ITEMS 5–7 · 2024 FDD · 1+ YEAR OLD
How much is a Dealer Specialties franchise?
Per Dealer Specialties's 2024 FDD, the initial franchise fee is $10,000 (Item 5) and the total initial investment runs $17K–$45K (Item 7).
$10,000
one-time, to buy in
$17K–$45K
franchisor's own estimate
| Cost line | Dealer Specialties | Sector median |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee ITEM 5 | $10,000 | $37,500 |
| Total initial investment ITEM 7 | $17K–$45K | $235K–$786K |
MEDIANS: LATEST FDD FILINGS (≤24 MONTHS OLD) OF 27 AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS · FULL AUTOMOTIVE BENCHMARK →
The buy-in is the smaller number. The larger one is the drag: royalties and fees leaves before rent, labor, or your salary — so breakeven depends on volume you cannot know from the FDD, and this brand publishes no Item 19 earnings data to anchor it.
To open (Item 7)
$17K–$45K
all-in investment range
Franchise fee (Item 5)
$10,000
upfront, one-time
Royalty (Item 6)
See Item 6
not a single flat % — read the fee table
This is not profit. It covers what the FDD fixes: what you put in, and the royalty you owe on sales. Your take-home depends on labor, rent, supplies, and the months to breakeven, none of which the FDD fixes for your unit (some Item 19s include cost data — read it).
Build a real pro-forma for Dealer Specialties with a buyer-paid CPADealer Specialties cost questions, answered from the filing
How much is a Dealer Specialties franchise?
Per Dealer Specialties's 2024 FDD, opening a franchise requires an initial franchise fee of $10,000 (Item 5) and a total initial investment of $17K–$45K (Item 7). Item 7 is the franchisor's own estimate — treat the low end as a floor, not a budget.
Does Dealer Specialties tell you what franchisees earn?
No — Dealer Specialties's 2024 FDD makes no Item 19 earnings claim, so any revenue figure you hear comes from sales conversations, not disclosure documents. Validate with current and former franchisees.
The Dealer Specialties validation checklist
questions built from this brand's own filings · read them all on the profile
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A broker is usually paid by the franchisor to place you. I'm paid only by you, never by a franchisor you're considering — and the job is pressure-testing Dealer Specialties’ numbers, including talking you out of a bad deal.