Im working at O'Riellys now so lets talk about Power Torque

[clownbear69]

WHats peoples experience with Power Torque? Now mind you Im not a mechanic just a hobbyist so abuse on them will be minor compared to others. Reason for the question is purely for my discount. (no I cannot discuss what my discount is)

Let me know

(sorry for not being on here in forever)

 

[6MocoA]

Never heard of Power Torque. I would assume its the equivalent of Duralast and Driveworks until I learn different.

By the way, thank you (O'Reilly's) for their .mil discount. Saved me a few dozens $ when I was travelling earlier this year (I dont have any Oreilly's nearby).

 

[02camaro86]

never heard of them.. looks like it could be a o'riellys house brand, like duralast/napa gold/ etc. like the others mentioned certain parts are good value and other are just junk. what are you looking to replace?

 

[clownbear69]

Powertorque is Oriellys brand That I do know

As for replacing nothing its more of acquiring. Some of my posts from Janurary (last time I logged on) was piecing stuff out from pawn shops. But since now Im working here mind as well spend in house to save a few bucks.

As to the discounts yes there is the .mil and seniors discount as well

 

[02camaro86]

cant really help you if you arent sure what are you looking to buy/replace. are you looking to buy stuff at a discount to resell? if thats the case you may not have that discount very long

 

[purplezr2]

Bought some PT parts from the big O for a clutch job on an audi. The parts were actual Audi parts in the box.

 

[thatonedude]

I think he is asking if anyone has their tools and if there good or not

 

[LUKE221]

Didnt oreilys house brand used to be ac delco tools or gm goodwrench tools??
Pep boys used to have a different brand too. Hard to warranty those tools if they keep Changing their minds on what they want to sell

 

[Ign]

Not PowerBuilt?

 

[clownbear69]

cant really help you if you arent sure what are you looking to buy/replace. are you looking to buy stuff at a discount to resell? if thats the case you may not have that discount very long

no god not to resell. For my own use. Ill put it this way there is only so many jobs my Hammer, Vice grips and WD-40 can do. Main point to this thread is if these are any good

I did see a package of goodwrench in the back of selfratching wrenches.....

 

[stikman56]

I'm thinking you mean PowerBuilt? They are pretty good from what I've seen. Warranty is good, they say just bring it in and we'll replace it, no questions asked.

 

[clownbear69]

I'm thinking you mean PowerBuilt? They are pretty good from what I've seen. Warranty is good, they say just bring it in and we'll replace it, no questions asked.

The brands powertorque, I just looked it up again on the website

ETA: Now if they rebranded from power built to power torque it would explain some of the confusion

 

[AirJunky]

Looks like PowerTorque is the house brand at Oreilly's & can range from power tools, to filters, oils & fluids, even transmissions or engines. Obviously their not doing all those things themselves but rebrandings things that their buying from other vendors. So it would depend on the vendor. I was told their oil filters are Wix, which is a known descent manufacturer. Napa does the same thing with Wix & Valvoline.

As an employee, I would think you could ask around & find out who makes their tools, oils, engines & transmissions, etc.

 

[clownbear69]

Looks like PowerTorque is the house brand at Oreilly's & can range from power tools, to filters, oils & fluids, even transmissions or engines. Obviously their not doing all those things themselves but rebrandings things that their buying from other vendors. So it would depend on the vendor. I was told their oil filters are Wix, which is a known descent manufacturer. Napa does the same thing with Wix & Valvoline.

As an employee, I would think you could ask around & find out who makes their tools, oils, engines & transmissions, etc.

ill try to ask around today since ill going to work today. Hopefully my boss knows....

 

[jlh92]

I've played around with them while waiting on an associate to find my order in the back of the store. I wasn't impressed by any of it.

 

[kythri]

Even with the ~10% discount employees get on most stuff, there's probably better stuff available for around the same price...

 

[clownbear69]

I've played around with them while waiting on an associate to find my order in the back of the store. I wasn't impressed by any of it.

what didn't you like about it?

 

[02camaro86]

i dont see any tools listed.. only replacement part

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/brand.oap?mn=PowerTorque&mc=PTQ

you are going to have to be more specific with what you are looking at for anyone to help you out. right now everyone is shooting in the dark with one hand behind their back.

 

[clownbear69]

Even with the ~10% discount employees get on most stuff, there's probably better stuff available for around the same price...

my discount is better than 10% much better. Ive worked retail for the better part of a decade and its the best discount ive seen since Cabelas has/has the discount for employees that been there for 7+ years.

 

[clownbear69]

i dont see any tools listed.. only replacement part

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/brand.oap?mn=PowerTorque&mc=PTQ

you are going to have to be more specific with what you are looking at for anyone to help you out. right now everyone is shooting in the dark with one hand behind their back.

example: screwdrivers http://http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/search/Screwdrivers/N0761/C0185.oap I looked under tools next hand tools and went more specific.

my link went bad will fix when im home going to work

 

[IFMJohn]

Even with the ~10% discount employees get on most stuff, there's probably better stuff available for around the same price...

The employee discount is 5-10% above store cost.

Looks like PowerTorque is the house brand at Oreilly's & can range from power tools, to filters, oils & fluids, even transmissions or engines. Obviously their not doing all those things themselves but rebrandings things that their buying from other vendors. So it would depend on the vendor. I was told their oil filters are Wix, which is a known descent manufacturer. Napa does the same thing with Wix & Valvoline.

As an employee, I would think you could ask around & find out who makes their tools, oils, engines & transmissions, etc.

The microguard filters used to be made by Fram. For the last year or so they have been made by WIX. The easiest way to tell is to look at the part number, for example a WIX 57060 crosses to a microguard MGL57060. Mobil makes oreillys oil. Other than that, I'm not sure.

Ive seen many issues with oreilly crate engines. Ive never seen a crate transmission sold. I've never had any tools come back for warranty.

I worked for oreillys for 8 months while in tech school.

 

[jlh92]

what didn't you like about it?

It all seemed a little pricey for what it is and I have a general distrust towards new companies with lifetime warranties.

That being said with your discount it may be a good idea for you top pick up a set for cheap.

I can't speak for durability but the finish seems better than most in it's price range.

Looking at everything of theirs online here it seems they either bought out GM Goodwrench or GMG just changed their name. The tools look identical and all the item numbers start with #GM. Will O'Reilly's replace GM Goodwrench with Power Torque under warranty? If so that may change my opinion of them.

 

[LordPsychon]

From what I can tell, PowerTorque seems to be the updated Powerbuilt. As I've used neither and held neither, I can't help you with a quality description.

 

[BK13]

Sounds like, in true GJ fashion, you need to drop about $1k and be the guinea pig for us....

LOL

 

[CobraChevelle]

Are you talking about power built tools??? I have a old flyer from your store and there pushing "powerbuilt tools" There prices are crazy... I bought a powerbuilt 1/2 drive 6pt 50pc+ set with case for 63$ on ebay.. for the $$$$ it is a good set, looks and feels alot like pittsburgh Pro line from harbor freight.

Where is that guy on here who is always pushing gearwrench tools from tooldiscounter???

 

[66354dream]

I'm thinking you mean PowerBuilt? They are pretty good from what I've seen. Warranty is good, they say just bring it in and we'll replace it, no questions asked.

I agree, I bought quite a few Powerbuilt tools when I used to work at Kragen ( before O reilly bought them out) and they've been really good tools.

 

[Ign]

Actually I think when I last asked about the 3/8" swivel impact sockets the board said they were identical to HF (on that one item).

 

[clownbear69]

Well I asked my boss who makes them and he said it was Power Torque. So between customers I was looking the packaging and besides the California may cause cancer label (which I always find hilarious) Ozark Distributing imports same distributing as the Microguard. So I guess its own company. Of course its made in Taiwan.

I guess I could be a guniea pig of course not spending $1k on it yet but get a couple of sets here and there. My biggest thing I need now (at least soon) is some metric wrenches

 

[jacked_72]

O'Reilly's and Ozark are almost certainly parent/subsidiary companies. Found this on a website talking about O'Reilly's: "Their business model was so successful that Link closed its Springfield operation one year after the consultant's recommendation to break up the father/son team. Four years later in 1961, the O'Reillys formed Ozark Automotive Distributors and began wholesaling to other auto parts stores."

So, its likely O'Reilly's store brand and they went direct to the Taiwan manufacture and had their tools made for their private label. Why not, Autozone has Duralast and Lowes has Kobalt, etc. Probably more profit in it for them to dump the GM name and royalty fees and sell the same wrenches with their own name. There a are plenty of Chinese manufactures selling products in many different industries who will give you a private branding if you buy so many multiples of their product. The item is identical, but the name on it is different. Probably why they look the same as earlier versions sold by O'Reilly's. As for who will service the warranty in 10 years, who the heck knows.

 

[clownbear69]

that's my best guess now the truest question is how "good" are they. I had a customer come in and say he likes his sets of course a at home guy not a commercial account

 

[1982fxr]

i don't go to the auto parts store for tools unless i have no other choice. just sayin'

 

[Tanro]

They are the same tools O'Reillys used to have as gm Goodwrench. I warrantied a gm Goodwrench ratchet for a power torque ratchet last week

 

[Gmonkee]

I've used Great Neck and PowerBuilt basic hand tools more than a little. Forget the ratchets, get real ones from a better name. Sorry cheap ratchet fans, my luck with them has been poor at best.

The wrenches are that same boring well above average Asain stuff so common in the market, who needs a warranty when if you use them right they never seem to break . l don't know PowerTorque but l have used 37 other brands that look exactly the same and are all Asain made store brands.

The screwdrivers are average, there are far better and far cheaper but not both in the same package. HF freebies are in this same league and quite usable, a few folks l know only have those now. Mainly because they were free and held up just fine.

So if big name bling isn't part of your game, just good workable tools these should do. Start with something you'll use the most before fully stocking on all styles and models. You might just get by with a smaller setup of double duty tools too. l can.

 

[OHMS LAW]

I bought a set of torx sockets have held up fine

 

[TheRobotCow]

I don't like them. There are better options.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[MrGiggles]

The only time I buy tools from a parts store is if I need a single specialty socket.. The Pittsburg Pro line is comparable and a lot cheaper.

We have a few of their sockets at my college and they hold up fine. I have a classmate with a lot of Power Torque stuff that swears by it.

 

[SO/PW newbie]

The powertorque, powerbuilt, gm goodwrench, gearhead (or whatever pep boys has), etc look like they come out of the same factory. The Tiawan stuff is very good.

I could be wrong, but the Pittsburgh Pro stuff looks very similar.

 

[Katodog]

I work for O'Reilly at their DC out here.

O'Reilly/Ozark is the same company. O'Reilly bought Ozark, or they were Ozark, or something like that, can't remember the exact story. They're basically the same now, the name of the company is interchangeable between "O'Reilly" or "O'Reilly Ozark". People at work call it both.

The employee discount varies according to the product. Typically the discount is cost, on some stuff it's cost + 10%, some stuff is cost plus a certain percentage. Depends on what you're buying.

Power Torque are actually not bad. O'Reilly sells Power Torque, Performance Tool, GM Performance, etc., which as far as I can tell are all the same product with different branding. We pull stuff from the returns dept. and most of the stuff is great. Built great, works great, no complaints. If a customer returns something we grab it, and if there's issues who cares, we swap out broken ratchets or whatever and we're good to go.


As far as I can tell these brands are made by Wilmar, so far the stuff we use at work has been great. I have a bunch of socket sets, 3/8" and 1/2" deep well sets, standard sets, that I love to use. They are decent tools, on par with maybe Husky, Kobalt, etc.. If I needed tools at home I'd consider buying them, and not just because I'd get a discount.

 

[wrenchr]

The spline sockets look interesting.

 

[Ponchoguy]

Bought some PT parts from the big O for a clutch job on an audi. The parts were actual Audi parts in the box.

That's because they are likely buying them from the OEM supplier (Sachs or someone like that) and reboxing them. That is very common in the auto parts industry.