Damn Snap On Truck

[Crank1]

Well it got me for about $4000 and some change. First time I really bought anything from them, I bought a beginners set http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item....store&tool=all And it came with a smaller box. I realize it may not be as big as some of y'all folk's boxes, but for a 20 year old Lance Corporal getting paid by the government, its about the best I could afford with my other bills. Plus I can continue to add on until I need a bigger box. Hopefully I aint gonna be paying on it forever tho. SHHHHH, didnt tell the fiancee yet. This'll be our little secret

Any recommendations on what to get next. I got a pretty good full set of Craftsmen Pry Bars that I'll hold onto for beating up and whatnot. Thanks

Brandon

 

[bmwpower]

Linky no work.

 

[Deafautotech]

me too...

what will you work with snap on tools? in government service shop?

when i am beginner in automotive industry, i had 254 pieces of craftsman tools which i paid almost 200 dollars... after soon to be six years in automotive industry, i had many and many tools which i can do myself work in shop without other tech's tools... i am only buy tools to do work not make collective....

 

[wilbilt]

Well it got me for about $4000 and some change. First time I really bought anything from them

Advice you don't want to hear, from someone who has been there, done that...return it and don't look back.

I have owned three Snap-On boxes, but will never buy another one. Unless you are moving your tools around a shop on a daily professional basis, you don't need it.

 

[partsman]

about half of my hand tools are snap-on and i never have felt like it was a waste of money. there has only been a very few times when a snap on tool has let me down.
yes you pay alot more for them, but if you make a liveing working out of that box it is well woth the money . i know alot of guys will disagree with me but i will gladly spend money on the snap on trk as my budget allows...

 

[Detroit Diesel Man]

Congrats on the new box!


DDM

 

[partsman]

if you have a chance to pic up one of blue point's heal bar 5 peice set, that was my latest buy with them. they work great for a little of everything from lineing up holes to pulling seals, to even a center punch....

 

[Danglerb]

Congratulations on getting something important that you want, but as a business choice, its tough not to consider what $4000 will buy from another mechanic leaving the trade, maybe $15,000 to $25,000 in tools at new prices with a box.

 

[Blacknwhitepit]

Many to topics to discuss from this thread.

A few thoughts.

Congratulations on buying some great tools. They will probably last you the rest of your life.

I can relate to you situation. Years and years ago I was an 20 year old E-4 working at 3d shop. Used Craftsman tools, I had to borrow some tools to get my work done, but was single; drank a lotta beer, chased girls and spent my money keeping my old car running.

Looking back, I had no debt, but I also never put away for anything either. I was living a pretty fun life.

What I will say is that $4000.00 could have bought you almost everything that Craftsman makes in their largest kits and then some!

I didn't buy anything off the truck until much later in life when I could afford to pay cash. I got most of my snappy stuff at flea markets.

But at least if/when you leave the Corps you will have at least something of value, unlike many first term guys who piss it away.

Debt is not always a bad thing. There are 3 kinds of debt: Appreciable (houses), depreciable (tools) and consumable (food). It is overusing debt for the last two that will get you into trouble.

Mr. Snappy loves the military allotment system. He gets his money right away.

Most normally if asked I would have recommended Craftsman for young mechanics to start out and build your set. If they decide to do something else then they are not out of a job still owing the snap on man. If they stay in the game then move to Snap on for "high usage" tools.

As you said you have a fiancee now. That usually will effect the "toy fund" that you have.

Those "little payments" can add up over time. I have seen how financial education can effect young married military personnel. Making 2000 a month - 400 car payment, - 100 insurance payment - 600 rent payment - 100 credit card payment - 100 electric payment - 200 fuel/gas payment - 100 Snap on payment - 100 engagement ring payment -200 food payment leaves very little to spend on other things. Of course a nice tax free deployment can help!

Just don't let the things you own, own you.

On a final note: A rant: I noticed name of this thread. I am sure it is said in jest, but it does irk me as many people blame the credit card, the mortgage company and the banks for their financial mistakes. Nobody puts a gun to peoples heads and says "Buy this house that has 3500 square feet that you can barely afford" and the top of the line BMW. Then when they go bankrupt they cry a story of woe. A few years ago many people were crying that they could not get mortgage loans, now they are crying that they shouldn't have been allowed to get mortgage loans. wah wah wah.

Long story short, especially when starting out; buy the best you can AFFORD and need.

I'm done.

-BWP

 

[wilbilt]

Long story short, especially when starting out; buy the best you can AFFORD and need.

Good point, especially the "need" part. The things I invested in when starting out were the things I needed to support my family.

 

[ImportTuner]

Excellent writeup "Blacknwhitepit" .... could not have said things better ...

 

[goodfellow]

When you're young, priorities are different. Most of us have been in similar situations and probably spent money on frivolous things (be it cars, booze, cylces, tools, girls, whatever). We learned to prioritize later in life.

Enjoy the tools Crank1, you'll have them for life. Have fun; you'll only get to do these things for a short time before life forces priorities on you.

BTW -- many thanks for your service to our country

 

[OldCarGuy]

Blacknwhitepit summed it up very well, and I agree whole heartedly. Still there are two important issues of concern. The first is going into debt of $4,000.00 for the best tool in the land at such an early age. When you could purchase half of the tool section at Sears for that kind of money. Craftsman's tools are also guaranteed for life, and you could always upgrade them at a time when you could afford to. But more important is the issue trying to hide such a major purchase from someone you expect to spend the rest of your life with. Relationships are built on trust and truth. Do you really want to start yours off this way? Just how would you feel if you found your fiancee doing something similar?

I hope that you don’t feel as though we want to rain on your parade. Tools are important to most all the members here. They are a good investment, particularly when you need them for work.

 

[george4]

Good for you, thanks for serving. Pay must be better than when I was a Lance Corporal about 40 years ago. The only Snap On tool I had was ½ ratchet, I beam style. Still works just fine.

 

[54bomb]

I think having a good tool box is a great start, sure you may be able to get a box cheaper, but if you use it more than just once a week on saturdays its good to get something worthwhile. Ive also started buying more snap on stuff becuse it seems like matco and mac ( if you can even find a mac dealer these days ) prices are going up and if its close to the same money Ill just buy snap on. ..but your right they do make it really easy to buy stuff

 

[ColdDuckTime]

"There are 3 kinds of debt: Appreciable (houses), depreciable (tools) and consumable (food). It is overusing debt for the last two that will get you into trouble."

I'm going to veer away from this one, here's my list:

1) Debt for emergencies. These days, nearly everyone needs a reliable car or the ability to have one fixed, medical care on occasion, rice+beans if needed, etc. People without a pad should acquire one, toot sweet.
2) Debt for things that make money...ie. business loans for inventory, loans on commercial real estate that is cash flow positive, etc.
3) Debt for things that you need (shelter) that you would have to buy/rent in any case. Sometimes it's cheaper to rent, sometimes to buy. Over time, house prices haven't gone up a whole lot (roughly at the rate of income increase) and they can sure chew up the cash in terms of maintenance/insurance/etc.
4) Debt for money you are ******* away. Everything else.

Strictly speaking, I think of a house as an investment only to the extent that you avoid rent (and take on property taxes, insurance, maintenance).

The interesting thing (as always) is the future. Here's a nice chart to ponder.

http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2006/08/26/weekinreview/27leon_graph2.html

 

[Danglerb]

"Don't blame the credit card", Attractive Nuisance, I think is the legal term. The SnapOn truck is just a big old refrigerator for older kids to play in and get in trouble.

It disturbs me when I see craigslist ads like this one from a couple weeks ago locally, "paid $7500 six months ago, changed my mind, $4000 obo deploy in two weeks." Most of the time that obo is going to be at best 50% for the box and 20% for the tools, which makes the cost of SnapOn credit a bit higher than expected.

 

[SpiderGearsMan]

craftsman shatters too easy for pro use , said my piece

 

[Crank1]

Okay. Hopefully I can go thru and provide a bit of information to set y'alls minds at ease... http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...d=2290&supersede=&store=snapon-store&tool=all
Hopefully that link works.

I am not blaming credit, only the fact that I spent it, I am extremely exstatic that I just got a good full set of SNAP ON tools, I've got a smaller set of Craftsman tools I've had them for a couple years, and they are nice, but I figured I'd make a pretty expensive purchase now for my tools that I'll have for many years to come. I will not be using these tools to make a living, at least for another 3 years, at which point in time I have no idea what I'll be doing. I just generally work on cars for fun. Since I've been in the USMC now, I work in the aviation industry, and notice how well SO tools work as opposed to the Craftsman tools I've had for a bit, just little things, the knurled extensions and smoother ratchets... I view this as an investment rather than a debt. Why not pay it now, so I'll have a great set of tools in the future and they'll be paid off.

I do intend on telling the soon to be wife, just not soo soon. I do have debts already, my truck payment, HER car payment, cell and insurance. But that is it, I also have a certain ammount of money alotted to a savings acct for later, and when I get married, due to us being seperated, I should really be able to bank all of my BAH(basic allowance for housing) since I'll live here and pay very little and she'll still live with her folks. But we also are putting alot of money back for our future. Okay, i paid 11,000 for my pickup truck, I'm paying 4,500 for the debt left on her car, and 4,000 for these tools, That's 19,500 dollars, but I know MANY Marines I serve with that have over $30,000 in debt on just 1 brand new car... So rather than having one car, I've got me a car, her a car, and myself a great set of tools all for less than they are paying.

I really have no vices, except I spend way too much money on Chevys. lol. but who doesnt. I dont smoke, drink, do drugs or chase women. My payments work out to 36 a week, how many of you out there know ppl that spend about that much money in cigarettes alone every week?

Another thing, concerning the "Toy Fund" when I come home and actually live with my fiancee, she's obviously gonna limit my toy fund, If I'm paying 4 G's for tools, is she really going to let me have a project too, that ***** up money? NOOO, so this takes care of that.

Hopefully this addresses any concerns. I can afford them, No, I DO NOT NEED THEM, but I've been told by many people You are only young once, In a couple years, I may have a child with my soon to be wife, and there may not be a budget for a nice shiny set of Snap On tools, but I'll already have them in the garage.
Brandon

 

[wilbilt]

Crank1, take this as you will.
Marriage is a two-way street. It amounts to a lot of give and take.
Sometimes, the give takes precedence. A lot.

The stats show that most marriages today end in divorce. I know a lot of young people that have been married and divorced. Some of them more than once.

The one common factor among all of those divorces was the "mine/yours" division. My time, Your time. My money, Your money. My kids/Your kids, My bills/Your bills, etc., etc.

I have been married to my wife for nearly 22 years. Since day 1, there has been no "Mine/Yours" thing going on. It is all "ours". It has been mostly great times, some bad times, and a few really bad times. The really bad times put the test on "The Few and the Proud".

There has never been a "Toy Fund", or a "Vacation Fund", or a "Build a Garage" Fund.

The "Put Food on the Table" Fund, the "Fix the Roof" Fund and the "Diaper the Kids' Asses" Funds have always taken precedence.

In my observations over the years, many marriages have failed due to the lady's "Spend it Till it's Gone" Fund and the man's "I Deserve More Toys" Fund.

I am just relating my experiences and observations. Based on the "don't tell the fiancee" thing, I would assume you are drawing the line early on. Are you planning this marriage for life, or just a couple of years?

 

[Junkman]

....................... I do have debts already, my truck payment, HER car payment, cell and insurance. .......................
Brandon

Crank1........... It isn't any of my business, but I will give you something to think about. It it is her car payment, then she should be making that payment herself. If she is still living with her parents, and you are making the car payments, then I would say that she isn't taking on the responsibility of being an adult. I have known lots of younger fellows that have done the same thing that you are doing, and in the end, if and when they get married, the wife has never learned how to save or spend responsibly. If you want to pay for her car, then I suggest that you do it when you are married, but not before. I have been with the same woman for about 35 years, and we have been married for over 20 years. Prior to our being married, she paid her own expenses, and I paid my own. Once you get married, then it is ours, and there is no more mine and yours, until you either die or get divorced. If you die, then everything goes to the surviving spouse. If you get divorced, then everything that you own she is going to want at least 50% of, and then she will also want alimony, if she wasn't working during the marriage. If you have children, no matter how much money you make, she is going to want a sizable chunk of it for child support. I joke about being married, but my wife knows that when I stop joking about it, then the marriage is over for both of us. Every time I see a cute young woman, I think....... that could be my grand daughter. I am married for the long haul, and at my advanced age, it is too late to start over. Think long and hard about marriage and if the person is right for you, because you are making a commitment in your early 20's that you will be living with the consequences of into your mid 80's.

 

[partsman]

i disagree with telling the wife everything, and it is not because of the honesty thing either. its just that she doesnt need to know. i know that mite sound rude but every person no matter if you are married or not you need your own things. i am sure she has some desighner hand bags or jeans. that ours thing just doent work in my household i bust my *** and deserve to have stuff same with her she works very hard and deserve have nice things.
in my house we have always had funds for this or that, its a goal to work for.
i have 4 kids myself and married 15 years and beleive me there have been some rough times but we have always have budget for things.
i have posted a thread about a lathe that i am going to look at fri , did i aske permission no i never would , did i tell her yes i did, out of respect for her not because i have to. she trust my judgement and knows me well enough that i wouldnt do anything to jepordize the faimily
i dont think its a big deal at all that he didnt ask his soon to be. the guy is busting his *** risking his life and if he says he can afford them well thats that.
i just think some off you guys are reading to much into that

 

[wilbilt]

i dont think its a big deal at all that he didnt ask his soon to be. the guy is busting his *** risking his life and if he says he can afford them well thats that.
i just think some off you guys are reading to much into that

I don't think it's an issue of "asking" or "permission". It seems he is avoiding telling her about it, either because he knows it will be an issue or because he feels guilty.

Both scenarios are bad news, IMHO.

 

[Crank1]

Well Wilbilt, yes, I should've consulted her concerning spending 4 grand. On the other hand, it is my decision to spend, as stated earlier, I am paying for her car, so I can have my things as well.

Melissa(My Wife to be) is a very smart, intelligent girl, who does know how to spend money and budget very well. The thing is, about 1.5 years into our relationship, I was headed off to boot camp and she stuck right by my side, when I was having family troubles in 9th grade, she was my best friend then. She is the one I'll be with for the long haul. But she was driving a car that had 273,*** miles on it, and it was going to leave her stranded somewhere. I personally do now wanna have to go to prison for killing anyone if someone were to do something to her while her car took a ****. So she went shopping. They took her car, she paid $3500 out of her bank, and I told her I'd pay the payments. She is currently in her 3rd year of college to be a Nurse RN and doesnt get to work very much over 10-12 hours a week, so that goes towards gas, and savings to come see me sometimes. >>> This being said, I do think she is taking responsibility, but there are times when you need some help. She cant work enough to make her payments. She also paid out about $800 dollars in taxes for me when I first bought my pickup. She has the savings, I have the steady pay...

I mean really guys. Its 62 bucks every paycheck, which is the 1st and 15th. I aint gonna be hurting THAT bad. She's definately going to be a little bit more understanding if I tell her I spend 2500 on tools as opposed to 4 grand. I also have a '86 GMC swb I am looking to sell and all that money is profit, in the bank money. So I can throw a chunk of that towards the Tool guy bill.

Anyway. I BOUGHT A KILLER STARTER SET OF TOOLS
Brandon

 

[wilbilt]

On the other hand, it is my decision to spend, as stated earlier, I am paying for her car, so I can have my things as well.

Sounds like a great girl.

Nice tools.

Best of luck.

 

[Crank1]

This is Melissa and myself back in April, the last time I was home...

Second is my toolset. I think we can both live in harmony.

 

[Crank1]

Er.. However that worked out
Brandon

 

[Crank1]

Ya know WilBilt. You are completely right... I guess I can let her use the tools too, so long as she puts them back where they belong... right?

 

[wilbilt]

Wherever she leaves them will be where they belong.

Trust me on this.

 

[Junkman]

Easy solution to the problem. Tell her that they are a wedding gift from you to her, and that you promise to take good care of them if she will loan them to you to use. If she is really unhappy, then she will be using her nursing skills to revive you after she is through beating you to a pulp.....

 

[Danglerb]

Crank1 welcome to the group, don't pay too much attention to us, even if we are right. We all listen to each other, and go do as we please too.

 

[Junkman]

Crank1 welcome to the group, don't pay too much attention to us, even if we are right. We all listen to each other, and go do as we please too.

Hey!!!!!!!!! I resemble that remark!!!!!!!!!!

 

[caspian65]

Looks like a nice set to start out with. Try to get that one paid off before you buy anymore though. Once you start buying SO stuff it's hard to stop!

 

[eschoendorff]

Well Wilbilt, yes, I should've consulted her concerning spending 4 grand. On the other hand, it is my decision to spend, as stated earlier, I am paying for her car, so I can have my things as well.

Melissa(My Wife to be) is a very smart, intelligent girl, who does know how to spend money and budget very well. The thing is, about 1.5 years into our relationship, I was headed off to boot camp and she stuck right by my side, when I was having family troubles in 9th grade, she was my best friend then. She is the one I'll be with for the long haul. But she was driving a car that had 273,*** miles on it, and it was going to leave her stranded somewhere. I personally do now wanna have to go to prison for killing anyone if someone were to do something to her while her car took a ****. So she went shopping. They took her car, she paid $3500 out of her bank, and I told her I'd pay the payments. She is currently in her 3rd year of college to be a Nurse RN and doesnt get to work very much over 10-12 hours a week, so that goes towards gas, and savings to come see me sometimes. >>> This being said, I do think she is taking responsibility, but there are times when you need some help. She cant work enough to make her payments. She also paid out about $800 dollars in taxes for me when I first bought my pickup. She has the savings, I have the steady pay...

I mean really guys. Its 62 bucks every paycheck, which is the 1st and 15th. I aint gonna be hurting THAT bad. She's definately going to be a little bit more understanding if I tell her I spend 2500 on tools as opposed to 4 grand. I also have a '86 GMC swb I am looking to sell and all that money is profit, in the bank money. So I can throw a chunk of that towards the Tool guy bill.

Anyway. I BOUGHT A KILLER STARTER SET OF TOOLS
Brandon

My goodness... your girl sounds a lot like my girl. And if she is like my girl, she probably won't have a huge problem with your purchase as long as you have a financial plan to back it up. Kudos on taking care of her and buying her a car. You two are already taking care of each other!

 

[Jononon]

This is Melissa and myself back in April, the last time I was home...

Second is my toolset. I think we can both live in harmony.

Good work (on both fronts)

Not a cheap set, but I really can't see a problem in buying it on the never never, so long as you can afford the payments, it'll outlast you, never mind the finance deal.

o/t Damn they make Marines skinny these days ! No, I wouldn't say that to your face, what do you think I am, stupid ?

 

[Crank1]

Well my Momma made me skinny, just the USMC failed to fatten me up... I am in the airwing tho, I aint got time to hit the gym and eat all the time. I'm healthy and fit, but not a meathead.

 

[strizzy]

Thats a real nice set of tools, but whats with those safety goggles lol.

Thank you for your service.

 

[1fastvx]

OMG....is all that comes with the set in the pic? For $4000?

John

 

[Danglerb]

The lifetime of satisfaction doesn't fit in the picture. Also I think a basic box is part of the deal.

 

[ColdDuckTime]

OMG....is all that comes with the set in the pic? For $4000?

John

an interesting homework assignment would be to tote up a total on the same pile on finished auctions at eBay.

Hang on...I feel a Dave Ramsey speech flashing through my head. I'll go away for a while.