Cronin Auto Group

Cronin Auto Group built a high-output buy center in under 90 days—adding 104 private-party units with more than 50 in a single month.

Type:

Franchise

Brand:

Stellantis

Problem:

Auction Dependence

Recon Erosion

Solution:

Streamlined Workflow

Listing Aggregation

Success Training

Problem

Trade-ins weren’t cutting it. Auctions were expensive and unpredictable. And retail customers were already selling to each other on Facebook.

Strategy

Cronin committed to outbound private-party buying across the group. They staffed full-time buyers, used a centralized platform to manage everything, and built daily discipline around follow-up.

Results

Over 100 cars acquired in less than 90 days. One buyer more than doubled her previous yearly total in a single month. And the entire team now sees acquisition as a core competitive edge.

Key Metrics

104

Purchased in Under 90 Days

54

Units in One Month

20+

Units from One Buyer

All In from the Start

Cronin didn’t test private-party acquisition. They went all in.

“We weren’t looking to dip a toe in,” said GM Andy Gruber.
The dealership was already moving volume. Their used inventory turned at 120 to 150 percent. They were built to do 200 cars a month and needed 100+ used units on the ground at all times.

But the challenge wasn’t selling, it was sourcing.
Trade-ins were inconsistent. Auctions were eating gross through recon and transport. And retail customers were already active in the FSBO market.

“We’ve always believed in buying from the public,” Andy said. “But we didn’t have a system around it. It wasn’t scalable.”

That changed after a meeting with VETTX. Andy and Managing Partner Chevas Sparks saw the playbook and got to work.

Results in Under 90 Days

In less than three months, Cronin’s team had purchased 104 cars off the street.

54 came in a single month
One buyer delivered 20 alone
And those weren’t soft leads, these were closed deals, most from outbound follow-up

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“I bought ten cars in the entire first year that I was here. I’ve bought 17 this month.”

Tarynn Theobald, Buying Director

Building a Daily Acquisition Machine

Tarynn, Matt, and Dan, a few of their full-time buyers, work private-party leads inside the VETTX platform.

Each day starts by scanning fresh listings. The system automatically filters out dealer ads and salvage titles. Buyers assign the ones they want and begin outreach from a shared, organized queue.

No Facebook screenshots. No Excel trackers.
Just clean handoffs, real-time notes, and all conversations in one place.

“We used to lose deals just trying to remember where a conversation happened,” Tarynn said. “Now it’s all there. I walk in, pull up my queue, and start moving.”

Buyers control when and how to follow up. Most wins come from consistent outreach, days or even weeks after the initial offer.

“I bought four cars in one day,” said Matt Hunt. “All from people I’d made offers to a week ago. They came back around, and I was ready.”

Support Behind the Scenes

The tech alone isn’t what made this work.
Cronin has weekly strategy calls with Jack Tolan, VP of Customer Success at VETTX, and their assigned CSM, Cameron.

They troubleshoot real seller conversations, optimize offers, and fine-tune the follow-up cadence based on buyer behavior.

“We workshop real conversations,” Jack said. “What’s working, what to change, how to keep momentum. This team actually uses the feedback.”

Leadership buy-in made a big difference. Andy knew acquisition wasn’t a side project, it needed ownership, structure, and consistency.

Bigger Than Just Cars

Cronin isn’t just flipping more vehicles. They’re building long-term customers.

“I’ve had repeat customers,” Tarynn said. “I’ve had people come in because their neighbor told them about me. It’s becoming a real thing.”

Buyers are going above and beyond, delivering paperwork, topping off tanks, and following up after the sale. Those touches turn sellers into advocates.