Which costs less to open, CAR-X or Christian Brothers Automotive?

CAR-X: $396,200 – $582,000 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Christian Brothers Automotive: $515,250 – $650,400 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 29). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for CAR-X. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.

How do CAR-X and Christian Brothers Automotive royalties compare?

CAR-X: 2.5% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15); Christian Brothers Automotive: 50% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.

Which has more locations, CAR-X or Christian Brothers Automotive?

CAR-X: 97 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 52); Christian Brothers Automotive: 326 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 73). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.

Do CAR-X and Christian Brothers Automotive disclose financial performance (Item 19)?

CAR-X has reviewed Item 19 figures for 1 location group; Christian Brothers Automotive has reviewed Item 19 figures for 4 location groups. Different location groups are not directly comparable, and revenue is not profit.

Franchise opportunities compared

CAR-X vs Christian Brothers Automotive

Reviewed figures from each brand's Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), side by side. Each figure carries its FDD year and page. This is not a ranking or recommendation, and the two FDDs may cover different years and location groups.

CAR-X2026 FDD

Christian Brothers Automotive2026 FDD

Initial investment · Item 7

CAR-X

$396,200 – $582,000

2026 FDD · Item 7

Christian Brothers Automotive

$515,250 – $650,400

2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 29

Initial franchise fee · Item 5

CAR-X

Not available

Christian Brothers Automotive

Not available

Royalty · Item 6

CAR-X

2.5%

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15

Christian Brothers Automotive

50%

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17

Before you compare

Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
CAR-X discloses more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
Item 19 figures cover the location groups each FDD names (CAR-X: 1, Christian Brothers Automotive: 4). Different groups are not directly comparable.

Financial commitment

Disclosure

CAR-X

Christian Brothers Automotive

Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

CAR-X

$396,200 – $582,000

2026 FDD · Item 7

Christian Brothers Automotive

$515,250 – $650,400

Total initial investment

2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 29

Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

CAR-X

Not available

No single standard fee identified

Christian Brothers Automotive

Not available

No single standard fee identified

Royalty (Item 6)

CAR-X

2.5%

Royalty — introductory rate first 180 days

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15

Christian Brothers Automotive

50%

Royalty fee share of Split Profits

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17

Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

CAR-X

$10,000

Initial advertising fee — low

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14

Christian Brothers Automotive

National and regional marketing maximum annual cost rate — 3%

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 18

System scale & health

Disclosure

CAR-X

Christian Brothers Automotive

Total outlets (Item 20)

CAR-X

Outlets at end of 2025

2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 52

Christian Brothers Automotive

326

Outlets at end of 2025

2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 73

Net outlet change (Item 20)

CAR-X

−27

Calculated: 124 at end of 2023 → 97 at end of 2025

Christian Brothers Automotive

+46

Calculated: 280 at end of 2023 → 326 at end of 2025

Outlet exits (Item 20)

CAR-X

Not available

No complete exit records for a year

Christian Brothers Automotive

Not available

No complete exit records for a year

Franchising since (Item 1)

CAR-X

Not available

Not in reviewed records

Christian Brothers Automotive

1996

From a verified franchisor listing

Franchisor founded (Item 1)

CAR-X

Not available

Not in reviewed records

Christian Brothers Automotive

Not available

Not in reviewed records

Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

CAR-X

Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record

$758,563

other Tercile 2 average gross sales

2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 50

Christian Brothers Automotive

Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Five stores with negative NOI; age categories as quoted

-$116,330.00

other Negative NOI case amount

2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 72

Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Stores open entire calendar years 2024 and 2025

280 stores

other Comparable franchisee-owned CBA stores open full years 2024 and 2025

2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 66

Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Existing franchisee figures adjusted in tables

50 percent

other Royalty fee basis used for adjusted existing franchisee figures

2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 66

+1 more groups in the full report

Item 19 groups are shown separately and never combined. Revenue or sales figures are not profit. Net outlet change and turnover are Franopolis calculations from the disclosed counts; turnover is a count-based rate, not a measure of owner earnings.

CAR-X vs Christian Brothers Automotive: common questions

Which costs less to open, CAR-X or Christian Brothers Automotive?: CAR-X: $396,200 – $582,000 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Christian Brothers Automotive: $515,250 – $650,400 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 29). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for CAR-X. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
How do CAR-X and Christian Brothers Automotive royalties compare?: CAR-X: 2.5% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15); Christian Brothers Automotive: 50% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
Which has more locations, CAR-X or Christian Brothers Automotive?: CAR-X: 97 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 52); Christian Brothers Automotive: 326 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 73). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
Do CAR-X and Christian Brothers Automotive disclose financial performance (Item 19)?: CAR-X has reviewed Item 19 figures for 1 location group; Christian Brothers Automotive has reviewed Item 19 figures for 4 location groups. Different location groups are not directly comparable, and revenue is not profit.

Answers restate the reviewed figures above. Not a ranking or recommendation.

How Franopolis reviews FDD figures