Sell your dealership confidently.
Whether you’re ready to retire, right-sizing your portfolio, or simply exploring your options, Coussa Group runs a structured, NDA-bound sell-side process that protects your business, your staff, and your legacy — and gives the transaction the discipline it requires.
Our Approach: The 5 Shifts
Dealer principals routinely arrive at the transaction underprepared — unclear on valuation drivers, unready for diligence, uncertain about process. The result is consistent: value left on the table at close. Coussa Group was built to close that gap. Preparation is part of the mandate, not something the seller is expected to arrive with. Our sell-side engagements are organized around five shifts.
Mindset. Decide, then prepare.
Selling a dealership is a once-in-a-lifetime decision long before it is a once-in-a-lifetime transaction. The moment a principal honestly asks whether this is what they want to do for the rest of their life is the moment the rest of the work becomes possible. Preparation is what that decision unlocks; it cannot substitute for it.
The business has to run without you.
A store that visibly depends on its owner sells at a multiple of EBITDA. A store that runs as a system — GM handling day-to-day, reporting running without intervention, key staff secured — sells on what it can produce under new ownership, and closes with shorter earn-outs and less structure the seller has to live with afterward.
One buyer is not a market.
When the first serious offer becomes the whole negotiation, every concession is real because there is nowhere else to go. A confidential process brings multiple qualified buyers to the table at the same stage, each under NDA. They compete against each other — not against the seller.
What you share, you can't unshare.
Information released reactively costs staff, customers, OEM goodwill, and price — often in ways that don't surface for months. A curated information architecture, released in stages tied to NDA depth, protects what can be protected and gives up only what is earned.
Position yourself as the decision-maker.
An M&A process is transactional, but it is also ego-driven on both sides of the table. The dealer principal who walks in as the clear author of the transaction — prepared, positioned, selling on their own timeline — ends up with a different result than the one walking in reactive. The first four shifts are what allow this positioning to be earned.
Four phases. One principal. Through close.
Coussa Group runs every step from initial valuation to final closing — so you can focus on running your dealership while we drive the transaction.
Confidential Valuation
We assess franchise value, blue-sky, real estate, and inventory to establish a precise market value.
- Quality-of-earnings review
- Add-back defense
- Real-estate / PropCo analysis
Buyer Identification & NDA
We approach pre-qualified buyers from our network — no public listings, no unsolicited calls.
- Curated buyer shortlist
- NDA-gated outreach
- Teaser → CIM release
Negotiation & Due Diligence
We manage LOIs, due-diligence, and buyer communications — protecting your interests at every stage.
- IOIs → competitive LOIs
- Data-room management
- Definitive-agreement negotiation
OEM Approval & Closing
We coordinate manufacturer approvals, legal docs, and a smooth transfer of ownership.
- OEM buy-sell submission
- FIRPTA / cross-border filings
- Closing & transition plan
What sets our sell-side practice apart.
Four standards that govern every engagement. No shortcuts, no surprises, no public listings.
Complete Confidentiality
Every inquiry, valuation, and buyer introduction handled under NDA. Staff, customers, and OEM partners never know until you decide.
Deep Dealership Domain Knowledge
Franchise agreements, OEM approvals, real estate, cross-border structuring, and the nuances that make automotive M&A unique.
Pre-Qualified Buyer Network
No public listings. Curated buyers who’ve signed NDAs, verified capital, and committed to a confidential process.
Outcome-Aligned Process
Structured competitive process designed around the seller’s priorities. Multiple qualified buyers, NDA-gated diligence, terms that protect more than headline price.
Also from Coussa Group We run a parallel buy-side practice for dealer groups, private equity, and family offices acquiring across North America. The full sell-side framework is detailed in The 5 Shifts.
What is your dealership worth today?
Market conditions shift quickly. A confidential valuation accounts for franchise value, real estate, blue-sky, inventory, and current buyer demand — giving you an accurate, actionable number before you commit to anything.
- ✓NDA-bound from the first call. Every inquiry, valuation, and buyer introduction is under NDA.
- ✓No signal to the market. No public listings. Your staff, customers, and OEM never know.
- ✓Senior advisors run the engagement. Coussa Group is principal-led, not a junior-banker rotation.
Thank you — your request has been received.
We've sent a confidential NDA to your email via Zoho Sign. Once signed, our M&A team will reach out within one business day to schedule a confidential valuation discussion.
Everything you share with Coussa Group is held in strict confidence.
We never share your information.
Every inquiry is handled with complete discretion. Take the first step toward understanding your options — with no obligation.