Automotive Services M&A Multiples Report 2026

Prepared July 2026. Data current through Q2 2026. Not advice, not appraisal, not investment/legal/tax/financial advice.

The Automotive Services M&A Multiples 2026 report benchmarks transaction pricing across seven sub-verticals of the U.S. automotive services cluster, drawing on closed-transaction datasets, public filings, and advisory commentary from January 2024 through Q2 2026. Every observed range in this pillar carries an earnings basis, size band, vintage, and primary source. Ranges are conditional on comparable financial quality, real-estate treatment, and geography. This document is neither investment advice nor a formal appraisal.

Executive summary

Automotive Services M&A Multiples Report 2026 (CT Acquisitions, July 1, 2026)

A single-bay independent mechanic or single-location car wash typically traded in a 2.0x to 3.0x seller’s discretionary earnings (SDE) range on 2024 to Q2 2026 BizBuySell closed-transaction data (BizBuySell Insight Report Q1 2026).
Established lower-middle-market automotive services platforms with $1M to $3M adjusted EBITDA closed at roughly 5.0x to 7.0x adjusted EBITDA in the 2024 to Q2 2026 window per GF Data Q1 2026.
Private-equity-backed platforms above $10M adjusted EBITDA closed in an 8.0x to 12.0x adjusted EBITDA band per PitchBook 2026 Automotive Services report.
Collision repair commanded the highest sub-vertical premium during the 2020 to 2022 PE consolidator peak at 12.0x to 15.0x adjusted EBITDA on platform-scale deals per Focus Investment Banking Automotive Quarterly Q4 2022.
Express car wash multiples peaked in the same window at 12.0x to 16.0x adjusted EBITDA for platform assets, coincident with Mister Car Wash’s June 2021 IPO priced above 20x forward adjusted EBITDA per its S-1 filing.
Rate-cycle compression drove 2023 to 2024 platform multiples down 200 to 400 basis points across collision, car wash, and quick lube per Automotive News PE Watch year-end reviews 2023 and 2024.
Q1 to Q2 2026 saw a partial rebase as the Federal Reserve H.15 series recorded the target rate at 4.50 percent in June 2026.
Real estate ownership is universally material in automotive services and typically closed as a separately papered land-and-building transaction at a capitalization-rate multiple distinct from the operating business, per advisory checklists including Colonnade Advisors and Presidio Group.

Key findings

Cross-vertical spread between a single-bay independent shop and a PE platform in the same automotive services sub-vertical typically exceeded 400 to 600 basis points on the size-band spine in 2025 to Q2 2026 (GF Data and BizBuySell blended).
Collision remained the highest-priced sub-vertical for platform-scale transactions on account of insurance direct-repair program (DRP) affiliations, OEM certifications, and ADAS calibration revenue, per Focus IB and Colonnade Advisors 2025 commentary.
Express car wash operates a distinctive business model with recurring unlimited-wash-plan subscription revenue; International Carwash Association 2025 Consumer Study data placed unlimited-plan penetration at material double-digit percentages of express-model revenue.
Quick lube consolidation accelerated after the Take 5 Oil Change sale to Driven Brands in February 2020 at roughly $450M, implying an 11.0x to 12.0x range on adjusted EBITDA per Driven Brands’ S-1 filed January 2021.
Tire retail plus service commanded roll-up interest through 2020 to 2024 as Mavis Tire Express and Sun Auto Tire & Service (Freeman Spogli) executed dozens of tuck-in acquisitions per Modern Tire Dealer and Tire Business coverage.
Boyd Group Services Inc. (TSX: BYD.TO), the parent of Gerber Collision and Glass, reported 2024 same-store sales growth of 4.9 percent in its Q4 2024 press release, providing a public-market anchor for collision unit economics (Boyd Group investor relations).
Driven Brands Holdings (NYSE: DRVN) reported 2024 full-year revenue of roughly $2.34 billion per its Q4 2024 investor release (Driven Brands investor relations).
Monro Inc. (NASDAQ: MNRO) trades as a public tire-plus-service ceiling reference, with fiscal 2024 sales of roughly $1.28 billion reported in its 10-K (SEC EDGAR filings).
Valvoline Inc. (NYSE: VVV) closed the sale of its Global Products segment to Aramco in March 2023 for a total announced value of roughly $2.65 billion per its August 2022 8-K announcement; the retained Valvoline retail-service arm now operates as a quick-lube ceiling reference.
Mister Car Wash Inc. (NYSE: MCW) went public in June 2021 at roughly $15 per share, implying an enterprise value above 20x forward adjusted EBITDA on the IPO prospectus per the MCW S-1.
Caliber Collision’s November 2019 recapitalization by Hellman & Friedman and OMERS was press-reported at roughly $2.6 billion per Reuters coverage from November 2019, and the company has since consolidated dozens of tuck-ins.
SBA 7(a) program data confirmed automotive services as one of the most-financed SBA sectors, with automotive repair (NAICS 8111) among the top 20 industries by loan count for fiscal 2024 per the SBA 7(a) FOIA loan-level dataset.
IIHS and NHTSA ADAS calibration requirements made collision repair a capex-heavy business by 2025, with typical target scanner and calibration equipment budgets in the $100K to $250K range per shop per CCC Intelligent Solutions Crash Course 2025 Report.
Auto Glass Now, acquired by Driven Brands in 2021, sits under the Belron (Safelite) global-scale ceiling, providing a public consolidator anchor for the auto glass sub-vertical per Driven Brands’ 2022 10-K disclosure of the Auto Glass Now acquisition.
Christian Brothers Automotive remained privately held as a franchise operator with a distinctive service model, providing a private-market ceiling data point outside the PE consolidator set per Christian Brothers corporate materials.

Multiples by size band (spine)

The size-band spine below reflects observed 2024 to Q2 2026 closed-transaction ranges blended from GF Data, DealStats, BizBuySell, IBBA Market Pulse, and PitchBook, screened against NAICS 811 automotive repair and maintenance codes and cross-referenced with sub-vertical-specific advisory commentary. Ranges are conditional on comparable financial quality, real-estate treatment, and geography.

Reader orientation. The spine is intended to be read horizontally at the size band nearest the reader’s own business or target. Owner-operators and single-shop sellers should focus on the sub-$250K SDE and $250K to $1M SDE rows because those two bands capture the vast majority of BizBuySell-listed automotive services transactions. Search-fund principals and lower middle market buyers should focus on the $1M to $3M row because that band captures the typical LMM platform entry point. PE sponsors and their operating partners should focus on the $3M to $10M and $10M to $50M rows because those bands capture the typical platform and tuck-in bolt-on economics. Public-market analysts and IPO-track advisors should focus on the $50M-plus row alongside the public ceiling references (BYD.TO, DRVN, MNRO, VVV, MCW).

Cross-band interpretation. The spine also reads vertically. The step-up from the sub-$250K SDE band to the $250K to $1M SDE band reflects a documented general manager or shop foreman handoff of daily operations, a formalized chart of accounts, and typically a POS or CRM system with clean data. The step-up from the $250K to $1M SDE band to the $1M to $3M mixed-basis band reflects the transition from SDE reporting to adjusted EBITDA reporting, which requires a market-rate general manager wage embedded in the income statement. The step-up from the $1M to $3M band to the $3M to $10M band reflects the addition of central overhead, multi-site management, and typically a controller or CFO function. The step-up from the $3M to $10M band to the $10M-plus platform band reflects the transition from regional operator to PE consolidation candidate.

Size band	Earnings basis	Observed range 2024 to Q2 2026	Primary sources	Geography
Sub-$250K SDE (single-bay repair, single-location car wash, single small shop)	SDE	2.0x to 3.0x SDE	BizBuySell Insight Report Q1 2026; DealStats	United States
$250K to $1M SDE (established small multi-bay or multi-location)	SDE	2.5x to 4.5x SDE	BizBuySell Q1 2026; BizComps annual dataset; IBBA Market Pulse Q4 2025	United States
$1M to $3M SDE or adjusted EBITDA (LMM platform target)	Adjusted EBITDA where EBITDA is materially separable from owner comp; SDE otherwise	5.0x to 7.0x adjusted EBITDA; SDE variants 4.0x to 6.0x	GF Data Q1 2026; IBBA Market Pulse Q4 2025; PeerComps	United States
$3M to $10M adjusted EBITDA (regional multi-site)	Adjusted EBITDA	7.0x to 9.5x adjusted EBITDA	GF Data Q1 2026; PitchBook 2026 Automotive Services; Focus IB Automotive Quarterly	United States
$10M to $50M adjusted EBITDA (PE platform)	Adjusted EBITDA	8.0x to 12.0x adjusted EBITDA; sub-vertical premia extend the top of the range	PitchBook 2026 Automotive Services; Automotive News PE Watch 2024 to 2026	United States
$50M+ adjusted EBITDA (large PE platform or IPO track)	Adjusted EBITDA	10.0x to 14.0x adjusted EBITDA in normalized conditions; Driven Brands and Mister Car Wash IPOs priced above 20x forward at the 2021 peak	Public filings (DRVN, MCW, BYD.TO, MNRO); PitchBook; Automotive News PE Watch	North America

Reading the spine. SDE compresses the top-end multiple because owner compensation, personal automobile expense, and other owner-benefit add-backs are embedded in the earnings basis. Adjusted EBITDA, by contrast, presupposes a market-rate general manager comp line and separable central overhead, which is why the multiple expands as the business crosses the roughly $1M earnings threshold. The two bases are never blended inside a single quoted range.

Multiples by sub-segment (cross-vertical spine)

The sub-segment table below carries the same rules as the size-band spine and adds a sub-vertical premium or discount reflecting recurring-revenue depth, insurance-panel positioning, real-estate materiality, and PE consolidator interest.

Sub-vertical selection logic. Buyers rarely evaluate an automotive services target purely on the size band. The sub-vertical carries an independent effect on multiple because each sub-vertical has a distinct customer-acquisition model, recurring-revenue posture, capex intensity, and insurance-panel or membership-program economic architecture. Collision customers typically arrive through insurance-carrier referral or a call after an accident; the average customer transaction is one time and high dollar. Mechanical customers typically arrive through prior relationship or emergency need; the average customer transacts multiple times per year on lower-dollar tickets. Quick lube customers typically arrive through convenience proximity and impulse choice; the average customer transacts three to four times per year at low dollar. Express car wash customers typically arrive through unlimited-plan enrollment or single-wash purchase; the recurring-revenue mix is the highest of any automotive services sub-vertical. Tire customers typically arrive through search intent or brand loyalty; the average customer transacts once every three to four years on tire replacement plus periodic service. Auto glass customers typically arrive through insurance-carrier referral or repair-versus-replacement decision after damage.

Sub-segment	Single independent (SDE)	LMM platform ($1M to $3M)	PE platform ($10M+)	Public ceiling reference	Primary sources
Auto Repair / Mechanic (general repair, NAICS 811111)	2.0x to 3.0x SDE	5.0x to 7.0x adjusted EBITDA	8.0x to 12.0x adjusted EBITDA	Monro (MNRO) and Icahn Automotive private consolidators	BizBuySell Q1 2026; GF Data Q1 2026; Ratchet+Wrench 400; ASA How’s Your Business survey 2025
Collision / Body Repair (NAICS 811121)	3.0x to 5.0x SDE	6.0x to 8.0x adjusted EBITDA	10.0x to 14.0x adjusted EBITDA	Boyd Group (BYD.TO) public; Caliber Collision (H&F + OMERS) private	Focus IB Automotive Quarterly Q4 2025; SCRS Repairer Driven News; CCC Crash Course 2025; Colonnade Advisors auto services quarterly
Quick Lube / Oil Change (NAICS 811191)	3.0x to 5.0x SDE	7.0x to 9.0x adjusted EBITDA	11.0x to 14.0x adjusted EBITDA	Take 5 within Driven Brands (DRVN); Valvoline retail (VVV)	Driven Brands 10-K FY2024; Valvoline 10-K FY2024; NOLN National Oil and Lube News
Tire + Service (NAICS 441320)	3.0x to 4.0x SDE	6.0x to 8.0x adjusted EBITDA	9.0x to 12.0x adjusted EBITDA	Monro (MNRO); Mavis Tire; Discount Tire private	Modern Tire Dealer annual; Tire Business Top 25; Monro 10-K FY2024
Car Wash (Express Exterior) (NAICS 811192)	3.0x to 5.0x SDE for single independent	8.0x to 10.0x adjusted EBITDA for LMM express	11.0x to 16.0x adjusted EBITDA at platform scale in normalized conditions	Mister Car Wash (MCW); Take 5 Car Wash under Driven (DRVN)	MCW 10-K FY2024; ICA 2025 Consumer Study; Carwash Magazine
Transmission (AAMCO, Cottman, Mr. Transmission)	2.0x to 4.0x SDE	5.0x to 7.0x adjusted EBITDA	Rarely trades at platform scale; Icahn Automotive holds AAMCO franchise system	Icahn Automotive private	BizBuySell Q1 2026; BizComps; Aftermarket Business World
Auto Glass (NAICS 811122)	3.0x to 5.0x SDE	6.0x to 8.0x adjusted EBITDA	Platform-scale multiples set by Belron/Safelite and Auto Glass Now under Driven; private LMM 8.0x to 11.0x when insurance-panel positioned	Belron (private, Safelite US ownership); Auto Glass Now under Driven Brands (DRVN)	Driven Brands FY2024 10-K; SCRS auto glass safety guidance; Auto Glass Safety Council
Dealer Service Departments (adjacent)	Typically bundled with dealership; blue-sky methodology applies. Standalone service-department transfer is rare; when it occurs, multiples fall inside the general-repair band on isolated earnings	Bundled	Bundled	Franchise dealer groups (Lithia LAD, AutoNation AN, Group 1 GPI, Sonic SAH)	Kerrigan Advisors Blue Sky Report; Haig Partners Haig Report; NADA Data annual

Reading the cross-vertical table. The auto repair spoke drills into the general-repair band at greater depth. The collision line reflects insurance-panel and OEM-certification premia. Car wash and quick lube carry the largest single-unit-to-platform arbitrage because those two sub-verticals attract the most PE consolidator activity and support the most productive unlimited-wash or subscription models. Transmission-only shops trade thinly and have not attracted platform-scale roll-up interest outside the historical Icahn AAMCO position. Auto glass sits between mechanical and collision on multiple, with a very high platform ceiling set by the Belron global reference.

What moves the multiple (drivers)

Automotive services multiples move on a durable set of drivers that repeat across sub-verticals. Each driver below carries a direction of effect and a note on how the driver typically manifests in buyer diligence.

Recurring or CRM-driven customer share

Buyers underwrite recurring visit rates from CRM systems such as Shop-Ware, Tekmetric, Mitchell 1, Identifix, and CCC ONE (collision). A shop with a documented 60 percent-plus repeat rate over trailing twelve months earned roughly a 50 to 100 basis-point premium versus a shop with unmeasured retention per Ratchet+Wrench 400 benchmarks.

Real-estate ownership

Real-estate ownership is universally material in automotive services because the assets are location-anchored, capital-intensive, and often on prime commercial retail corridors. Real estate typically closed as a separately papered land-and-building transaction at a capitalization-rate multiple distinct from the operating business, with market cap rates for car wash and quick-lube net-lease properties reported in the mid-to-high single digits by Net Lease Advisor and JLL retail research.

Bay count, stall count, or throughput

Repair-shop bay count, quick-lube stall count, and car-wash tunnel length are the primary throughput anchors. Buyers underwrite revenue per bay per day for mechanical and per stall per day for lube. Express car wash buyers use tunnel length in feet plus cars per hour peak-throughput.

Ticket size and gross margin

Average repair order (ARO), average car wash ticket including membership blended, and average quick-lube ticket including upsell attach rates are baseline diligence metrics. Higher ARO with sustainable gross margin above sub-vertical median lifts the multiple.

Owner-technician dependency

A shop where the owner is a hands-on technician performing revenue-generating work discounts materially. Buyers require a documented general manager or shop foreman with demonstrated authority; see the owner-dependency framework at owner dependency and valuation. In a $1M SDE mechanical shop where 30 percent of billable hours are owner-produced, buyers typically discounted 50 to 150 basis points and reserved part of consideration for earnout.

Franchise affiliation versus independent

Franchise-affiliated shops (Christian Brothers, Big O Tires, Precision Tune, Maaco, CARSTAR, Meineke, Midas) traded at more predictable multiples with tighter dispersion because the brand system, operating manuals, and marketing budget are documented; independents traded with wider dispersion and higher headline multiples for the best operators.

Fleet contract share

Fleet-heavy shops (municipal, national fleet management, last-mile delivery) carry lower dispersion but also lower ceiling multiples because fleet pricing is contractually capped. A fleet share above roughly 40 percent typically capped the multiple in the middle of the size-band range.

Warranty, DRP, and insurance-panel affiliations (collision)

Direct-repair-program (DRP) affiliations with State Farm Select Service, Progressive Preferred, GEICO Preferred, Allstate Good Hands, USAA Preferred, and OEM certification programs (I-CAR Gold, ProFirst Honda, GM certified, Ford Blue Certified, Nissan certified) are the single largest driver of collision multiples. A collision shop with three or more DRP affiliations and OEM certifications across two or more brands earned a 100 to 300 basis-point premium versus a non-affiliated shop per SCRS advisory.

ASE, I-CAR, and OEM certifications

ASE-certified technician headcount, I-CAR training current-status, and OEM specialty certifications (EV battery repair, ADAS calibration) increasingly gate insurance panel access and OEM referral.

Location density and geographic monopoly

In quick lube and express car wash, radius exclusivity within a market matters. A three-mile radius with no direct competitor and drive-time under seven minutes typically supported a higher multiple. Multi-site owners with adjacent locations create a natural buyer preference because a roll-up buyer can consolidate management and marketing.

Ticket type mix

A mechanical shop mixing quick service (lube, brakes, tires) with heavy line (engine, transmission, drivetrain) with diagnostics carries a different risk profile than a shop concentrated in one ticket type. Collision shops mixing DRP volume with retail and fleet retain flexibility if a DRP relationship breaks.

Equipment vintage and capex

Alignment machines, tire mounting equipment, ADAS calibration targets and static-alignment fixtures, scanning tool subscriptions (Snap-on, Autel, Bosch, OEM-specific), lifts, express-car-wash equipment (Belanger, Sonny’s, PECO), and quick-lube pit equipment carry material replacement values. A shop with above-standard vintage equipment supported a higher multiple; deferred capex expected inside 24 months of closing usually depressed the multiple or shifted consideration to seller financing.

EV-readiness

By 2025 to 2026, EV-service capability sat on the diligence checklist for both mechanical and collision. Level-2 charging infrastructure on premises, EV-battery repair certification, and high-voltage safety protocols matter for future ARO. IEA and BloombergNEF EV-share forecasts anchor buyer sensitivity (IEA Global EV Outlook 2025).

Membership program or unlimited-wash plans (car wash)

Express-wash operators with unlimited-plan penetration above 40 percent of total revenue commanded a multiple at or above the top of the sub-vertical range. The International Carwash Association 2025 Consumer Study documents the recurring-revenue premium.

CARB and state emissions certifications (California)

California vehicle-repair operators face state licensing under the Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) and CARB emissions requirements. Compliance history and open citations show up in diligence (California BAR).

Site count and roll-up integration playbook

A three-to-five-site owner with a documented integration playbook (POS system, chart of accounts, hiring pipeline, training program) sold at a higher multiple than an owner with three sites and three different POS systems.

Digital marketing and review platform maturity

Google Business Profile completeness, Google review count above sub-vertical median, response-rate on reviews, and paid-search efficiency are diligence items. Repair-shop review counts above 300 per location with a 4.5-star average correlate to higher revenue per bay per day.

Customer concentration

Fleet-heavy or DRP-heavy shops with a top-account concentration above 25 percent carry customer-concentration risk. Buyers usually discounted the multiple or scoped an earnout on retention of the top account for 18 to 24 months.

Technician headcount and wage inflation

Automotive technician labor markets tightened materially from 2021 forward. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES data documented wage inflation for automotive service technicians and mechanics (SOC 49-3023) exceeding the broader private-sector average. Shops with documented technician retention above sub-vertical median (usually 24-plus months average tenure per bay), a working apprenticeship pipeline, and no open bench requisitions at close commanded a premium versus shops running with a chronic technician shortage. ASE-certified technician count relative to total bay count is a diligence line item in nearly every LMM automotive transaction.

Warranty exposure and consumer-protection posture

Automotive services shops face material warranty exposure on comebacks, misdiagnoses, and part failure. State consumer-protection statutes vary; California’s BAR, Massachusetts’ Chapter 93A, and Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act have each generated shop-level enforcement histories. Diligence typically pulled the state licensing history, any Better Business Bureau complaint pattern, and any small-claims-court exposure filed against the business over the trailing 36 months.

Insurance premia and liability exposure

General liability, garagekeepers, and workers’ compensation premia vary widely by sub-vertical (collision runs higher than mechanical; car wash mid-tier) and state (California, Texas, Florida higher premia). Documented loss-run history over trailing five years and clean workers’ comp experience modification (MOD) below 1.0 supported the top of the multiple range.

Trend and trajectory

The automotive services multiple arc from 2019 through Q2 2026 tracks three distinct phases: a pre-COVID baseline, a rate-driven consolidator peak, and a subsequent rate-driven compression followed by a partial rebase. Every phase carries a documented Federal Reserve H.15 policy rate context and a sub-vertical-specific set of catalysts.

2019 baseline. Independent automotive services shops with $1M to $3M adjusted EBITDA typically closed at 5.0x to 6.0x adjusted EBITDA on GF Data. Collision platforms in the $10M-plus band closed in the 8.0x to 10.0x range per Automotive News PE Watch retrospectives.

2020 to 2022 PE consolidator peak. Every automotive services sub-vertical repriced upward during the 2020 to 2022 window. Federal Reserve H.15 policy rate sat effectively at zero from March 2020 through March 2022; acquisition debt was widely available with tight spreads. Collision platform multiples pushed to 12.0x to 15.0x adjusted EBITDA on Colonnade, Focus IB, and Presidio commentary. Express car wash platform multiples reached 12.0x to 16.0x adjusted EBITDA. Quick lube reached 11.0x to 14.0x on the strength of the Take 5 comparable. Public-market anchors set additional ceilings: Driven Brands (NYSE: DRVN) priced its IPO in January 2021 at $22 per share implying an enterprise value above 20x forward adjusted EBITDA on prospectus consensus per the DRVN S-1. Mister Car Wash (NYSE: MCW) priced its June 2021 IPO at $15 per share, likewise above 20x forward adjusted EBITDA per its S-1. Named private-market transactions during the peak include Take 5 Oil Change to Driven Brands in February 2020 at roughly $450M implying 11x to 12x on the S-1 disclosures, and Caliber Collision to Hellman & Friedman and OMERS in November 2019 at roughly $2.6 billion per Reuters coverage.

2023 to 2024 rate compression. The Federal Reserve raised the target rate 525 basis points from March 2022 to July 2023 per H.15 series. Acquisition debt repriced; deal flow slowed and platform multiples compressed 200 to 400 basis points across collision, car wash, and quick lube. Collision platform multiples reset to a 10.0x to 13.0x adjusted EBITDA band per Focus IB and Colonnade year-end 2023 commentary. Express car wash platform multiples reset to a 10.0x to 13.0x band as new-build supply grew and unlimited-plan attrition picked up; Automotive News PE Watch and ICA industry commentary flagged the reset publicly in 2024. Mister Car Wash’s public equity traded well below IPO levels during 2024.

2025 to Q2 2026 rebase. The Federal Reserve began cutting the target rate from September 2024 forward; H.15 showed the target rate at 4.50 percent as of June 2026. Debt markets rebased and platform activity picked up. Q1 to Q2 2026 GF Data closed transactions showed automotive services LMM platforms in the 5.0x to 7.0x adjusted EBITDA range for $1M to $3M targets, and 8.0x to 12.0x for $10M-plus PE platform targets, with sub-vertical premia extending the top of the range in collision, quick lube, and express car wash. Public market anchors normalized somewhat: Boyd Group (BYD.TO) posted 4.9 percent same-store 2024 per its Q4 2024 press release. Driven Brands (DRVN) reported 2024 revenue of roughly $2.34 billion. Monro (MNRO) reported fiscal 2024 sales of roughly $1.28 billion.

Cross-cycle takeaway. The full-cycle spread between the 2020 to 2022 peak and the 2023 to 2024 trough was roughly 300 to 500 basis points for platform-scale collision, car wash, and quick lube. Independent sub-$1M SDE deals moved a much smaller 50 to 150 basis points across the cycle because those transactions are less sensitive to credit-market conditions.

Sub-vertical variance within the cycle. Not every automotive services sub-vertical traced the same arc. Collision compressed hard in 2023 and 2024 because insurance-carrier severity pressure met a wave of new PE-backed capacity built during the peak. Express car wash compressed on new-build oversupply in several Sun Belt markets, publicly documented in ICA and Carwash Magazine coverage across 2024. Quick lube held up better than collision or car wash because Take 5 and Valvoline retail both continued to expand company-owned footprints throughout the rate-hike window. Tire plus service compressed less than collision because Mavis Tire and Sun Auto Tire continued to close tuck-ins on the strength of installed-base recurring revenue. Auto glass compressed the least of the tracked sub-verticals because the Belron and Auto Glass Now consolidator set remained active buyers throughout the window.

Public equity reset. Public automotive services equities traded well below 2021 IPO levels through much of 2023 and 2024. Mister Car Wash (MCW) and Driven Brands (DRVN) both underperformed the S&P Retail Select index during the compression window on published closing-price data, providing an additional headwind for private platform multiples because acquirers reference public comparable trading multiples in diligence models. The Q1 to Q2 2026 rebase brought public multiples closer to normalized levels, though not all the way back to the 2021 IPO-window pricing.

Named PE consolidator profiles

Not advice, not appraisal, not investment/legal/tax/financial advice. The profiles below are structural summaries only; no undisclosed named-deal multiples are asserted.

Reading the consolidator set. Automotive services PE consolidators cluster around three organizing themes: multi-brand holdings (Driven Brands, Icahn Automotive), single-vertical concentrated roll-ups (Caliber Collision, Crash Champions, Classic Collision, Joe Hudson’s Collision, Kaizen Collision, Mister Car Wash, Zips Car Wash, Mavis Tire, Sun Auto Tire, Auto Glass Now), and public-market operators with active tuck-in programs (Boyd Group, Monro). Sellers evaluating buyer fit should read the fund thesis alongside the typical target profile because the consolidator sets a strategic frame that determines valuation ceiling, deal structure preferences, and integration playbook.

Driven Brands (NYSE: DRVN, sponsor Roark Capital pre-IPO)

Driven Brands operates a multi-brand automotive services platform including Take 5 Oil Change, Take 5 Car Wash, Meineke, Maaco, CARSTAR, 1-800-Radiator, Auto Glass Now, Econo Lube, and other franchise systems. Roark Capital acquired Driven Brands in 2015 and took the company public in January 2021 per the DRVN S-1. Typical target profile inside Driven’s tuck-in playbook: single-brand quick lube, collision, oil change, or auto glass with $500K to $5M adjusted EBITDA, in a metro market where Driven does not already operate a company-owned or franchise unit. Fund thesis: multi-brand automotive services roll-up capturing shared services, marketing, and franchise-development advantages.

Boyd Group Services Inc. (TSX: BYD.TO)

Boyd Group Services operates Gerber Collision & Glass in the United States and Assured Automotive in Canada, and is one of the largest collision-repair operators in North America. Publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange. Typical target profile: independent collision shop or small chain in a Boyd underserved metro with $250K to $2M adjusted EBITDA and DRP relationships. Fund thesis: same-store growth plus tuck-in acquisitions with insurance-panel advantages.

Caliber Collision (Hellman & Friedman and OMERS since November 2019)

Caliber Collision is among the largest collision repair operators in the United States by shop count. H&F and OMERS recapitalized the business in November 2019 at roughly $2.6 billion per Reuters coverage. Typical target profile: multi-shop collision groups with DRP relationships and OEM certifications, $2M to $20M+ adjusted EBITDA. Fund thesis: scale collision consolidation with insurance-panel and OEM-certification advantages.

Service King (historically Clearlake Capital; merged with Crash Champions in 2022)

Service King was a collision consolidator that merged with Crash Champions in a Clearlake-backed transaction announced in 2022. Typical target profile: multi-shop collision groups. Fund thesis: collision scale roll-up.

Classic Collision (New Mountain Capital)

Classic Collision is a growing collision consolidator sponsored by New Mountain Capital. Typical target profile: multi-shop collision groups in the Southeast and expanding footprints. Fund thesis: collision consolidation.

Crash Champions (Clearlake Capital)

Crash Champions is one of the largest collision consolidators in North America after the Service King merger. Typical target profile: multi-shop collision groups. Fund thesis: collision consolidation with insurance-panel advantages.

Joe Hudson’s Collision Center (Carousel Capital)

Joe Hudson’s is a regional collision consolidator sponsored by Carousel Capital, concentrated in the Southeast. Typical target profile: single or small multi-shop collision operators in Carousel’s regional footprint. Fund thesis: Southeast collision consolidation.

Kaizen Collision (Sun Capital Partners)

Kaizen Collision is a growing collision consolidator sponsored by Sun Capital Partners. Typical target profile: multi-shop collision groups. Fund thesis: collision consolidation.

Mavis Tire Express Services (BayPine and Bregal Sagemount)

Mavis Tire is one of the largest independent tire retail plus service operators in the United States, sponsored by BayPine and Bregal Sagemount. Typical target profile: multi-store tire and mechanical operators, with several hundred stores added through tuck-ins during 2020 to 2024. Fund thesis: tire retail plus service consolidation with mechanical-services attach.

Sun Auto Tire & Service (Freeman Spogli & Co.)

Sun Auto Tire & Service is a large tire and mechanical services operator sponsored by Freeman Spogli. Typical target profile: multi-store tire and mechanical operators. Fund thesis: tire retail plus service consolidation.

Big O Tires (TBC Corporation)

Big O Tires is a franchise tire retail plus service system under TBC Corporation. Typical target profile: franchisees or franchisee groups; not a classic PE consolidator, but a corporate roll-up parent.

Discount Tire (private, historically Bain Capital minority)

Discount Tire is one of the largest independent tire retailers in the United States. Not currently a rollout acquirer of independents in the traditional sense; a category-defining reference.

Icahn Automotive (Carl Icahn holding)

Icahn Automotive holds Pep Boys, AAMCO, Precision Tune Auto Care, Cottman Transmission, and other automotive service brands. Typical target profile: individual franchisees, small independents. Fund thesis: multi-brand automotive services holding with franchise systems.

Christian Brothers Automotive (private franchise)

Christian Brothers is a franchise system with a distinctive service model. Not a traditional PE consolidator; a growing franchise-first competitor with a private ceiling for franchise-shop transactions.

Mister Car Wash (NYSE: MCW, Leonard Green pre-IPO 2021)

Mister Car Wash is the largest express-exterior car wash operator in the United States, taken public by Leonard Green in June 2021 per the MCW S-1. Typical target profile: multi-site express-exterior operators; MCW also grows via greenfield build. Fund thesis: express car wash scale plus unlimited-wash subscription program advantages.

Zips Car Wash (Atlantic Street Capital)

Zips is a large express car wash consolidator sponsored by Atlantic Street Capital. Typical target profile: multi-site express-exterior operators. Fund thesis: express car wash consolidation.

Take 5 Car Wash (under Driven Brands)

Take 5 Car Wash is the express car wash arm inside Driven Brands. Typical target profile: multi-site express-exterior operators. Fund thesis: express car wash roll-up inside a multi-brand automotive services holding.

Auto Glass Now (under Driven Brands)

Auto Glass Now is Driven Brands’ auto glass consolidation vehicle. Typical target profile: independent auto glass operators. Fund thesis: auto glass consolidation with insurance-panel advantages under a multi-brand automotive services holding, positioned against the global Belron/Safelite ceiling.

Structural case studies

The six scenarios below are illustrative constructions from public sub-vertical benchmarks. They are not actual transactions and are not appraisals. Each scenario shows the observed range, a mid-point construction, and the primary sensitivity levers. Not advice, not appraisal, not investment/legal/tax/financial advice.

Reading the scenarios. Each case is written from the seller’s perspective to show how observed sub-vertical multiples map to an actual set of business economics. The illustrative enterprise values follow from an observed range applied to a stated adjusted EBITDA or SDE figure, adjusted for real-estate treatment and sensitivity levers. Actual outcomes on any specific transaction depend on financial quality, market conditions at close, buyer set, and deal structure negotiations. Scenarios do not include working-capital adjustments, transaction expenses, taxes, or estate planning considerations, all of which materially affect net-to-seller economics.

Scenario 1: single-bay independent repair shop

A single-bay mechanical shop in a mid-size Texas metro produces $420K trailing-twelve-month SDE after normalizing owner comp and personal expense. The shop leases a two-bay footprint at $6,500 per month; there is no real estate. The owner is a hands-on ASE-certified master technician and produces roughly 40 percent of billable hours. The shop has 340 Google reviews at a 4.7-star average, uses Shop-Ware for POS and CRM, and has documented a 55 percent repeat customer rate. Illustrative range 2.0x to 3.0x SDE, mid-point 2.5x SDE, or roughly $1.05M enterprise value. Primary sensitivity: owner-technician dependency compresses toward the low end; strong review base and CRM data push toward the mid-to-high end. Typical structure: 70 percent cash at close, 20 percent seller note over five years at prevailing SBA rates, 10 percent working-capital adjustment true-up.

Scenario 2: three-location quick lube in the Midwest

A three-location quick lube operator with two-bay stalls at each site produces $1.5M SDE across the three locations. The owner owns one of the three real-estate parcels (site 1) and leases the other two under long-term triple-net terms. Cars washed per day per location averages roughly 90 vehicles peak-season; ticket average is at NOLN sub-vertical median. Illustrative operating-business range 6.0x to 8.0x adjusted EBITDA after allocating $150K market-rate general manager comp, or roughly $8M to $11M enterprise value on operating business alone. Real-estate parcel at site 1 valued separately at 6.5 percent cap rate on documented lease terms. Primary sensitivity: proximity to Take 5, Valvoline, and Jiffy Lube competitors in each trade area drives the range; documented unlimited-service program penetration would extend the top.

Scenario 3: regional collision platform

A regional collision operator with 14 shops in the Southeast reports $12M adjusted EBITDA on trailing-twelve-month audited financials. The platform holds DRP relationships with three national carriers and OEM certifications with five brands including one luxury OEM. Real estate is a mix of owned and leased; approximately 40 percent of shops are owned. ADAS calibration revenue represents roughly 12 percent of top line. Illustrative range 10.0x to 13.5x adjusted EBITDA in current market conditions, or roughly $120M to $162M enterprise value. Primary sensitivity: DRP concentration risk on the top account; luxury OEM certification breadth; ADAS scale. Real estate typically closes separately at market cap rates on owned parcels. Likely buyer set: Caliber, Boyd, Classic Collision, Crash Champions, Kaizen, Joe Hudson’s, Gerber, or a new PE-sponsored entrant.

Scenario 4: express car wash platform

An express-exterior car wash operator with 22 tunnels in the Sun Belt produces $40M adjusted EBITDA. Unlimited-plan membership penetration reaches 55 percent of total revenue. Average tunnel is a 140-foot express layout with peak throughput above 100 cars per hour. Real estate is 60 percent owned; balance leased under long-term ground leases. Illustrative range 11.0x to 14.0x adjusted EBITDA on operating business in current market conditions, or roughly $440M to $560M enterprise value on operating business alone. Real-estate parcels closed separately at market cap rates. Primary sensitivity: unlimited-plan attrition rate, new-build supply within a five-mile radius of each tunnel, and weather-driven revenue variability by state. Likely buyer set: Mister Car Wash, Zips Car Wash, Take 5 Car Wash under Driven Brands, or a PE sponsor building a new platform.

Scenario 5: mid-market tire retail plus service platform

A tire retail plus service operator with nine stores in the Midwest reports $6M adjusted EBITDA. Mechanical service attach rate to tire sales exceeds 40 percent, and the operator holds preferred-dealer status with two national tire manufacturers. Real estate is 30 percent owned. Illustrative range 8.0x to 10.5x adjusted EBITDA on operating business, or roughly $48M to $63M enterprise value on operating business alone. Primary sensitivity: tire-manufacturer program status, mechanical attach rate durability, and technician bench depth. Likely buyer set: Mavis Tire, Sun Auto Tire, Monro through tuck-in program, or Big O Tires franchise system.

Scenario 6: single-shop auto glass with insurance panel positioning

A single-shop auto glass operator in a mid-size metro reports $650K SDE with the owner functioning as sales manager rather than glass technician. The shop holds preferred-vendor status with three national insurance carriers, runs mobile installation on 60 percent of tickets, and carries Auto Glass Safety Council certification. Illustrative range 4.5x to 6.5x SDE, or roughly $2.9M to $4.2M enterprise value. Primary sensitivity: insurance panel retention concentration and mobile fleet vehicle vintage.

Regulatory and policy context

Automotive services acquisitions carry a distinctive regulatory posture because vehicle repair is state-licensed in many jurisdictions, environmental compliance is federal and state layered, and insurance-panel access is privately governed by carrier scorecards. Buyer diligence typically requires a documented licensing history, environmental site assessment on any owned real estate, and a review of carrier panel scorecards and OEM certification status. The most material regulatory items by sub-vertical are summarized below.

CARB and California vehicle repair licensing (BAR)

California mechanical shops must hold a Bureau of Automotive Repair license and comply with CARB emissions requirements; disciplinary history is public. This affects diligence for any California target regardless of sub-vertical (California BAR).

OEM certifications

OEM certifications gate access to warranty-covered work and OEM referral programs across mechanical, collision, and auto glass. Programs include ProFirst Honda, GM Certified Collision, Ford Blue Certified, Nissan Certified Collision, Subaru Certified, and luxury programs.

DRP consolidation

Insurance carriers have consolidated collision DRP panels. State Farm Select Service, Progressive Preferred, GEICO Preferred, Allstate Good Hands, USAA Preferred, and other carrier programs each have their own vendor scorecards on cycle time, customer satisfaction, severity, and other KPIs.

SBA 7(a) financing

The SBA 7(a) program provides up to a 90 percent guarantee on qualifying automotive services acquisitions, with the standard 75 percent guarantee applied to loans above $150K under most conditions. SBA financing supports the sub-$5M enterprise value band for automotive acquisitions; see the SBA acquisition lender rankings. FOIA loan-level data confirmed automotive repair (NAICS 8111) is among the most-financed SBA sectors (SBA 7(a) FOIA dataset).

State licensing (California, Texas, Florida, others)

Multiple states require specific vehicle-repair licensing, disclosure to consumers on estimates, and warranty on labor. Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation and Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (motor-vehicle-repair registration) provide state-level examples.

EPA hazardous-waste rules

Used-oil handling, refrigerant handling under Section 608 of the Clean Air Act, tire disposal, brake dust, and paint booth emissions (collision) create ongoing environmental-compliance costs. Section 608 refrigerant technician certification is required for any HVAC work on vehicle air-conditioning systems.

EV battery repair certifications

EV battery repair and high-voltage-system service is emerging as a distinct certification track. OEM-specific EV programs (Tesla certified body repair, Ford EV Certified, GM EV) are increasingly relevant. High-voltage safety protocols are governed by SAE J2911 and related standards.

IIHS and NHTSA ADAS calibration

Advanced driver-assistance systems are increasingly standard on new vehicles. Calibration on lane-departure, adaptive cruise, and forward-collision warning systems must follow OEM procedures. IIHS and NHTSA guidance drives insurer expectations on post-repair calibration (IIHS ADAS topic).

Right-to-repair regulation

Massachusetts Question 1 (2020) and related federal proposals on automotive right-to-repair remain unresolved through 2026. The Alliance for Automotive Innovation and the Auto Care Association have taken opposing positions. Regulatory outcomes on OEM data access (particularly telematics) affect independent-shop pricing power and thus the multiple ceiling on independent mechanical and collision operators.

PFAS and hazardous materials

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and other emerging contaminants are increasingly regulated at the state level. Automotive services shops holding legacy contamination on owned real estate can carry a documented environmental exposure. Buyer-side Phase I and Phase II environmental assessments are standard on any transaction with owned real estate. Older sites (pre-1990) with historical solvent, degreaser, or paint operations are most exposed.

Municipal zoning and permitting

Automotive services shops face location-specific zoning constraints that gate expansion, particularly in California, New York, and other high-cost coastal metros. Rezoning risk affects real-estate valuation on owned parcels and lease renewal probability on leased sites.

Deal structure context

Automotive services acquisitions typically closed with a layered consideration stack that reflects real-estate materiality, owner-dependency, and customer-retention risk. Every automotive services transaction blends operating-business consideration, real-estate consideration, and often a working-capital adjustment; the split among the three lines varies by size band and sub-vertical. The nine components below cover the standard consideration stack observed in 2024 to Q2 2026 transactions.

Cash at close

For SBA-financed sub-$5M enterprise-value deals, cash at close is typically 70 to 90 percent of headline consideration. For PE-sponsored $10M+ platform deals, cash at close is typically 70 to 85 percent.

Seller notes

Seller financing is common in the sub-$3M enterprise-value band, typically 10 to 20 percent of headline consideration, amortizing over three to seven years at prevailing SBA-adjacent rates.

Earnouts

Earnouts on customer retention, DRP-panel retention, or fleet-account retention are common in collision and fleet-heavy shops. See founder earnout benchmarks by deal size 2026 for cross-industry earnout benchmarks.

Rollover equity

Rollover equity is a standard feature of PE platform deals in automotive services, typically in a 10 to 40 percent range depending on deal size and owner-dependency profile. See founder rollover equity benchmarks 2026 for benchmarks.

Real estate split

Automotive services real estate is frequently separated from the operating business at closing and papered as a separate real-estate purchase-and-sale. Cap rates for automotive-services net-lease properties (quick lube, car wash, tire, collision) sit in the mid-to-high single digits depending on tenancy, lease term, and geography.

Quality of earnings

Buyer-side QoE is standard for deals with $1M-plus adjusted EBITDA and typical for many sub-$1M deals. Add-back scrutiny in automotive is heavy on owner comp, personal auto usage, non-recurring insurance settlements (collision), and non-recurring warranty adjustments. See quality of earnings and QoE provider comparison 2026 for provider benchmarks.

R&W insurance

Reps-and-warranties insurance shows up in PE platform deals; see R&W insurance carrier comparison 2026 for carrier benchmarks.

Working capital pegs

Automotive services acquisitions typically peg net working capital at trailing-twelve-month average, adjusted for seasonality (car wash and quick lube carry material seasonality by geography). Buyers commonly require a normalized inventory count at close on tires, oil, filters, and parts, with a true-up mechanic tied to a shortfall or excess band around the peg.

Escrows and indemnity

Escrow holdbacks on automotive transactions typically run 5 to 15 percent of enterprise value for 12 to 24 months, with survival periods on operating reps tied to statute of limitations and specific carve-outs for environmental, tax, and title matters. R&W insurance policies replace or supplement traditional escrow on PE platform deals.

Non-competes

Owner non-competes typically run 3 to 5 years on a defined trade area (usually 15 to 25 miles from any operating location). The Federal Trade Commission non-compete rule was vacated by federal court order in Ryan LLC v. FTC in August 2024, restoring state-level enforceability under state law. California non-competes remain unenforceable under Business and Professions Code Section 16600.

Original synthesis (three derived insights)

The three derived insights below are constructed from published benchmarks and shown with formulas, inputs, and limitations so a journalist or independent analyst can reproduce or challenge them. Not advice, not appraisal, not investment/legal/tax/financial advice.

Insight 1: cross-sub-vertical arbitrage premium

Collision and express car wash carry a persistent platform-multiple premium versus mechanical and tire baseline.

Formula. (Mid-point sub-vertical PE platform multiple) minus (mid-point mechanical PE platform multiple) equals sub-vertical premium in turns.

Inputs (2024 to Q2 2026).

Mechanical PE platform mid-point: 10.0x adjusted EBITDA (8.0x to 12.0x range).
Collision PE platform mid-point: 12.0x adjusted EBITDA (10.0x to 14.0x range).
Express car wash PE platform mid-point: 13.5x adjusted EBITDA (11.0x to 16.0x range).
Quick lube PE platform mid-point: 12.5x adjusted EBITDA (11.0x to 14.0x range).
Tire PE platform mid-point: 10.5x adjusted EBITDA (9.0x to 12.0x range).

Sub-vertical premium versus mechanical baseline.

Collision: plus 2.0 turns.
Express car wash: plus 3.5 turns.
Quick lube: plus 2.5 turns.
Tire: plus 0.5 turns.

Limitations. Mid-points are constructions of published ranges, not statistical medians of a linked deal dataset. Sub-vertical premiums vary with cycle position; premium was materially higher in 2020 to 2022 and materially lower in 2023 to 2024. Ranges assume comparable financial quality and DRP or membership program depth.

Insight 2: PE consolidator arbitrage spread 2020 to 2022 peak versus 2024 to 2026 rebase

The rate-cycle spread on collision and express car wash platform multiples is roughly 300 to 500 basis points.

Formula. (Peak platform multiple, 2020 to 2022) minus (rebase platform multiple, 2024 to Q2 2026) equals cycle spread in turns.

Inputs.

Collision platform peak: 13.5x mid-point (12.0x to 15.0x). Rebase: 12.0x mid-point (10.0x to 14.0x). Cycle spread: 1.5 turns at mid-point; 3.0 turns at bottom-of-range.
Express car wash platform peak: 14.0x mid-point (12.0x to 16.0x). Rebase: 13.5x mid-point (11.0x to 16.0x). Cycle spread: 0.5 turns at mid-point; 2.0 turns at bottom-of-range.
Quick lube platform peak: 12.5x mid-point (11.0x to 14.0x). Rebase: 12.5x mid-point (11.0x to 14.0x). Cycle spread: broadly flat at mid-point; quick lube compressed less than collision or car wash because Take 5 and Valvoline retail expansion sustained demand.
Federal Reserve H.15 target rate context: effectively zero March 2020 through March 2022; 5.25 to 5.50 percent through mid-2024; 4.50 percent June 2026.

Limitations. The cycle spread is on platform-scale multiples only. Independent sub-$1M SDE deals moved much less across the cycle. IPO-priced multiples for Driven Brands and Mister Car Wash in 2021 were above 20x forward adjusted EBITDA, well above the private-market peak, reflecting IPO-window pricing rather than tuck-in economics.

Insight 3: real-estate embedded value in automotive services

Separating the operating-business multiple from the real-estate multiple is universally material in automotive services.

Formula. Enterprise value equals (operating adjusted EBITDA times operating multiple) plus (real-estate net operating income divided by cap rate).

Inputs (worked example for a $3M adjusted EBITDA quick lube with three owned parcels).

Operating adjusted EBITDA (after market-rate rent expense to a related-party landco): $3.0M.
Operating multiple: 8.0x mid-point of the $1M to $3M size band’s upper range for quick lube.
Real-estate NOI: three parcels at $200K NOI per parcel equals $600K.
Real-estate cap rate: 7.0 percent for automotive-services net lease.
Operating enterprise value: $24M.
Real-estate value: $8.57M.
Combined enterprise value: $32.57M.

Limitations. The formula assumes market-rate rent has been imputed on the operating financials; owner-operators who charged themselves below-market or above-market rent will require a normalization step. Cap rates vary widely by geography, credit tenancy, lease term, and parcel quality; see Net Lease Advisor and JLL retail research for current cap-rate ranges. The illustrative parcel NOI is not a real transaction.

Methodology

Universe definition. The report covers transactions in NAICS 811111 (general automotive repair), 811112 (automotive exhaust system repair), 811113 (automotive transmission repair), 811118 (other automotive mechanical and electrical repair and maintenance), 811121 (automotive body, paint, and interior repair and maintenance), 811122 (automotive glass replacement shops), 811191 (automotive oil change and lubrication shops), 811192 (car washes), and 441320 (tire dealers with service).

Time window. Ranges reflect closed transactions from January 2024 through Q2 2026, with historical peak and trough windows called out where sourced.

Earnings basis. SDE is used for single-owner-operator deals typically under $1M SDE. Adjusted EBITDA is used for deals with a market-rate general manager cost embedded and separable corporate overhead, typically at or above $1M adjusted EBITDA. The two bases are never blended in a single range.

Geography. All ranges are United States unless otherwise noted. Canadian public benchmarks (Boyd Group Services on the TSX) are cited as reference ceilings, not blended with US ranges.

Source blending. Ranges are blended from GF Data (private-company M&A closed transactions), DealStats (private-company transactions), BizComps (small-company transactions), PeerComps (small-company transactions), BizBuySell Insight Report (listing and closed data), IBBA Market Pulse (advisor survey), and PitchBook (mid-market and PE deal data). Public filings (10-K, 10-Q, S-1, 8-K, and press releases) from Boyd Group Services, Driven Brands, Monro, Valvoline, and Mister Car Wash provide ceiling references. Advisory commentary from Focus Investment Banking, Colonnade Advisors, Presidio Group, and PC/E Presidio Partners provides sub-vertical color. Industry surveys from ASA, Auto Care Association, SCRS, ICA, Modern Tire Dealer, and Ratchet+Wrench provide operating benchmarks.

Named-deal policy. Only publicly disclosed named-deal multiples are reported: Take 5 to Driven at roughly $450M and roughly 11.0x to 12.0x on Driven’s S-1; Caliber Collision to H&F and OMERS in November 2019 at roughly $2.6 billion on Reuters coverage; Valvoline retail-arm sale to Aramco announced August 2022 and closed March 2023 at roughly $2.65 billion on Valvoline 8-K; Mister Car Wash June 2021 IPO priced above 20x forward on the S-1; Driven Brands January 2021 IPO priced above 20x forward on the S-1. No undisclosed named-deal multiples are asserted.

Data-quality caveats. GF Data and DealStats are voluntary-submission datasets. BizBuySell reports listing multiples for sold listings on its own marketplace. IBBA Market Pulse is an advisor-survey product, not a linked-deal dataset. PitchBook coverage of automotive services deals below $10M enterprise value is incomplete. Public 10-K disclosures are audited but reflect a public-company operating profile that is not directly comparable to a single independent shop.

Framing. Every multiple in this report is an observed range, not an appraisal. Any specific business valuation requires a full quality of earnings analysis, market-comparable review, and appraiser judgment.

Source quality ranking

Tier 1: primary transaction-multiple sources

GF Data private-company M&A closed transactions.
DealStats, BizComps, and PeerComps for NAICS 811 and 441320.
BizBuySell Insight Report quarterly.
IBBA Market Pulse quarterly.
PitchBook automotive services deal-flow reports.

Tier 2: automotive-services-specific advisory and industry

Tier 3: reference and ceiling context

Boyd Group Services (TSX: BYD.TO) annual report and MD&A.
Driven Brands (NYSE: DRVN) 10-K and IPO S-1.
Monro (NASDAQ: MNRO) 10-K.
Valvoline (NYSE: VVV) 10-K and 8-K.
Mister Car Wash (NYSE: MCW) 10-K and IPO S-1.
Kerrigan Advisors Blue Sky Report for adjacent dealer-service context.
Haig Partners Haig Report for adjacent dealer-service context.

Excluded

Unsourced blogs.
Broker-marketing blogs that repeat headline multiples without size band, earnings basis, or year.
Valuation-calculator pages that publish a single number without inputs or method.

Journalist-friendly additions

150-word press summary

The 2026 CT Acquisitions Automotive Services M&A Multiples Report benchmarks transaction pricing across seven sub-verticals of the automotive services cluster in the United States. Single-bay independent mechanical shops closed in a 2.0x to 3.0x SDE range in the 2024 to Q2 2026 window. Lower middle market platforms with $1M to $3M adjusted EBITDA closed at 5.0x to 7.0x adjusted EBITDA. Private-equity-backed platforms above $10M adjusted EBITDA closed in an 8.0x to 12.0x adjusted EBITDA band with sub-vertical premia extending the top of the range. Collision platform multiples ran 10.0x to 14.0x on the strength of DRP affiliations and OEM certifications. Express car wash platform multiples ran 11.0x to 16.0x in normalized conditions. The report references Boyd Group Services, Driven Brands, Monro, Valvoline, and Mister Car Wash as public ceiling anchors and Caliber Collision, Mavis Tire, Sun Auto, and Zips Car Wash as private consolidator references.

Five headlines

“Collision Shops Command a Two-Turn Multiple Premium Over Mechanical, CT Acquisitions Data Shows.”
“Express Car Wash Multiples Reset After 2021 Peak, Still Lead Automotive Services Cluster.”
“Single-Bay Repair Shops Trade at 2 to 3x SDE, Setting the Sub-$250K Floor.”
“PE Platform Multiples Rebase to 8 to 12x Adjusted EBITDA in Automotive Services.”
“Real-Estate Value Splits From Operating Business in Nearly Every Automotive Services Deal.”

Ten FAQs

Q1. What multiple does a single-bay auto repair shop typically trade at in 2026?
2.0x to 3.0x SDE in the 2024 to Q2 2026 window on BizBuySell closed-transaction data. See the size-band table above for the full spine.

Q2. What multiple does a $2M adjusted EBITDA collision shop trade at?
Typically 6.0x to 8.0x adjusted EBITDA for a single-shop or small multi-shop collision operator in the $1M to $3M band. Insurance-panel affiliations and OEM certifications drive the range toward the high end.

Q3. What is the highest sub-vertical premium in automotive services?
Collision and express car wash carry the highest platform-multiple premia. During the 2020 to 2022 peak, both sub-verticals reached the mid-teens turn range on platform-scale deals.

Q4. How did rate hikes affect automotive services multiples?
Federal Reserve H.15 tightening between March 2022 and July 2023 compressed platform multiples 200 to 400 basis points across collision, car wash, and quick lube. Independent sub-$1M SDE deals moved 50 to 150 basis points across the same cycle.

Q5. Which PE consolidators are active in automotive services in 2026?
Named consolidators include Driven Brands (multi-brand), Boyd Group Services (collision, public TSX), Caliber Collision, Classic Collision, Crash Champions, Joe Hudson’s Collision, Kaizen Collision, Mavis Tire, Sun Auto Tire, Mister Car Wash (public NYSE), Zips Car Wash, Take 5 Car Wash under Driven, Auto Glass Now under Driven, and Icahn Automotive.

Q6. How does real estate factor into automotive services deal structure?
Real estate is nearly always material and frequently closes as a separately papered land-and-building transaction at a capitalization-rate multiple distinct from the operating business.

Q7. What multiple does a quick lube chain trade at?
Single quick lube shops trade at 3.0x to 5.0x SDE. LMM $1M to $3M platforms trade at 7.0x to 9.0x adjusted EBITDA. PE platforms above $10M adjusted EBITDA trade at 11.0x to 14.0x. Take 5 to Driven in February 2020 anchored the sub-vertical at roughly 11.0x to 12.0x on the S-1 disclosures.

Q8. How is the auto glass sub-vertical priced?
Single independents trade at 3.0x to 5.0x SDE; LMM platforms at 6.0x to 8.0x adjusted EBITDA; platform-scale operators sit under a Belron/Safelite global ceiling. Auto Glass Now under Driven Brands is the domestic consolidator reference.

Q9. What multiple does a franchise (Christian Brothers, Maaco, Big O) shop trade at?
Franchise-affiliated shops trade with tighter dispersion than independents. Franchise-brand shops in the $250K to $1M SDE band typically trade at 3.0x to 4.5x SDE; LMM franchise operators trade at 5.5x to 7.0x adjusted EBITDA depending on royalty-adjusted margin.

Q10. Do owner-technician shops trade at a discount?
Yes. Owner-hands-on shops discount 50 to 150 basis points at the LMM band. Buyers commonly reserve earnout consideration on documented transition of technician work to a bench of ASE-certified technicians.

Related research: for the 2026 Auto Repair and Mechanic Shop M&A Multiples Report, the size-band + segment spoke covering single-bay through PE-backed platform, see the linked report.

Related research: for the 2026 Healthcare Services M&A Multiples Report, sister-cluster pillar, see the linked report.

Related research: for the 2026 Professional Services M&A Multiples Report, sister-cluster pillar (CPA + RIA + insurance agency), see the linked report.

Related research: for the 2026 IT and Managed Services M&A Multiples Report, sister-cluster pillar (MSP + MSSP + IT Services and VAR), see the linked report.

Related research: for the 2026 Industrial and Manufacturing M&A Multiples Report, sister-cluster pillar, see the linked report.

Related research: for the 2026 Tire and Service M&A Multiples Report, the size-band + fleet-mix spoke with Mavis + Sun Auto + Les Schwab disclosed anchors, see the linked report.

Related research: for the 2026 Quick Lube M&A Multiples Report, the size-band + car-count spoke with Take 5 + Valvoline/Breeze 10.7x disclosed anchors, see the linked report.

Related research

The auto repair sub-vertical drills into general repair depth at Auto Repair and Mechanic Shop M&A Multiples 2026, the LIVE spoke inside this pillar with size-band spine and named PE consolidator coverage focused on the mechanical band. Buyers researching the PE side of the mechanical roll-up will find the buyer-set companion at Private Equity Auto Repair Report 2026. Owner-operator collision shops should reference Auto Body Shop Business Valuation for SDE-focused owner-op multiples by DRP tier, OEM certification, and ADAS revenue share.

Sister-cluster pillars in the CT Acquisitions M&A multiples library cover comparable service verticals: Home Services M&A Multiples 2026, Healthcare Services M&A Multiples 2026, Professional Services M&A Multiples 2026, IT and Managed Services M&A Multiples 2026, and Industrial Manufacturing M&A Multiples 2026.

Diligence and structure companions include Quality of Earnings, QoE Provider Comparison 2026, Reps and Warranties Insurance Carrier Comparison 2026, Owner Dependency and Valuation, Founder Earnout Benchmarks by Deal Size 2026, Founder Rollover Equity Benchmarks 2026, Business Valuation Calculator 2026, and SBA Acquisition Lender Rankings 2026.

Build notes appendix

Report type: pillar.
Cluster: Automotive Services.
Sub-segments covered: auto repair or mechanic, collision or body, quick lube, tire plus service, car wash, transmission, auto glass, dealer service department (adjacent).
Target URL slug: /guides/automotive-services-ma-multiples-2026/.
Cannibalization posture: Auto repair spoke at /guides/auto-repair-mechanic-shop-ma-multiples-2026/ handles depth on general repair. Auto body owner-op guide at /guides/auto-body-shop-business-valuation/ handles owner-op SDE and DRP tier detail. This pillar sits above both as the cross-vertical benchmark.
Three Kings on this page: title, H1, and first substantive content paragraph all carry “Automotive Services M&A Multiples 2026” verbatim. Yoast title and WP post title both set to “Automotive Services M&A Multiples Report 2026: Valuation Benchmarks by Size and Sub-Vertical.”
Voice gates enforced: no em-dashes, no en-dashes, no AI-tell buzzwords, one statistic per sentence, conditional language throughout.
Named-deal policy: only public disclosed multiples referenced (Take 5 to Driven; Caliber to H&F and OMERS; Valvoline retail to Aramco; Mister Car Wash IPO; Driven Brands IPO). No undisclosed named multiples asserted.
Sub-vertical premium construction: mid-points computed from published range endpoints; not statistical medians of a linked deal dataset. Flagged as a limitation in the synthesis section.
Word-count band 9,000 to 12,000 delivered near the middle of the range.