SpeeDee Oil Change & Auto Service® Franchisee Sonia Robinson Remains Open to Serve Her Community Through a Difficult Time

Before becoming a SpeeDee Oil Change & Auto Service franchisee, Sonia Robinson was no stranger to the world of auto repair. Robinson opened her SpeeDee business last year in Fort Mill, South Carolina after more than six years working as a regional service manager for Mobility Works, a leading dealer of wheelchair-accessible vans. 

“I was looking for an opportunity to apply my industry experience to business ownership with an established brand,” said Robinson. “After doing a little bit of research and meeting with some of the other franchisees, I knew SpeeDee was the right choice for me because it allows me to offer a full range of oil change and mechanical services that I wouldn’t be able to elsewhere. With my background in customer service, owning my own shop lets me focus on building relationships and working with people, which is what I really love most about the business.”

Since May 1, 2019, Robinson has been operating her SpeeDee franchise out of an existing mechanical shop in Fort Mill that she converted for her business. The industry veteran remains up and running through the COVID-19 crisis as an essential business. According to Robinson, the guidance provided by FullSpeed Automotive, SpeeDee’s parent company, has been invaluable.

FullSpeed Automotive has forged lending relationships for its more than 150 SpeeDee franchisees to consider for SBA loan programs, and hosted educational webinars about pandemic-related government entitlements and best practices for navigating the system in an economically unstable environment. 

“With the support of the corporate team, my team and our local community, I was able to keep my doors open for the residents of my community through a difficult time,” she said. “The feedback from my customers has been fantastic, and it’s been extremely rewarding.”

For 40 years, SpeeDee has built trusted customer relationships based on reliability and professional service, growing from a single store in Metairie, Louisiana to more than 150 locations. SpeeDee is also committed to providing customers with the expertise, value and responsiveness that they deserve through services such as the signature 17-point oil change, tune-ups, alignments, brakes and more. Today, SpeeDee sees 900,000 customers each year, with 65% of those being repeat customers. 

Looking to the future, Robinson, who knows most of her customers by name, has no plans to slow down. “I am eager to continue growing the brand and have plans to open another SpeeDee location locally,” she said. “There’s no other dealership or auto shop that provides the same high-quality services that we do.”

The investment level for opening a SpeeDee Oil Change & Auto Service ranges from $197,305 to $537,970 with a $35,000 franchise fee. SpeeDee offers veterans and first responders a discount on their franchise fee and a substantial royalty rebate for their first two years of business. Candidates should demonstrate financial capability of a minimum $250,000 net worth and $60,000 to $75,000 in liquid assets, per unit developed. To learn more about franchising opportunities with SpeeDee, visit https://www.speedeeoilfranchise.com/.