Damn Trucks! :-)

[shoggoth80]

Ok guys, they got me.
A couple of weeks ago, I bought a Matco ratcheting stubby wrench set. I used my student discount. Made it an alright buy.
I bought a 36mm socket, and a OBDII code reader (a very basic one) off the Matco truck, because it was convenient, and the student discount on the code reader wasn't quite as steep as the hard tools. I am happy with everything I have purchased so far.

Today I set up a line with the Snap On driver. Snagged myself a roto head 1/4" drive ratchet. Paid the regular truck price for it, vs. calling the industrial rep. for my college. $20 a week isn't the worst price ever if I keep a good eye on my totals. So far I have yet to finance anything much over $100 at a time, and I want to try and keep it that way.

I know it's silly, but it's a nice little ratchet. Been wanting to make upgrades to some of my tools anyway. I can take some of my upgraded gear and make a school kit out of it. Not gonna bring or leave the nice stuff on campus, away from a locked up shop and a locking tool box besides. Lol.

I also sprung the modest price for a Bahco 7750 ratchet. The one that supposed to have the dual 80 guts (it shipped yesterday). So unless something whiz bang pops up in 3/8" drive, I have that covered with a Gearwrench 72 tooth roto + the Bahco (as far as nicer stuff in my head goes. Got some other 3/8 ratchets, but cheaper stuff). Though I really can see the merit in a long handled 3/8". Maybe that'll be the next thing I cough up cash for?

Anyway, I may be overpaying a little bit, but it feels nice to get some better gear. Even if it is at a snail's pace.

 

[rusty65]

Good tools are additive aren't they. I also have a Snap on 1/4 drive roto head and its my favorite 1/4 drive ratchet.

Sent From Snap On Headquarters deep in China.

 

[shoggoth80]

I wish the driver would have had a green handled one. Mine is the comfort handle, red and black... identical to the one my mentor/supervisor uses, but with less wear. A different color would have easily set mine apart. Oh well. Lol.

 

[kpos101]

so how much are u in debt with the trucks?

 

[cburnscrx]

so how much are u in debt with the trucks?

This ^^^^ and see below....

 

[Hiball]

Some people don't know how to handle debt... Kudos for setting a budget of $100 and sticking to it.

 

[shoggoth80]

I've only gone in about $100 at a time, and this is the second time buying off the truck. So I will have spent about $230 on the trucks. Could be worse. It might be worth mentioning that I work as a parts replacer (eventually my diagnostics will get good enough to call myself mechanic. Lol). So when I buy something, I buy it for work primarily. I use my stuff every day.

 

[Marion3]

I set myself at 400$ budget at any givin time. And only to one tool truck. We had 4 coming at one time so it sure was hard at sometimes to not get accounts going with 2 or 3 drivers. As soon as the budget got down enough to where I could afford x withing my 400$ budget I bought it. Pretty much stayed revolving at ~400. But if something did happen it wouldn't be too hard to swallow if I couldn't make the payments no more

 

[warmpancakes]

I wish the driver would have had a green handled one. Mine is the comfort handle, red and black... identical to the one my mentor/supervisor uses, but with less wear. A different color would have easily set mine apart. Oh well. Lol.

have the driver swap the handle,

 

[mudflap]

I've only gone in about $100 at a time, and this is the second time buying off the truck. So I will have spent about $230 on the trucks. Could be worse. It might be worth mentioning that I work as a parts replacer (eventually my diagnostics will get good enough to call myself mechanic. Lol). So when I buy something, I buy it for work primarily. I use my stuff every day.

Sounds like you are smarter than most...Easy to get yourself in a long term money crunch with the tool trucks. In my 24 + years on the job i have seen alot of guys get in over their head....I built my tools up over the years 1 tool at a time like you are. With the exception of my old MAC TECH 1000 boxes, Had to finance them way back then...but they have served me well, still going strong. New wave of newbies coming in at the County garages due to alot of us old timers nearing retirement. They seem to be less willing to go into debt with the tool trucks, or like you, they set themselves a small amount they are willing to run up. For the most part they come in with a nice/nearly complete, set of Blue Point stuff they bought at the school...and seem to be happy with them...

 

[X1 Mike]

I wish the driver would have had a green handled one. Mine is the comfort handle, red and black... identical to the one my mentor/supervisor uses, but with less wear. A different color would have easily set mine apart. Oh well. Lol.

You may not have done it on purpose but you are saying without words that you respect your mentor/supervisor. He most likely will take that kind of stuff as a compliment and teach you more.

 

[shoggoth80]

Yeah, the guy I work under really knows his ****. He's an old hand. Been doing wrench work since he was a kid (I think he started working pit with his cousin racing motorbikes). Literally doing this kind of thing longer than I have been alive. He's probably forgotten more about machines than I have managed to learn so far. Lol. I feel fortunate being able to learn from him. But I also feel like a ***** when I goof something up.

I've been working on cars for several years, but mostly my own machines, or helping out friends. Only recently have I started doing it for money, and it IS a different experience at that point. Technically I am still a first year auto tech student, about to enter my 3rd quarter. I've done a couple engine swaps, and have ripped more transmissions out and replaced them in the past few months than I can recall. Doing more intermediate than entry level type work. Did my first heater core on a Silverado the other day, but something is jamming the door selector for the air controls, so I've gotta see what is up with that (first time job, truck was MESSY, so something might have fallen down in there).

I might still be learning, and still have a LOT to learn, but I thoroughly enjoy what I do.

 

[wafrederick]

I paid my tool bill off last week,$26.00 and some change.Matco tool dealer knows I pay on the spot,never has to hound me at all.Plus I bought a test adaptor for my coolant pressure tester,the new style used on GMs.There are the deadbeats that don't want to pay their tool bill and wonder why they get their tools repoed.

 

[senor fozz]

Sounds like you are smarter than most...Easy to get yourself in a long term money crunch with the tool trucks. In my 24 + years on the job i have seen alot of guys get in over their head....I built my tools up over the years 1 tool at a time like you are. With the exception of my old MAC TECH 1000 boxes, Had to finance them way back then...but they have served me well, still going strong. New wave of newbies coming in at the County garages due to alot of us old timers nearing retirement. They seem to be less willing to go into debt with the tool trucks, or like you, they set themselves a small amount they are willing to run up. For the most part they come in with a nice/nearly complete, set of Blue Point stuff they bought at the school...and seem to be happy with them...

This makes me sad. I live in Phoenix and there is a lot of MMI grads and UTI grads, it is nice to pick up tools dirt cheap when a young tech realizes he doesn't want to work on cars and wants to sell his tools. If they are mostly blue point I wont even bother.

 

[Fast LT1]

My best friend became a snap on dealer. He was a master tech where I worked before that. I came in right as he was quiting and starting snap on. He always showed me what he used in my job and what was In his personal box. He wouldn't sell me stuff I didn't need. I ended up buying $18,000 worth of tools from him in one year. Did truck account but i could afford making the massive payments. My goal was and still is to buy the majority of all the tools I need before I get married. Ya I'm pinching pennies on everything now trying to buy all the tools I need but I won't be doing it down the road when I have little mouthes to fees and butts to cloth. Buy quality stuff the first time.

 

[X1 Mike]

Yeah, the guy I work under really knows his ****. He's an old hand. Been doing wrench work since he was a kid (I think he started working pit with his cousin racing motorbikes). Literally doing this kind of thing longer than I have been alive. He's probably forgotten more about machines than I have managed to learn so far. Lol. I feel fortunate being able to learn from him. But I also feel like a ***** when I goof something up.

I've been working on cars for several years, but mostly my own machines, or helping out friends. Only recently have I started doing it for money, and it IS a different experience at that point. Technically I am still a first year auto tech student, about to enter my 3rd quarter. I've done a couple engine swaps, and have ripped more transmissions out and replaced them in the past few months than I can recall. Doing more intermediate than entry level type work. Did my first heater core on a Silverado the other day, but something is jamming the door selector for the air controls, so I've gotta see what is up with that (first time job, truck was MESSY, so something might have fallen down in there).

I might still be learning, and still have a LOT to learn, but I thoroughly enjoy what I do.

Sounds to me like you are a respectful guy and have your head screwed on right. The only thing I will add is because you are going to school be careful not to show up your mentor with some new tech you may learn that he doesn't yet know (it will happen). If there is one thing an old timer doesn't like it's a hotshot kid.

 

[shoggoth80]

He's pretty down to earth about it. The couple of times that I did something my way (and was correct), he apologized and more or less said "carry on." Lol. But when he lends advice, I listen.

It really is different doing hands on stuff vs. classroom, or even class shop. In class, I am one of better/more knowledgeable students. In my circle of friends, I tend to be the go to guy. In my family circle, it's my father, my brother in law, and I. In the working world... small fish in a big pond. Lol. I started taking an interest in mechanical stuff as a teenager, didn't really start getting my hands dirty doing my own stuff until late teens or early 20's. I am in my early 30's now, and I still find the difference between the "doing it in your own garage" or "doing it in school" and "doing it for pay" to be quite striking. To me they just feel nothing like each other.

Buuut.... good tools are good tools...and you'll want them regardless of what area you are wrenching in.