Midwest Car Exchange

Midwest Car Exchange (often shortened to MCE) is a family-run classic and muscle car dealership at 12533 S. Laramie Ave in Alsip, Illinois, southwest of Chicago. It has operated since 1991, according to its own history page, the Better Business Bureau and two newspaper articles from the late 1990s that the company reproduces on its site. It sells cars from its own stock and also lists cars for other owners.

History

The dealership's history page reprints a 1998 Regional News article and a 1999 Daily Southtown article. They say Bob Cozza and Mark Leszczynski, who met in 1989 when Leszczynski came into Cozza's auto alarm business in Alsip, started Midwest Car Exchange in 1991 after years of buying, restoring and selling classics as a sideline. The 1999 article describes a 12,000 square foot building holding 50 to 65 cars. It also says the company sold 12 to 20 cars a month, drew about 95 percent of its buyers from out of state, and received most inquiries over the internet. Those figures are more than 25 years old and should not be read as current.

Today the company describes itself as family owned and run, not a chain or franchise. Its staff page lists Donna, Mark, Eric and Tim Leszczynski, with Tim as sales manager since 2006. The Better Business Bureau lists Donna Leszczynski as president and Mark Leszczynski as vice president.

How the business works

Midwest Car Exchange is both a dealer and a broker. The 1999 article said the dealership owned about 10 percent of the cars on the floor and brokered the rest for owners who did not have the time or knowledge to store and market them. The current site says it offers both in-house sales and off-site consignment, along with storage and appraisals. We did not find published commission rates, so ask for terms in writing before you hand over a car.

What it sells

The company says it carries classic, antique, muscle and special interest vehicles. Its website in early October 2026 listed cars from the 1950s through the 2000s, mostly American: Chevrolet, Pontiac, Buick, Oldsmobile, Ford and Dodge, plus Volkswagens and a few Japanese and German cars. Featured cars included a 1967 Pontiac GTO, a 1967 Chevrolet Camaro RS, a 1968 Camaro SS, a 1973 Buick Centurion convertible and a 1990 Ford Mustang LX. Its ClassicCars.com page showed 45 vehicles. Stock turns over, so check current listings.

Buying from Midwest Car Exchange

Because most of its customers have always lived far away, the company has set up pages for financing, shipping and insurance. For loans it points to J.J. Best Banc and Co., Woodside Credit and USAA. For transport it names TFX International, Hillbilly Auto Transport, Schumacher Cargo Logistics, Berlin Motors and CFR Rinkens, and says it will help arrange shipping. For insurance it lists NCM Insurance, Hagerty and the James A. Grundy Agency. These are third parties, so compare their terms and quotes yourself. As with any remote purchase, ask for the VIN, title status and a detailed walk-around video, and consider an independent inspection.

Selling or consigning through the company

The company's sell page says sellers can choose in-house sales or off-site consignment, that cars are professionally photographed and advertised on its own site, on other classic car websites and in magazines, and that it can pick up a car in an enclosed trailer. It also says it does minor service work and detailing. If you are weighing this route, read our consignment guide first so you know what fees and agreements to expect.

Reputation

The Better Business Bureau profile shows an A+ rating, accreditation since November 2014, and no complaints closed in the last three years, as of our October 2026 check. Birdeye shows a 4.4 star average across 139 reviews, though that profile has not been claimed by the business owner. Read recent reviews yourself and judge the specific car.

Visiting Midwest Car Exchange

The showroom is at 12533 S. Laramie Ave, Alsip, IL 60803, about 8 miles south of Midway Airport and reachable from I-294, according to the company. Its website lists hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, and closed Sunday. The phone number is 708-388-5277. To see what else is for sale in the state, browse more classic cars in Illinois. Midwest Car Exchange is an independent business and has no partnership with Classic Cars Arena.