Strickland Brothers vs Valvoline Instant Oil Change
Strickland Brothers vs Valvoline Instant Oil Change: Strickland Brothers costs $221K–$364K to open; Valvoline Instant Oil Change costs $821K–$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, lower default rate, and lower royalty load is the safer financing bet — see the comparison below.
Strickland Brothers vs Valvoline Instant Oil Change — Capital, Scale & Lending Analysis
Data-driven differentiation pulled from 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 historical 7(a) approvals versus 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 historical loss profile 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 – $364K | $821K – $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 | Not 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 | 2026 |
Which Is Better — Strickland Brothers or Valvoline Instant Oil Change?
Lower upfront capital required
Strickland Brothers
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 historical default rate
Strickland Brothers
Strickland Brothers: 0.0% · Valvoline Instant Oil Change: 4.3%
Larger system & brand presence
Valvoline Instant Oil Change
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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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.
Both brands have active SBA lending histories — Strickland Brothers with 42 SBA loans and Valvoline Instant Oil Change with 94. This means proven lender acceptance and established underwriting paths for franchise buyers.
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.