Midwestern Wheels
Midwestern Wheels is a family-owned Wisconsin car rental and pre-owned vehicle sales company operating Avis, Budget, and Budget Truck brands under license across 15+ Wisconsin airport and city locations, serving individual consumers, seasonal businesses, and fleet operators.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1958
- HeadquartersAppleton, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Midwestern Wheels does
Midwestern Wheels, Inc. is a privately held, family-owned car rental and pre-owned vehicle sales company founded in 1958 and headquartered in Appleton, Wisconsin. The company operates as an authorized licensee of Avis Budget Group, running the Avis, Budget, and Budget Truck brands across 15+ Wisconsin locations concentrated at major airports (Appleton International, Austin Straubel/Green Bay, Dane County Regional/Madison, Central Wisconsin/Mosinee) and city sites (Appleton East/West, Green Bay North, Madison Downtown). The company is led locally with administrative support based in Appleton and has between 101 and 250 employees.
The company's revenue model spans three core service lines: Daily Rentals (daily, weekly, or monthly contracts with unlimited-mileage options on cars, SUVs, trucks, vans, and EVs), a Long-Term Rental Program (month-to-month subscription rentals with 3,000 miles included, preventive maintenance, and flexible vehicle exchanges for a $500 refundable security deposit), and Avis Car Sales (pre-owned vehicle retail launched in 1974, offering fixed/no-haggle pricing, in-house financing, and trade-ins). The company sources vehicles directly from manufacturers, maintains complete service histories, and serves a mix of individual consumers, seasonal businesses (landscapers, contractors, tourism operators), business fleet operators, students, and contract workers relocating temporarily.
Midwestern Wheels generates revenue through a combination of rental fees (daily transactional and monthly recurring subscriptions), vehicle sales (one-time), in-house financing income, and operates under a licensing arrangement with Avis Budget Group. The business is geographically constrained to Wisconsin, with vehicles prohibited from cross-border operation. Marketing relies on Avis/Budget brand recognition, local community engagement, blog/SEO content, and direct phone/email contact channels. Technology infrastructure is standard automotive retail and rental tooling; no proprietary platforms or AI/ML capabilities are disclosed, with connected-car features (Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, OnStar, Ucollect) limited to consumer telematics integration.
Midwestern Wheels firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Midwestern Wheels
- Legal name
- Midwestern Wheels, Inc.
- Website
- https://midwesternwheels.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1958
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Midwestern Wheels is a family-owned Wisconsin car rental and pre-owned vehicle sales company operating Avis, Budget, and Budget Truck brands under license across 15+ Wisconsin airport and city locations, serving individual consumers, seasonal businesses, and fleet operators.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Midwestern Wheels industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Car Rental Services
- NAICS
- Passenger Car Rental (532111), Passenger Car Rental and Leasing (53211), Truck, Utility Trailer, and RV (Recreational Vehicle) Rental and Leasing (53212), Automotive Equipment Rental and Leasing (5321)
- SIC
- Services-Auto Rental & Leasing (No Drivers) (7510)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Auto & Vehicle Leasing (Personal Use) (FSAKANAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- EV Passenger Vehicle Leasing (Cars/SUVs) (TLABAAAH)
Keywords
Where Midwestern Wheels is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Appleton
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices15 records
Markets served
Midwestern Wheels business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Daily Rentals: Daily car rentals with daily, weekly, or monthly contract options for cars, SUVs, trucks, vans, and electric vehicles throughout Wisconsin locations.
- Long-Term Rental Program: Month-to-month vehicle subscription program with initial 2-month commitment. Includes 3,000 miles/month, preventive maintenance coverage, and vehicle exchange flexibility. Operates as prepaid monthly subscription.
- Pre-Owned Vehicle Sales: Sales of pre-owned vehicles from company fleet inventory. Vehicles purchased new from manufacturers with complete maintenance history provided. Offers in-house financing and trade-ins accepted.
- Licensing Royalties: As a licensee of Avis Budget Group, the company pays licensing royalties for operating Avis, Budget, and Budget Truck brands.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Long-term rental with 3,000 miles/month included |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Daily, weekly, and monthly rental contracts |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Midwestern Wheels product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Midwestern Wheels is an authorized licensee of Avis Budget Group operating Avis, Budget, and Budget Truck brands across 15+ Wisconsin locations. The company provides daily, weekly, and monthly car rentals alongside a Long-Term Rental subscription program (month-to-month with 3,000 miles/month and preventive maintenance included) and pre-owned vehicle retail sales under the Avis Car Sales brand with no-haggle fixed pricing and in-house financing.
Product overview
Midwestern Wheels operates a multi-brand car rental and sales platform offering three core service lines: Avis Car Sales (pre-owned vehicle sales with fixed pricing and in-house financing), Long-Term Rental Program (monthly subscription rentals including cars, SUVs, trucks, vans, and EVs with maintenance included), and Daily Rentals (traditional short-term car rentals with daily, weekly, or monthly options). The company also offers Budget Truck Rental and Budget Car Rental as sub-brands under the Avis Budget Group license. The business operates multiple Wisconsin locations serving both individual consumers and commercial fleet customers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Daily Rentals Traditional car rental service offering daily, weekly, or monthly contracts for cars, SUVs, trucks, vans, and electric vehicles at Wisconsin locations. Many rentals include unlimited mileage, with rates varying by location and season.
- Long-Term Rental Program Month-to-month vehicle subscription rental program offering cars, SUVs, trucks, vans, and electric vehicles with an initial 2-month commitment. Includes 3,000 miles/month, preventive maintenance coverage, and vehicle exchange flexibility. Operates as prepaid monthly subscription with $500 refundable security deposit.
- Avis Car Sales Pre-owned vehicle sales operating under the Avis brand, offering quality used cars, SUVs, trucks, and vans with fixed/no-haggle pricing, complete vehicle history, in-house financing, and trade-in acceptance.
- Budget Truck Rental Truck rental service for moving and hauling needs, available at select Wisconsin locations including Appleton West.
- Budget Car Rental Budget brand car rental service offered alongside Avis rentals, providing additional value options for daily car rentals in Wisconsin.
- Renter's Liability Insurance Insurance product for Long-Term Rental Program renters providing contingent liability coverage.
Quantifiable outcome
- 65 years of experience serving Wisconsin customers
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Midwestern Wheels
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Midwestern Wheels technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
Midwestern Wheels partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Avis Budget GroupcoreMidwestern Wheels operates as an authorized licensee of Avis Budget Group, operating the Avis, Budget, and Budget Truck brands at locations throughout Wisconsin. This licensing relationship provides brand recognition, booking systems, and operational frameworks under one of the world's largest car rental companies.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Midwestern Wheels competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Enterprise Holdings: Operates Enterprise Rent-A-Car, National Car Rental, and Alamo — the largest car rental company in North America. Directly comparable as a multi-brand daily and long-term rental operator, but at vastly greater scale and with corporate-owned locations rather than a licensee model.
- Avis Budget Group: The parent brand licensor and parent company of Midwestern Wheels' licensed brands. Operates Avis, Budget, and Budget Truck directly in many markets and competes indirectly through corporate-owned locations across the US, including Wisconsin.
- Budget Rent A Car (Corporate): Direct corporate brand operated by Avis Budget Group in markets where Midwestern Wheels does not hold the license. Comparable as the same brand operating under corporate ownership in adjacent geographies, with shared customer-facing systems and loyalty programs.
Emerging players
- Sixt SE: German-headquartered premium and value rental operator rapidly expanding across the US, including airport markets. Comparable as a multi-brand rental competitor with strong technology investment, though serving a more premium customer mix.
- Zipcar: Car-sharing service owned by Avis Budget Group with hourly/daily access models in urban and university markets. Comparable as a sibling mobility offering under the same parent brand family, targeting overlapping Wisconsin student and urban customers.
- Turo: Peer-to-peer car-sharing marketplace with growing Wisconsin presence. Comparable as a digitally-native alternative competing for the same Wisconsin traveler and short-term rental demand, though without fleet ownership.
Direct peers
- U-Haul: Operates truck and trailer rental plus self-storage across North America. Comparable as a regional-to-national vehicle rental competitor, particularly overlap with Midwestern Wheels' Budget Truck sub-brand offering.
- Penske Truck Rental: Operates consumer and commercial truck rental fleets across the US. Directly comparable for the truck rental portion of Midwestern Wheels' offering (Budget Truck), with similar commercial and consumer fleet management.
- Hertz Global Holdings: Operates Hertz, Dollar, and Thrifty brands globally with daily and long-term rental offerings. Directly comparable in product mix (multi-brand car rental, fleet rotation to used-car sales via Hertz Car Sales) and customer segments, though at national/global scale rather than regional.
Regional players
- Fox Rent A Car: Value-brand airport car rental operator serving primarily US leisure and travel-agency channels. Comparable as a multi-airport, value-positioned regional rental competitor without a strong Wisconsin presence.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Midwestern Wheels social profiles
Digital presenceMidwestern Wheels financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Midwestern Wheels leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Midwestern Wheels funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Midwestern Wheels 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 Midwestern Wheels
What does Midwestern Wheels do?
Midwestern Wheels is an authorized licensee of Avis Budget Group operating Avis, Budget, and Budget Truck brands across 15+ Wisconsin locations. The company provides daily, weekly, and monthly car rentals alongside a Long-Term Rental subscription program (month-to-month with 3,000 miles/month and preventive maintenance included) and pre-owned vehicle retail sales under the Avis Car Sales brand with no-haggle fixed pricing and in-house financing.
Is Midwestern Wheels a public or private company?
Midwestern Wheels is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Midwestern Wheels founded?
Midwestern Wheels was founded in 1958. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Midwestern Wheels based?
Midwestern Wheels is headquartered in Appleton, United States, in the North America region.
How does Midwestern Wheels make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Daily Rentals are the primary driver. The others are long-Term Rental Program, pre-Owned Vehicle Sales and licensing Royalties.
Who are Midwestern Wheels's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Enterprise Holdings, Avis Budget Group and Budget Rent A Car (Corporate). Emerging players are Sixt SE, Zipcar and Turo. Direct peers are U-Haul, Penske Truck Rental and Hertz Global Holdings. Fox Rent A Car is listed as a regional player.
Does Midwestern Wheels have an API?
No public API is recorded for Midwestern Wheels.
What industry is Midwestern Wheels in?
Midwestern Wheels's product category is Car Rental Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAKANAA, Auto & Vehicle Leasing (Personal Use), with a secondary code of TLABAAAH, EV Passenger Vehicle Leasing (Cars/SUVs). Its NAICS code is 532111 and its SIC code is 7510.