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FRANCHISE RESALES

Buy a Colors on Parade / CarLove Franchise

Colors On Parade is a mobile automotive paint and dent repair franchise founded in 1988 in Conway, South Carolina, where it pioneered the “body shop on wheels” concept. Technicians travel to the customer to carry out minor cosmetic repairs on-site: paint repair, paintless dent repair (PDR), headlight restoration, alloy wheel refinishing, interior repair and RV fibre and paint work.

Repairs use the company’s proprietary EcoSmart System, a SMART method that treats only the damaged area to cut waste, emissions and cost relative to a traditional body shop. The model is mobile and largely home-based, with franchisees working protected territories rather than fixed premises. Customers span wholesale and retail alike: dealerships, rental agencies, fleet operators and body shops alongside individual vehicle owners. A few units trade under their own names, such as Birmingham’s CarLove.

The system runs on two tiers. Unit/Operator franchisees deliver repairs from their own mobile units, while Area Representative franchisees recruit, train and support operators across a region for a share of royalties. With more than 250 franchisees across roughly 31 states, Colors On Parade is an established name in mobile auto reconditioning.

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Why buy a Colors on Parade / CarLove Franchise?

Buying a Colors On Parade franchise gives a new owner an established, three-decade brand in a resilient corner of the automotive market, where cosmetic damage is common and repairs are needed whatever the wider economy is doing. The EcoSmart System and the mobile, on-site format let franchisees underprice traditional body shops while reaching customers at the dealership, lot or driveway.

The home-based, territory-protected model keeps overhead low, with no shopfront lease to carry. A central distribution centre supplies paints, chemicals and equipment at volume pricing with same-day shipping, and the franchisor maintains national wholesale accounts that can feed operators steady B2B work from dealerships, rental agencies and fleet operators. That recurring wholesale base, layered on top of retail jobs, is the core appeal of the model.

Colors on Parade / CarLove Franchise Costs & Information

Based on 2025 data reported in the 2026 FDD

  • Brand Profile

    • Year Founded

      1988

    • Franchising Since

      1991

    • New Startup Cost

      $22,200 – $99,300

    • Avg. Resale Price

      Contact us for details

  • Franchise Fees

    • Initial franchise Fee

      $2,500 – $7,500

      for new territories

    • Transfer Fee

      $1,000

    • Royalty Fee

      20–30%

      of Gross Sales

    • Marketing Fee

      Not Disclosed

  • Unit Performance

    • Total Units *

      219

    • New Units Opened *

      22

    • Units Transferred *

      0

    • Avg. Unit revenue *

      $177,432

    * Based on 2025 data reported in the 2026 FDD

Colors on Parade / CarLove – Additional  Information

  1. Training & Support

    Initial training covers 10 hours of classroom instruction and 112 hours of on-the-job work, anchored by a certification course at the Conway, South Carolina headquarters covering technical repair, business management and marketing. Ongoing support includes a mentoring programme, a 24-hour technical assistance line, annual national conventions and supplemental training, plus a product distribution centre offering same-day shipping on paints, chemicals and equipment at volume pricing. Operators also tap a network of wholesale accounts. Resale buyers should confirm what transfer training and system access carry over when ownership changes.

  2. Ideal Owner

    Two distinct profiles fit. Unit/Operator owners are hands-on, comfortable working outdoors and on their feet, and willing to learn precise repair and finishing techniques; prior auto-body experience helps but is not required, as the franchisor trains from scratch. Area Representative owners are management-led, drawing on sales, marketing, leadership and business-planning skills to recruit, coach and support operators across a region. Both benefit from being relationship-driven, since steady revenue depends on building wholesale ties with dealerships, rental agencies and fleet operators.

  3. Recognition & Awards

    Colors On Parade has been ranked among the nation's top franchise systems by Entrepreneur magazine, appearing on its Franchise 500 list (recognised in the 2023 edition) and placing #91 on Entrepreneur's Top Home-Based & Mobile Franchises in 2023. The brand was named Franchisor of the Year at the Southeast Franchise Forum in 1998 and is an active member of VetFran, offering franchise-fee incentives for veterans. For resale buyers, brand-level standing should be weighed alongside the specific territory's local reputation, reviews and wholesale relationships.

  4. Industry / Market

    Colors On Parade sits in the US car body and paint repair market, which IBISWorld values at roughly $77 billion in 2026. Demand is steady: the US vehicle fleet is ageing, dealerships and rental and fleet operators continually recondition inventory for resale, and minor cosmetic damage occurs regardless of economic cycles. Mobile, appearance-focused operators compete on convenience and price against traditional collision shops. For resale buyers, local demand hinges on the density of dealerships, fleets and rental agencies in the territory and the strength of the unit's existing wholesale relationships.

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