Aug. 30, 2018

A vacant used-car lot on Minnesota Avenue is filling up with vehicles again.

The Auto Group moved its business from the Tea exit at Interstate 29 to 2524 S. Minnesota Ave. That’s the former site of Autoland, which built a new home in northwest Sioux Falls.

Owner Jay VanEssen, who has worked in the auto industry for 35 years, started The Auto Group three years ago. He decided it was time to expand and move into Sioux Falls.

“That location came open, and I thought, that’s a great little spot,” he said.

“We’re going to be able to double our inventory,” said VanEssen, who is on the hunt for more used vehicles.

“We carry school cars around $5,000 and cars all the way up to $30,000,” he said. The Auto Group tries to price its inventory for less than “anybody within 100 miles.”

The main goal is “to treat people right,” Van Essen said. “That’s easy to say, but we do it. If a starter goes out two weeks from now on a car you bought from us, we’ll fix it for free. If a transmission goes out, we’ll fix it for free.”