Big Peach Car Wash wrongfully used trademarked name, Macon judge rules
A Macon judge ruled against Big Peach Car Wash after a car service provider claimed the car wash used their trademarked name without consent, recent court records show.
Big Peach Car Wash was ordered on Jan. 23 by Judge Marc Treadwell to remove “Express Oil Change” from its logos and signage after a company, also named Express Oil Change, claimed its trademarked name was used without its permission, according to court records.
Though they were sued in May 2025, Big Peach, based in Forsyth with locations across Middle Georgia, never responded to the lawsuit, according to court records and Treadwell’s order.
Express Oil, a car service provider with “over 386 locations across 19 states,” has had the phrase federally trademarked since 1989. However, the local car wash — which also offers car repair, maintenance, and oil-changing services — adopted the “Big Peach Express Oil Change” name without Express Oil’s consent around February 2025, court records show.
Express Oil Change alleged that Big Peach violated the Lanham Act, which is meant to protect a trademark from being used by other companies “if such use is likely to result in consumer confusion, or if the dilution of a famous mark is likely to occur,” according to Constitutional law and Treadwell’s order.
‘Big Peach’s infringing behavior’
Express Oil claimed in its suit that the “Big Peach Express Oil Change” trademark used by Big Peach Car Wash is confusingly similar to its “Express Oil Change,” court records show.
Express Oil’s marks “have become widely recognized by the general consuming public of the United States as a designation of the source for (Express Oil’s) services,” which could confuse customers if another company claims the same phrase, it argued in its lawsuit against the car wash company. Both companies also share similar marks, products, retail outlets and purchasers, which could further confuse customers about the difference between the two companies.
As a result, Treadwell ruled that “Big Peach Express Oil Change” infringes on Express Oil’s trademark rights, court records show.
Since Big Peach Car Wash never responded to the lawsuit, Treadwell issued a default judgment against the car wash for using the trademarked phrase.
“Big Peach’s continued use of Express Oil’s marks irreparably harms Express Oil through trademark infringement and dilution, and money damages cannot compensate for Big Peach’s actions should they continue,” Treadwell said. “Issuing an injunction serves the public interest by protecting consumers from Big Peach’s infringing behavior and by protecting registered marks.”
Big Peach Car Wash has until March 24 to file a report with Treadwell in which they detail “the manner and form in which Big Peach has complied with this order,” according to court records.
The Telegraph reached out to Big Peach Car Wash but did not receive comment before publication.
Other legal troubles
Big Peach has faced other legal issues in Macon, with the owners of two tracts of land on 965 Gray Hwy. and 1820 Hardeman Dr. suing the car wash company for being behind over $300,000 behind on their rent. Both the car wash company and the landowners agreed to resolve the matter, but the lawsuits remain pending, court records show.
