Today I’m joined by Jim Keffer, CEO of Keffer Auto Group.
We break down his radical 10-year buyout model, why he hunts “unicorn” operators instead of centralizing, and how underperforming rooftops become high-ROI assets.
Jim also explains the math behind buying broken stores, the traits that separate true owner-operators, and the coming shakeups he sees from Carvana, CarMax, and digital retailing. It’s a candid, transparent look at a model most dealers never get to see up close.
This episode is brought to you by:
1. Lotlinx - What if ChatGPT actually spoke dealer? Meet LotGPT — the first AI chatbot built just for car dealers. Fluent in your market, your dealership, and your inventory, LotGPT delivers instant insights to help you merchandise smarter, move inventory faster, and maximize profit. It pulls from your live inventory, CRM, and Google Analytics to give VIN-specific recommendations, helping dealers price vehicles accurately, spot wasted spend, and uncover the hottest opportunities — all in seconds. LotGPT is free for dealers, but invite-only. Join the waitlist now @ Lotlinx.com/LotGPT
2. vAuto - The average car sits 45 days before getting shipped to another store — hoping it’ll sell faster somewhere else. But guess what? Once it lands there, it usually sits another 30 days. On paper, that looks fine. In reality, that car’s been tying up capital for 75 days — bleeding margin the whole time. The fix? Get the car to the right store on day one — or move it before the clock runs out. Because every day you wait, you’re losing gross you’ll never get back. Check out vAuto’s new guide on centralized inventory management @ https://www.vauto.com
3. CDG Circles - A modern peer group for auto dealers. Private dealer chats. Real insights — confidential, compliant, no travel required. Visit @ https://cdgcircles.com/ to learn more.
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Topics:
00:08 Biggest challenge in the car business?
00:52 How does the decentralized model work?
03:41 What is the buyout model?
07:08 How to find the right operators?
32:48 How does goodwill depreciation work?
33:15 How to identify and hire talent?
34:01 Biggest used car sales challenge?
37:45 Balancing sales efficiency with customer experience?
58:18 Future of car dealerships?
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