CARSTAR vs Grease Monkey
Compare franchise fees, investment range, royalties, SBA lending performance, unit growth, and Item 19 transparency with a permanent shareable URL.
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CARSTAR
Automotive
Investment
$24K to $804K
Franchise fee
$10,000
Item 19 status
Cost Data Only
Units
455
Grease Monkey
Automotive
Investment
$291K to $2.0M
Franchise fee
$39,900
Item 19 status
Cost Data Only
Units
201
Lower entry cost
Leans left
Based on minimum initial investment.
Better disclosed economics
Even
Uses Item 19 availability and transparency status.
Lower SBA default risk
Even
Treat low-loan brands carefully, sample size matters.
| Metric | CARSTAR | Grease Monkey |
|---|---|---|
Franchise Fee | $10,000 | $39,900 |
Min Investment | $24K | $291K |
Max Investment | $804K | $2.0M |
Royalty Rate | 5.5% | 6.0% |
Ad Fund Rate | 1.0% | 0.5% |
Total Ongoing Burden Royalty plus ad fund when available. | 6.5% | 6.5% |
Median Revenue (Item 19) | $2.6M | $373K |
Cash-on-Cash Return Estimated when revenue and margin assumptions are available. | 52.4% | 2.8% |
Payback Period | 1.9 yrs | 35.7 yrs |
Revenue per Dollar Invested | 6.17x | 0.33x |
Franchised Units | 455 | 201 |
1-Year Net Unit Change | 16 | 20 |
Net Unit Growth Rate | 3.6% | 10.7% |
Net Closure Rate Net closure proxy based on disclosed unit change. | N/A | N/A |
SBA Default Rate | 0.0% | 0.0% |
SBA Loan Count Use this to judge whether SBA default data is statistically meaningful. | 44 | 105 |
Average SBA Loan Size | $1.1M | $893K |
Item 19 Status | Cost Data Only | Cost Data Only |
Has Item 19 | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Data Quality Score | 100 | 100 |
What stands out
- • CARSTAR opens at $24K to $804K, while Grease Monkey ranges from $291K to $2.0M.
- • CARSTAR shows an Item 19 disclosure; Grease Monkey shows an Item 19 disclosure.
- • CARSTAR has 455 franchised units versus 201 for Grease Monkey.
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Last updated: April 2026