SBA 7(a)/504 FOIA · FY1991–PRESENT · CALIFORNIA
Econo Lub N Tune franchise in California: what the public record shows
Franchisees of Econo Lub N Tune in California have taken 40 SBA loans since 1991 (average $175,569), and of the 34 loans whose story has ended, 26.5% were charged off — versus 36.2% for Econo Lub N Tune nationally and 14.8% across all rateable franchise brands.
Loans in CA
40
Resolved
34
Local charge-off
26.5%
National charge-off
36.2%
Source: SBA 7(a)/504 FOIA files (data.sba.gov), borrower state = CA. Charge-off rate = charged-off ÷ (charged-off + paid-in-full); open loans excluded. A local rate is published only when the resolved cohort clears our floor.
Businesses in this industry
12,022
statewide, all operators
Per 100k residents
30.5
national 30.2
Versus the country
+1%
denser
Every business in Econo Lub N Tune's industry operating in California — franchised and independent — from the Census Bureau's County Business Patterns (2023), against 2024 population estimates. Counter-intuitively, density is not a warning: across 198 brand-state cells in our loan data, the densest quartile charges off at 5.6% versus 18.1% in the thinnest. A crowded market is usually proven demand; an empty one is often empty for a reason.
| System | Loans in CA | Local charge-off | Units in CA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chevron (Gas Station) | 234 | 2.9% | — |
| Arco (Gas Station) | 213 | 2.0% | — |
| Shell Service Station | 146 | 6.5% | — |
| Valero | 110 | 3.1% | — |
| Chevron - Retail Supply Contract | 81 | 0.0% | — |
| Ampm Mini Market- Arco | 74 | 0.0% | — |
| Maaco Auto Painting Center | 69 | 19.0% | — |
| Aamco Transmissions | 65 | 29.6% | — |
| Phillips 66 | 64 | 0.0% | — |
| Midas Muffler Shop | 63 | 11.9% | — |
| JIFFY LUBE | 62 | 2.4% | 265 |
| Speedee Oil Change & Tune-Up | 57 | 18.8% | — |
Same sector, same state, same public records — how Econo Lub N Tune compares to the systems a buyer in California would actually be choosing between. Local rates under 10 resolved loans are marked thin, not hidden.
A broker is paid by the franchisor to place you. An independent CPA is paid by you — and the job is pressure-testing Econo Lub N Tune's numbers, including talking you out of a bad deal.
Talk to an independent CPA before you buy →