Fix Auto is a collision-repair franchise, not a general mechanical shop or a quick-lube outlet — so a resale turns on things a typical auto-service transfer checklist doesn't cover: the paint booth and refinishing equipment, the insurer Direct Repair Program relationships that route work to the shop, and OEM-specific structural repair certifications on newer vehicles. There's no OMVIC dealer registration involved, since collision repair doesn't sell vehicles, but environmental screening for paint and solvent handling is a standard part of diligence.
Fix Auto resales follow the franchisor's own approval process on top of the usual purchase mechanics — here's how the two run together.
Getting approved
The offer sets price and structure, conditioned on franchisor consent and a screening-level review of paint and solvent handling on site.
1–3 weeks†The franchisor reviews the proposed buyer and may exercise a right of first refusal before the sale can proceed.
several weeks, typically†A franchise disclosure document may still be required for this resale — Ontario courts read the resale-disclosure exemption narrowly, so franchisor involvement in the sale can trigger it even where it's called a private deal.
assessed early†Getting to closing
The collision-repair building's lease needs landlord consent to assign, alongside a screening-level environmental review given the site's history of paint, solvent, and refinishing waste handling.
2–6 weeks†OEM-specific structural repair certifications and insurer Direct Repair Program relationships are re-confirmed under the new ownership.
2–4 weeks†Funds and keys change hands, equipment and bay condition are confirmed, and the franchisor confirms the transfer is complete.
1 day, once conditions are met†CFA Look For A Franchise listing confirms an established Canadian collision-repair franchise network, in business since 1992, CFA member since 2008; part of the Fix Network group of automotive aftermarket brands and described as Canada's largest automotive aftermarket services provider
Ontario collision-repair shops within its large, established Canadian franchise network
This is the first real decision in a Fix Auto resale — and it changes what you're buying, what you're taking on, and how the franchise agreement moves.
| Question | Asset purchase | Share purchase |
|---|---|---|
| What you buy | The shop's assets — paint booth and refinishing equipment, frame and structural repair equipment, leasehold improvements, and the franchise agreement's benefit, subject to franchisor consent. | The shares of the operating company — everything it owns, and everything it owes. |
| Seller's liabilities | Generally stay behind with the seller's existing corporation. | Generally come with the company, known and unknown. |
| Franchise agreement | Consent required for the specific shop, often paired with a current-form agreement. | Consent required for the change of control itself. |
| Environmental exposure | A screening-level review of paint, solvent, and refinishing-waste handling is standard before the assets are purchased. | Environmental exposure attaches to the corporation, so historical handling practices matter even more on a share sale. |
| Insurer Direct Repair Program status | Typically needs to be re-confirmed with insurers under the new ownership before referral work keeps flowing at prior volumes. | May survive if the underlying corporation and its billing and referral history stay intact, though insurers can still require their own review. |
| Tax angle | Buyer gets a stepped-up cost base on the assets purchased. | Seller may access the lifetime capital gains exemption on qualifying shares. |
The shop's assets — paint booth and refinishing equipment, frame and structural repair equipment, leasehold improvements, and the franchise agreement's benefit, subject to franchisor consent.
The shares of the operating company — everything it owns, and everything it owes.
Generally stay behind with the seller's existing corporation.
Generally come with the company, known and unknown.
Consent required for the specific shop, often paired with a current-form agreement.
Consent required for the change of control itself.
A screening-level review of paint, solvent, and refinishing-waste handling is standard before the assets are purchased.
Environmental exposure attaches to the corporation, so historical handling practices matter even more on a share sale.
Typically needs to be re-confirmed with insurers under the new ownership before referral work keeps flowing at prior volumes.
May survive if the underlying corporation and its billing and referral history stay intact, though insurers can still require their own review.
Buyer gets a stepped-up cost base on the assets purchased.
Seller may access the lifetime capital gains exemption on qualifying shares.
We tell you which structure fits — before you sign anything.
No open-ended hourly surprises — the cost is confirmed in writing before any work begins.
| Type of work | Fee | How it's confirmed |
|---|---|---|
| Straightforward purchase or sale | Starting from $3,388.87 Our charges · taxes included | Confirmed in writing once we see the agreement. |
| Larger or more complex deal | Quoted to scope | Short call → fixed written quote before any work begins. |
| Searches, filings & third-party fees | At cost | Itemized on your invoice, not marked up. |
A single Fix Auto collision-repair shop changing hands between one buyer and one seller, with a straightforward lease and a clean environmental screening.
Start my file →A shop where insurer Direct Repair Program relationships or OEM-specific certifications need to be re-confirmed or requalified before terms are final, or a multi-shop operator adding a location to an existing portfolio.
Book a consultation →Not sure which you are? That's our job to figure out, not yours. As a rough guide, most deals under a couple of million dollars are the first kind — above that, you're usually in Mergers & Acquisitions territory.
Generally, no — collision repair doesn't involve buying and selling vehicles, so it doesn't carry the OMVIC dealer registration requirement that applies to a shop that also sells used cars. That's a genuine point of difference from a used-vehicle-adjacent repair business.
Many collision shops get a meaningful share of their work through insurer referral programs, and those relationships are commonly reviewed — not automatically assumed to continue — when ownership changes, so confirming their status is a real diligence item, not a formality.
Modern vehicles increasingly require manufacturer-specific structural repair procedures and certified technicians to service them correctly — if the certified staff aren't staying on, the incoming owner needs a plan to requalify the shop, which is a cost and timing issue worth pricing into the deal.
Diligence typically focuses on how paint, solvents, and refinishing waste have been stored and disposed of on site — a screening-level review is standard, given the nature of collision and refinishing work.
Possibly. Ontario courts have read the resale-disclosure exemption narrowly, and franchisor involvement in matching a buyer to a seller can be enough to trigger a full disclosure requirement even where the deal is framed as a private resale.
Related
Where we close franchise resale deals
Treadstone Law is an independent law firm. We act for buyers and sellers of franchise businesses. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or retained by Fix Auto or its franchisor.
Tell us about your Fix Auto resale — we'll point you the right way and confirm the cost in writing before any work begins.