Econo Lube N' Tune & Brakes franchise
2022 filing · June 22, 2022Fewer locations
Econo Lube N' Tune & Brakes at a glance
An auto service center offering oil changes, tune-ups, brakes and minor repairs. At the end of 2021 there were 10 Econo Lube N' Tune & Brakes locations in the US, all franchised.
The business
- Franchisor
- Econo Lube Franchisor SPV LLC
- The company that sells the franchises
- Franchisor based in
- Charlotte, North Carolina
What you pay
- Cost to open
- $184K–$404K
- Fee, build-out and opening working capital
- Franchise fee
- $30,000
- Paid once, when you sign
- Royalty
- 5% + minimum
- The greater of 5% of gross revenues or $612.10 a week, paid weekly
- Brand fund
- 0.5%
- 0.5% of gross revenue
- Renewal fee
- $3,000
- When the agreement ends and you sign again
- Agreement length
- 15 years
- Territory
- Limited
- Limited protection
- Franchisor financing
- None offered
Where it is
- US locations, 2021
- 10
- Franchised and company-owned
- Franchised
- 10
- Company-owned
- 0
- Change in 3 years
- −6
- Franchised locations, 2019–2021
- States
- 3
- Most in California, Arizona and Texas
From Econo Lube Franchisor SPV LLC’s 2022 filing; SBA status from the SBA Franchise Directory, October 28, 2026.
Where it ranks
Econo Lube N' Tune & Brakes among all franchises with the same figure.
| Figure | Econo Lube N' Tune & Brakes | Among all franchises |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, midpointHalfway between the low and high estimate | $294,377 | Costs less than 57% of franchises |
| Franchise feePaid once, when you sign | $30,000 | Lower than 72% of franchises |
| RoyaltyShare of sales paid to the franchisor | 5% | Lower than 69% of brands with a set rate |
| US locationsFranchised and company-owned | 10 | Fewer than 61% of franchises |
How much a Econo Lube N' Tune & Brakes franchise costs
Opening one Econo Lube N' Tune & Brakes costs an estimated $184,377 to $404,377. That covers the franchise fee and everything else needed to open, through the first months of working capital.
The biggest costs are equipment and other fixed assets ($33,925 to $167,750) and additional funds - 3 months ($77,868 to $91,627). Here is every line of the estimate as filed:
| What it pays for | Range | Low | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $30,000 | ||
| Security Deposit | $2,500 | ||
| Application Fee | $250 | ||
| Travel and Living Expenses while Training | $2,000 | $3,500 | |
| Real Property (if Leased or Subleased) | $6,000 | $15,000 | |
| Equipment and other Fixed Assets | $33,925 | $167,750 | |
| Computer System | $2,084 | $7,500 | |
| Waste Oil Tank | $0 | $15,000 | |
| Diagnostic Scanning Equipment | $5,000 | $15,000 | |
| Opening Inventory | $12,000 | $15,000 | |
| Security Deposits, Utility Deposits, Insurance, other Prepaid Expenses | $9,000 | $30,000 | |
| Pre-Opening Payroll | $3,750 | $11,250 | |
| Additional Funds - 3 Months | $77,868 | $91,627 | |
| Total | $184,377 | $404,377 | |
Source: Econo Lube Franchisor SPV LLC, 2022 filing, page 27
Econo Lube N' Tune & Brakes franchise fee
The franchise fee is $30,000. You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.
Source: Econo Lube Franchisor SPV LLC, 2022 filing, page 23
Royalty and ongoing fees
| Royalty | The greater of 5% of gross revenues or $612.10 a week, paid weekly. |
|---|---|
| Brand or marketing fund | 0.5% of gross revenue. |
| Transfer Fee | $3,000 |
| Renewal Fee | $3,000 |
| Training Fee | $5,000 |
The typical franchise royalty is 6% of sales, plus 2% for marketing. See franchise fees and royalties to compare.
Source: Econo Lube Franchisor SPV LLC, 2022 filing, page 24
Other fees as filed, from pages 24–25. The filing lists every fee, including late fees and audit costs.
Sales and earnings
No figures Econo Lube N' Tune & Brakes does not share sales or profit figures for its locations. Talking to current and former franchise owners is the usual way to learn what a location earns.
Source: Econo Lube Franchisor SPV LLC, 2022 filing, page 51
SBA loans to Econo Lube N' Tune & Brakes franchisees
Lenders approved 5 SBA-backed loans for Econo Lube N' Tune & Brakes franchisees from 2015 to 2021, $1.61M in all: 4 7(a) loans and 1 504 loan. Of the 2 that have ended, 1 was paid in full and 1 was charged off. The other 3 haven’t ended yet.
A charged-off loan is one written off as uncollectible. See SBA franchise loans for how 7(a) and 504 loans work.
Source: SBA 7(a) and 504 loan data, as of September 30, 2026
Growth and closures
Share of franchised locations, 2021 / 2019–2021. Typical means the median: half of brands are above it, half below.
| Measure | Econo Lube N' Tune & Brakes | Typical oil change brand | Typical franchise |
|---|---|---|---|
| GrowthNet change in franchised locations | −29% / −38% | +2.6% / 0% | +1.2% / +10% |
| ClosuresTerminated, not renewed or stopped operating | 29% / 38% | 1.5% / 13% | 3.9% / 16% |
| Bought backLocations the franchisor took back | 0% / 0% | 0.1% / 0.7% | 0% / 0% |
Typical oil change brand is the median of the 7 brands in oil change franchises with three years of counts.
How Econo Lube N' Tune & Brakes compares
Of the 12 oil change franchises on this site, Econo Lube N' Tune & Brakes is the 2nd cheapest to open and the 11th largest by number of locations.
| Figure | Econo Lube N' Tune & Brakes | Typical oil change brand | Typical franchise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, low end | $184K | $242K | $222K |
| Cost to open, high end | $404K | $648K | $477K |
| Franchise fee | $30K | $40K | $40K |
| Royalty | 5% | 6% | 6% |
| Brand fund | 0.5% | 1% | 2% |
| US locations | 10 | 57 | 21 |
| Shares earnings figures | No | 10 of 12 | 2,147 of 3,352 |
Typical is the median across the 12 brands in oil change franchises; typical franchise, across every brand here.
Locations opened and closed
| Year | Franchised | Company-owned | Opened | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 14 (−2) | 0 | 0 | −2 |
| 2020 | 14 (0) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | 10 (−4) | 0 | 0 | −4 |
Closed or left counts terminations, non-renewals, locations bought back by the franchisor and locations that stopped operating.
See which brands grew most in the fastest-growing franchises rankings.
More in the guides: auto repair franchise costs and franchise failure rates.
Source: Econo Lube Franchisor SPV LLC, 2022 filing, page 52
Where Econo Lube N' Tune & Brakes locations are
At the end of 2021, Econo Lube N' Tune & Brakes had franchised locations in 3 states. The most are in California, Arizona and Texas.
- California8
- Arizona1
- Texas1
| State | Franchised |
|---|---|
| California | 8 |
| Arizona | 1 |
| Texas | 1 |
Source: Econo Lube Franchisor SPV LLC, 2022 filing, page 53
Who owns Econo Lube N' Tune & Brakes?
Econo Lube N' Tune & Brakes franchises are sold by Econo Lube Franchisor SPV LLC. It is a subsidiary of Driven Systems LLC.
Econo Lube N' Tune & Brakes is one of the 9 Driven Brands franchises here. Driven Brands Holdings is a public company based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Its shares trade on Nasdaq as DRVN.
From Econo Lube Franchisor SPV LLC’s 2022 filing, page 7; SEC.
Lawsuits and bankruptcy
| Lawsuits and regulatory actions | Yes. The filing describes past or pending cases involving the franchisor, its affiliates or its executives on pages 20–22. |
|---|---|
| Bankruptcy | None. The filing says no bankruptcy has to be disclosed. |
Franchisors must disclose lawsuits and bankruptcies involving the company, its parents and affiliates, and its executives. Many cases are routine disputes with franchisees over fees or contracts; read the descriptions in the filing and ask current owners about anything that worries you.
Source: Econo Lube Franchisor SPV LLC, 2022 filing, litigation on pages 20–22, bankruptcy on page 22
Econo Lube N' Tune & Brakes filings
The figures on this page come from Econo Lube Franchisor SPV LLC’s 2022 filing, issued June 22, 2022, on record with the NASAA Electronic Filing Depository.
| Filing | Issued | Registry | On this page |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 filing | June 22, 2022 | NASAA depository | Costs, fees and locations, 2019–2021 |
Each link opens the filing as a PDF. See the newest filings across all brands.
Other oil change franchises
All oil change franchises
Econo Lube N' Tune & Brakes is also on these lists: auto repair franchises.
Other brands from Driven Brands: 1-800-Radiator & A/C, Abra Auto Body & Glass, CARSTAR, Fix Auto, Maaco, Meineke, Merlin and Take 5 Oil Change. See all 9 in the finder