CARSTAR vs Valvoline Instant Oil Change
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
Valvoline Instant Oil Change
Automotive
Investment
$192K to $3.5M
Franchise fee
$30,000
Item 19 status
Revenue Only
Units
962
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 | Valvoline Instant Oil Change |
|---|---|---|
Franchise Fee | $10,000 | $30,000 |
Min Investment | $24K | $192K |
Max Investment | $804K | $3.5M |
Royalty Rate | 5.5% | 6.0% |
Ad Fund Rate | 1.0% | 2.0% |
Total Ongoing Burden Royalty plus ad fund when available. | 6.5% | 8.0% |
Median Revenue (Item 19) | $2.6M | $1.5M |
Cash-on-Cash Return Estimated when revenue and margin assumptions are available. | 52.4% | 5.8% |
Payback Period | 1.9 yrs | 17.2 yrs |
Revenue per Dollar Invested | 6.17x | 0.83x |
Franchised Units | 455 | 962 |
1-Year Net Unit Change | 16 | 101 |
Net Unit Growth Rate | 3.6% | 11.5% |
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 | 33 |
Average SBA Loan Size | $1.1M | $1.1M |
Item 19 Status | Cost Data Only | Revenue Only |
Has Item 19 | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Data Quality Score | 100 | 100 |
What stands out
- • CARSTAR opens at $24K to $804K, while Valvoline Instant Oil Change ranges from $192K to $3.5M.
- • CARSTAR shows an Item 19 disclosure; Valvoline Instant Oil Change shows an Item 19 disclosure.
- • CARSTAR has 455 franchised units versus 962 for Valvoline Instant Oil Change.
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Last updated: April 2026