Start a Christian Brothers Automotive Franchise in 2024

2024 Franchise 500 Rank: #303 Ranked #223 last year

Initial investment: $530K - $645K

Units as of 2024: 280 15.7% over 3 years

From simple tune-ups to intensive diagnostics, Christian Brothers Automotive is a network of vehicle services designed to provide customers with knowledge, a welcoming atmosphere, and straightforward answers. In an overwhelming industry that takes advantage of a society heavily reliant on their vehicles, Christian Brothers Automotive aims to put the care back into automotive care.

Founded in 1982, Christian Brothers Automotive started its journey after its founder, Mark Carr, sought revelation to change career paths and met a friend the next day at their local church looking to open an automotive repair shop. As they say, the rest is history.

Christian Brothers Automotive sold its first franchise back in 1996, and now with over 230 locations across the United States, your Christian Brothers Automotive franchise could be next.

Why You May Want to Start a Christian Brothers Automotive Franchise

Christian Brothers Automotive is looking for franchisees dedicated to outstanding service. They should also be family-friendly, and enjoy having fun. The ideal candidate is resourceful, timely, dedicated, and persistent. If this tenacious spirit of ingenuity sounds like you, opening a Christian Brothers Automotive franchise may be the move for you.

Christian Brothers Automotive has been ranked in Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 many times in the past decade. This ranking is based on an evaluation of more than 150 data points in the areas of costs and fees, size and growth, franchisee support, brand strength, and financial strength and stability.

What Might Make a Christian Brothers Automotive Franchise a Good Choice?

Opening a Christian Brothers Automotive franchise may offer a more predictable outcome than investing in a completely new brand that could struggle to thrive in an already crowded and competitive industry.

Maintaining and repairing vehicles isn’t an extravagance, but a necessity. Manufacturing standards may continue to rise, producing higher-quality vehicles than previous generations. This may mean that cars are meant to last longer, and they need a maintenance team that can care for them and their owners. Christian Brothers Automotive trains their staff and franchisees to recognize the disruptiveness car trouble brings, as well as how to resolve the problem swiftly, consistently, and honestly.

How To Open a Christian Brothers Automotive Franchise

To be part of the Christian Brothers Automotive team, you should make sure you’re financially ready for an initial investment made up of a franchise fee and other startup costs. In addition, you should prepare yourself for ongoing fees that will include advertising, royalty, and potential renewal fees. Franchisees will also need to meet the company’s set net worth and liquid capital requirements.

Before making any financial commitment or signing an agreement with Christian Brothers Automotive, you must perform your due diligence and establish if this is the right opportunity for you. Ensure that you take time to explore the opportunity. Research the brand and your local area to see if a Christian Brothers Automotive franchise would do well in your community. You may also want to speak to existing franchisees and ask the team any questions as you prepare to franchise with the brand.

Company Overview

About Christian Brothers Automotive

Industry	Automotive
Related Categories	Automotive Repair & Maintenance Services, Miscellaneous Automotive Products & Services
Founded	1982
Parent Company	Christian Brothers Automotive Corp.
Leadership	Donnie Carr, President & CEO
Corporate Address	17725 Katy Fwy., #200 Houston, TX 77094
Social	Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest

Business Overview

Franchising Since	1996 (28 years)
# of employees at HQ	147
Where seeking	This company is offering new franchises throughout the US.
# of Units	280 (as of 2024)

Information for Franchisees

Here's what you need to know if you're interested in opening a Christian Brothers Automotive franchise.

Financial Requirements & Ongoing Fees

Here's what you can expect to spend to start the business and what ongoing fees the franchisor charges throughout the life of the business.

Initial Franchise Fee Definition: The initial fee paid to a franchisor to join their system What you need to know: Found in Item 5 of the FDD, this may be a flat fee, or may vary based on territory size, experience, or other factors.The franchise fee is an up-front (one-time) cost that a new franchisee pays to the franchisor. This fee is usually due at the signing of the franchise agreement and covers the right to use the franchisor's trademarks, name, and related business systems.	$135,000
Initial Investment Definition: The total amount necessary to begin operation of the franchise What you need to know: The initial investment includes the franchise fee, along with other startup expenses such as real estate, equipment, supplies, business licenses, and working capital. This is outlined in a chart in Item 7 of the FDD, showing a range of possible costs from low to high.	$530,250 - $645,400
Net Worth Requirement Definition: The minimum net worth you must have in order to qualify to become a franchisee of this company What you need to know: Net worth is the value of a person's assets minus liabilities. Assets include cash, stocks, retirement accounts, and real estate. Liabilities include items like mortgages, car payments, and credit card debt.	$250,000
Cash Requirement Definition: The minimum liquid capital you must have available in order to qualify to become a franchisee of this company.	$85,000
Veteran Incentives Definition: A discount or other incentive offered to military veterans who buy a franchise with this company.	10% off franchise fee
Royalty Fee Definition: A ongoing fee paid to the franchisor on a regular basis. What you need to know: Most franchisors require franchisees to pay an ongoing royalty fee, which is detailed in Item 6 of the FDD. This fee is typically a percentage of weekly or monthly gross sales, but may also be a flat weekly, monthly, or annual fee.	Varies
Ad Royalty Fee Definition: An going fee paid to the franchisor on a regular basis to support advertising or marketing efforts. What you need to know: This may also be called advertising fee, marketing fee, brand fund fee, and more, but the basic purpose is the same-- to support promotion of the brand systemwide. As with the royalty fee, it is detailed in Item 6 of the FDD, and can be a percentage of weekly or monthly gross sales or a weekly, monthly, or annual fee.	$12.5K/yr.
Term of Agreement Definition: The length of time your franchise agreement will last. What you need to know: Franchise terms are typically anywhere from 5 to 20 years in length, but are sometimes instead dependent on factors such as the term of your lease. Once your term is up, you may have the option to renew your agreement, typically for a smaller fee than the original franchise fee.	15 years
Is franchise term renewable?	Yes

Financing Options

Some franchisors offer in-house financing, while others have relationships with third-party financing sources to which they refer qualified franchisees.

In-House Financing	Christian Brothers Automotive offers in-house financing to cover the following: franchise fee, startup costs, equipment
Third Party Financing	Christian Brothers Automotive has relationships with third-party sources which offer financing to cover the following: equipment, inventory, accounts receivable, payroll

Training & Support Offered

Franchisors offer initial training programs and a variety of ongoing support options to help franchisees run their businesses.

On-The-Job Training	420 hours
Classroom Training	280 hours
Ongoing Support	Purchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings & Conventions Grand Opening Online Support Security & Safety Procedures Lease Negotiation Field Operations Site Selection Proprietary Software Franchisee Intranet Platform
Marketing Support	Co-op Advertising Ad Templates National Media Regional Advertising Social Media SEO Website Development Email Marketing Loyalty Program/App

Operations

Additional details about running this franchise.

Is absentee ownership allowed?	No
Can this franchise be run from home/mobile unit? Definition: The business can be run from your home and/or a vehicle, and it is not necessary to have a retail facility, office space, or warehouse.	No
Can this franchise be run part time? Definition: This business can be run by the owner on a part-time basis (less than 40 hours per week) and/or as a side business; it is not necessary for the business to be open/run full-time.	No
# of employees required to run	8
Are exclusive territories available? Definition: An exclusive territory is a fixed area in which you are given the right to operate and in which no other units of the same franchise may be opened. What you need to know: Territory size may be based on factors such as radius, population size, zip codes, and more. Details can be found in Item 12 of the FDD.	Yes