Pasadena PPF & Tint Business, Luxury Auto Protection Shop in Pasadena CA

$1.5M

Revenue

$600K

SDE

2.6x

Multiple

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Full Editorial Writeup

This is an operating automotive protection and customization shop in Pasadena offering paint protection film (PPF), window tint, vehicle wraps, and ceramic coating. The business runs out of an 11,800 square foot facility with recently upgraded flooring, lighting, and paint, a professional reception area, and a layout purpose-built for installation work. On a reported $1.5M in revenue it claims $600k in cash flow (SDE), a 40% margin that should be scrutinized given the headline-grabbing title referencing $600 in net profit.

The standout asset is the customer base: the shop has established ongoing referral relationships with luxury dealerships including Rolls-Royce, Porsche, Bentley, and BMW. That dealer pipeline is the real moat here, feeding high-ticket work on expensive vehicles where owners readily pay for protection. A buyer is effectively acquiring those relationships plus a built-out, photogenic facility on a lease with 9 years remaining at $13,048 per month plus CAM.

The flip side is concentration and discretionary demand. PPF and ceramic coating on six-figure cars is a want, not a need, and dealer relationships can evaporate when a sales manager changes or a competitor undercuts on price. The asking price of $1.55M at 2.58x cash flow is reasonable on paper, but the entire thesis hinges on verifying that $600k figure and the durability of the dealer channel.

Why we like it

At a $1.55M ask against $600k reported cash flow, the 2.58x multiple is below typical market pricing for a profitable auto services shop, leaving room for returns if the earnings prove out. SBA and owner financing availability means a buyer can put real leverage on the deal and preserve cash.
The established referral relationships with Rolls-Royce, Porsche, Bentley, and BMW dealers are the closest thing to a moat this business has. Dealer-fed work on luxury vehicles delivers higher ticket sizes and a steadier pipeline than a shop reliant on walk-in retail and advertising.
The facility is a genuine operating asset: 11,800 square feet, recently upgraded, built for installation flow, and locked into a lease with 9 years remaining at a fixed $13,048 base rent. That stability removes a major variable for a new owner and the photogenic interior supports marketing and content.
PPF and ceramic coating are high-margin add-on services with strong pricing power when sold through dealers to buyers already spending $200k+ on a car. An operator who can add installers and shifts can scale throughput without proportional increases in overhead.

How to improve it

Verify and then formalize the dealer relationships into written referral agreements or preferred-vendor arrangements. Converting informal handshake referrals from Rolls-Royce, Porsche, Bentley, and BMW into documented programs protects the revenue base and makes the next sale far more valuable.
Build a direct-to-consumer marketing engine to reduce dependence on dealer channels. Luxury car owners search for PPF and ceramic coating directly, and a strong local SEO presence, Google reviews strategy, and social content shot in the upgraded facility can diversify lead flow within 90 days.
Introduce maintenance and renewal programs to create repeat revenue. Ceramic coating reapplication, annual detailing memberships, and PPF warranty check-ups turn one-time jobs into a returning customer base and smooth out demand.
Audit pricing and job-level margins by service line. PPF, tint, wraps, and ceramic have very different labor intensities and material costs, and tightening quoting discipline plus upselling full-vehicle PPF over partial wraps can lift average ticket meaningfully.
Expand capacity by adding trained installers and a second shift if the dealer pipeline supports it. The facility is sized for volume, so the constraint is likely labor, and throughput gains flow almost entirely to the bottom line given fixed rent.
Add fleet and commercial accounts to complement the luxury retail base. Wraps and tint for local businesses, exotic rental fleets, and dealership inventory prep provide steadier, less discretionary volume to offset downturn risk.
Implement a shop management and CRM system to track every quote, conversion rate, and referral source. Clean operating data makes the business easier to manage, easier to scale, and far more credible at the next exit.

Diligence notes

Reconcile the glaring gap between the title referencing $600 in annual net profit and the $600,000 cash flow figure. Pull tax returns, bank statements, and a quality-of-earnings review to determine the true owner earnings, because the entire 2.58x multiple collapses if the real number is anywhere near $600.
Quantify dealer concentration and relationship durability. Determine what percentage of revenue comes from each dealer, whether the relationships are personal to the current owner, and how a sales manager change or competitor could disrupt the pipeline.
Assess revenue cyclicality given the discretionary, luxury-tied nature of the work. Review monthly revenue over several years to see how volume held during softer periods, since PPF on six-figure cars is among the first things buyers skip in a downturn.
Scrutinize the lease and facility costs in detail. Confirm the 9-year remaining term, CAM charges, escalation clauses, and whether the lease is assignable, because at $13,048 base plus CAM the occupancy cost is a material fixed obligation.
Clarify owner involvement and transferability of skills. Determine whether the owner is a hands-on installer, a sales rainmaker, or a passive manager, and quantify the staffing, training, and licensing required for a new owner to maintain output.
Separate inventory and working capital from the asking price. The $80,000 inventory is excluded from the ask, so confirm the normalized working capital needed to run the business and whether additional cash will be required at close.

Source

Originally listed on BizBuySell. View original listing →