Never sell your tools

[Shoreline_]

I can't believe the replacement cost of some of the tools I bought back in 2000 when I started wrenches professionally. I mean kids these days who didn't goto college need tool bill relief. I think I paid 180 for this set.

 

[Professional Tool User]

Never selling your tools is not practical. They become a bereaved family member's problem if you can't find someone who can make good use of the hand me down. The choice of drinking Snap on or some other brand's kool aid is completely up to you. Very few people starting out go with Snap on for basic tools like wrenches. Also, if you don't want to buy tools as part of working in a trade, don't become a mechanic. Choose some other trade with lower tool requirements like plumbing or electrical.

 

[NFH2740]

$180 in Jan 2000 is the equivalent of $315.93 in July 2022, if you believe the CPI to be accurate.

Quantitative Easing has consequences.

 

[woody 73]

you beat me to it.

I get 180.00 dollars in 2000 =$309.70 if purchased today in 2022.
So, snap on wants $464.00 from $309.70=$154.30 Not bad for snap on, they are keeping inflation on their side.

 

[d.mcfarland]

The current ones might be longer (might be wrong) and when did flank drive come out?

Inflation is the key here to this argument, I agree, but there might be a slightly better product now too.

 

[charbar]

Inflation+Snap On, gotta love it.

I tell every college kid I know or who has worked for me to buy all the tools they can afford while still in college if they plan to turn wrenches as a career. Buy all they can ASSUMING they are getting the college discount-its worth a lot.

I walked on the Snap On truck Monday and seen one of the newer indexing head ratchets that I though looked handy. Didn't ask price, just threw it on the counter. 215ish bucks....I had a small heart attack

 

[RedneckWelder]

I’m going to say it..buying Snap On off the truck is asking to get hosed these days. **** the tool trucks. Average pay for a mechanic doesn‘t come anywhere close to justifying the cost of much stuff from the likes of SO or Matco or MAC.

 

[mepstein]

The issue with tool trucks is you are paying two mark ups. One from the company to the tool truck and then one from the tool truck to you. I’m not saying you shouldn’t do it. It’s your money to spend as you wish. If you feel the tools are superior and or the truck service is worth the money, then by all means, buy the tools. But people seem to constantly compare tool truck tools to non truck tools. They will never compare dollar wise because with a brand like snap on, you are paying for a couple built in services, presentation, delivery, in person warranty, financing, etc.
I still think it’s weird that techs work for a shop and have to provide their own tools. I feel it should be provided by the employer. But I’m not a tech so maybe I’m missing the other side of the argument.

 

[RedneckWelder]

The issue with tool trucks is you are paying two mark ups. One from the company to the tool truck and then one from the tool truck to you. I’m not saying you shouldn’t do it. It’s your money to spend as you wish. If you feel the tools are superior and or the truck service is worth the money, then by all means, buy the tools. But people seem to constantly compare tool truck tools to non truck tools. They will never compare dollar wise because with a brand like snap on, you are paying for a couple built in services, presentation, delivery, in person warranty, financing, etc.
I still think it’s weird that techs work for a shop and have to provide their own tools. I feel it should be provided by the employer. But I’m not a tech so maybe I’m missing the other side of the argument.

the minute you have to deal with an unattended self service tool room is the minute you realize why mechanics provide their own tools

 

[mepstein]

the minute you have to deal with an unattended self service tool room is the minute you realize why mechanics provide their own tools

So I take it there’s a problem with the tools not staying where they belong.

 

[Radio Flyer]

So I take it there’s a problem with the tools not staying where they belong.

and the condition that they are returned in.

 

[ike]

never sell your ****, especially to a Snap on truck driver.

 

[jsaw]

and the condition that they are returned in.

And if a company supplies tools, they will be cheap junk.

 

[redwrench60]

Don’t worry I won’t. They’re not done earning me grocery money.

 

[Shoreline_]

I think the cost of living and the wages of a mechanic were closer together back in the day. Now the wages haven't moved much but the cost of living is outrageous. Some shops have moved their hourly rate so little in the past decade if at all.

 

[Shoreline_]

Sooo I may have had a senior moment. I must've paid more or got them on sale. I found a 1998 price list on eBay and of all the pages they were showing the OEX wrench pages were open and OEXM710 was $280. Can't see Soex being cheaper

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

Everyone I know who is a former mechanic still has at least most of their tools. I’d say definitely keep them if leaving the trade because you are always going to need tools for something regardless. I also know of the few who have sold certain things wish they had not. Like my friends dad who was a tech won’t use anything but his Snap-on screwdriver it’s the only one he has left he wishes he had kept the rest of the set because he realizes the difference in quality between that and the rest of his cheapy screwdrivers. He can’t justify it now considering he only very rarely will do his own work not even change his oil or nothing. I’d say price has definitely increased with the times. Hopefully they have evolved over time too I just know they aren’t cheap that’s for sure.

 

[Ton ton]

At this point, I am just happy to see a tool truck driver having tools in stock.

 

[CGarage]

The high line luxury dealership I was familiar with the operations of required the mechanics / techs to bring their own basic, hardline tools.
The specialty tools specific to each car model were supplied by the dealership and kept under lock and key in the “tool room”. They were checked out as needed for certain jobs.

I think this is a good approach.

I think it is a horrible situation to be in for those studying to be an automotive mechanic in this day and age. The tool companies AND the educational programs are predatory. Just because you are a mechanic does not make you a wise purchaser and able to make smart purchase decisions on what you buy.
Mechanics lose their competitiveness when their hourly rate goes above and beyond a reasonable fee. Unfortunately, with giant tool debt, some have no choice.

Any company that seduces customers into buying $1,000 hot dog grills shaped like a tool box has really exploited the miseducation and lack of education of their customers.

 

[BarrelRoll]

Never selling your tools is not practical. If you don't they become a bereaved family member's problem if you can't find someone who can make good use of the hand me down. The choice of drinking Snap on or some other brand's kool aid is completely up to you. Very few people starting out go with Snap on for basic tools like wrenches. Also, if you don't want to buy tools as part of working in a trade, don't become a mechanic. Choose some other trade with lower tool requirements like plumbing or electrical.

I told my wife when I croak have an auction or give my tools away. There's enough in my box she could probably hire and auction company and have enough cash from the auction to buy a new car.

 

[charbar]

I’m going to say it..buying Snap On off the truck is asking to get hosed these days. **** the tool trucks. Average pay for a mechanic doesn‘t come anywhere close to justifying the cost of much stuff from the likes of SO or Matco or MAC.

I'd agree. I have a shitload of snap on tools and still buy quite a bit off the snap on truck because my franchise guy is great to deal with. But I also run my own shop and have absolutely no payments on anything (shop, tools, house, vehicles, etc). If I was a new guy starting out I wouldn't even look at snap on.....I still remember working at a dealer and getting paid peanuts and having to buy every tool (other then dealer supplied specialty tools) that you needed unless you were well off enough with your seniors to borrow them. Pretty hard to eat when you are paying ***** house prices on tools just trying to pay for the tools to make a living so you dont have to live in a **** hole the rest of your life.

Even now I will look at snap on products and the price and know there is something just as good, or pretty close to it, for less money. Older and wiser I guess.

 

[charbar]

And to add on to the brand specific specialty tools at a dealer. The dealer I worked at was a nightmare about that. Yes, they had the tools, but it could take you 30 minutes or more to find that tool. Either it was put back in the wrong place and you had to dig forever to find it, it was never put back after the last tech got done with it and it was still sitting on their tool box, or it had been missing for a week an nobody said a knew or said a word about it. The way the tools were organized to start with was also a joke.

I worked at a GM dealer and ended up buying quite a few of my commonly used 'specialty tools' on my own just to be able to get the job done and at a decent speed....and I didn't let ANYONE borrow them. I was friends with a guy at a Ford shop and he had to do the same.

 

[Doubled33]

Couple of points. I wrenched professionally in the Mid 90’s to early 00’s.

I have kept almost every tool I purchased. Mostly SO and a few Mac bits. I sold and traded air tools pretty regularly as I wanted the power of new.

For comparison I made 21 bucks a flag hour. We were busy and could easily get 60 a week. I had a helper and got his hours at my full pay. I kicked him around 200 cash per week on top of his straight hourly pay.

I have no clue what I spent on tools but to this day I have a great collection I still use around the house.

 

[American Locomotive]

And if a company supplies tools, they will be cheap junk.

I worked as an industrial mechanic and the company would purchase any tools I wanted. A $3 million dollar machine that bills out at $500/hr is too expensive to have sit broken because of cheap tools.

I had some very nice tools in my tool box.

Each mechanic had their own box, stocked with tools.

 

[Dakotadadv8]

IMHO not unreasonable for quality tools. Keeping my SO set, price probably a little rich for some home gamers, had to skip a few beers and steak dinners. Personally prefer using wrenches when applicable.

 

[Retroman]

I agree the SO tools are out of line with what the end user pays and makes but there dirt cheap compared to the guy who has 250K school loan and is a barista at Starbucks.

 

[nbpt100]

The question is this.... $464 a competitive price for a 10 piece combo wrench set of that quality and warranty back up? That is $46.40 per wrench.

To me it is not even close. To some people it may be.

 

[crewchief888]

FWIW i dont like anyone having a say-so about what tools i use for what i'm working on. i have certain tools, or brands of tools to do specific repairs with.
my choice is different than anyone else's choice. the company i work for has a bad track record in choosing tools/equipment/vehicles in the past, always trying to "cheap out". their choices usually cost them in the end.
ill buy my own, including some specialty stuff.

 

[mepstein]

Do you guys who buy your own tools for work, write them off for taxes? I imagine with the box, most have tens of thousands ******* in work tools.

 

[RedneckWelder]

Do you guys who buy your own tools for work, write them off for taxes? I imagine with the box, most have tens of thousands ******* in work tools.

For a single person the standard deduction was $6k and is now like $12k (unless it’s changed again). Under the new rules you can’t as an individual but even under the old amount it took a lot

 

[mepstein]

I was thinking back to my bike shop days. All the companies gave the employees big discounts to encouraged us to use their product. 15-35% below wholesale was typical. Too bad there aren’t similar programs in the tool industry.

 

[Professional Tool User]

The question is this.... $464 a competitive price for a 10 piece combo wrench set of that quality and warranty back up? That is $46.40 per wrench.

To me it is not even close. To some people it may be.

It obviously isn't. Buying Snap on is the equivalent of buying a Ferrari. To some extent Snap on tools will improve your productivity and help you work faster, but at the end of the day it's a luxury product.

 

[crewchief888]

Do you guys who buy your own tools for work, write them off for taxes? I imagine with the box, most have tens of thousands ******* in work tools.

i probably havnt spent for than $4000 in tools in the past 25 years, i did most of my buying in my early days of wrenching, and at the time i was able to deduct a percentage of it.
i'd guess replacement costs today would be 100K plus.
i dont have any fancy scanners or anything like that.

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

Our dealership supplies brand specific tools most of them anyway. Our guys fortunately are good about putting them back. I still plan to buy some though cause I love tools. I’m the man everyone comes too to borrow which kind of ***** lol but at least they know I take my tools seriously. Especially managers because they get tired of using peoples cheap pliers and screwdrivers when they need them lol. What makes me angry is the techs who won’t buy tools at all at least I got rid of him though lol. I’ll never stop buying them though heck sometimes I buy duplicates just for the heck of it especially hand tools cause hand tools are my favorite tools.

 

[richfinn]

I've never warrantied a combo wrench in 35 years, I've got a set of Snap-On that I bought used for £50 in the early 90s.

I've also got a set of Stahlwille 14s that I bought a couple of years ago for £150

I buy good quality tools (like Ko-ken) from discount vendors, I will eat the warranty myself if required, the Snap-On business model is aimed at young dealer techs, it's not really for old farts like us

I can't knock the product quality, but they are overpriced for jobbing mechanics saving for a home/pension IMHO

 

[Steve_P]

I worked as an industrial mechanic and the company would purchase any tools I wanted. A $3 million dollar machine that bills out at $500/hr is too expensive to have sit broken because of cheap tools.

I had some very nice tools in my tool box.

Each mechanic had their own box, stocked with tools.

In manufacturing, it's extremely common for the company to supply the tools to maintenance mechanics and electricians. It doesn't work in automotive because of the pay structure, and there are also too many tools required. If you are a flat rate auto tech, then you need to have good tools to make $. If it takes you twice as long to fix a car than book amount, because you have crappy tools, you eat that as a loss in your paycheck- the dealership doesn't, but I'm sure they will quickly get tired of you taking up their space, and a lift, when the guy next to you is making them 2X as much money. In automotive manufacturing, the downtime is measured by the minute and companies can't afford for a mechanic to not have a $200 tool when it can be a loss of thousands of dollars a minute on an assembly line.

 

[finn]

I agree the SO tools are out of line with what the end user pays and makes but there dirt cheap compared to the guy who has 250K school loan and is a barista at Starbucks.

How about the guy that has $250k in student loans but is a neurosurgeon, or even a VP of Engineering?

 

[f121]

The question is this.... $464 a competitive price for a 10 piece combo wrench set of that quality and warranty back up? That is $46.40 per wrench.

To me it is not even close. To some people it may be.

Definitely not, I was looking at my set of facom 440 wrench’s earlier thinking it’s a great set for $80.

I bought myself the SO flank drive 10-19 set as a birthday present to myself a couple of years ago…theres no question, they are really nice wrench’s, great finish, great size, nice weight, I love them…but still think they are insanely priced.

 

[nbpt100]

How about the guy that has $250k in student loans but is a neurosurgeon, or even a VP of Engineering?

I had to read this a few times before I got the analogy. Yes if you are highly compensated that 250k loan is not a bad investment. Especially for a surgeon who can make 7 figures every year. It takes a while usually to get to VP of Engineering. But the pay is great in the right company.

That Barrista probaly should not have gone to college or should have gone to culinary school. Maybe a different major whould have made all of the difference for him or her. It is about making sound choices. One size does not fit all. I am sure there are mechanics who went to trade school bought all of the tools and then after a year or two changed jobs after realizing it is not for them. That is the person who should sell their tools.

 

[PugetDude]

How about the guy that has $250k in student loans but is a neurosurgeon, or even a VP of Engineering?

If they still have loans when they reach that rung on the career ladder they clearly can't manage their finances.