Wow. When I posted this, I certainly didn't expect it to turn into a poop on Matco thread. Sorry about that.
When I read the link, my first thought was that I wondered what the failure rate of the other truck brands. Is it similar?

So you would call the rolling Craftsman store known as Matco better than a 90 year old American family/employee owned tool manufacturer. I prefer SO of the truck brands but I guarantee you I will never spend one dollar on re branded Craftsman tools at 4 to 5 times the price. Matco makes flashy marketing campaigns and no tools. Cornwell make tools and leaves a lot to be desired in the flashy anything area, but I'll take the tool Mfg. over the tool distribution warehouse any day.
All I can say is it really depends on the salesman and of course the area. I buy nothing but Mac Tools, he shows up every week, he's a good salesman, warranties everything I buy from him and is turning into being a great friend as well!
(and it helps that I'm addicted to tools)![]()
We're on our 3rd Snap-On and our 2nd Matco salesmen, Cornwell doesn't even show up anymore!!!

Wow, This thread as went full circle fast. While i do feel some of the Danaher produced tools family tree sometimes crosses paths and shares alot of similarities especially with Craftsman tools. If you have ever swung a Matco ratchet there is no comparing the feel along with Specialty auto industry related tools and On the Go service is what you pay for. Its not for everyone and if you dont depend on your tools to earn a living, you probably dont need to patronize Matco. Another thing... Has it ever been proven that Craftsman branded tools are Identical to Matco? Or is this just a common misconception because of there shared manufacturer? If this is the case why are we buying these brands instead of the Allen or GW? Dunno..![]()
no need to apologize.I differ on one point of this post and agree on the rest. All trucks sell a lot of the same stuff. The difference is the hardline core products (sockets, wrenches, ratchets, etc.). Cornwell makes all of theirs, Matco makes none. Danaher makes it for Matco, Sears, Lowes, Napa, Armstrong and many more I'm sure. I also think that some of their new stuff is re branded gearwrench stuff which is also owned by danaher.

If you don't like Matco fine, don't use them. Obiviously you've had a bad experience with a Matco dealer or the brand to have such deep seated feelings against them. Did a future matco dealer beat you up and steal your lunch money as a child?
In my experience, when someone bashes a truck brand like this. It is because they got repo'ed by a dealer of that brand. I am not saying that this is the case but I have seen it in the past.
I am a Snap-on dealer and even I am not bashing Matco. The beginning of this thread was about the franchise system of Matco, not the tools themselves. I guess we should start a thread bashing Quizno's because they were mentioned in the same article on CNN/Money.com and I think they had a higher failure rate.
And Quizno's competitor was at 7% (Subway).Does this mean Matco may fold soon. Danaher may sell Matco to someone else.
Die Hard batteries are not what they used to be.
I prefer Optima batteries myself.
Optima batteries are not what they used to be either.....![]()
http://www.optimabatteries.com/_media/documents/Optima_Warranty.pdf
Which contradicts what the guy at AutoZone told me last Friday. He said it was a 2 year warranty, with NO proration.
http://www.optimabatteries.com/_media/documents/Optima_Warranty.pdf
Which contradicts what the guy at AutoZone told me last Friday. He said it was a 2 year warranty, with NO proration.
I don't think they have different grades besides red, yellow and blue.
I think Optima is making a quality comeback. I bought some late last year and they offered a 3 year replacement warranty. Not pro-rated. That to me is a pretty damn good battery warranty.
Danaher is not hurting at all.
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/danaher-quarterly-net-income-climbs-26-2010-04-22
Danaher quarterly net income climbs 26%
By Sarah Turner DHR
LONDON (MarketWatch) -- Danaher Corp. said that its first-quarter net income rose to $300.2 million, or 89 cents a share, from $237.7 million, or 72 cents a share, a year ago. On an adjusted basis, earnings totaled 96 cents a share. Analysts had been expecting earnings of 87 cents a share, according to data compiled by FactSet. Revenue rose to $3.1 billion, from $2.6 billion last year. "We continue to see encouraging signs that the global economy is stabilizing and returning to growth as evidenced by our solid core revenue performance in the quarter," said CEO H. Lawrence Culp.
where was it said matco wasn't doing good?
Let see where this thread has gone.
Matco
6 point-12 point
quiznos
optima batteries.
How about we get Merk to post some pics in here next.
Well since they are on the list of the "10 most popular franchises" that would mean they are a popular franchise, therefore more people trying it which would transform into more failures. A simple numbers thing, if you have 100 people trying to bowl a 300 game at Barney's Bowlarama versus 10 people trying to do the same thing Southport Lanes you'll have more failures at Barney's. The failure rate was 36%, it does seem high but without more information we'd only be guessing as to why they fail, could be a dozens different reasons.
I am guessing that he is assuming it because of the failure rate mentioned at the beginning of this thread. I would say that from my vantage point that a 36% failure rate of beginning dealers is not out of line with the mobile tool industry.
Let see where this thread has gone.
Matco
6 point-12 point
quiznos
optima batteries.
How about we get Merk to post some pics in here next.

This is an odd business and is not for everyone..

I think we need to take this in a different direction.
Which toolbox color is the best, red, black, yellow, blue or in my case purple?![]()
Orange.
Some of the videos on the Diehard.com website are kind of cool...
http://www.diehard.com/torture-labs
I really like Quiznos but thier food is so unhealthy. The one near me went under a few months ago.
I buy only snap on tools. The then grind off the logos and engrave Matco logos on every tool.
I was told Compac is the best (Swiss made).
All I can say is it really depends on the salesman and of course the area. I buy nothing but Mac Tools, he shows up every week, he's a good salesman, warranties everything I buy from him and is turning into being a great friend as well!
(and it helps that I'm addicted to tools)![]()
We're on our 3rd Snap-On and our 2nd Matco salesmen, Cornwell doesn't even show up anymore!!!
How about adding Starret dial indicators. Even though they are made in the USA, alot of people told me they are not worth buying. They are made of low quality metal and plastic (even for the gear). Price is still way up there. I was told Compac is the best (Swiss made).
10 people trying to bowl 300 will probably all fail. Out of 100 people you might have 97 fail. That means your failure rate went from 100% to 97%, even though more people actually failed. That is the whole point of using percentages.
No, Interapid makes the best indicators.
TheGrooveking