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Updated RecentlyWheelchair Getaways vs Thrifty Car Sales Franchise Comparison
Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Wheelchair Getaways vs Thrifty Car Sales including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.
Start-Up Costs and Fees |
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| Investment | $40,000 - $112,000 | $765,000 - $4,000,000 |
| Franchise Fee | $17,500 | $35,000 |
| Royalty Fee | $550/van/yr. | $110+/vehicle |
| Advertising Fee | - | - |
| Year Founded | 1988 | 1998 |
| Year Franchised | 1989 | 1998 |
| Term Of Agreement | 10 years | 5 years |
| Term Of Agreement | 10 years | 5 years |
| Renewal Fee | $5K | $2.5K |
Business Experience Requirements |
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| Experience | - | Thrifty is looking for energetic individuals who enjoy working within the travel and/or automotive field. Ideal candidates should have an entrepreneurial spirit, solid business and sales skills, and be an active part of the communities in which they live and work. A background in car rental, although a plus, is not a requirement. |
Financing Options |
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| In-House/3rd Party | In-House/3rd Party | |
| Franchise Fees | No/No | No/No |
| Start-up Costs | No/No | No/No |
| Equipment | No/No | No/No |
| Inventory | No/No | No/No |
| Receivables | No/No | No/No |
| Payroll | No/No | No/No |
Training & Support |
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| Training | - | Your comprehensive training program includes franchisee onboarding training sessions at Thrifty zone offices, online training, and webinar training. Additionally, you will have access to training and support resources on an ongoing basis. |
| Support | Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Internet, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperatives | Newsletter, Meetings, Internet, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperatives |
| Marketing | Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, National media, Regional advertising | Ad slicks |
| Operations |
Franchise can be run from home. 25% of all franchisees own more than one unit Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 3 Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (100% of current franchisees are owner/operators) |
19% of all franchisees own more than one unit Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 10 - 14
Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (92% of current franchisees are owner/operators) |
Expansion Plans |
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| US Expansion | Yes | - |
| Canada Expansion | No | No |
| International Expansion | Yes | No |
Company Overviews
About Wheelchair Getaways
In 1921 the Pennsylvania-based Van Artsdalen Express was a successful freight company. By 1972, it had been restructured to operate school buses instead of trucks. While working for the company, J. Edward Van Artsdalen noticed that people using wheelchairs were some of the most poorly served individuals in the transportation market. Motivated by this discovery, Van Artsdalen founded Wheelchair Getaways Inc. in 1988. The company rents wheelchair-accessible vans to individuals and groups. The company began franchising in 1989 and was purchased by J. Stewart and Jean Gatewood in 1994. Wheelchair Getaways is now based in Versailles, Kentucky and owned by Richard Gatewood and Moon Ko.
About Thrifty Car Sales
Thrifty Car Sales is a subsidiary of Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, Inc. (NYSE:DTG), a Fortune 1000 Company headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Dealerships offer late model, low mileage vehicles. Thrifty Certified vehicles pass extensive inspection and are backed by a limited warranty.
Their experienced staff provides an extensive array of support services to their dealers including operational support, training, marketing and advertising.
Our experienced staff provides an extensive array of support services to our dealers including operational support, training, marketing and advertising. Our Thrifty Car Sales franchisees also benefit from a full-service business development center and a top notch website solution to drive traffic to our dealerships.
Dealerships offer late model, low mileage vehicles. Thrifty Certified® vehicles pass extensive inspection and are backed by a limited warranty.