I usually ignore threads like this, typically because they're usually on the original General Tool Discussion board, and almost always devolve into some kind of silly form of yet another ad nauseum ad hominem 'Snap-On is Great, Harbor Freight *****'! debate, but now I'm curious. Why would anyone ***** about Snap-On customers using a warranty? What is their argument? How do they think customers turning in tools that are defective or broken through normal use affects them?
Good point, Lugz. I happen to have a bit of 'stinker' still in me so I poke my nose into these warranty threads. In this instance, the OP's theme is warranty on a vintage Snap-on tool, so it's probably in the right section.
When members throw stones at other members in here for using the SO warranty, it's not normally at SO customers, but hurled at
non-SO customers for using it. The reason I believe is an underlying perspective. Yes, I'll probably stir a little mud with what I'm saying, but so be it. It has to do with the 'cult' of Snap-on and its associated perspective. Sorry, don't know how else to say it. And not every SO customer is a member, only the True Believers. In this Doctrine, if I buy a SO ratchet for $25 at a flea market for which the SO customer paid $125, I should have no right to get it warrantied because I personally did not pay Shylock for admission into that elite group. I am an outsider, an imposter, a fraud, a schwoogie, a bum, an interloper. As such, I should have no right to claim any privilege bestowed to those who actually shelled out the membership fee. So, it's a form of jealousy, perhaps indignation, but also goes deeper into self-justification. TBs vehemently defend their decision to pay these prices, and look upon those who think paying $170 for a $25 nut driver set is insane as children of a lesser god. They have to justify themselves, and when SO extends the same privilege and courtesy to a non-member, it's an injustice and a betrayal. How
dare Snap-on do that!!! Hey, I get it--it comes through their comments quite transparently.
Again, so as not to bring the house down, this by no means includes all SO customers--far from it. Only the small core of TBs. Similar to the office furniture business (though not as intense, because it's not as personal) regarding the Great God Steelcase, Lord of the most expensive furniture made. Our dealership owners saw themselves as the elite--we're THE STEELCASE Dealer in the area--everyone else were second-class citizens with almost no right to represent themselves as real furniture dealers. I used to dread when the SC rep showed up, and we'd all go into the meeting room as they set up the altar so the salesmen could worship. I swear, some would get almost teary-eyed. But a few of us would still be able to see that the emperor had no clothes, we'd just kind of keep it to ourselves.
