Sisters mechanic focuses on fast, friendly service

Helping to keep the rubber on the road is a prime concern for mechanic Tom Radekin's Auto Service Express. Radekin has recently opened shop in the Sisters Industrial Park, offering a comprehensive menu of automotive services and repairs for cars, trucks, motorhomes and SUVs.

This is the second auto-repair business for owner/operator Radekin, who runs another shop in Springfield. He brings his 24 years of experience and skills with a wrench to Sisters, focused on fair prices, quick service and attention to building lasting relationships with the locals.

"We opened on September 24, after we moved to Sisters full-time in April," said Radekin. "I loved the area so much and was commuting back and forth so I decided it was time to open another place to help the community here. I specialize in anything from lightbulbs to engines and do everything but internal transmission work. We offer a 10-minute quick oil change as well as full automotive repair. We're members of the Better Business Bureau and will be joining the Sisters (Area) Chamber of Commerce this month."

Radekin was the owner of a Midas Muffler franchise in Springfield from 2001-2005 and got out from under the business because it wasn't personal enough for his tastes.

"I like the idea of people knowing who Tom was, not just the big yellow sign," he said. "I have a fiancée here in town, Marla Brinkman, and she's the main reason why I came to Sisters. I also have a 22-year-old daughter, Courtney, who runs the front office and she's really a chip off the old block. It's very friendly to do business here, and everyone has been very receptive."

Radekin talked to a lot of residents before diving into a second venture and discovered one of the big issues was the time factor in getting repairs done.

"There's a limited amount of mechanics in Sisters and I realized the market needed another. We're fully staffed to serve all our customers' needs, from transmission and radiator flushes to complete tune-ups, electrical issues, air-conditioning problems and full brake replacement. I specialize in diagnostics and am an ASE Certified Technician, easily tackling all factory scheduled maintenance at half the cost of a dealership and save you a drive."

Radekin says the response has been "unbelievable" so far and he is thankful.

"I had a customer the other day who mentioned us to a friend and wanted to see how 'express' we really were and was in shock when we had her car done in three hours. My philosophy is all about preventative maintenance, doing your scheduled oil changes and factory-required upkeep and essential services. People are keeping their cars a lot longer now and maintenance is the key to achieve that. Winterizing is the important thing to living in the high desert, and using a quality antifreeze both winter and summer."

Radekin hopes people will drop by to say hello and talk to him about any of their automotive needs or concerns. He's offering a free multi-point fall safety inspection to all Sisters residents.

Auto Service Express is located at 117 W. Sisters Park Dr. For more information call 541-719-1274.