Strickland Brothers vs Valvoline Instant Oil Change
Strickland Brothers vs Valvoline Instant Oil Change: Strickland Brothers costs $221K to $364K to open; Valvoline Instant Oil Change costs $821K to $2.1M. Strickland Brothers has 35 units, Valvoline Instant Oil Change has 84. SBA loan history: Strickland Brothers = 42 loans (0.0% default); Valvoline Instant Oil Change = 94 loans (4.3% default). The franchise with more SBA funded units, a lower SBA default rate, and a lower royalty load is the safer financing bet; see the comparison below.
Strickland Brothers vs Valvoline Instant Oil Change: Capital, Scale & Lending Analysis
Analysis based on FDD filings and SBA 7(a) loan level data. Each pairing reflects a unique combination of capital intensity, system scale, and financing path.
Capital Intensity
Strickland Brothers requires the lower minimum capital commitment ($221K vs $821K for Valvoline Instant Oil Change), a 73% spread. Ongoing royalty load is 5% for Strickland Brothers and 6% for Valvoline Instant Oil Change, giving Strickland Brothers the lighter per-unit drag on operating income.
System Scale & Tenure
On scale, Valvoline Instant Oil Change operates 84 units to Strickland Brothers's 35, roughly 2× the system size. Valvoline Instant Oil Change has been operating 40 years (founded 1986) versus 10 for Strickland Brothers (founded 2016), a 30-year tenure gap that affects unit-economics maturity and FDD revision history.
SBA Lending Profile
Valvoline Instant Oil Change has the deeper SBA lending track record, with 94 7(a) approvals compared with 42 for Strickland Brothers.
Risk Signal
SBA default rates are 0.0% for Strickland Brothers and 4.3% for Valvoline Instant Oil Change, Strickland Brothers has the cleaner SBA loss record by 4.3 points. PeerSense FPI scores come in at 65 (Strong) for Strickland Brothers and 56 (Moderate) for Valvoline Instant Oil Change, giving Strickland Brothers the stronger composite signal across SBA performance, lender appetite, and operational consistency.
Health & Performance
FPI Score | 65/100 | 56/100 |
Health Tier | Strong | Moderate |
Confidence | N/A | N/A |
Lending Trend | Declining | Declining |
SBA Lending
SBA Loans | 42 | 94 |
SBA Volume | – | – |
Default Rate | 0.0% | 4.3% |
Peer Tier | established | established |
Investment & Costs
Total Investment | $221K to $364K | $821K to $2.1M |
Franchise Fee | N/A | $30K |
Royalty Rate | 5% | 6% |
Ad Fund | 5% | 5% |
Liquid Capital | N/A | N/A |
Net Worth Required | N/A | $1.0M |
Financial Performance (Item 19)
Item 19 Status | Not Disclosed | Disclosed |
System Size & Operations
Total Units | 35 | 84 |
Franchised Units | 35 | 84 |
Company Owned | – | – |
Term Length | N/A | 15 yrs |
Brand Information
Year Founded | 2016 | 1986 |
Franchising Since | 2019 | 1960 |
Years Franchising | 7 yrs | 66 yrs |
Headquarters | N/A | Cottonwood, AZ |
Category | Automotive Oil Change | Automotive Oil Change |
Website | ||
FDD Year | N/A | 2025 |
Which Is Better, Strickland Brothers or Valvoline Instant Oil Change?
Lower upfront capital required
Tie
Strickland Brothers: $221K starting · Valvoline Instant Oil Change: $821K starting
More SBA lender confidence
Valvoline Instant Oil Change
Strickland Brothers: 42 SBA loans · Valvoline Instant Oil Change: 94 SBA loans
Lower SBA default rate
Strickland Brothers
Strickland Brothers: 0.0% · Valvoline Instant Oil Change: 4.3%
Larger system & brand presence
Tie
Strickland Brothers: 35 units · Valvoline Instant Oil Change: 84 units
Lower ongoing royalty load
Strickland Brothers
Strickland Brothers: 5% · Valvoline Instant Oil Change: 6%
More lender financing options
Valvoline Instant Oil Change
Strickland Brothers: 8 unique lenders · Valvoline Instant Oil Change: 59 unique lenders
Decision matrix uses publicly disclosed FDD and SBA loan data. Not a recommendation. Your best franchise depends on capital, market, operating capacity, and risk tolerance.
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About These Franchises
Strickland Brothers vs Valvoline Instant Oil Change: Franchise Funding Comparison
Comparing Strickland Brothers and Valvoline Instant Oil Change is about more than brand preference. It's about which franchise fits your financial profile and funding strategy. Investment ranges from $221K to $2.1M.
Strickland Brothers has 42 SBA loans on record and Valvoline Instant Oil Change has 94. Those totals are cumulative history rather than a measure of current appetite. Recent lending activity is trending down for at least one of these brands, so current lender appetite has to be checked deal by deal rather than assumed from the totals.
SBA 7(a) loans are the most common franchise funding vehicle, offering up to $5M with as little as 10% down. PeerSense connects franchise buyers with the specific lenders who have approved loans for these brands, not generic referrals, but lenders with actual franchise lending track records.
Data sourced from SBA loan records, Franchise Disclosure Documents, and public filings. Updated regularly. Not financial advice, consult with a lending professional before making investment decisions.
Strickland Brothers vs Valvoline Instant Oil Change, Frequently Asked Questions
Which is a better franchise investment, Strickland Brothers or Valvoline Instant Oil Change?
How much does a Strickland Brothers franchise cost compared to Valvoline Instant Oil Change?
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Which has a lower SBA default rate, Strickland Brothers or Valvoline Instant Oil Change?
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Page Review
Reviewed by Edward L. Freeman, Founder and Managing Director, PeerSense
- PeerSense is a capital advisory firm that places commercial financing with direct capital sources; the capital source sets final terms.
- Edward L. Freeman founded PeerSense in January 2020.
- He is a Registered Franchise Consultant with Business Alliance, Inc., a credential issued in March 2022, and worked as a franchise consultant there from March 2022 to May 2023.
- His recorded experience includes a $22 million SBA construction loan, with about $16 million funded on the deal.
- In the 12 months through September 30, 2026, PeerSense tracked 912 publicly announced financings with a disclosed size of $361.32 billion. PeerSense Capital Data Report · Methodology page
Last reviewed LinkedIn profileAbout Edward Freeman