Kayser Auto Group

What Kayser Auto Group does

Kayser Auto Group (legal entity Kayser, Inc.) is a privately held, family-owned automotive dealership group headquartered at 2303 West Beltline Highway in Madison, Wisconsin. Founded in 1925 by Paul A. Kayser, the company operates 9 retail dealership locations across Southern and Eastern Wisconsin representing the major American brands: Ford, Lincoln, Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Chrysler, Dodge, Ram, and Jeep. Its subsidiary structure (Kayser Ford Madison, Kayser Lincoln Madison, Kayser Chevrolet Buick GMC Janesville, Kayser Chrysler Center Watertown, S&L Motors Green Bay, S&L Ford Oconto Falls, Kayser Chrysler Center Sauk Prairie, Kayser Ford Sauk City, Kayser Chevrolet Sauk City) reflects a multi-decade roll-up strategy built largely through acquisitions since 1994. The company employs 251-500 people and is currently controlled by the Baxter family (Pat Baxter acquired the business starting in 1985; sons Sean, Ryan, and Brendan hold VP/President roles).

The company's core business is the retail sale of new and used vehicles, supplemented by finance and insurance (F&I) products, parts sales, and vehicle service and repair. Revenue is generated through three primary streams: vehicle sales (transaction-based, one-time), parts and service (transaction-fee), and F&I products (transaction-fee, including leasing and financing arranged through the dealership business office). Customer segments are predominantly individual retail consumers in Wisconsin and surrounding states, with a secondary commercial fleet segment via the Isuzu franchise (since 2003) and the recently added commercial/recreational trailer line (2022).

Kayser's go-to-market is direct-to-consumer across physical dealerships, supported by an online inventory browsing experience on individual dealership websites. Its differentiated service proposition, branded "The Kayser Promise," comprises four pillars: a Best Price Policy that minimizes advertising spend and passes savings to customers; a non-commission "Satisfaction First" sales model paying flat amounts plus satisfaction/volume bonuses; a Price Check Report that compares prices against competitors within hundreds of miles using daily data from 40,000+ websites; and a 3-day Money Back Guarantee (Wisconsin residents only) refunding title and registration fees in full. Distribution is exclusively through owned physical rooftops; the company has no app, no public API, and no AI/ML capabilities disclosed.

Name

Kayser Auto Group

Legal name

Kayser, Inc.

Website

https://kayseronline.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1925

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Kayser Auto Group is a family-owned automotive dealership group operating 9 franchise rooftops across Wisconsin, retailing Ford, Lincoln, Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Chrysler, Dodge, Ram, and Jeep vehicles plus parts, service, and F&I to individual consumers and small commercial fleets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Madison

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Vehicle Sales (New and Used): Primary revenue from sales of new and pre-owned vehicles across multiple franchise brands (Ford, Lincoln, Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Chrysler, Dodge, Ram, Jeep). Transaction-based revenue model.
2. Parts and Service: Auto parts sales and vehicle service/repair operations. Historically delivered parts to local repair shops throughout Southern Wisconsin.
3. Finance and Insurance Products: Vehicle financing, leasing options, and related financial products offered through business office.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Kayser Auto Group sells new and pre-owned vehicles across multiple American franchises (Ford, Lincoln, Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Chrysler, Dodge, Ram, Jeep) through nine physical dealership locations in Wisconsin. The group also provides vehicle service and repair, parts sales, in-house vehicle financing and insurance products, and commercial fleet sales under a non-commission, transparent pricing model. Customers can browse inventory online, visit showrooms for in-person purchases, and access a 3-day money-back guarantee on vehicle sales.

Product overview

Kayser Auto Group is a family-owned automotive dealership network operating 9 dealership locations across Wisconsin, representing major American vehicle brands including Ford, Lincoln, Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Chrysler, Dodge, Ram, and Jeep. The company offers new and used vehicle sales, certified pre-owned vehicles, vehicle service and repair, and parts. Kayser's distinctive service model, branded as 'The Kayser Promise,' centers on a Best Price Policy guaranteeing upfront best prices, Satisfaction First non-commission sales approach, Price Check Report comparing competitor prices, and a Money Back Guarantee allowing 3-day returns. Founded in 1925, the company has grown from a single Ford dealership to a comprehensive automotive group serving customers across Wisconsin.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Kayser Ford Madison Certified Ford dealership on Beltline Highway in Madison, WI offering new and used vehicle inventory, online scheduling, and special financing options for individual vehicle buyers.
• Kayser Lincoln Madison Certified Lincoln dealership on Beltline Highway in Madison, WI featuring new and used vehicle inventory and service center for individual luxury vehicle buyers.
• Kayser Chevrolet Buick GMC Janesville Chevrolet, Buick, and GMC dealership in Janesville, WI offering new, used, and certified pre-owned vehicle inventory for individual vehicle buyers in Southern Wisconsin.
• Kayser Chrysler Center Watertown Chrysler, Dodge, Ram, and Jeep dealership in Watertown, WI offering new and pre-owned vehicles, service, and special financing options for individual vehicle buyers.
• S & L Motors Green Bay RAM, Jeep, Dodge, and Chrysler dealership in the Pulaski/Green Bay area of Wisconsin offering new and used vehicle inventory for individual vehicle buyers in Northeast Wisconsin.
• S&L Ford Oconto Falls Ford dealership in Oconto Falls, WI serving Northeast Wisconsin with new and used vehicle inventory for individual vehicle buyers.
• Kayser Chrysler Center Sauk Prairie Chrysler, Dodge, Ram, and Jeep dealership in Sauk City/Sauk Prairie, WI with new and used vehicle inventory and service center for individual vehicle buyers.
• Kayser Ford Sauk City Ford dealership in Sauk City, WI offering new and pre-owned Ford vehicles and customer service for individual vehicle buyers in the Sauk Prairie market.
• Kayser Chevrolet Sauk City Chevrolet dealership in Sauk City, WI serving Madison, Middleton, and Baraboo residents with new and used vehicle inventory, service, and parts.
• Vehicle Service and Parts Vehicle maintenance, repair, and auto parts sales offered across Kayser's Wisconsin dealership locations for customers of all major American brands serviced by the group.
• Commercial and Fleet Vehicle Sales Sales of commercial trucks, trailers, and fleet vehicles to Wisconsin businesses through Kayser's dealership group, including Isuzu commercial trucks and Bob Clapper Truck and Trailer inventory.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3-day money-back guarantee with no questions asked and full refund including all fees
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Hendrick Automotive Group: Largest privately-held automotive dealership group in the United States, operating over 100 rooftops across multiple states; provides a benchmark for scaled, family-controlled multi-OEM dealership operations and represents the type of national consolidator Kayser may eventually face.
• Lithia Motors: One of the largest publicly-traded automotive retailer groups in North America, with hundreds of dealerships across the U.S. and an aggressive acquisition strategy — illustrates the consolidator model and competitive dynamic shaping regional dealer markets.
• AutoNation: The largest U.S. automotive retailer, operating hundreds of new and used vehicle franchises across multiple states with a strong digital retail platform and F&I attach focus — a broad incumbent whose scale and digital investment frame competitive pressure on regional independents.

Direct peers

• Holz Motors: Wisconsin-based family-owned dealership group in the Watertown/Beaver Dam area, offering multiple domestic brands and competing with Kayser's Watertown rooftop in the same regional geography.
• Schmit Brothers Auto: Wisconsin-based family-owned multi-brand dealer group offering new and used vehicles plus service, with a regional footprint similar to Kayser and a comparable focus on community-driven retail.
• Van Horn Automotive Group: Wisconsin-based family-owned dealer group with multiple rooftops across Eastern Wisconsin, offering new and used vehicles plus service and parts — closely comparable to Kayser in scale, geography, and family-ownership structure.
• Heiser Automotive Group: Family-owned multi-brand dealer group headquartered in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area, operating several rooftops with a similar mix of domestic franchises and competing in the same Southeastern Wisconsin consumer market.
• Bergstrom Automotive: Family-owned multi-brand automotive dealer group headquartered in Appleton, Wisconsin, operating multiple rooftops across the Fox Valley and Northeast Wisconsin with a similar multi-OEM portfolio and community-anchored operating model.
• Russ Darrow Group: Wisconsin-based family-owned multi-brand dealer group with locations primarily in the Milwaukee and Madison markets, holding many of the same domestic and import franchises as Kayser and competing directly for the same Wisconsin consumer base.
• Boucher Auto Group: Large Wisconsin-based family-owned multi-brand dealer group with locations across the Milwaukee metro and surrounding counties, representing domestic and import franchises — a comparable Wisconsin-anchored multi-rooftop operator.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/kayserusedcarsmadison
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kayser-automotive-group

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries9 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 Kayser Auto Group