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    Franchise opportunities compared

    CAR-X vs Grease Monkey Centers

    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 FDDGMGrease Monkey Centers2025 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    CAR-X

    $396,200 – $582,000

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Grease Monkey Centers

    $291,320 – $1,972,033

    2025 FDD · Item 7

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    CAR-X

    Not available

    Grease Monkey Centers

    $39,900

    2025 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 17

    Royalty · Item 6

    CAR-X

    2.5%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15

    Grease Monkey Centers

    10%

    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 22

    Before you compare

    • CAR-X figures come from its 2026 FDD and Grease Monkey Centers figures from its 2025 FDD, so the years differ.
    • CAR-X and Grease Monkey Centers disclose 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, Grease Monkey Centers: 14). Different groups are not directly comparable.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    CAR-X

    $396,200 – $582,000
    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Grease Monkey Centers

    $291,320 – $1,972,033
    2025 FDD · Item 7
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    CAR-X

    Not available
    No single standard fee identified

    Grease Monkey Centers

    $39,900
    2025 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 17
    Royalty (Item 6)

    CAR-X

    2.5%
    Royalty — introductory rate first 180 days
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15

    Grease Monkey Centers

    10%
    Royalty Rebate Program
    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 22
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    CAR-X

    $10,000
    Initial advertising fee — low
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14

    Grease Monkey Centers

    1%
    Advertising Contribution maximum — 1%
    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 19

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    CAR-X

    97
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 52

    Grease Monkey Centers

    371
    Outlets at end of 2024
    2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 64
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    CAR-X

    −27
    Calculated: 124 at end of 2023 → 97 at end of 2025

    Grease Monkey Centers

    +34
    Calculated: 337 at end of 2022 → 371 at end of 2024
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    CAR-X

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Grease Monkey Centers

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year
    Franchising since (Item 1)

    CAR-X

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Grease Monkey Centers

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records
    Franchisor founded (Item 1)

    CAR-X

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Grease Monkey Centers

    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
    GMGrease Monkey Centers
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Franchisee-owned Grease Monkey Centers in Bottom Quartile of Sales Revenue Aver…
    61 percent
    other EBITDAR centers exceeding average percentage
    2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 61
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Franchisee-owned Grease Monkey Centers in Category E (greater than $1,000,000 a…
    $368,273
    other Cost of Goods Sold
    2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 59
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Franchisee-owned Grease Monkey Centers in Category E, annual sales range as spe…
    75.2 percent
    other Gross Profit percent of sales
    2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 59
    +11 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 Grease Monkey Centers: common questions

    Which costs less to open, CAR-X or Grease Monkey Centers?
    CAR-X: $396,200 – $582,000 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Grease Monkey Centers: $291,320 – $1,972,033 (2025 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Grease Monkey Centers. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do CAR-X and Grease Monkey Centers royalties compare?
    CAR-X: 2.5% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15); Grease Monkey Centers: 10% (2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 22). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Which has more locations, CAR-X or Grease Monkey Centers?
    CAR-X: 97 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 52); Grease Monkey Centers: 371 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 64). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do CAR-X and Grease Monkey Centers disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    CAR-X has reviewed Item 19 figures for 1 location group; Grease Monkey Centers has reviewed Item 19 figures for 14 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

    Keep researching

    Full CAR-X report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

    GM

    Full Grease Monkey Centers report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

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