Bottom line is, Snap On tools ARE overpriced for the casual user, but NOT for the Professional. If your livelihood doesn't depend on your tools, Snap On can be a luxury. If it does, it's a necessity.
And that makes perfect sense, does it not?!?
Exactly....
I've been in the automotive business for 35-plus years. When I started, I spent every bit of the money I made the first summer out of school at Sears on Craftsman stuff. Then started buying Snap-on stuff, paying about a third of a small paycheck a week. I did this for years. And I don't get the fact that some people would think that I was somehow "Brainwashed" into getting into debt with SO. Some kids are responsible, some aren't (Many adults too)...
For years I worked flat rate in a VERY busy shop. We did everything, every phase of automotive work (except body). I did strictly heavy work, Engines, transmissions, rear end (setups too) R&R and some rebuilding. One year I counted I did 27 clutch jobs alone. I can't count the air tools I've ran through, but looking at my box yesterday there was five 1/2 guns alone (some I had rebuilt to use as backups) So I know a little something about what works, and what lasts (most everything wears out/breaks BTW, EVERY brand)
Back in the ninety's I weeded every Craftsman (with the exception of a set of old 1/2 deep twelve point sockets that are very thin-walled) tool I had. They didn't stand up, and the nearest store is 60 miles one way. I couldn't wait, and didn't have the time to drive to get replacements. And that was before the cheapened up the quality (I was appalled to see what the new stuff looks like now). I bought two sets of everything that I used on a daily basis so that if it broke, I had a back-up (or lost it). Air tools and all.
We had two tool dealers, Snap-on (still the same guy) Mac, and at some points someone would pick up the Cornwell franchise. The Mac guy was a friend and I bought specific stuff from him. No wrenches, sockets, ratchets, screwdrivers, Mostly air tools, vise grips, pliers, things of that nature that were low wear items (except for the air tools). I never liked any of the aforementioned Mac stuff, Snap-on had flank-drive which works great, the wrenches were longer (also flank-drive) etc.
A note about ratchets. I never bought many, probably no more than thirty total. I used air tools for everything possible, still do. I see people cringe on some of the stuff I use them on, but trust me. If you use them everyday for years, you get a feel for it (holding the sockets with your hand, how much power particular metals need, etc). And on flat rate, that what you need: time saving.
My Mac buddy finally flamed out, and they never replaced him. So anything I had that needed service had to be sent back to the company. After trying twice sending things back, between shipping and repair costs (besides the time involved) it was hardly worth it. All the Mac stuff went into the trash, as it wore out. If I had purchased the items I mentioned before, Then what? I'll tell you. I'd replace it with Snap-on, and give it away, because it isn't worth my time to bother sending it off. And in my experience, everything breaks more frequently than Snap-on anyways. Of course some of this hinges on what salesman shows up, but I would say there's a better chance that if the Snap-on dealer retires (he's also a friend) there will be another dealer picking up the route.
After all this time and over 100K of purchases this is what rings true for me.
