Take 5 Oil Change
2857 Fish Hatchery Road, Fitchburg
car repair
Ownership
Take 5 Oil Change was acquired in April 2025 by Whistle Express Car Wash, and is owned by Driven Brands, a leading automotive franchise company. This is a corporate chain owned by PE-backed parent company, not local ownership.
Local Sourcing
No evidence of local WI/regional suppliers found. Take 5 operates a standardized corporate supply chain model. The 1,000th location celebration featured partnerships with national brands like RelaDyne and Mobil 1, indicating reliance on national suppliers.
Community Involvement
Take 5 locations collectively raised over $1.1 million for children's hospitals nationwide and organizations supporting active duty military, veterans, and their families, and announced a multi-year partnership with the Carolina Panthers. However, these are national/regional initiatives rather than deep local Madison ties.
Local Workforce
Local oil change shops pay more than Take 5, with local places averaging $16-18/hour while Take 5 pays starting out $12/hour. 282 employees score their wages and compensation an F on average, with only 23% saying they're paid fairly. Employee reviews show high turnover and poor labor practices.
Revenue Retention
Take 5 was recently acquired by Whistle Express Car Wash and is owned by Driven Brands headquartered in Charlotte, NC. As part of a multi-state corporate franchise chain, virtually all revenue flows to corporate headquarters and parent company investors, not the local Madison community.
Local Presence
Heavy corporate franchise signals dominate: location selector ('Find a Shop'), franchise boilerplate copy, corporate careers portal, parent company references ('Oil Change Franchise'), and cookie-cutter template language. Minimal local personality despite Madison/WI references and a single local attractions section.