In the quick oil change industry, having to look good all the time isn’t vanity. It’s the reason why customers choose one shop over another. In this business looking good isn’t about scoring a date, it’s about getting more customers in your door. You shouldn’t need more reasons than that to put making sure your shop stays looking good at the top of your priority list.
First Place
LOF-Xpress Oil Change
Ankeny, Iowa
What’s red, green, yellow and spotted all over? Look no further than this year’s Best Looking Lube first place winner, LOF-Xpress Oil Change in Ankeny, Iowa.
The lube, oil and filter shop stole the show with its unique exterior design, color coordinated bays and cozy waiting room that left our judges “pining” for nothing. Outside, the signage provides a contemporary, futuristic flair, while the color-coded bays are cool and functional.
“I can easily imagine a technician saying, ‘Pull over to the yellow bay please,” one judge commented.
They say real beauty is what’s found on the inside, and inside this fast lube you’ll find nothing could be truer.
“Definitely a showstopper,” one judge said. “The waiting room practically has a kitchen inside,” another judge declared.
One judge summed up what proved to be the shared consensus of the entire judging panel and the reason why LOF-Xpress is the newly crowned Best Looking Lube.
“LOF-Xpress is my favorite because it breaks the norms,” one judge said. “It looks lovely inside and out.”
Second Place
Kwik Kar of Dripping Springs
Austin, Texas
If you’ve ever been to Central Texas, you know the capital city of Texas has a thing for limestone, and it’s enough of a “thing” they’ve even coined their own name for it — Austin stone. The native Texans on our panel of judges took one look at our second place winner and fell in love.
“The big facility looks nice, new and their bays are very clean,” one judge said.
The beautiful exterior and clean bays weren’t the only things that won our judges over.
“The waiting room is by far the most family friendly waiting room I’ve seen. I think moms and dads would appreciate an area like that,” another judge said.
Third Place
Kwik Kar of Marble Falls
Marble Falls, Texas
Our third place winner, Kwik Kar of Marble Falls in Marble Falls, Texas, would probably say, “When in doubt, food is always the answer,” and our judges would tend to agree. As one judge said, “They had me at cookies, coffee and cucumber water. Those chairs in the waiting room look pretty comfy, too.”
This shop isn’t just a pretty face with fancy water options. The large facility has clean, spacious bays with flat screen TVs suspended and even a convenient, adjoining automatic “Kar Wash.”
“I like the clean bays with the racks of oil nicely displayed, and the reels have good signage,” a judge commented.
This quick lube is the perfect combination of form, function and practicality.
Honorable Mention
Valvoline Instant Oil Change
Temecula, California
This VIOC store wasn’t the biggest shop we saw in this year’s contest, but its landscaping and exterior aesthetic are picturesque and certainly were appreciated by our judges.
“I love the stone work on the outside. The landscaping is very nice and clean,” a judge gushed. “The grounds are lush and the building is noticeable. I like the overall neat appearance, and any store that puts an American flag out is one I can get behind,” said another.
Honorable Mention
Valvoline Express Care
Grapevine, Texas
Hold yourself high, and you’ll garner the respect you deserve. That’s just what the exterior architecture of Valvoline Express Care in Grapevine, Texas, says about the store. The well-lit lube shop is attention grabbing on the outside and bright and inviting inside the bays and waiting room.
“The bright red color in the waiting room is happy, and the bays are nice and clean,” commented a judge. “It has good colors, is organized and even has an area to wait outside.”
