Verified — real FDD extraction
SBA-eligible · directory code S0007 since 2017
1-800-Radiator & A/C
Automotive · independent · est. —
1-800-Radiator & A/C is a distributor of replacement auto parts, specializing in radiators, air-conditioning condensers, and related cooling and climate components for vehicles. It supplies repair shops and installers rather than selling to the public. A franchisee runs a local distribution warehouse, stocking inventory and delivering parts to area mechanics.
1-800-Radiator & A/C net unit count grew 0.0% from 2022–2024 per its FDD Item 20.
New to franchising? Start here
A franchise is a business where you (the franchisee) pay a company (the franchisor) for the right to open and run a location using their brand and system — think a local Anytime Fitness or Taco John's owned by a small-business owner, not the corporation.
Before you can buy in, U.S. law requires the franchisor to give you a Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) — a long legal filing covering its fees, finances, and history. The numbers on this page come straight from that document:
- Franchise fee — the one-time cost to buy in.
- Royalty — the ongoing cut of your sales you pay the franchisor.
- Item 20 — how many locations opened and closed, the basis for our verdict (from Proven & strong down to Distressed — or Too new to judge).
The verdict
Proven & steady
Distress
A real track record with an unremarkable region of the ledger: neither the growth nor the exits stand out, for better or worse. The standout in the record: owners who leave mostly sell rather than fail.
Exit rate · latest year
0.5%
vs 5.5% across 19 automotive systems
Cost to open
$464K–$1.3M
Item 7 total investment range
SBA loan defaults
22.1%
vs 14.8% avg across rated brands
Behind the verdict
the record, factor by factor · Item 20
3-yr trend · Item 20 Table 1
terminations + ceased-ops vs. all exits · Table 3
transfers vs. base · Table 3
actual vs. projected openings · Table 5
Item 19 disclosure + completeness
Systemwide units
2022–2024
Survival record
FDD Item 20 · outlet status by year
In fiscal 2024, 1 of 194 franchised outlets left the system — a 0.5% annualized exit rate, vs 5.5% across 19 automotive systems. Not every exit is a failure — but this is the measurable floor.
Show the outlet tables ↓Hide the evidence ↑
| Status (FTC) | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outlets at start | 194 | 194 | 195 |
| Opened | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| Transfers | 10 | 11 | 17 |
| Terminations | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| Non-renewals | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Reacquired by franchisor | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ceased — other reasons | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Outlets at end | 194 | 195 | 194 |
| Net change | 0 | +1 | -1 |
The lender's view
SBA 7(a)/504 loan performance · FY1991–present
Banks have made 97 SBA-backed loans to 1-800-Radiator & A/C franchisees since 2005. Of the 68 that have resolved, 22.1% were charged off (defaulted) rather than paid in full, versus 14.8% across 576 rated brands.
22.1%
15 of 68 resolved defaulted
46.5%
avg. charged-off $ ÷ approved $
10.3%
default rate × loss severity
$852,084
what recent franchisees borrowed
61 mo
approval → charge-off, defaulted loans
8 vs 12
distinct banks still lending
Charge-off rate by loan approval year (%)
Loan performance by state
SOURCE: SBA 7(a)/504 FOIA LOAN DATA (DATA.SBA.GOV), FY1991–PRESENT · MATCHED TO 1-800-RADIATOR & A/C BY FRANCHISE NAME · RESOLVED = CHARGED-OFF + PAID-IN-FULL
The owner's side of the deal
FDD × federal loan record
Who finances it
the Huntington National Bank
14.1% of this brand's loans
That lender charges off 10.0% of its loans to other franchise brands, vs 14.8% nationally.
Who buys it
60.7%
first-time franchise owners
The rest already owned at least one other franchise. Across the corpus, brands bought mostly by repeat operators charge off at roughly 10% versus 17% for brands sold mostly to newcomers.
Does experience help here?
+26.7pp
multi-unit vs single-unit owners
Owners of multiple units default at 26.7%; single-unit owners at 0.0%.
Computed from 97 SBA 7(a)/504 loans to 1-800-Radiator & A/C franchisees joined to the brand's own FDD. Debt service assumes level amortization at the average disclosed term and rate. A lender's rate excludes its loans to this brand, so it reads the lender, not the brand.
What it costs — and what it drags
FDD Items 5–7 · fees, investment, royalty
Buying in means a $45K franchise fee (Item 5) and a total investment of $464K–$1.3M (Item 7). The franchisor publishes an earnings claim (Item 19) — read its methodology closely.
To open (Item 7)
$464K–$1.3M
all-in investment range
Franchise fee (Item 5)
$45K
upfront, one-time
Royalty (Item 6)
8%
of sales, ongoing
Your figure — cross-check against this brand's Item 19 and current-owner validation.
Royalty you'd pay / yr
$80K
8% of sales, before profit
Over a 10-yr term
$800K
royalties alone, excl. ad fund
This is not profit. It's the only money the FDD actually pins down — what you put in, and the royalty you owe on every dollar of sales. Your real take-home depends on labor, rent, food cost, and ramp-to-breakeven, none of which any FDD discloses.
Build a real pro-forma for 1-800-Radiator & A/C with an independent CPAModeled risk
FDD Risk Score · modeled from the public record
Modeled from the public record, this brand looks safer than 67% of systems we score.
Risk percentile
33 / 100
Loan-corroborated
Modeled SBA charge-off
10.5%
Observed SBA charge-off
22.1%
Top drivers: Share financed by high-loss lenders (lowers) · Investment ceiling (log) (lowers) · Single-lender dependence (raises) · Item 20 exit rate (lowers). 15+ resolved loans stand behind this estimate. A linear scorecard built from this brand's own disclosure figures plus the federal loan record behind its franchisees; full spec and cross-validated accuracy on the methodology page. A score is context, not a verdict.
Distress signals
news-sourced · bankruptcies, closures, lawsuits
No recent closures, bankruptcies, or major lawsuits found in the news for 1-800-Radiator & A/C. That's a good sign — but it reflects news coverage, not a guarantee.
A broker is paid by the franchisor to place you. An independent CPA is paid by you — and the job is pressure-testing 1-800-Radiator & A/C's numbers, including talking you out of a bad deal.
Talk to an independent CPA before you buy →1-800-Radiator & A/C franchise questions, answered from the filings
What percentage of 1-800-Radiator & A/C franchises closed last year?
In 1-800-Radiator & A/C's latest FDD Item 20 (fiscal 2024), 1 of 194 franchised outlets left the system — an annualized exit rate of 0.5% — compared with 5.5% across 19 automotive systems tracked here. That counts terminations, non-renewals, and "ceased operations — other reasons." There is no official failure rate, and not every exit is a failure, but this is the measurable floor.
How much does a 1-800-Radiator & A/C franchise cost?
Per 1-800-Radiator & A/C's 2025 FDD, buying in requires an initial franchise fee of $45K (Item 5) and a total initial investment of $464K–$1.3M (Item 7).
What royalty does 1-800-Radiator & A/C charge?
1-800-Radiator & A/C charges an ongoing royalty of 8.0% of gross sales, per Item 6 of its 2025 FDD.
Does 1-800-Radiator & A/C disclose earnings (Item 19)?
Yes — 1-800-Radiator & A/C makes a financial performance representation in Item 19 of its 2025 FDD. Read it closely: franchisors choose which units and which metrics to include.
How often do SBA loans for 1-800-Radiator & A/C franchises default?
Across 97 SBA-backed loans to 1-800-Radiator & A/C franchisees since 2005, 15 of the 68 that have resolved were charged off — a 22.1% default rate, versus about 14.8% across all rated franchise brands. This is the lender's-eye view of franchisee failure, drawn from public SBA 7(a)/504 FOIA data and independent of the franchisor's own disclosures.