Do people ever actually sell these (Matco box 20k)

[xela456]

Like the title says, do these things ever sell? I can see paying 20k for something on finance, but I feel like the kind of people that have 20 grand lying around to spend aren't the same people that use the tools.
Full disclosure, I'm not an automechanic, I'm a millwright and probably have 10k invested in tools in my truck. I don't make my living out of a rolling box.

https://kansascity.craigslist.org/tls/d/spickard-matco-tool-box-tooooools/7004305978.html

I'm not arguing the value, nor do I claim to know the value. But yeah.

 

[wornoutoldman]

He might get that price selling everything one at a time on eBay...

 

[superduty1]

And only a single pic of the outside of toolbox.



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[chrisnazzy]

In my experience buying and selling Snap-on tools, he may very well have $20k worth of tools if sold individually. I highly doubt anyone would step forward though with $20k to buy that box w/tools as one package.

I've helped several people liquidate expansive tool collections but it really comes down to making sets. If the previous owner kept the tools in good condition and in sets there is a ton of money in selling complete wrench and socket sets and other cased sets like specialty tools. I helped one lady make over $4k in just a week and not a thing was listed on Ebay, only listed for sale here and on the Snap-on FB group.

As odd as it may seem, the box often ends up being the hardest to sell. Even Snap-on top and bottom combos seem to sit for awhile but for an older Matco unit like that, he'd be very fortunate if he could find a buyer @ $2k.

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[2ndGearRubber]

LOL, if that's a $20,000 tool box, my setup is 100k easy!


I see things like this from time to time - "full mechanic set!!!111!!!!". Those who include pictures usually show a miss-mash of basic hand tools, some crummy sand paper and other garbage, and maybe an out of date specialty tool or two. A member here once commented that perhaps they are listings from those who don't want to sell. Someone is pressuring them to clean that stuff out of the garage, they don't want to, so they price it way beyond market value to guarantee it doesn't sell. Or if it does sell they got an obscene amount for it. Some people are just lazy and refuse to piece things out, or in denial as to current market prices. I helped a friend clean out his inlaws house prior to a move to a small planned community. A mink stole? looking coat was on a rack, obviously not having moved in 20+ years. "Oh no, we can't throw that away, it's worth so much money!". Well, craigslist failed to get $20 for it. It eventually found its way to the dumpster under the cover of night.


People who need tools don't have 20k liquid to buy used stuff and sort through it.

 

[Skin]

Its probably lottery odds that someone would be interested in a full box let alone at that price range. He'd be lucky to get 2G for the box alone and I doubt there is 18k worth of tools in it.

 

[RedneckWelder]

I’ve never seen a true full set of tools for sale, usually it’s a bunch of **** as mentioned above

Plus if you have the $$$$ lying around to buy such you usually aren’t starting out as a mechanic to take advantage of a “complete set”

Hell he even said his diagnostic stuff was 30 years out of date, air tools and such will be as well.

 

[Max]

Around here we get “no lowball offers - I know what it is worth” on this kind of stuff.

Max

 

[sk farmer]

i have no issue with anyone who buys truck tools. i have quite a few myself. that said the phrase "buy once, cry once" gets thrown around quite often. i have no reason not to believe the guy spent 80,000 over the years.

the simple fact is basic hand tools still hold value. any specialty items or high wear items just don't hold their value. rusty and battered impact sockets, scuffed and worn screwdrivers, 2 stroke detroit(or any brand specific) tools, carb tools,timing lights and many other misc items just don't hold the value.

not saying that it is not worth buying good stuff but in the end old, obsolete stuff is still old obsolete stuff worth pennies on the dollar or worse scrap iron price....... and that would make me cry twice.

 

[Rory Bellows]

Judging by the description I think they would be lucky to get $2500-$3000 for everything. The tools that were highlighted in the ad don't bring money and the fact he has a "computer" that only reads up to 1990 should give a good idea about the tool selection in the box.

 

[rijndael]

Those who include pictures usually show a miss-mash of basic hand tools, some crummy sand paper and other garbage, and maybe an out of date specialty tool or two.

And most of the sockets and wrenches are SAE.

 

[Wrench97]

It's a shame really, a lot of these ads are retired mechanics no long able to use the tools a probably running out of cash that are convinced the tools they have been sitting on are actually worth more then what they are asking not less................

 

[m6z]

I've known a few guys that always bragged that they had $20k plus tool collections. It's not surprising that a few of them have started believing their own lies.

Of course the guy with the 40 year old Snap-on collection could be comparing them to today's retail prices.

14 pc combination wrench set is showing $880

https://shop.snapon.com/product/Sta...-Combination-Wrench-Set-(3-8-1-1/4")/OEX714KB

I don't think anyone actually pays that though.

 

[toddmorr]

here's another one. $15k. He's been running the ad for 6 months +, won't part it out, which is unfortunate because he has stuff I would gladly pay market price for.

https://washingtondc.craigslist.org/mld/tls/d/complete-set-of-automotive-tools/6996336632.html

 

[Wrench97]

Yea people pay that price, it's not hard get a $20,000 tool set that's what you pay to make money, problem is the tools you buy to install bushings in Nissan lower a frames for example cost you $500 and will be obsolete in 10 years so you have to make sure to make that money back sooner rather then later.
I have a bunch of distributor and carburetor special tools that don't see the light of day any more they're in the drawer with the 7.8l Ford timing pins, Detroit 2 cycle timing pins ring compressors, seal installers, I also have a nice set of Small & Big cam Cummins cam timing gauges that I paid $500 for used in the mid 80's it was a great buy at the time but the engines to use them on are few to nonexistent today.

 

[CafeTools]

He will never sell it for 20k. Probably maybe 8k.

 

[alexb2000]

Back in the day, there was basically two sources of tools, truck dealers for professionals, or Sears/Auto parts stores for DIYers. So if you were a professional you bought Snapon at full on crazy price because there wasn't any Internet, ebay, craigslist, FB, etc. to offer competition and you needed someone to warranty the stuff without spending your weekend in line at Sears. Now if I need a tool my first stop is Amazon if it is a specialty item and if it is a replacement or fill in item for my Snapon hand tools I go to ebay where there are "dealers" in disquise selling new stuff at good discounts and occasionally a realistic seller of used Snapon stuff.

Unfortunately, older guys, or non-toolnuts, don't know where things have gone and still think we're living in the 80's with no real marketplace for tools.

 

[Professional Tool User]

95% or more of people looking such an ad will not be able to stomach such a big tool purchase in one go. No one is going to touch it without a significant mark down.

 

[Tuc04]

If these type of people were serious they could at least spend a few hours cleaning up and kind of organizing things. For example I don’t need to see a drawer with 50 different clumps of wire. It also doesn’t help when they show socket organizers with half the stuff missing.

 

[MattT]

I've known a few guys that always bragged that they had $20k plus tool collections. It's not surprising that a few of them have started believing their own lies.

20K ain't much when you start buying professional tools. Might seem implausible to someone with a few hundred bucks in a basic set of homeowner **** but you guys have no clue how much more expensive tools get at the pro level. Or how many more tools are required to be productive.

 

[m6z]

20K ain't much when you start buying professional tools. Might seem implausible to someone with a few hundred bucks in a basic set of homeowner **** but you guys have no clue how much more expensive tools get at the pro level. Or how many more tools are required to be productive.

It's certainly possible if you're paying todays Snap-on retail prices like I quoted, but according to all the Snap-on buyers on this forum no one actually pays those prices.

Does anyone know how much a basic Snap-on starter kit actually sell for?

Say your typical 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 drive socket sets with ratchets and your typical full set of combination wrenches. What's does a new tech pay for something like that?

This thread is about retired guys selling of the stuff they accumulated over the last 40 years.

 

[Wrench97]

Not many start off with a Snap On starter kit, if fact I think Matco is the only tool truck brand to have a stater promo with a tool cart for it's a expansion of the program started by Matco and Lincoln Tech> https://www.lincolntech.edu/news/automotive/matco-tools-lincoln-tech-tool-kits

Most of the younger guys have started with kits lower quality tools and upgraded as they could afford the weekly payments off the tool trucks.

 

[Robbie B]

Makes me have some hope for my rickety old 26” wide craftsman box. [emoji1787][emoji1787][emoji1787]


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[Lassen Forge]

LOL, if that's a $20,000 tool box, my setup is 100k easy!


I see things like this from time to time - "full mechanic set!!!111!!!!". Those who include pictures usually show a miss-mash of basic hand tools, some crummy sand paper and other garbage, and maybe an out of date specialty tool or two.

With no pix of the contents, that's the horse I'd put my $2 on...

Makes me have some hope for my rickety old 26” wide craftsman box.

I have a pair of those 26" C'Man boxes with top boxes new in 1975-ish, and they do the trick. Rusty and repainted? Um Hmm.. New casters because the old ones rotted? Yeppers. Do I want a new box with roller slides etc? Bet your ****. But unnless something screaming throws itself at my feet, I'll wait.

Bet someone someday opens them up and goes "why didn't she get new boxes?" Because, well... I don't make money with the box... I make it on what's inside the box.

 

[xlowxyotax88x]

Honestly I don't see it either and being I've spent more than he's asking on the trucks in my 15 year career already I know how much stuff cost. I'm hoping one of my boys, or even my girl or a son in law would be proud to have my collection when that time would come. I think if they didn't have drawers crammed with **** and some organization and cleaned the tools it would look better. I looked at every link and besides a few obvious pieces the drawers with sockets just piled in same with pliers, wrenches ect looks like cheap stuff. I'd say 90 percent of us here have more value just based off the pictures we post of our boxes due to cleaning and organizing. It's like selling a cheap car if u make it presentable and appealing to the eye you will have better luck selling it. That being said I'll sell mine right now for 60k no low ballers or tire kickers if you don't have the cash don't waste my time....... Lol

 

[neophyte]

Wife or significant other probably complained about the giant metal box full of tools he no longer uses professionally.
He knows he’s not going to get back anywhere near what he paid for the tools if he sells them, and doesn’t really want to get rid of them because “tools”, and bevause if he needs them again the replacement will likely be a pain and or costly.
So he says he’ll list them at about what the tools are “worth”, ie. replacement cost.
Every once in a while he shows significant other that the tools are still listed for sale, but that nobidy has made an offer.

 

[58Yeoman]

If these type of people were serious they could at least spend a few hours cleaning up and kind of organizing things. For example I don’t need to see a drawer with 50 different clumps of wire. It also doesn’t help when they show socket organizers with half the stuff missing.

Isn't that the truth? They do the same thing at estate sales. Load the tool boxes with junk and ****, then ask top dollar. Yeah, right. I was interested in a small 4 drawer metal box at one estate sale, and I asked Mike to give me a price. He said he would sell it cheaper with all the **** inside, than without. That way, he didn't have to get rid of the junk after the sale was over.

 

[Jason280]

I know for a large majority of these sellers, its difficult to accept that most of the tools are damn near worthless to today's average buyer. Harbor Freight has really killed the used tool market for a lot of people, especially with regards to boxes. Plus, as mentioned, a good portion of the specialty tools are useless with most vehicles on the road.

As far as the guys who want to sell everything together, it rarely happens unless the price is dirt cheap. That being said, I am convinced a lot of them have no real intentions of selling anything, they just want to give off the impression they are at least trying to sell the stuff. Not that it really matters, the widows/grandkids will damn near give the stuff away to get it out of the garage after they're dead.

 

[Wamsutta]

Usually when they're priced that high it means the guy is going through a divorce and doesn't want to sell the tools. Future ex-wife has no clue what the tools are worth.

 

[gte718p]

The listing for the OPs will never sell. No picture so few people are going to invest the time to find out what is actually in there.

If he is really insistent as selling as a whole someone like me will eventually pick it up. I used to buy lots of tool sets. I have run into the entire gambit of people from complete dreamers to, complete idiots, to people with separation anxiety who don't really want to sell.

Depending on the mix of tools he actually has, I would offer probably $4-5k cash. I'm honest I tell people how much I think I can get for tool sets. I also tell them how to get the best money ie clean everything, organize in logical groups, and take good pictures. I also tell them how many hours I expect to spend on it between all of the above and packing/shipping, answering stupid questions/meeting idiots from craigslist. No one has every taken my offer initially. However I stay in touch and it is amazing how many I pick up a year or two later after it has sat in the garage taking up space.

Someone mentioned that tool boxes are the hardest to sell. They where right, boxes tend to linger. A used MATCO box has almost no value in any of the markets I have worked in. A used Snap On box will almost always sell at a decent price, but you have to deal with every manner of idiots. MAC boxes linger unless you are selling them stupid cheap.

 

[CafeTools]

Great post ∆

 

[kctyphoon]

So much for investing in tool truck tools because of their resale value argument...

 

[m6z]

So much for investing in tool truck tools because of their resale value argument...

That's just what they tell their wives.

 

[Hiball]

It Would take hours of work to List out a 80k (Who knows if that’s a real number) tools collection to get it ready to sell as a single lot. My gut tells me the seller is just spouting huge purchase numbers in hopes someone will bite, unfortunately people with 20k liquid sitting around aren’t looking to buy vague tool lots. I won’t even speculate on the Value, it’s a impossible task with not knowing what’s inside. I wouldn’t rule out Old specialty Tools as a Bust, I made a killing on Half a trailer load full of Old Ford Rotunda IDI diesel tools and timing equipment. It was a lot of work and took some time, but paid off well.

On second thought... There is No money in older tools, If you can’t buy it with a coupon or on monthly payments it’s best people just look the other way.

 

[sk farmer]

I know for a large majority of these sellers, its difficult to accept that most of the tools are damn near worthless to today's average buyer. Harbor Freight has really killed the used tool market for a lot of people, especially with regards to boxes.

i think this a very telling statement. i assume this why a lot of people have such hatred for hf and its various brands. tools that get the job done at a fraction of the price and readily available. the average joe doesn't have to wait for the truck or chase it down to get the tool he wants right now. even the variety of item they have in stock on the shelf vs other brick and mortar is astounding. that in turn has driven down the value of their used tools and equipment, even if it isn't for sale yet.

 

[kythri]

So much for investing in tool truck tools because of their resale value argument...

Weird, right?

 

[seber]

There was one like that around here for almost a year. Just kept renewing the ad. I kept watch until it disappeared and then called. The widow said she got tired of it and sold it to a pawn shop. $20,000 asking price went for $4,000. I never did find out what was in it. She apparently had no clue.

 

[Wrench97]

There is a guy around here that that has a older Snap on Modus on CL for close to 2 years now for $1200 version 14.2 software without any test leads or probes. I offered him $800 2 years ago and he acted insulted and replied $1200 firm.....................

 

[2ndGearRubber]

So much for investing in tool truck tools because of their resale value argument...

Weird, right?

The boxes discussed for holding value are typically snap-on.

Although there is some truth to that, since matco/mac/cornwell don't support their products nearly as well as snap-on does.

There is a guy around here that that has a older Snap on Modus on CL for close to 2 years now for $1200 version 14.2 software without any test leads or probes. I offered him $800 2 years ago and he acted insulted and replied $1200 firm.....................

Some people are just delusional. That's around the ebay price with the basic leads. CL means cheaper than ebay; why deal with people when ebay can deliver it to my door for the same price, with buyer protections?

I paid $350 for my 11.X EEMS300 modis. The first gen modis, so 4 channel scope, every adapter still in the plastic. That's the real value of the old modis, it's a cheap entry level scope with guided component test for older stuff whose wiring diagrams were poorly scanned into an online format.

 

[Wrench97]

Scope is what I was looking for I ended up with a Verus Pro with all the leads still wrapped and in plastic as well as a low current and high current clamp $750..............