Fastbrake

Fastbrake

By Eric Pulsifer Friday, 24 July 2009

Mobile brake repair company Fastbrake was created in 1989 out of a pick-up truck in north Austin. From its humble beginnings, the company expanded and began doing repairs across Central Texas with a small fleet of brake shops on wheels, modified delivery trucks equipped with a generator, brake pads and all the tools necessary to do brake repair on anything from a small coupe to a truck its own size.

Most brake jobs are done in about an hour and are booked a day in advance, but same-day repairs are possible, depending on the technicians’ schedules.

“It’s a huge convenience for the client,” owner Steve Takamatsu said. “If it’s someone at home, they don’t have to leave. If it’s someone who will be at the office, we can do their brakes without them taking time out of their day.”

That convenience comes at a cost, but Takamatsu said it is a small one.

“There’s a service charge of less then $10 dollars, but other than that it’s consistent,” he said. “We’re pretty much the same price as any legitimate repair shop, and the work we do is just as good as any other shop.”

The unique demand in the automotive repair industry for quality work over competing to have the lowest price was one of the aspects that drew Takamatsu to the business.

After spending 20 years in the corporate world as an accountant, Takamatsu began to develop an appreciation for the automotive repair industry.

“The whole auto repair industry really appealed to me,” Takamatsu said. “It’s not just price-sensitive like every other industry has become, where people shop on the internet to save a few dollars — they’re more concerned that you’re doing legitimate repairs that need to be done. People want to know you and they want to trust you.”

Takamatsu’s first venture into the repair industry was as owner of Lawson Automotive located at 9520 Hwy. 290 W. While the 20-year-old business has its share of loyal customers, the garage was limited to people in southwest Austin.

“That’s great for our area, but we don’t get people from Cedar Park and Round Rock; we only have a local reach with a fixed store,” Takamatsu said.

Eager to reach more customers around Central Texas, Takamatsu took over ownership of Fastbrake two years ago.

“It gives me a wider reach,” he said. “Pretty much anywhere in the greater Austin area, my trucks can come down.”

Broken brakes

The ability to come to a stop is obviously important in driving. For drivers of mid-sized and smaller automobiles, brakes should be changed every three to four years. However, brakes may need to be changed more often depending on driving habits, traffic and weight of the vehicle.

Signs that brakes should be looked at:

• Squeaking and grinding
• Pulling to one side when stopping
• A shake in the steering wheel when braking

Brake problems should be repaired as quickly as possible to avoid costly damage to the rotors.

Fastbrake/Lawson Automotive, 9520 Hwy. 290 W., 335-FAST, www.fastbrake.com