From the filings

HQ-led decisions

AAMCO

Automotive services

AAMCO's headquarters, part of Icahn Automotive Service Partners, prescribes the POS System and technical information software every incoming franchisee must adopt, plus a required $149-per-month subscription to the POS software's maintenance, updates, and upgrades. The system spans 551 units, 540 of them franchised, though franchised outlets are down 1.28% year over year.

For software vendors selling into US franchise brands.

Live signals

Total units
551
540 franchised
Franchised outlet growth
-1.28%
Item 20, last two year-ends
AUV
$1.00M
Item 19, 2023
Royalty
Complete royalty terms unconfirmed
percentage component
Ad fund
—
percentage component
Initial fee
$40K
per unit
Investment range
$237K–$361K
all-in, Item 7
Procurement
Approved supplier
from the filing
Non-compete
2 years
from the filing
Item 19
Claims
from the filing

Ordinary royalty terms

Complete royalty terms unconfirmed

Complete royalty terms are not confirmed for the selected filing.

Mandated & recommended tech

The systems vendors compete with

Systems named in Item 11 of this filing. None is recorded as mandated here, which is not the same as the filing mandating nothing. Read Item 11 before treating the category as open.

ALLDATAALLDATA
Industry softwareItem 11

We may, at any time and from time to time, make changes to our prescribed POS System, related software, and associated costs thereof. You must implement these changes as we direct. We are not obligated to provide you with ongoing maintenance, repairs, upgrades or updates to the POS System. All incoming new, re-sale, and conversion franchisees are required to use AAMCO’s currently prescribed POS System at their newly-acquired AAMCO Centers. We will require any existing AAMCO Centers still using legacy software to adopt the newest POS System, AMS, by the end of the current calendar year, including communicating any necessary changes, upgrades, or other requirements of obtaining or converting to the current POS System. AAMCO will also provide you with technical programs, materials and products, which currently include the AAMCOUniversity.com Learning Management System (“LMS”) and ALLDATA (or an equivalent third party service), as incorporated into our current POS System software suite. These items will be made available for you to access online. The AAMCO University LMS is an online group of programs. You will also be automatically subscribed to the technical update service provider in use at any given time; such provider is currently ALLDATA, which does not impose a separate monthly charge because the service is included with the ongoing monthly usage license for the POS System.

FacebookMeta
MarketingItem 8

You may not use any advertising or marketing materials until we have authorized them in writing. You must comply with our social media policy that we develop and periodically update in connection with your use of technology-based social networking, including without limitation online comment boards, blogs and Internet sites such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. Purchasing Arrangements and Suppliers We negotiate purchase arrangements with several suppliers, including price terms, for the benefit of franchisees and all AAMCO Centers. In negotiating purchase arrangements with suppliers, AAMCO seeks to promote its franchise system’s overall interests and its interests as the franchisor. We do not provide material benefits (e.g., cash payments, franchise fee reduction, or granting additional franchises) to a franchisee based on a franchisee’s purchase of particular products or services or use of particular suppliers.

LinkedInLinkedIn
MarketingItem 11

You may not create, maintain or use an Online Site or other form of electronic media not paid for or approved in writing by AAMCO for the purpose of advertising or promoting the Center. You may also not create or adopt, use or register any domain name that uses in any manner, the AAMCO Marks, and you may not establish any HTML or other link between any web site that you create, maintain, or use and our home page(s) or other Online Sites without our prior written approval. The term “Online Site” means one or more related documents, designs, pages, or other communications that can be accessed through electronic means, including, but not limited to, the Internet, World Wide Web, webpages, microsites, social networking sites (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, You Tube, Google Plus, Pinterest, etc.), blogs, vlogs, applications to be installed on mobile devices (e.g., iPad or Droid apps), and other applications, etc.

PinterestPinterest
MarketingItem 11

You may not create, maintain or use an Online Site or other form of electronic media not paid for or approved in writing by AAMCO for the purpose of advertising or promoting the Center. You may also not create or adopt, use or register any domain name that uses in any manner, the AAMCO Marks, and you may not establish any HTML or other link between any web site that you create, maintain, or use and our home page(s) or other Online Sites without our prior written approval. The term “Online Site” means one or more related documents, designs, pages, or other communications that can be accessed through electronic means, including, but not limited to, the Internet, World Wide Web, webpages, microsites, social networking sites (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, You Tube, Google Plus, Pinterest, etc.), blogs, vlogs, applications to be installed on mobile devices (e.g., iPad or Droid apps), and other applications, etc.

TwitterX
MarketingItem 8

You may not use any advertising or marketing materials until we have authorized them in writing. You must comply with our social media policy that we develop and periodically update in connection with your use of technology-based social networking, including without limitation online comment boards, blogs and Internet sites such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. Purchasing Arrangements and Suppliers We negotiate purchase arrangements with several suppliers, including price terms, for the benefit of franchisees and all AAMCO Centers. In negotiating purchase arrangements with suppliers, AAMCO seeks to promote its franchise system’s overall interests and its interests as the franchisor. We do not provide material benefits (e.g., cash payments, franchise fee reduction, or granting additional franchises) to a franchisee based on a franchisee’s purchase of particular products or services or use of particular suppliers.

YouTubeGoogle
MarketingItem 8

You may not use any advertising or marketing materials until we have authorized them in writing. You must comply with our social media policy that we develop and periodically update in connection with your use of technology-based social networking, including without limitation online comment boards, blogs and Internet sites such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. Purchasing Arrangements and Suppliers We negotiate purchase arrangements with several suppliers, including price terms, for the benefit of franchisees and all AAMCO Centers. In negotiating purchase arrangements with suppliers, AAMCO seeks to promote its franchise system’s overall interests and its interests as the franchisor. We do not provide material benefits (e.g., cash payments, franchise fee reduction, or granting additional franchises) to a franchisee based on a franchisee’s purchase of particular products or services or use of particular suppliers.

Franchisor behaviours

What the franchisor requires

25 requirements the franchisor states in this filing, each in its own words; 2 explicit no's; 7 questions the text does not settle, which is not a no.

Accounting

Must the franchisee use an accounting or bookkeeping system designated or approved by the franchisor?

Yes

Item 11

You are required to use this software and subscribe to the maintenance, updates, and upgrades of the program for a monthly fee of $149/mo.

Does the franchisor have direct or independent electronic access to the franchisee's financial, sales or customer records?

Yes

Item 11

We reserve the right to independently access your computer system for the purpose of downloading sales and other data.

Must the franchisee submit periodic financial statements (monthly, quarterly or annual) to the franchisor?

Yes

Franchise agreement

submit to AAMCO uniform business and financial reports and financial statements per Section 10 herein and in accordance with any procedures set forth in writing by AAMCO

How the franchisor buys

Is the franchisor or an affiliate itself a supplier of required products, services or systems?

Yes

Item 8

The suppliers may include us and our affiliates, and you agree to use commercially reasonable efforts to utilize our affiliates as the primary supplier of items where our affiliates are competitive in terms of price and service compared with the same or similar items available from other qualified suppliers.

Is there a franchisee advisory council, association or committee?

Yes

Item 11

At this time, the NCC is the only advertising council composed of franchisees that

Does the franchisor reserve the right to change designated suppliers or systems at any time?

Yes

Item 8

AAMCO may issue changes and/or additions to the required equipment/supply lists at any time and from time to time, as it sees fit.

How much revenue did the franchisor and its affiliates earn from franchisee purchases in the last fiscal year?

1111000

Item 8

During our last fiscal year, we received approximately $1,111,000 in total revenues from directly selling or leasing equipment, products, supplies, services, and technology to franchisees of AAMCO Centers

Does the franchisor or an affiliate receive rebates, commissions or other revenue from designated or approved suppliers?

Yes

Item 8

we may receive revenue or other material consideration from certain vendors or suppliers we approve for use by the AAMCO Center network.

Item 8 gives this proportion in one of two shapes: separate percentages for establishing the business and for operating it, or one figure covering "establishing and operating" together. Where they are separate, answer with the operating percentage; where the passage gives only the combined figure, answer with that. What percentage of the franchisee's purchases must come from designated or approved suppliers?

95

Item 8

We estimate that your product purchases from approved suppliers and according to our specifications will represent approximately 90% of your total product purchases in establishing the Center, and approximately 95-100% in the continuing operation of the Center.

Can a franchisee propose a new supplier for the franchisor's approval?

Yes

Item 8

If you intend to purchase or lease for use at the Center any product or service (from the “Required - may purchase from AAMCO” or “Optional” lists), or any other item for which we prescribe specifications but have not designated or approved one or more suppliers, then you must first submit a written request for our…

Communications

Does the franchisor own or control the business telephone numbers, or take them over when the agreement ends?

Yes

Franchise agreement

Franchisee acknowledges and agrees that AAMCO may collect and maintain records of call volume and other related data for the RCF Numbers.

Franchise management

Does the franchisor conduct periodic inspections, audits or evaluations of the franchised business?

Yes

Franchise agreement

permit AAMCO, during business hours, to inspect the premises of the Center, confer with Franchisee and Franchisee’s employees and customers, check equipment and inventories, methods, books and records, and perform any other inspection deemed by AAMCO to be necessary to determine the nature, quality, and uniformity of…

Can the franchisor change the operations manual and brand standards unilaterally?

Yes

Item 8

We may modify our Operator’s Manual at any time, and on a periodic basis as we deem necessary, and those changes become effective upon publication to AAMCO franchisees.

Must the franchisor approve the franchisee's site or location before opening?

Yes

Item 11

You must obtain written approval from AAMCO for the site before securing any purchase or leasehold contracts for the location or undertaking any construction-related activities.

Marketing

Is the franchisee prohibited from operating its own website or social media accounts, or required to use pages the franchisor provides?

Yes

Item 11

You may not create, maintain or use an Online Site or other form of electronic media not paid for or approved in writing by AAMCO for the purpose of advertising or promoting the Center.

Is a minimum grand opening advertising spend required?

Yes

Item 11

As stated in Item 7, you are required to spend at least $5,000 for a Grand Opening Advertising Program to promote your Center before you begin operating.

Is the franchisee required to spend a minimum amount on local advertising or marketing, as a percentage of sales or a fixed amount?

Yes

Item 11

If your Center is the only Center in the DMA, or a majority of the Centers in the DMA do not implement a local advertising buy and budget or do not have a locally administered advertising Pool, then you must spend weekly a minimum amount for local advertising in your area or pay AAMCO a continuing advertising fee…

Must the franchisee participate in a regional advertising cooperative when one exists?

Yes

Item 11

Once your Center opens, you must participate in the local advertising Pool or cooperative established in the Designated Market Area (“DMA”) where your Center is located.

Operations

Must the franchisee buy products from a designated distributor?

Yes

Item 8

Items listed under “Required - must purchase from AAMCO” must be purchased only from/through AAMCO (unless prohibited by state law); whereas those items listed under “Required - may purchase from AAMCO” must also be used at your Center, but may be purchased from AAMCO or a third party as long as the item meets our…

Must equipment be purchased from designated or approved suppliers?

Yes

Item 8

Items listed under “Required - must purchase from AAMCO” must be purchased only from/through AAMCO (unless prohibited by state law); whereas those items listed under “Required - may purchase from AAMCO” must also be used at your Center, but may be purchased from AAMCO or a third party as long as the item meets our…

Payments

Are royalties and other fees collected by automatic bank debit (ACH or electronic funds transfer) from the franchisee's account?

Yes

Franchise agreement

Franchisee agrees that the Franchise Fee and all other fees, charges and/or amounts owed by Franchisee under this Agreement, specifically including, but not limited to, any sums due for any advertising, whether national, regional, local and/or national creative, pursuant to Section 11 below, shall be remitted to…

People

Must employees wear uniforms specified by the franchisor?

Yes

Franchise agreement

require your employees to comply with such dress code or standards as AAMCO may require, which may include use of branded (or other “uniform”) apparel, and otherwise identify themselves with the AAMCO Marks at all times in the manner AAMCO specifies (whether in the Operator’s Manual or otherwise in writing).

Point of sale

Must the franchisee use a specific point-of-sale system designated or approved by the franchisor?

Yes

Item 11

All incoming new, re-sale, and conversion franchisees are required to use AAMCO’s currently prescribed POS System at their newly-acquired AAMCO Centers.

Does the franchisor have independent access to the data in the franchisee's POS or computer system?

Yes

Item 11

We reserve the right to independently access your computer system for the purpose of downloading sales and other data.

Training

Can the franchisor charge the franchisee for additional, refresher or remedial training?

Yes

Item 11

AAMCO may require that you attend additional training courses.

The filing answers no to 2 questions
  • Does the franchisor charge a fee to evaluate a proposed supplier?Item 8
  • Must the franchisee participate in a customer-satisfaction or net-promoter survey program?

The vendor opportunity at AAMCO

AAMCO operates 551 automotive-service units, 540 of them franchised, with franchised outlets down 1.28% year over year. Item 19 of the FDD includes a financial performance representation across multiple reporting cohorts, including 498 Operating Centers in 2023. AAMCO is part of Icahn Automotive Service Partners, giving a vendor relationship here reach into a larger corporate automotive-services portfolio.

Who controls software purchasing

AAMCO's headquarters, led by President Bruce Chidsey, sets the technology mandate centrally: all incoming new, resale, and conversion franchisees must use AAMCO's currently prescribed POS System. Franchisees are also required to subscribe to the POS software's maintenance, updates, and upgrades for a monthly fee of $149.

Tech named in the FDD, and what is actually required

The FDD names LinkedIn in Item 11, and Pinterest, Facebook, X (Twitter), and YouTube across Items 8 and 11. AAMCO's own POS System, AMS, is mandated directly, and franchisees are automatically subscribed to ALLDATA, the technical update service included in the POS System software suite alongside the AAMCOUniversity.com Learning Management System.

Procurement, renewals, and timing

Item 8 runs an approved-supplier list: franchisees must buy signage, the proprietary POS System, technical information system software and reference materials, sales materials, and Grand Opening Advertising support only from AAMCO, together with roughly 90% of product purchases at buildout and 95-100% on an ongoing basis from approved suppliers. The initial franchise term runs 15 years and renews automatically for another 15 unless either side gives notice, though AAMCO can require a then-current agreement with materially different terms at renewal.

How to read the AAMCO FDD

The embedded viewer below carries AAMCO's 2024 Franchise Disclosure Document, including the Item 8 and Item 11 language summarized above.

Talk to FranCloud for a ranked list of franchise systems like AAMCO where the technology mandate and procurement structure line up with your product.

Ordinary royalty terms

Complete royalty terms are not confirmed.

Questions vendors ask

AAMCO, answered from the filing

AAMCO's headquarters, led by President Bruce Chidsey, prescribes the POS System and proprietary technical information system every incoming franchisee must adopt. Vendors should approach AAMCO's corporate operations team, part of Icahn Automotive Service Partners, rather than individual centers.
AAMCO requires all incoming new, resale, and conversion franchisees to use its currently prescribed POS System, AMS, and subscribe to its maintenance, updates, and upgrades at $149 per month; franchisees are automatically subscribed to ALLDATA through the POS suite. The FDD also names LinkedIn and Pinterest in Item 11, and Facebook, X (Twitter), and YouTube in Item 8.
551 total units in the United States and Canada, 540 franchised and 11 company-owned, in the automotive-services segment, with franchised outlets down 1.28% year over year.
Item 8 runs an approved-supplier list: franchisees must buy signage, the proprietary POS System, technical information system software and materials, sales materials, and grand-opening advertising support only from AAMCO. Purchases from approved suppliers and to specifications represent about 90% of product purchases at opening and 95-100% ongoing. Franchisees may propose alternative suppliers for approval.
The initial franchise term runs 15 years and automatically renews for another 15 unless either side gives notice, with AAMCO able to require a then-current agreement with materially different terms at renewal — a long cycle, with franchised outlets down 1.28% year over year.
The embedded PDF viewer below carries AAMCO's 2024 Franchise Disclosure Document.
Source

Read the filing itself

Read the original document for the filing figures and their terms, page by page. Buy the original PDF to download, search, and annotate it.

AAMCO2024 FDDView only

Loading filing…

View only A one-time purchase: the original filing, yours to keep.

FDD alert

Tell me when this brand refiles.

Request an email alert when a newer filing for AAMCO is available.

The brands you can actually sell into, from the filings.

Operator footprint

Who runs the locations

5 operators run 5 mapped locations. 0 of them are multi-unit. Aggregate counts from the filing; no names.

Operators by units owned

Single-unit5

Ownership

The portfolio behind AAMCO

Parent company: Icahn Automotive Service Partners LLC.

Related Automotive services brands

Primary franchise filings · updated September 2026. Read the original filing for definitions, conditions, and qualifications.