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Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Dr. Vinyl vs Automotive Maintenance Solutions including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.
Start-Up Costs and Fees |
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Investment | $41,320 - $71,500 | $118,100 - $175,600 |
Franchise Fee | $24,500 | $25,000 |
Royalty Fee | 7% | 7%/mo. |
Advertising Fee | - | - |
Year Founded | 1972 | 1962 |
Year Franchised | 1981 | 2002 |
Term Of Agreement | 10 years | 7 years |
Term Of Agreement | 10 years | 7 years |
Renewal Fee | - | - |
Business Experience Requirements |
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Experience | ||
Financing Options |
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In-House/3rd Party | In-House/3rd Party | |
Franchise Fees | Yes/No | No/No |
Start-up Costs | No/No | No/Yes |
Equipment | No/No | No/Yes |
Inventory | No/No | No/Yes |
Receivables | No/No | No/No |
Payroll | No/No | No/No |
Training & Support |
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Training | - | - |
Support | Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperatives | Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperatives |
Marketing | Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, National media | Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, National media, Regional advertising |
Operations |
Franchise can be run from home. International franchisees required to buy multiple units/master licenses; 10% of all franchisees own more than one unit Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 1 Absentee ownership of franchise is NOT allowed. (99% of current franchisees are owner/operators) |
0% of all franchisees own more than one unit Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 3 - 4
Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. |
Expansion Plans |
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US Expansion | - | - |
Canada Expansion | No | No |
International Expansion | Yes | No |
Former aerospace employee W. David Isley founded Dr. Vinyl in 1972 in Kansas City, Missouri. He and his wife, Marcia, worked with local restaurants, repairing torn, burnt, chipped and peeling vinyl booths and chairs, but soon discovered there were many similar repairs to be done at car dealerships. The couple did repairs for clients in the Kansas City area until 1981, when they began franchising.
Dr. Vinyl franchisees offers bumper repair, automotive paint touch-up, paintless dent removal, and vinyl siding repair in addition to the leather and vinyl repairs the Isleys introduced over 40 years ago.
In January of 2001, Dr. Vinyl was sold to Richard Reinders, formerly the company's European Master Franchisee. It now allows franchisees to purchase shares in the parent company.
Two generations of the Sheldrick family have contributed to the success of the system. After the first location opened in the 60s, people have learned a lot about quality automotive service. Back then, the Sheldricks had to teach people about the value of regular automotive maintenance services, in general. Now, our reputation is so solid, we grow our business daily by word-of-mouth! The Sheldricks were not planning to sell just any common oil change. They researched the market and the competition and decided that performing complete automotive maintenance actually increased the performance of their customers vehicles. Our market holds over $70 Billion in Un-Performed maintenance service! Think of the potential for AMS locations to capture this business. From its inception, AMS has built a structured system that will enable each franchisee to maximize their potential. Our goal is not just to sell franchises, we want you to be successful! We invite you to compare the AMS franchise system to other opportunities and make an intelligent choice. It is our hope that you will see that we are offering more than a product to sell, we are offering a franchise system that works because our structure is built on a sound foundation of integrity and quality.