Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing + SBA 7(a) records
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Tuffy Tire & Auto Service franchise requires a total initial investment of $222K – $724K, including a $30K franchise fee. Per the 2025 FDD, average unit revenue was $1.4M[2]. SBA 7(a) loans show a 3.4% charge-off rate across 29 loans[1]. FranchiseVerdict grade: A (Strongest tier), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Run a live ROI scan →
Data last verified · figures per the 2025 FDD issuance
Overview
- Investment
- $222K – $724K
- 23rd pct Automotive
- Avg gross sales
- $1.4M
- 15th pct Automotive
- Royalty
- N/A
- Units
- 129
- 27th pct Automotive
- SBA charge-off
- 3.4%
- % of SBA 7(a) loans not repaid · median varies by category
Quick verdict · Automotive · color = vs category peers
Green = favorable by >10% vs Automotive avg · No shading = within ±10% · Red = unfavorable by >10% · Source: FDD filings + SBA 7(a)
Data from public FDD filings and SBA records. Not financial advice. Methodology
Bottom line
- Total investment $222K – $724K including a $30K franchise fee.
- Average unit revenue of $1.4M/year (median $1.3M).
- Verdict A (Strongest tier), verdict score 80/100 (higher is better). SBA loan charge-off rate of 3.4% across 29 loans (well below the franchise average, based on all SBA 7(a) franchise lending, 2010–2025).
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- Gimex Properties Corp., Inc.
Overview
About
Franchisees operate automotive service centers providing brake service, maintenance, batteries, and general repairs. Day-to-day operations include managing technicians, handling customer intake/scheduling, performing quality checks, and managing inventory of parts and supplies.
- CEO
- David J. Sorbaro
- Headquarters
- OH
- Founded
- 1991
- FDD year
- 2025
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 53% below the typical automotive franchise.
Source: FDD 2025 · Items 5–7
FDD Item 7 · 2025 filing
Initial investment breakdown
| Cost component | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $30K | $30K |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $192K | $694K |
| Total initial investment | $222K | $724K |
Source: Tuffy Tire & Auto Service 2025 FDD, Items 5 and 7[2]. “Equipment, build-out, other” is computed as total minus disclosed line items above.
Item 7 · what it costs to open + operate
The Vitals
- Total investment
- $222K – $724K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- N/A
- Middle of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- $30K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Royalty
- -n/d
- Ad fund
- -n/d
What do units actually make?
Average unit sales land near the automotive norm.
Source: FDD 2025 · Item 19
Single-unit · estimated
Returns at a glance
Indicative numbers using FDD Item 7 / Item 19 inputs and category-benchmarked cost ratios. Full single-unit, 25-unit portfolio, and LBO models (with every input editable to stress-test your own scenario) live on the financials page.
Store EBITDA · annual
$227K
16.0% margin
Unlevered ROIC
37%
EBITDA / total invested capital
Payback
33 mo
cash-on-cash, unlevered
Financial Performance
- Avg gross sales
- $1.4M
- Per unit, per year
- Median gross sales
- $1.3M
Gross sales are revenue before expenses — not profit. Actual owner earnings depend on rent, labor, royalties, marketing fees, and debt service.
- Sample size
- 59 units
- vs category median 75
- Range (low → high)
- $468K→$4.9M
- Cohort dispersion (min → max)
Compared against 220 Automotive brands
vs Automotive averages
How Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Compares
Is the system healthy?
Source: FDD 2025 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 129
- Opened
- N/A
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- N/A
No multi-year history disclosed and no opening/closing activity in the last reporting year.
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA 7(a) and 504 loan disclosures, public data unique to FranchiseVerdict.
- Total loans
- 29
- Loan volume
- $24.9M
- Median loan
- $751K
- 50th percentile
- Charge-off rate
- 3.4%
- rates vary by category · see methodology
Historical SBA 7(a) lending data, not predictive of future performance. How SBA charge-off rates are calculated
- Repayment rate (PIF)
- 96.6%
- 5-yr charge-off
- 0.0%
- Loans approved 2021+
- Active lenders
- 10
- Defaults
- 1
- Typical loan rate
- 6.3%
- avg rate to borrowers
- vs industry
- N/A
- NAICS 8111
- Jobs supported
- 272
- 1.1 per loan
- Lender concentration
- 52%
- top lender's share
Borrower mix: 0% went to startups / new businesses, 100% to established operators
Top lenders financing Tuffy Tire & Auto Service franchisees
Showing 3 of 10 lenders. The full breakdown — every lender, state distribution, interest rates & risk ratings — is in the SBA Lending Report below.
Explore lender portfolios on Bank Reports or regional data on State Reports.
What could kill this investment?
SBA loans charge off at 3.4% — 79% below the 16.0% national norm, i.e. lower lender-observed risk.
Source: SBA 7(a) FOIA · FDD Items 3, 21
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 4, 8, 16, 21
Risk & Legal
FDD Items 12, 15, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a Tuffy Tire & Auto Service franchise?
The total investment to open a Tuffy Tire & Auto Service franchise ranges from $222K – $724K, with an initial franchise fee of $30K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do Tuffy Tire & Auto Service franchise owners earn?
According to Item 19 of the Tuffy Tire & Auto Service FDD, the average gross sales per unit is $1.4M. The median is $1.3M. Note: this is gross revenue, not profit. Actual owner earnings vary based on location, operating costs, and management.
What is Tuffy Tire & Auto Service's franchise failure rate?
Based on SBA 7(a) loan data, Tuffy Tire & Auto Service has a charge-off rate of 3.4% across 29 loans, meaning 3.4% of franchise loans were charged off. Charge-off rates are one proxy for franchise risk, though they do not capture all closures. This data comes from FOIA-sourced SBA lending records.
How many Tuffy Tire & Auto Service franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, Tuffy Tire & Auto Service has 129 total units in the United States.
Is Tuffy Tire & Auto Service a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Tuffy Tire & Auto Service as a A-grade franchise with a verdict score of 80 out of 100 (higher is better), based on our analysis of investment costs, revenue data, SBA loan performance, and growth trends. Our rating is based solely on publicly available FDD and government data; we recommend speaking with current franchisees before making any investment decision. This is not investment advice.
Data sourced from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) FOIA records. Not financial advice.
For franchisors
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Data extracted from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) loan disclosures (FOIA). This information is provided for research purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice. Verify all figures with the franchisor's current Franchise Disclosure Document before making any investment decision.