Car-Tec Automotive in Flippin, AR A++++

[AR-Nimrod]

Guys,

I have to put in a plug for Ben Bryant (Master Auto Tech) and Car-Tec Automotive at Flippin, AR. We pulled into Wally World at Flippin to pick up some supples on Fri. (3/25) and when we parked steam was coming out from under the hood. Great we've overheated, I thought. I pop the hood to find a 4 inch hairline crack in the top of the radiator. Well....... Go into Wally World and talk to Automotive tech. He recommends Car-Tec as its only about 1 mile away. Call em up and explain our situation to Ben. Ben gets on the other line and locates a radiator for my '02 Xterra. It's in Springfield, MO. He can get it here but it will be Sat. He doesn't usually work on Sat. but having been informed of our situation he volunteers to come in on Sat. and fix it. We pour a gallon of antifreeze in and leave WW. We get to Car-Tec and Ben pops the hood and the 1st word out of his mouth is "bummer." We are sitting in Ben's shop trying to arrange for a rental truck so that we can continue with our plans to paddle on Sat. This is not a good area of the state to try and rent a truck. Ben offers to loan us an older pick up that he doesn't drive much. OK this guy who doesn't know me from Adam has volunteered to work on his day off and loan me a truck. We accept his offer, transfer boats, and back to the river we go. Truck is ready at 1:00 Sat. Even though the weather was bad, everyone bailed, and we didn't paddle Ben saved our trip. We return his truck with full tank of gas and pay for the work (price was well below what we expected) and yes, I gave him a generous tip. So if your in the Flippin area and in need of a mechanic, I can definitely recommend Ben Bryant and Car-Tec. Gotta love small town folks.

[Jim Krueger]

Chris,

Thanks for your story, although I'm only sorry you and your family had these problems to deal with, and delay ( on top of a poorish weekend's weather as we've had). Bob Bryant was sure nice to do all he did!
I remember, in 1973, I was heading home for Christmas break from Henderson, in Arkadelphia, to my parents home in S. Alabama when the fan hub on my 58 Chevy. broke loose just North of Lake Village and sent the fan blade gnawing through the back half of my radiator . I lucked into a man shortly down the road that worked( his regular job for the Chicot Co. Road department's) house. I can't remember the man's name now, but his wife told him the situation, and while she fed me breakfast, he drove over to a salvage yard in Greenville, Ms. and returned with a nice used hub&radiator. I never forgot their hospitality, and that his total bill for repairs was not more than $60 of the &75 in my pocket... More around the campfire sometime :)

Best Regards
Jim Moose

[Paddlegal]

It is something about people in small towns. I remember one of my first trips at Gilbert that I was able to get my son accompany me on, we rented an inflatable kayak from that little store in Silver Hill.

She was closing and I asked her if she was going to leave all those kayaks (inflated) outside, propped up against the building. She told me yes and I asked if she had ever had one stolen. She said never, in all the years she has had that store and left all those water toys outside, not one theft.

When we congregate in big cities, we lose each other. Out here where I live, if you pass someone the highway, you're surely going to wave at them and might even stop and have a conversation in the middle of the road. I never saw that until I moved to Arkansas.

[Eric Esche]

I told my wife your weekend story when she got home tonight, and she said to write the name of that repairman in my river book of phone contacts for paddlers and emergency contact numbers. I just did.

Thanks a lot for the info. Never know when it could save another paddler.

Eric Esche

[AR-Nimrod]

We fully intend to take take Ben and Brenda to dinner next time we are up that way. Not many people like that around anymore.

[MikkiW]

How reaffirming to hear news of such kindness. Hope this act of thoughtfulness is repaid many times over by your sharing of this story. Tell Hannah I can't wait to see her again soon. So nice to have shared a campfire and spent time with you and your lovely family.