Ryan started taking apart small household items at a young age. He was intrigued with the mechanics of anything that had moving parts. Regardless of whether something ran or not, he disassembled and re-assembled his projects many times. He soon graduated to larger things like televisions, appliances, and then cars. When Ryan was growing up, his grandfather had acres full of a little boy’s dream… broken pieces of scrap metal in the form of cars, trucks, lawnmowers and even an old school bus. Ryan was quickly drawn to things with motors—if it was for the lawn or the road it didn’t really matter; it, too, was begging to be taken apart. In that yard full of metal, he found a Volkswagen dune buggy. The VW belonged to his uncle and needed repair. Watching, and occasionally getting to help his uncle, spawned his enthusiasm for automobiles. As time went on Ryan had many opportunities to work on friends’ cars; sometimes family members would allow him to work on their vehicles as well. Naturally curious and with a mind for motors and machines, a mechanic was born.
Co-Owner
Although you may not see Jennifer every time you visit Wade Bryant's Auto Repair, rest assured—she does exist! As co-owner, Jennifer manages the business side of operations and stays busy juggling a variety of important tasks behind the scenes. Before discovering this beautiful town, she and Ryan owned and operated a small automotive repair shop in Talent, Oregon, called Miles Automotive. Jennifer loves to spend time kayaking, hiking and exploring the outdoors with her husband, two kids and newly added grandson.
Lead Technician
Say Hi to Ryan, our master technician here at Wade Bryant's Auto Repair. Ryan brings 15 years as an ASE‑certified advanced level master technician, with specialization in diesels, electrical systems, and diagnostics. He also has decades of hands‑on experience and was partially ASE certified for 25 years. On top of being lead mechanic, he co‑own's the shop with Jennifer, who handles the business side. In Ryan's free time he enjoys exploring trails and spending time in the Bend outdoors with his wife, two kids and recently added grandson.
Certified Technician
Alex is the newest addition to the team at Wade Bryant's Auto Repair, he brings with him several years of hands-on experience servicing import, diesel, and domestic vehicles. A proud graduate of Central Oregon Community College (C.O.C.C.), Alex is ASE certified in brake services and is currently pursuing additional certifications to further expand his expertise. Outside the shop, Alex enjoys music and spending time outdoors with his family.
Certified Technician
Need Powertrain Work? Kevin at Wade Bryant's Auto Repair Has you covered! If you're looking for a trusted mechanic to handle complex powertrain repairs, look no further than Kevin, our expert heavy line technician at Wade Bryant's Auto Repair. Specializing in transmission, engine, and transfer case replacement, Kevin brings skill and precision to every job. He's also an ASE Certified Technician, with certifications in brakes, heating & air conditioning, and electrical systems—so you're in great hands, no matter the issue. When he's not under the hood, Kevin enjoys camping and spending quality time in the great outdoors with his wife and daughter. Stop by Wade Bryant’s Auto Repair and let Kevin get you back on the road—reliably and safely.
Certified Technician
Christian is a certified technician who’s been a valued member of the Wade Bryant's Auto Repair team for the past 3 years. With over 11 years of hands-on experience as a mechanic, he brings deep expertise to every job—whether it’s electrical systems, suspension work, or diesel diagnosis and repair. Outside the shop, Christian enjoys dirt bike riding, drifting, and off-roading adventures with his wife and son. His passion for all things automotive doesn't stop at work—it’s a way of life.
Service Advisor
We’re excited to introduce Katie, the newest member of Wade Bryant’s Auto Repair family! She joined us in June 2025 and has already become a favorite among many of our customers. With five years of prior experience as a service writer, Katie brings a wealth of knowledge and dedication to every interaction. You’re in great hands with her! When she’s not at the shop, Katie enjoys hiking and spending time at the track with her boyfriend. Be sure to say hello next time you’re in!
Service Advisor
Christian is an ASE certified service advisor here at Wade Bryant's Auto Repair. He has been with us for more than 4 years, and brings 12 years prior experience. When entering our front office you will be greeted with a smile and his knowledgeable expertise! Hunting and riding ATV's with his son are some of Christian's favorite activities outside of work.
In 1997, Ryan met his soon-to-be wife, Jennifer. At the time, Jennifer was driving a 1985 convertible Mustang; Ryan found something he could take apart and put back together. Not having any money, they always tried to fix everything themselves. Ryan learned about automotive computers, electrical and a whole lot about how patient his newfound love Jennifer really was (and continues to be)!
Wanting a change of pace from southern California, they headed to Arizona where Ryan was given his first chance at mechanics as a profession. Quickly, he found this was a natural career path for him. A few moves and two children later, both Ryan and Jennifer started thinking: “What if we owned an auto repair shop of our own?” This brought up a whole new set of concerns, like, “What is the right town for raising a family and starting a new chapter in their lives as entrepreneurs?”
They started the search and were drawn to Oregon. They moved to Lincoln City and found the Oregon coast to be a bit unforgiving when it comes to the need for sunlight. The perfect location presented itself by accident after a road trip to southern Oregon; Jennifer was searching on the Internet for jobs and homes to rent and stumbled across a listing for a building for sale in a nice, close-knit community called Talent; that is where our small dream became a reality. Miles Automotive opened October 8, 2012!
Miles Automotive grew fast, becoming one of the most well-respected, honest, and customer-friendly shops in the area. We prided ourselves on providing accurate diagnoses, getting customers’ vehicles on maintenance routines to prevent major breakdowns, and conducting digital, visual inspections directly from top ASE-certified Master Technicians. With a clean shop and waiting area and years of knowledge and technology not found in many of the surrounding repair facilities, we quickly outgrew our small shop.
We Lost It All to the Alameda Wildfire
Tragedy struck when the Alameda Wildfire on September 8, 2020, claimed Miles Automotive. Everything was lost. Nothing was salvageable. We were devastated. Years of building the best automotive repair shop in the area went up in flames. With months of cleanup ahead we had plenty of time to decide what to do. Do we rebuild, or do we find another shop that is operational? We outgrew our building in about six years and were likely to outgrow it again if we rebuilt.
Welcome to the new Wade Bryant’s in Bend
We decided to find another shop in a different location where we could have room to grow. In that process, we found a shop for sale in a town we loved to visit, that had a similar reputation to what we had; Wade Bryant’s is an honest shop, well-respected in the area, and has plenty of room to grow. The shop was behind in technology, equipment, and tooling, and needed some updated training to work on newer vehicles, but that wasn’t anything we couldn’t fix. Miles Automotive, LLC, doing business as Wade Bryant’s Auto Repair, was purchased on September 1, 2021!
Quality Auto Repair at Wade Bryant’s in Bend
Ryan and Jennifer are currently in the process of updating the shop and training our staff so that we can offer our customers the best automotive repair experience possible. As each month passes and we train our new automotive family in honesty, quality, customer service, and learning to be the best we can be, we will soon be the go-to shop for our community in Bend, OR and the surrounding area! Give us a call to speak with one of our talented automotive technicians or to schedule automotive maintenance or repair today.
