What is the biggest threat that currently exists in the fast lube industry?
The biggest threat to fast lubes is a competitor that has been around for a very long time but has just recently figured out its mistake. New and used car dealers are by far the biggest nemesis the independent fast lube will ever will see. Dealers used to see oil changes as a money losing service. They actively sent oil changes to fast lubes so they didn’t have to deal with the hassle of changing oil. If they didn’t say this directly to customers, they certainly said it indirectly by forcing people to make appointments and drop their cars off for service. The reason these dealers are and will continue to be such a problem is that they are well funded and they are in the game for the long haul. Some car dealers have been actively pursuing the oil change business for several years, but the majority has just within the past year gotten the message that they are losing an amazing amount of not only service work, but new car sales as well. The more often they get customers on their lots whe
