“My family has been going to Route 102 Auto for 25 years, and their customer service is above anyone else’s. They are there whenever you need them, will come to you or talk you through any problem, and even offer loaner cars when you bring your car in for service. Dealing with this family-owned business has been a fantastic experience, and I look forward to building on our long-lasting relationship for many years to come.”
— Nick Masiero, Guido’s Fresh Marketplace
A silver anniversary and gold reputation
“We’re proud to be a family-owned and -operated car and truck repair and auto sales business offering the Berkshires a high-quality, trusted choice of pre-owned vehicles since 1999. Route 102 Auto stands behind every car, truck, van, and SUV we sell,” founders Peter and Christy Rathbun state on their website. They’re equally proud of the trust and loyalty they’ve earned from their clients, their top-notch technicians, and their reputation of providing fair pricing and honest service for 25 years.
On September 1st, they celebrated 25 years in business as 102 Auto Sales & Service (30 Run Way in Lee). Although they’ve been in business for over two decades, they still remember their first customer, who bought a green Nissan pick-up truck.
Born and raised in the Berkshires (Christy in Lenox Dale and Peter in Stockbridge), they are proud of their longstanding service to the community. “As a kid, I was raised on racetracks and always around cars,” Peter explains. Christy also grew up with cars (her grandfather owned and operated Van’s Service & Repair in Lenox) and recalls traveling to Dearborn, Mich., for the classic and antique car shows. The couple met while Peter was working as a salesman for Johnson Dealerships in Pittsfield—a chance encounter when she rode along with his sister to bring back a convertible.
“Peter worked as a sales manager six and a half days a week for over 20 years, so we both felt confident he knew the industry well enough to venture out on his own,” Christy explains. “I ran my own travel agency for a few years but sold it when we had our second child. By the time we had our third, we decided we wanted to start our own business since Peter’s work schedule often kept him away for long hours.”
“The Johnsons (Gary and his family) were wonderful to us,” Peter acknowledges. “But when the owner of Fraser Sales in Lee decided to sell his building and reached out to me to take a look at it, I did.” Shortly after September 1999, they started their used car business, Route 102 Auto Sales, and ran it on an 8 a.m to 5 p.m. schedule to be home with their family most nights. “When one of the kids had a school function or soccer game, we put a key in the door and left,” Christy smiles. “In fact, with a more flexible schedule, Peter could coach youth soccer for 20 years!”
Owning—and growing—a shop of their own
Having started small with vehicles Peter bought at auctions, from individual sellers, or off the street, the Rathbuns have grown both the sales and service sides of the business. They also started with one mechanic and expanded to three—Tom Fresia (ASE Master Technician Certification, Ford Certified Diesel & Gas Master Technician, and Certified Cummins & Duramax Trained Technician), Max Jamieson (Ford Accelerated Credential Training and ASE Certified Technician), and Dylan Cook (gas and diesel automotive technician).
“Employing the right people is key for growth,” says Peter. “We’re really grateful for our three full-time employees and their expertise,” son Curt Rathbun agrees, adding, “They’re not just talented technicians; they’re good friends, and I look forward to working together with this team for many years to come.” Every year, they acquire new tools, training, and equipment to keep up with the industry. For example, they added a new alignment machine and an upgraded air-conditioning machine this year.
Serving the community is vital to all of the Rathbuns. “We help in any way we can,” Christy says. “We don’t have a huge overhead, so we like to over-deliver—providing expert technicians, picking up your car and bringing it back to you, offering loaner cars free of charge.” Peter continues, “We try to make getting your car repaired as convenient as possible.” To illustrate, he recalls taking a family whose car had broken down on the highway to the outlet mall while the team fixed their car. He also helped someone traveling from UMass to Colorado buy a used car on the spot to make the long drive when his car died.
How do they find suitable cars in a used-car market that can sometimes give you lemons? “You have to do your due diligence before the auctions—like reading Consumer Reports and keeping track of their recommendations and warnings,” Peter explains. “You also have to smell the car, see how it drives, climb under it, and know the history.” He generally sticks to the brands he’s found to be the best bets (Honda, Toyota, Subaru, Chevrolet, Ford, and GMC trucks form the backbone of his fleet) and also with the years, makes, and models he deems the most reliable.
Christy notes that they currently have 21 cars on the lot. “We used to carry a much larger selection, but 50 percent of our business is now more of a concierge service. Instead of coming to us because their car broke down, clients are coming to us because of our website and reputation, knowing the price point and kind of car they want. Peter handpicks the cars with specific customers in mind (but no hard sells), and we don’t have to pay to have them in our inventory, saving us and our clients money.”
“We stand behind everything we sell,” Peter emphasizes. If anything needs fixing, they’ll find it when they put it through their 102-point checklist—and repair it before the car goes out the door. “Our clientele, both for sales and for service, are mostly people who’ve come to us before—or who’ve been referred to us by friends,” Christy says. They service many vehicles while their clients are at work, which enables busy professionals to maintain their vehicles without disrupting their schedules. “We know their cars inside and out—including the year, make, model, and number of miles. Curt handles the parts and sourcing and can get almost anything they need, often from O’Reilly Auto Parts in Pittsfield, in under 30 minutes, and we warranty parts and labor on every job we do,” she notes.
Rounding the bend…
As Joan Tyer, vice president of Acrisure New England in Lee, shares, “Our family has wonderful and trustworthy experiences with Peter, Christy, and now Curt, at Route 102 Auto Sales and Service. It’s truly special to find a business that not only provides excellent service but also treats customers with such care and honesty, especially over multiple generations. Our children now purchase and receive service from them. Knowing that they offer genuine advice and have a thoughtful succession plan in place for their business with Curt is reassuring. It’s clear that their commitment to integrity and customer care will allow this business to succeed for many years to come.”
“Curt’s been a staple in the family business since the beginning. He was moving cars as soon as his feet could reach the pedals,” Peter jokes. He began working in the family business in high school and expanded to full-time after college—“the best gift imaginable,” in his parents’ opinion.
“I always liked being around cars, learning how they work,” Curt admits. “My parents never expected that I would decide to make working here my career choice, but I always felt comfortable and like a valued part of the team, so here I am.” Peter chimes in, “Our mission is to never have anyone stranded, and Curt is good at forecasting what a car is going to need so customers can budget and plan for repairs without any surprises.”
“Curt had the opportunity to learn from the best,” Christy says, nodding to Peter. While the family name is the best advertisement, they are currently working with Mungy Design on branding and sharing their 25-year story with a broader audience in anticipation of completing the transition to the next generation down the road. “Though anybody that knows my dad knows he’ll never FULLY retire (the guy just loves to work), I’m proud to follow closely in his footsteps and continue our family business, hopefully for decades to come,” Curt says.
“My dad has a quote he likes (which he has taped inside his shop cabinet) that says, ‘Life isn’t about waiting for the winds to change … It’s about learning to adjust your sails.’ I will continue to work as hard as I can to provide the best service possible,” Curt vows. “I know people have a choice of where to bring their vehicles for maintenance and repairs, so we always want to make 102 the easy choice, a one-stop shop they can depend on.”
Good for them, good for the Berkshire community.
