How can mechanics afford Snap On?

[taylorboi]

screw taxes LOL

X2 how old is the uncle Sam doesn't he ever die he keeps stealing money from people

 

[SpiderGearsMan]

how can yuppies afford Harleys ?

 

[gloveman132]

I was a tech for many years before going back to college. I worked my *** off every week to pay the Snap On man, what a complete waste!

Today, I buy Craftsman Professional for those tools that don't have to be the best, and I purchase from Ebay at 1/3 truck cost for the tools that absolutely must be the best.

I wish I could go back and slap my younger self and tell him not to be so stupid.

 

[LawnDart79]

I was a tech for many years before going back to college...
...I wish I could go back and slap my younger self and tell him not to be so stupid.

Hey, me too. Going back to school was the best decision I ever made! Workin' days and going to school at night...no time for anything else, but it was my key to escape dealership hell. It took four years, but I eventually earned my bachelor's degree.

Although I loved the job, I couldn't stand the politics involved with being a GM dealership tech.

Was deciding to be a tech stupid? Nah, at the time, I didn't know any better.

Actually, I look back and am actually glad I did it for as long as I did (8+ years). I gained a TON of experience that I still use to this day...and as a result, I have a full box of high-end tools in my garage at my disposal.

 

[gloveman132]

Being a tech was not stupid.

In fact, it was one of the best experiences of my life. I could not do what I do today without that basic understanding of all things mechanical I learned at the dealership.

What was stupid was paying a substantial portion of my weekly salary to the tool man. I could have done things much more cost effectively.

 

[Vinko]

The same thing could be said about plumbers, electricians, carpenters, salesmen or any other profession. Priorities differ among people at different times in their lives. Unfortunately, many forget that they will get old and unable to work at some point and have nothing for their later years.

The only thing about this analogy that doesn't hold up for me is that none of those other particular professions you've mentioned have such high cost tools as SO, do they? Though to be sure, I can think of some very nice stuff you could drop dough on were you a carpenter with his own shop. But just a job site carpenter, no.

 

[pipsters]

The only thing about this analogy that doesn't hold up for me is that none of those other particular professions you've mentioned have such high cost tools as SO, do they? Though to be sure, I can think of some very nice stuff you could drop dough on were you a carpenter with his own shop. But just a job site carpenter, no.

There are other professions that might not require tool costs, but high education costs upfront. For example, in order to get paid as a pilot in the US you must invest what amounts to around $50k nowadays in certificates alone. Then factor in a 4-year degree if you want to go to a decent company. That doesn't even come close to getting you qualified though, then you have to spend 1-2 years building your time in order to make $20k a year at the bottom level first year pay of the commuter airlines. A mechanic with a couple hundred dollars in tools could make that money right out of high school (or maybe before). I made $10/hr or $20k/yr stocking grocery shelves in high school, actually in todays dollars that was around $13/hr or $26k/yr. That was in 2000.

 

[j-guenth]

Mechanics work hard! I was a mechanic for 45+ years and my first set of tools was a combination of Craftsman and Proto. My dad had a "Truck Farm" in Illinois and sold every thing from groceries to small tools.

As I grew older and more knowledgeable I started to replace my Craftsman tools with Snap-ON, Mac, and Matco tools.

If you itemize you income tax, you can take a percentage of tool purchases as a deduction.

The harder you work the easier it is to affoerd Snap-On.

I still have most of the Proto tools I got from my father 45+ years ago.

 

[wawa1]

i still have craftsman tools that i bought when i first started in the trade but upgrade the sockets and wrenches i use most to snap on or mac. my impacts are snap on because of the warranty. any tool i have to use hard i get from snap on or mac. after 16 years in the trade i still spend 1000 dollars a year on tools. I HAVE THE SICKNESS but im ok with it. sitting at about 35000 at this point including my toolbox which is a 2bank tech 1000 bottom chest with a top chest as well. you aford snap on tools because if you use a cheaper tool and it breaks you wind up with road rash knuckles so you buy snap on.

 

[Vinko]

There are other professions that might not require tool costs, but high education costs upfront. For example, in order to get paid as a pilot in the US you must invest what amounts to around $50k nowadays in certificates alone

Is this still the case if you're trained & educated as a pilot c/o of the US Military?

 

[SpiderGearsMan]

military has physical requirements for pilots that a lot of people can't pass .......