I think you can pretty much count on the whole Sears tool+warranty thing dying over time as their smaller stores become washing machine/lawn mower sales outlets and K-Mart (another way to say Hecho en China) takes over the tool trade. I expect that the folks that live in bigger cities or suburban sprawl (places like Phoenix where the streets have that repetitious look of the background in an old cartoon with running characters in the foreground) haven't hit this as much yet.
As Mr.Amateurdude mechanic, I have to say that the only tools I've ever broken were entirely my fault (ratchet used as breaker bar, knives as screwdriver, screwdriver as chisel, socket as punch)...so the whole warranty argument leaves me cold. I'll be the first to admit that HF could probably supply all my tool needs aside from the odd rounded bolt, as an old fart (or soon to be) tool quality becomes more of an esthetic decision.
Once again, my hat is off to all of you people who smog S-10s or R&R clutches in 4wd Datsun trucks. If I had to fix other peoples dirty/abused items, I'd probably take a hostage...hell, I absolutely hate repairing my *own* vehicles. To me, it's all about gutting and replacing with new shiny stuff that hopefully never needs replacing.
end rant...............
