In the late 1940’s, Jim Lunceford, founder of Express Oil Change, saw a vast future in the automobile service industry. From a service station manager to the owner of an entire city block of comprehensive service facilities, he sought better ways to help automobile owners care for their vehicles. By the late 1970’s, Lunceford identified an opportunity created by the mass conversion of full-service gas stations to self-service facilities. About the same time, he heard of a new West Coast business that offered quick oil changes to busy motorists — an idea he saw as the most innovative step the automotive service industry had ever taken.

He decided to bring the concept to Alabama and perfect it, then grow the concept through franchising. Lunceford opened the first Express Oil Change center in 1979. Within five years he was operating four company centers when the first franchise center opened. Less than two decades later, the company dominated Alabama with more than 50 centers. 

By 1996, franchise partners Joe Watson and Ricky Brooks had developed fourteen franchise centers. As the chain’s largest franchisees, their operational efficiency, profitability and sales growth were used as a benchmark for franchise and corporate stores. Watson and Brooks saw a tremendous future for the chain. In March 1996, they formed a new company that acquired the franchise corporation from Lunceford. Since that time they have launched an aggressive franchise expansion program.

By the end of 2007, the company had grown to over 160 stores in 8 states. We are actively developing throughout the Southern U.S. including; Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.