Best Matco tools or products for the price?

[Marc Benjamin]

It's always all about Snap on around here it seems.

I'm curious about which Matco tools/products are worth their price?

Say you have a $500 gift card for Matco just because...


***update 9.2.14***

So here's what I ended up getting...














Man, the set feels soo good in my hand and boy now I get why some people who have this actually say that they use these more than a ratchet/socket.

 

[mypov]

their universal sockets are the cats meow…
that, i would say, is pretty much it - not that I am a matco hater. But, they are priced quite high, often chinese/asian/japanese made, and Snap on or Mac have better stuff for less. Just my opinion here in Canada. I seriously love their universal sockets though.

 

[Wamsutta]

I'm curious about which Matco tools/products are worth their price?

I don't think any of them are worth their price. Matco has the audacity to charge more than Snap-on and their tools aren't as good.

 

[Askme42]

Their locking flex heads are pretty sweet. Pinless impacts are unbeatable.

 

[BK13]

their universal sockets are the cats meow…

That's what I would get if I had serious gift card money...

 

[RedneckWelder]

Their pinless impacts are about the only truly unique thing they have. Not cheap, but good stuff. I plan on picking up sets of 3/8 and 1/2 drive Metric and SAE ones with my student discount, and other than that and some of their long locking flex head ratchets, that will be it.

Everything else is fairly unimpressive. Matco's parent co. is Apex so a lot of their stuff can be found under Apex's cheaper lines.

We have a good Matco man that serves our shop but I just can't justify paying tool truck prices period, and with a lot of their stuff being made overseas it's not really attractive.

 

[jrobb316]

I have not cared for Matco for a while now. Prices too high with lesser quality IMO than snapon. As stated, their swivel impacts are good. Other than that not much. I like the matco dealer, so I occasionally patronize him but not with any big ticket items.

 

[Askme42]

Their pinless impacts are about the only truly unique thing they have. Not cheap, but good stuff. I plan on picking up sets of 3/8 and 1/2 drive Metric and SAE ones with my student discount, and other than that and some of their long locking flex head ratchets, that will be it.

Everything else is fairly unimpressive. Matco's parent co. is Apex so a lot of their stuff can be found under Apex's cheaper lines.

We have a good Matco man that serves our shop but I just can't justify paying tool truck prices period, and with a lot of their stuff being made overseas it's not really attractive.

I think the armstrong pinless impacts are the same as matco. They also have locking flex heads. The handles just aren't as long.

 

[espyking83]

I've never used a Matco tool that I genuinely thought was worth the price. So many brands I'd easily choose over them. Not trying to bash here, but I think you're better off just punching yourself in the balls and buying Craftsman.

 

[RedneckWelder]

I think the armstrong pinless impacts are the same as matco

They are but supposedly according to the folks on here Matco has more sizes available in the set...the Armstrong and Craftsman ones (also the same) are also not cheap in their own right, either. With my discount it'll come out to about the same price as if I was buying at the Craftsman price.

You are correct that Armstrong does have the locking flex heads too but what I'm after are the long handles with the comfort grips. (Snap On does have similar locking flex heads too)

 

[Askme42]

They are but supposedly according to the folks on here Matco has more sizes available in the set...the Armstrong and Craftsman ones (also the same) are also not cheap in their own right, either. With my discount it'll come out to about the same price as if I was buying at the Craftsman price.

You are correct that Armstrong does have the locking flex heads too but what I'm after are the long handles with the comfort grips. (Snap On does have similar locking flex heads too)

I agree. All depends on if you're a pro wrencher or just a DIY like me. I love my buddies long handle soft grip 1/2 matco but couldn't justify the price for how I would use it.

Wish I knew someone with the student discount right now I'd have them buy all kinds of goodies for me. Only way to justify those prices.

 

[RedneckWelder]

I agree. All depends on if you're a pro wrencher or just a DIY like me. I love my buddies long handle soft grip 1/2 matco but couldn't justify the price for how I would use it.

Wish I knew someone with the student discount right now I'd have them buy all kinds of goodies for me. Only way to justify those prices.

If I didn't need the discount for myself I'd help ya out. I don't know if Matco is like Snap On with the program (i.e., you can only buy one of each item)

I work on heavy equipment and the long handled ratchets are NICE for the extra leverage on the fasteners we get the fun of dealing with. It's a tool that is easily justified.

 

[1950mercury]

I like there double box wrenches with one side that ratchets

 

[Askme42]

If I didn't need the discount for myself I'd help ya out. I don't know if Matco is like Snap On with the program (i.e., you can only buy one of each item)

I work on heavy equipment and the long handled ratchets are NICE for the extra leverage on the fasteners we get the fun of dealing with. It's a tool that is easily justified.

I'm totally happy with my industrial brands. I'm surprised more mechanics don't buy them but I guess what you really pay for is the truck to come by and immediately replace any warranty issues.

 

[Marc Benjamin]

I like there double box wrenches with one side that ratchets

I was leaning towards a set of those myself but pricey...

 

[chris142]

i have a set of older matco sae wrenches that i really like.the part numbers are wc162.wc142 etc. iirc made by proto. i broke the 1\2 and went nuts looking for a replacement.

 

[RedneckWelder]

I'm totally happy with my industrial brands. I'm surprised more mechanics don't buy them but I guess what you really pay for is the truck to come by and immediately replace any warranty issues.

I buy a lot of the industrial brands too, or "independent" brands like SK.

The nasty little secret is the truck doesn't come by immediately in most cases. Say your tool breaks on Tuesday, and the tool truck isn't due till Friday. If you're lucky you might have a really generous driver who will drop by the next day if you call him. If he isn't able to do this, then you have to wait till Friday.

Now hopefully he has the tool in stock so you can get that warranty exchange. If not, then you'll be waiting till the next week because he will have to order it.


I said **** that noise and got an Amazon prime membership. I buy most of my tools online (Amazon, Ebay, or one of the tool websites) or at the flea market. I am not in the business of subsidizing the tool truck guy, I am in the business of fixing heavy equipment, and when I need tools I usually go with the most financially sensible option.

Furthermore, if I ever need to replace a broken tool ASAP a quick online order will have the tool in hand either next day or two days later. Beats the hell out of waiting a week for the tool truck to show up.

 

[akacoke]

i have a lot of matco sockets. well made for sure. definitely not bang for the buck. honestly with matco now makes 90% their stuff in taiwan, i feel like im better off with gearwrench for the price. i have both GW and matco wrenchs. feels like they are made in the same taiwan factory. good quality wrenches. but definitely not for the price. snap on flank drive just feels more solid too me. but i really think its fair comparing the flag ship SO wrench to ratcheting matco. different tools

 

[ADSR]

I buy a lot of the industrial brands too, or "independent" brands like SK.

The nasty little secret is the truck doesn't come by immediately in most cases. Say your tool breaks on Tuesday, and the tool truck isn't due till Friday. If you're lucky you might have a really generous driver who will drop by the next day if you call him. If he isn't able to do this, then you have to wait till Friday.

Now hopefully he has the tool in stock so you can get that warranty exchange. If not, then you'll be waiting till the next week because he will have to order it.


I said **** that noise and got an Amazon prime membership. I buy most of my tools online (Amazon, Ebay, or one of the tool websites) or at the flea market. I am not in the business of subsidizing the tool truck guy, I am in the business of fixing heavy equipment, and when I need tools I usually go with the most financially sensible option.

Furthermore, if I ever need to replace a broken tool ASAP a quick online order will have the tool in hand either next day or two days later. Beats the hell out of waiting a week for the tool truck to show up.

That's a great system you've come up with! I really like it

 

[Skin]

Extra long combos, pinless impact swivels, extra long ratcheting flex wrenches with the fixed box end, belt tensioner kit (also sold as GW), magnetic spark plug socket set.

Witte no slip sort of Velcro texture handle screwdrivers and picks (if you like those handles-best warranty).

They use to sell good USA plier sets as well, especially the 3pc set of hose pliers (I love mine), but from what I understand most of the pliers are imported now.

Honorable mentions

Good sockets all around, the easy read numbers are great but don't last forever on the chrome ones. JRSC750 and 770 are some really nice large carts.

Their 12v infinium cordless line is really nice. Not at full price, primarily because most of the kits are 1 battery, but with a student discount i'd seriously consider them.

 

[ihateminimumwage]

I've had better luck with the Gearwrench 84T ratchets than the 88T Matcos. That said, here is all the re-badge info you need (and growing constantly):

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=4006426&postcount=3

 

[SASORacing]

88t locking flex or any variant of that ratchet, they are top notch. Pinless swivels, air imports agree good, scanners. Xl wrenches are great. I like the opti torque sockets impact or chrome. Screwdrivers, they are wilde? rebrands but still good, nice grips. Their extensions are nice, knurled, Have fun with spending!

 

[MattPersman]

Honorable mentions

JRSC750 and 770 are some really nice large carts.

.

If you like carts that only have 1 year warranty for the same money as snap on's lifetime warranty

And the other stuff you mentioned like 50% of it you can get as the original brand cheaper elsewhere.

 

[Altmech]

I personally am not a fan of Matco. Basically everything they sell can be had much cheaper from the other brands. Only things worth mentioning are the ratchets, swivel impacts, and magnetic spark plug sockets with the built in swivel extension. The ratchets you can always get the arm strings and put a rebuilt kit for the extra teeth, the swivels impacts you can get from c-man or Armstrong although dunno if you can get a complete set w/o any skips, and I believe the swivel magnetic spark plug sockets you can get from kd or gearwrench I think. I dunno if the discount you get is worth it or not only you can decide but I wouldn't splurge too much on Matcos other tools

 

[weerez935]

I really like their ratchets.
They have a thinner profile than anything else I have used.

That being said you could buy the 3 piece gearwrench 120 XP set, the armstrong flex heads, and a stubby and be in just as good of shape, probably cheaper even without a discount.

I think a lot of people are put off by the fact that they basically rebrand gearwrench and armstrong. With the difference being the truck brings them to you. The truck doesn't stop at my house so I'll continue buying gearwrench/ armstrong. You will see that their 88 tooth models regardless of brand are regarded pretty highly.


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[firebox40dash5]

I really like their ratchets.
They have a thinner profile than anything else I have used.

This, but as said you can get the regular or locking flex in Armstrong. Matco seems to be the only one offering stupid long fixed handles. I love my 15" long 3/8 and 8" long 1/4, plus the 24" long 1/2 locking flex.

Outside of that, swivels and the stupid-long flex double box wrenches. You can get 3/8 and 1/2 swivels from Armstrong or even Craftsman, but Matco offers bigger sizes at least in 3/8, and the 1/4 ones are ****. I know the flex ratchet/ fixed box wrenches are rebadges, but they can be broken (done it plenty) so might as well buy somewhere with warranty.

Unfortunately outside of ratchets, any one of those could easily blow the $500 alone.

 

[joejeep92]

I buy a lot of Matco you just kinda have to be careful value wise. Every once in a while they will come up with something unique but most of the time it looks to me like Gearwrench copies.

 

[Big Gus]

I can't think of anything Matco makes that I'd go out of my way to buy. I do know their toolboxes are ugly as hell (personal opinion of course).

If Matco was the only game in town or the Snap-on driver was a total turd, I'd buy from them but otherwise it'd be Snap-on all the way for me when it comes to truck purchases.

 

[IFMJohn]

I love my matco toolbox.

 

[Skin]

And the other stuff you mentioned like 50% of it you can get as the original brand cheaper elsewhere.

If you cared about saving money you wouldn't be buying off the truck in the first place now would you?

Every one of these Matco threads deteriorates into this rhetoric. They all have cheaper ways to get similar tools. With beloved Snap-On you can just buy Williams, Bahco, and CDI for many similar, if not identical tools.

If you like carts that only have 1 year warranty for the same money as snap on's lifetime warranty

Use your cart in a destruction dirby? The Matco cart in question is bigger than the competitions (except for the massive Cornwell one) and has better drawer slides plus more color and customization options.

All the carts are built so well that warranty really shouldn't be a concern except for maybe casters if you push the thing a lot every day.

 

[Brownsfan]

It's because warranty is the single most important thing to consider when buying tools according to most on this site. Tools and boxes break at alarming rates according to this site, so much so that there should be a government inquiry about it

 

[SASORacing]

Also the Matco ratchets are unique, nobody is exactly the same, matcos grips are nice, the green and orange ones.

 

[CobraRed]

They make some good stuff. The price point always seems iffy to me, but rarely am I questioning the quality. They may not make all of their stuff, but it seems that have a decent amount of people ensuring what they do bring in is going to last and be useful.

 

[MattPersman]

My first JSC 750 cart was a total replacement the second one or have already replaced one slide under warranty. These things get used, 1 year wArranty is useless for that much money.

 

[RedneckWelder]

I gotta say for the most part the quality on the tools is generally satisfactory.

The real factor with Matco, IMHO, is that the dealers tend to be less than reliable. Not talking about the dealer themselves necessarily, but that they tend to have a very high turnover rate. It's not good for the mechanic if his matco man goes out of business in a year, then it's several months until the replacement sucker buys the route.

The tool trucks in general are pretty volatile, but it seems like Matco and Cornwell are the ones that are the worst about franchisee retainment.

 

[Marc Benjamin]

Ok thanks for the tips. I think I'm getting:

S7GRFM12 12 PIECE 72 TOOTH FLEX COMBO METRIC SET - I've never handled these so I wonder how these vary from the supposed gearwrench counterpart. Anyone have both?

and/or

SRFBZLM102TA 10 PIECE ZERO DEGREE FLEX RATCHETING EXTRA LONG WRENCH SET - This seems to be the only unique item they have.

I'm a begginer home diy'er and I know I can go craftsman/gearwrench but I've come into some Matco credits (which I suppose I can trade too) so I'm looking for the best value purchase not so much a I need it now.

 

[monomach]

I'm not a fan of Danaher...I wish the whole damned corporation would go out of business...but DFT161 has been worth my money.

 

[Skin]

I have those extra long wrenches, they're invaluable once you get your hands on them. Used they go for between 250-300 so they also hold some value pretty well also.

 

[SASORacing]

With that wrench set (the zero degree flex SRFBZLM102TA ) it makes the ratchet and socket obselete... those wrenches are much thinner and can out deep a deep socket for miles!

 

[Marc Benjamin]

So I ended up burning my Matco credits and settled on:

SRFBZLM102TA 10 PIECE ZERO DEGREE FLEX RATCHETING EXTRA LONG WRENCH SET


Pics on the first post!