competes for the same customers, but at much larger scale and with public-company resources.
• Lithia Motors: One of the largest U.S. auto dealer groups with a national footprint and aggressive acquisition strategy targeting regional dealer groups like Tri-Star. Represents both a peer benchmark and a potential roll-up acquirer.
• CarMax: National used-vehicle retailer with hundreds of stores and a proprietary omnichannel platform. Competes with Tri-Star's used-car segment specifically; comparable in F&I capability but operates without OEM franchise risk.

Direct peers

• Bergey's Auto Group: Pennsylvania-based multi-rooftop dealership group with Chevrolet, Ford, and other domestic franchises plus service and parts operations. Comparable multi-brand, multi-county operating approach.
• Spitzer Automotive Group: Family-owned multi-rooftop dealer group based in Pennsylvania/Ohio with new/used vehicle sales, service, and parts operations across similar domestic and import brands. Closely comparable in operating model and regional positioning.
• Budd Baer Automotive: Western Pennsylvania family-owned dealership group offering new/used vehicle sales, service, and parts across domestic brands. Comparable in size, footprint, and operating model to Tri-Star.
• Sendell Automotive Group: Western Pennsylvania multi-brand new/used dealership group selling similar domestic and import brands with on-site service centers. Operates in overlapping markets and serves similar customer demographics.
• Power of Bowser Automotive Group: Family-owned multi-brand new/used car dealership group headquartered in Western Pennsylvania with similar brand mix (Ford, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Toyota). Directly comparable footprint, scale, and customer demographic to Tri-Star.
• Wright Automotive Group: Family-owned multi-franchise Pennsylvania dealer group offering new/used vehicle sales and service across similar domestic brands. Comparable scale and regional footprint to Tri-Star.
• Laurel Auto Group: Western Pennsylvania-based dealership group operating multiple new/used rooftops with a comparable mix of domestic franchises and full F&I/service operations. Direct peer in the same regional competitive set.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tri-star-automotive-group

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tri Star Automotive Group