Buying tools on the internet vs buying from tool rep

[rudy88]

Hey yall-

My name is David this is my first post here I hope you are a welcoming bunch cause I have lots of questions.

Till now I have bought used tools off Craigslist, but now I am in technical school and I am looking at all of the "student discounts" I have access to. They are quite enticing, but not that much better than what you can find with a little internet browsing.

My question is this: is there any benefit to buying from the tool rep who comes to your shop after you're out of school? It seems to me you could save thousands by completely bypassing them. If you are willing to go used you can way undercut their prices, and also avoid the awkward small chat.

Let me rephrase that question... are there any times when you need the rep to get something? Are there some tools you just can't find on the 'net? I'm not trying to bash tool reps here, I just don't want to spend more money than I have to.

I'm guessing the response to my question will be warranties on broken tools, since I'm sure no one wants to warranty the sockets you got off craigslist. But still, if I buy a set of impact sockets on ebay I can get them at almost the same as my student discount. If I break one of those then maybe I would go to the tool guy, to buy that one socket. But buying impact guns or tool kits at list price (I'm assuming tool reps sell around list) seems absurdly expensive!

I'm basing this mostly off of the student prices i just got from ingersoll rand. Everything is quoted 50%-60% off of list, and I found all of it on ebay/amazon (NEW) for about the same deal as the student discount. Are the others (matco, snap-on etc.) different? I have yet to investigate them but I'd like to hear your thoughts!

Thanks

 

[Mr.3-5-7]

Well, reps are good for me because im lazy and he will find whatever tool i need and order it. i dont pay shipping. my rep is awesome so there really is no "small talk". obviously the warranty on the spot. and numerous other un-mentionable things.

If i were you, i wouldnt buy those tools while in school. You have no idea what kind of job you will have when you get out. Unless you know beyond a shadow of a doubt, keep doing what youre doing.

 

[rlebroke51]

I use the internet more mostly because our snap on dealer is the worst ive dealt with, I do get a lot off cornwell truck but for snap on stuff I order off there site.

 

[Ruger_556]

Mine is good for finding odd ball stuff (Google can't find) and any of the things I warranty constantly. Other than that, I buy from NAPA and Amazon. NAPA for easy warranty (and some really good tools also) and Amazon when I want to pick something up cheap. I've already bought a lot of SO stuff on discount though and am quite happy with it.

 

[GBNZ]

Buying from the net (ebay) most times you can buy new snap on/sk/etc for nearly half price i rarely buy from a dealer unless i really have to.

 

[rudy88]

Hmmm... thanks 3-5-7, those are some very good points.

...a lot of SO stuff

What is "SO"?

 

[Hpozzuoli]

SO is snap on

 

[n8n]

If you like snap-on, it's definitely in your interest to buy from the truck guy for warranty reasons. If that's not a concern to you you probably can get better deals online, but if you think you will be working in the same area and have the same rep it's not a bad idea to build a relationship so he's there when you need something right away.

 

[rudy88]

I see, so besides selling tools they can also expedite something if you need it? Is this like if you have a customer calling and you need a tool to finish the job sort of situation?

 

[Jwych]

im glad you asked this question because i'm in the same debate. I just cannot get over the price difference! I bought a set of crafstman standard impact sockets for $45, and a comparable SO set was 400!

 

[rudy88]

im glad you asked this question because i'm in the same debate. I just cannot get over the price difference! I bought a set of crafstman standard impact sockets for $45, and a comparable SO set was 400!

You bring up another question I was wondering, but it's not the one I was asking here. I'm comparing buying the same tool, lets say a socket set, from the rep vs the net. If you get a set of sockets from your snap on rep he will charge you $200 (just an example) or you can get the exact set, still new, for $100 on ebay. Why in god's name would I spend more? Of course it is more convenient to buy from a rep and convenience is America's middle name.

As far as why buy Snap-On to begin with? I don't freakin know but their motto says "there is a difference" which seems like a desperate attempt to justify their prices, haha

 

[rudy88]

BTW this is the quickest responding message board I have ever seen

 

[Ruger_556]

You bring up another question I was wondering, but it's not the one I was asking here. I'm comparing buying the same tool, lets say a socket set, from the rep vs the net. If you get a set of sockets from your snap on rep he will charge you $200 (just an example) or you can get the exact set, still new, for $100 on ebay. Why in god's name would I spend more? Of course it is more convenient to buy from a rep and convenience is America's middle name.

As far as why buy Snap-On to begin with? I don't freakin know but their motto says "there is a difference" which seems like a desperate attempt to justify their prices, haha

If you don't buy tools from him your chances of getting ebay purchases warrantied are zilch...

A lot of their stuff is just better than other brands (Ratchets etc...) Impact sockets are not one of those things. Buy those from Sunex, Grey Pneumatic, NAPA Pro, and the list goes on.

 

[BlksnshN]

I buy a lot of stuff online but I also buy a considerable amount from my Matco and Snap On reps.

Like others have said, build a relationship with the tool guy. Buy some stuff from him, help him pay his bills and he will treat you right. I can call either of my tool guys for a emergency warranty or special need tool and they can get it to me very quickly. They will also warranty the stuff I buy off ebay, where as if you were to buy 100% of your tools online, I doubt the tool man would give you the time of day.


If you are sure that you want to be a tech for the rest of your life, I would stock up on as many tools as you can while you can get that discount. I wish I would have purchased more tools when I was younger so I wouldn't be needing to do it now.

 

[n8n]

Here's my perspective, as a non-pro, so get other opinions - but here goes.

Snap-On does seem to me to be very overpriced. HOWEVER - I have faith that any tool that has the Snap-On name on it will be of decently high quality, either the very best you can buy or darn close to it.

Especially today, when once-decent names are being offshored and cheapened left and right, you can either hang out here a lot - which is what I've been doing recently - and try to get a handle on the best deals, or just buy all Snappy and be done with it and you might pay more but you'll still have good tools.

Buying from a rep over buying used will help you if you ever have to warranty anything. The Snap-On warranty is only good if you are the original purchaser. Some reps will cut you slack, but some will not.

Williams actually has a better warranty than Snappy if you buy used...

 

[wornoutoldman]

Take a look at the "tool truck equivelants" thread. Save your money for now. You'll have plenty of time to spend it after you are employed by a shop. Buying smart now will teach you how to tool up with quality gear on the cheap. Learning this now will have a huge impact on your financial affairs going forward.

 

[ChevyEFI]

If you are a regular, the stuff you bought pre-rep days might be courteously warrantied.

A SO rep will have some new stuff that's absolutely nowhere on the internet yet.

More and more, the opportunity to see stuff in person before buying it harder to find.

There are some trade-in opportunities you won't get from a B&M store. And sale opportunities you will again, hear about from the rep. and not online.

From what I have seen on the student discount stuff, that's brand new with full warranty. You can't beat that with internet deals without fudging some luck on things being warrantied later.

That said, buy what you need that is the superior product, not the more convenient one. If it's up the air, go with the convenient one.

 

[Jwych]

well, from my experiences on the snap on truck they have quality tools. for instance I saw a set striking scrapers on the mac truck that were 1/3 the thickness of the snap on model. I mean it was not even close thickness wise. of course the price was twice as much but I mean I did see the difference!!!

does that make me wanna pay ALOT more for some items? no absolutely not, but for some items I can see spending the extra money

 

[Ruger_556]

Take a look at the "tool truck equivelants" thread. Save your money for now. You'll have plenty of time to spend it after you are employed by a shop. Buying smart now will teach you how to tool up with quality gear on the cheap. Learning this now will have a huge impact on your financial affairs going forward.

While that is true... I don't know anyone that wishes they bought less on their student discount

 

[Jwych]

on another note if your not married, buy as many tools as you can so you dont have to hear about it later!!!!!

 

[rudy88]

But that's what I'm trying to say, can't you still get stuff just as cheap as the student discount? I'm finding some stuff cheaper on ebay than buying from factory with the discount. That's why I don't understand the tool rep.

The legitimate reasons I've heard for a rep so far are:

-Warranty
-Rush a tool in an emergency
-New fangled stuff (I like old stuff just fine)

If you need a tool, but you're not in a hurry, why buy from them? That's where the weird "relationship" part comes in where maybe if you don't then your emergency tool rush isn't such a rush to the rep... Idk...

 

[rudy88]

on another note if your not married, buy as many tools as you can so you dont have to hear about it later!!!!!

haha, point taken!

 

[Ruger_556]

But that's what I'm trying to say, can't you still get stuff just as cheap as the student discount? I'm finding some stuff cheaper on ebay than buying from factory with the discount. That's why I don't understand the tool rep.

No... Let's say you want "XYZ part number" socket set. Maybe it'll come up on ebay eventually But then again it may not. Ratchets and impacts and such are always floating around ebay but there's a lot of stuff that doesn't too. Ebay is usually more than half of new anyway if they are actually "new". Used stuff comes in half or less.

 

[rudy88]

I see, so it seems the tool reps might be useful after all. I'll probably stock up on the basics now using the discount / ebay and then begin to buy a few things from the rep.

So sleepy, I'll be back tomorrow. Thanks for the info, these reps have been a mystery to me since day one.

 

[Hpozzuoli]

My So driver comes around every few weeks. He's no quicker with warranty than corporate. He is def not cheaper than the internet in most instances. What he has going is the show room. I can try everything before I buy it. He has a good selection of NOS stuff and hard to find new items.

 

[abvw]

Occasionally you get free stuff like t-shirts, jackets, clocks, stool, cooler, ice scraper (my favourite so far, instinct handle) and all kinds of neat stuff thrown into your purchase, even if you only buy his BOGO deals.

I've pretty much bought everything off the truck on BOGO, and still coming ahead if I sold everything at 50% off list. Those buy deep socket set and get a ratchet AND a shallow set/extension set free deals come to mind. They may be overpriced, but if you're patient enough you'll eventually catch a deal better than buying used on craigslist.

It becomes an addiction dealing with the rep. You never know what he's got for his "best customers" this week. Of course, pay ON TIME, makes all the difference in the world.

 

[tjmonsen5]

It's a lot easier to pay 20 bucks a week on an RA account than it is to drop 100 all at once on the internet. That's the first thing that comes to mind.
Second, service. You need something, your tool man will have it this week or quicker if you need it bad enough. Also warranty and repair.
Tool dealers still have awesome discounts and contests and take in trades for your old used stuff.

 

[nowlan]

I thought the advantage to tool trucks was for the part payment, especially for kids with zero credit rating.

 

[rudy88]

Here's a summary of what we've come up with-

Rep:
Free promo stuff
Occasional deals (BOGO)
Warranties
Convenience/delivery
Emergency rushes?
Obscure tools/complete inventory
Financing

Internet:
Choose any company
A lot cheaper for almost everything

Thanks guys, it sounds like the balance is the key. Buying some stuff online and some from the rep will keep you both happy.

 

[sberry]

You can "build a relationship" with the tool guy too,,,, haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

 

[Davefr]

Here's a summary of what we've come up with-

Rep:
Free promo stuff
Occasional deals (BOGO)
Warranties

Not necessarily. Ease of warranty all depends on the rep.

Convenience/delivery
Emergency rushes?
Again, that's not always the case
Obscure tools/complete inventory

Again, that's not a given. Dealers don't always stock what you need and it can be much quicker getting the item online. Some dealers stock is pathetic. It all depends on the individual dealer.

Financing

Internet:
Choose any company
A lot cheaper for almost everything

Thanks guys, it sounds like the balance is the key. Buying some stuff online and some from the rep will keep you both happy.

The balance between online and a rep is all dependent on the quality of your rep.

 

[sberry]

If you can get 50% off just by 2, never got to worry about warranty speed. You could self insure at 50% discount, say a set of sockets, loss is expotentialy higher then breakage to start with but cost 30 to replace a broken one if,,,,,,,,,,,,,, in the future,,,, maybe many years it actually happens. I would take my chances with the up front discount.
And in Michigan there would be an additional 6% sales tax on any markup.

 

[trpearcy]

I know a few guys that went to school and got a discount, and I always thought it would have been really smart to use that discount to get a toolbox from SO. Then you'll have a 30+ year box, and you can fill it with the tools you want. Also, just a quick note, as someone who has been a tech for about 2 years now (didn't go to school, just been a shadetree mechanic since I was 16 ), while cman and the other store brands are OK when you work out of your home, or when you don't use the stuff everyday, after a while it gets old having to go to Sears every few days to exchange screwdrivers and ratchets that break. That's one thing I love about my SO guy. If I break something and he's already been around that week, I can call him and he'll make a special trip for me. And then when I go home from work, I don't have to worry about making trips to Sears (30 miles away for me).
Also, I know a lot of reps won't do this, but my rep has made trips to my house on weekends when I'm working on stuff and I need something. It's just a nice service to have....


P.S. If you don't want to get addicted to SO or other high end tools, stay away from the Dual80 ratchets...those were my gateway drug.

 

[sberry]

Not necessarily. Ease of warranty all depends on the rep.



Again, that's not a given. Dealers don't always stock what you need and it can be much quicker getting the item online. Some dealers stock is pathetic. It all depends on the individual dealer.




The balance between online and a rep is all dependent on the quality of your rep.

So this is 50/50 to start with?

 

[Farmall450]

You bring up another question I was wondering, but it's not the one I was asking here. I'm comparing buying the same tool, lets say a socket set, from the rep vs the net. If you get a set of sockets from your snap on rep he will charge you $200 (just an example) or you can get the exact set, still new, for $100 on ebay. Why in god's name would I spend more? Of course it is more convenient to buy from a rep and convenience is America's middle name.

As far as why buy Snap-On to begin with? I don't freakin know but their motto says "there is a difference" which seems like a desperate attempt to justify their prices, haha

I would buy things that are easily broken and need frequent warrantying (extractors for example) from Snappy vs the internet so you have a good relationship when you go to warranty them. Sockets typically don't break so I would get those off of the web.

That's how SO can sell a Irwin extractor kit w/ their name & warranty for 4x Irwin's price.

 

[Adam.C]

Here's a summary of what we've come up with-

Rep:
Free promo stuff
Occasional deals (BOGO)
Warranties
Convenience/delivery
Emergency rushes?
Obscure tools/complete inventory
Financing

Internet:
Choose any company
A lot cheaper for almost everything

Thanks guys, it sounds like the balance is the key. Buying some stuff online and some from the rep will keep you both happy.

I agree.

I recommend you buy sockets, wrenches, extensions, and ratchets second hand. You can rebuild the ratchets, and replace the few worn sockets in a set with new ones inexpensively. Use your student discount to buy things better bought brand new; screwdrivers and pliers at least.

Only question I have is bit sockets. I regard these as some of the most important automotive tools. If you buy used, you want new condition. Often these go for close to (over70%) of retail.

Consider stubby allens, torx and triple squares for their high strength. Long ball Allens, long torx for accessibility. I like Snap On heavy duty models. A good ratcheting screwdriver with a selection of shafts, and bits can be a time saver for auto interiors. Probably best bought new.

 

[Steinmetz]

"...Why in god's name would I spend more?…"

To have the experience…no, the privilege…to climb aboard that boutique on wheels called the tool truck.

 

[crewchief888]

myself, i dont buy anything "sight unseen" off the 'net.

i've dealt exclusively with truck dealers and real stores that have doors and a floor since '76 when i graduated HS.


just my $0.02

 

[F-Bobby]

Here's a summary of what we've come up with-

Rep:
Free promo stuff
Occasional deals (BOGO)
Warranties
Convenience/delivery
Emergency rushes?
Obscure tools/complete inventory
Financing

Internet:
Choose any company
A lot cheaper for almost everything

Thanks guys, it sounds like the balance is the key. Buying some stuff online and some from the rep will keep you both happy.

SO here's my two cents. I've bought a bunch of stuff from the tool reps over the years, but I've also moved around a lot. Now who's to say that the tools you are trying to get warrantied weren't purchased from another tool guy in a different area or state for that matter. If it's got the Snap-on, Mac, Matco, Cornwell name on it then they should never question you warrantying a tool. The warranty is through the tool company not the tool rep. If they ever give you **** about something, you can always TRY (and I say this because of the horror stories I've heard about people trying this) to send it directly back to the company.

Ive personally been buying a ton of Snap on and Mac stuff on Ebay for about the past year. Haven't needed to warranty anything yet. But I don't suspect any of my local tool guys will give me any problems if i do need to.

 

[Givl Reggin]

sockets from your snap on rep he will charge you $200 (just an example) or you can get the exact set, still new, for $100 on ebay. Why in god's name would I spend more?

Built into the Snap-On pricing structure are things that add extra cost that have nothing to do with making a better quality tool. In essescence you're paying a premium price and getting a lot of nothing in return. These added costs include a markup for things like time-payment financing, tool truck delivery, dealer markup, distribution/warehousing and lifetime warranty replacment costs. Things you may not need or even want.