CHICAGO (AP)-Jiffy Lube, the industry's quick-oil-change leader, is coming to as many as 456 outlets in Sears, Roebuck and Co. stores over the next three years. The subsidiary of Houston-based Pennzoil Co. now operates six outlets in Sears auto centers in Kentucky and New Jersey under a test announced last May.
Sears said the deal will return oil changes and related services to more than half of its 779 auto centers, which discontinued those services in 1992 amid allegations of auto service fraud.
Jiffy Lube will open as many as 234 company-owned and 222 franchise units in space left vacant in Sears auto centers by the 1992 overhaul. Sears will continue to offer batteries, tires, brakes, shock absorbers and front-end alignments at all its auto centers.
Jiffy Lube will open the first 145 company-owned units this year, the companies said, and Chicago-based Sears will receive a portion of Jiffy Lube's revenues from the new outlets. A final plan will be developed by the end of this year for the remaining 311 units.
All Sears stores won't operate Jiffy Lube outlets, Sears said, because some auto centers have no excess capacity, and some already are located near Jiffy Lube stores.
Automotive services accounted for 10 percent of Sears' $32.1 billion revenue in 1994.