Of course it matters, even to us lowlife "Shadetree" mechanics.
If we are using our precious spare time, to fix all the mechanical **** in our world, will we be satisfied with wrenches that snap or sockets that just round off fasteners? Of course not and it's really not a problem even with our cheapskate $200 set of tools because it just doesn't happen
You completely missing the point being made, which is NOT a dig at shadetree anytihing, it is simply that mistakes are more costly than tools. Regardless of who is making them and with what kind of tools.
In other words, errors and mental mistakes are both more likely and more expensive than (catastrophic) tool failures. And since this is true, jugding the value of a tools solely by whether or not it explodes or fails during a project is not the only way to judge a tool.
Some tools help you work better faster easier and more focused, and those tools are
more worthwhile to some people and sometimes worth more than another tool to most if not all people.
Just how much of a premium they are worth isn't really the point either, it is just that in the scheme of an average automobile's annual expenses -- $200 is ant's piss. Averge person...you are looking at $25k upfront w/ $8K a year in depreciation interest running cost and maintenace.
So if you have a $200 toolkit and very limited experience, and take the view that it hasn't broken yet therefore it must be as good as anytool out ther...I think that is shortsighted.
Rounding off hex-key allen bolts typically doesn't happen in one go, to use one example. First the key smears, then the bolt gets a little out of true, and the they key smears a little more, and after a year of this maybe it gets rusted...and then finally on the 3rd or 7th service the bolt strips. No catastrophic failure, and even then its sort of OK until its too late, then its a mess.
Buy a new key/bit, but a new bolt, buy a new set of bolt outs etc. no big deal. But instead of a $4 ket i used a 1.25 key but hey I spent an hour buying new hardware and spent 40 on some bolt out kit and 6 on a new part from the OEM and then another $1.25 on a new POS hex key.
Tell me again how i'm saving money with the cheap tools again?
Now, if you need a spare key to use one or put in the truck for emergency use or whatever...knock yourself out with the cheap tools...cause any tool might be better than nothing in a pinch. But lets not kid ourselves that a tool that works once and doesn't break is "as good as anything" in any larger context.
And this has again little to do with how important anyone here fancies themselves. Its more about how broad a context we look at when we thing about pricing/budget and timeframes of evaluation.
sad to think of it