Mike’s Auto Parts Connection

Diverted by a road repair detour from SE 27TH ST on Wednesday, July 10^th and steered into an unnecessary loop on my way through town, my radiator light turned red and the temp read below zero degrees cold which meant the clear, horticultural tubing that I used as a temporary hose fix exceeded its limit due to high (⁵⁰⁄₅₀ water/​fluid) radiator fluid temperatures.
I was driving behind the wheel of an engine running on an empty radiator fluid tank while sitting at a red light (at the intersection of SE 15^th ST and SE REED MARKET RD) one block away from my original destination, Bend British, which for me put Mike’s Auto Parts one street-​crossing by foot.
The broken hose connected fluid between the throttle body heater plate and the radiator tank bottom, which circulate non-​flammable fluid at very high temperatures.
The Land Rover and I arrived at Bend British (1129 SE Centennial Ct) — unloading an under-​hood full of antifreeze-​on-​engine smoke; however, Bend British carried no current stock of the specific part I needed to replace to solve this problem, but my break-​down was not without a fix. Bend British referred me across the street to Mike’s and I ran to check if Mike’s was open and not only was it open — Mike himself was on the sales floor crossing T’s and dotting I’s on a clipboard.
Mike listened to what I needed the three feet of quarter-​inch rubber tubing for (very hot radiator fluid) and he cut me a perfect slice that fit the truck perfectly with tight-​fitting hose clamps on each side appropriately installed by Adrian, the skilled mechanic at Bend British!
I wasn’t sure how much ⁵⁰⁄₅₀ anti-​freeze I needed so Mike recommended I buy two containers; it’s a good thing I did because the radiator needed a full container and just a little more to fill.
Before leaving Mike’s, I checked out the public bulletin/​advertisement board and saw an ad for a custom metal tubing fabrication contractor identified on the flyer as Xtreme Tubing Creations at 541−410−3771, which, when comes up (online) as Iron Environments under all structures specialty contractor license 177 405 which I could not verify as valid at the Deschutes County website (
); I thought about considering a custom roof rack for the Rover, but determined I probably should made one myself out of PVC and seal it with black epoxy at a lower budget I can afford.
3 feet of ¼″ fuel hose, $ 5.25. 2 gallons of ⁵⁰⁄₅₀ green anti-​freeze (@$ 10.99 each) $ 21.98. Open when I need it, excellent, personal service with a smile from the owner and a clean transaction? Priceless!