Suggestions for new mechanic

[Paco Pena]

My 16 year old son has decided to become a mechanic or an "automotive service technician" as I am informed they are now called. He will be going to tech school in two years and is currently taking as many automotive classes as he can. My question to the many learned individuals on this forum is what advice would you give to a young mechanic about buying tools. He is advised that Snap On gives very significant discounts to full time students. I understand up to 40% of on some products. When you check their website you see tool box combo's up to $5000. Probably not what most start out with. Thats before you put anything in them.I have been building and rebuilding old cars, motorcycles etc since I was about his age and have always bought quality but middle of the road tools and have been served well by them. Other than a few screw drivers of questionable quality I have yet to bust a tool and require warranty. If it doesn't break loose soak it in penetrating fluid, use heat, a BFH on occasion. My suggestion would be to selectively pick up quality pieces like snap on ratchets, sockets, wrenches and look to save money on some of the lesser used bits. Why buy tools that are just others rebrands at marked up prices. On the items he could get a good discount on I would say go ahead if you will need them in the first year or two and build up from there.

The old guy will be bank rolling him to get him started. Any sage advice?

Paco

 

[Hiball]

I would honestly utilize the Snap on Student Discount program for the Hardline tools, Ratchets, Sockets, Wrenches, Screwdrivers, etc.... My understanding is its a great program and a Once in a lifetime deal. They are great tools with a great warranty and Customer service. Im not sure if i would outfit the complete toolbox with Snappy stuff as your son is Young and might change his mind. The good thing about Snappy tools is they hold there resell value and when you couple that with your cost its almost a gurantee that you could recoup your money if needed.

 

[Goinlow]

I think you answered your own question there....

Anyways I'd suggest using the student discount on the things that eBay isn't the best for. eBay has a lot of wrenches and sockets but lacks decent pricing on specialty tools.

Whatever industry he is going into ask some people what tools they use the most and help them save time.

 

[CarCrafter]

Personally, I'd suggest staying the hell away from the tech school and finding a shop that is actually willing to work with him to get some working experience. By all means, go to school, but don't discount the local community colleges with the in-state tuition and being able to live at home and work some while he is learning. Start off at the button of the ladder and work his way up. Pay attention and learn, don't be afraid to sacrifice a bit of his time to help out around the shop and the other guys just might be willing to help teach him some. Granted I'm sure there are capable guys who graduate out of these schools, I've personally yet to meet one. I've seen plenty go in with high expectations, come out heavily in debt, carrying an enormous tool bill, with not a whole lot of knowledge and they wash out in no time growing bitter about how bad this business *****. There are still some shops out there, may it be independents or the few dealerships where an older tech is willing to help a younger fella along so long as the individual isn't a smart *** or a lazy f%$#.

As far as the tool discounts, I'd say pay for whatever he can afford. Snappy is nice, but being debt free is better. Buying quality doesn't mean he has to finance everything. Hit up the pawn shops and don't get sucked into the brand hype like its some kind of male endowment contest. The most powerful tool he has is between his ears !

 

[Davefr]

Tell him to stay away from the tool trucks until he has a few years under his belt and is committed to the career.

He can get started with Sears, Harbor Freight, CL or Ebay.

The absolute worst thing he can do is get in debt due to peer pressure to buy brand new SO tools.

His knowledge and troubleshooting skill will be the best tool to acquire at the outset.

 

[SpiderGearsMan]

welcome aboard

 

[Igotta355z28]

I am in the SEP program by snap on, the discounts is close to 65% off MSRP on alot of things, about 50% on boxes, I bought a Classic 78 box for 2200 shipped to my door including tax. Great program im loving my snappy tools

 

[moparmuscle88]

you dont need air tools to be a mechanic, you dont need every drive size right away, you dont need a million pair of pliers and screwdrivers, because when you start out your doing limited work so you dont need alot of specialty stuff right away because the experienced guys will be doing that

get a complete 3/8 drive set metric/sae, shallow/ deep 6 pt or 12 pt is a prefernece only, some torx in 3/8 drive

channellock pliers, regular, needle nose, cutters or linemans, and 12" or 16" pry bar and hammer and a limited 1/4 drive set for stuff, a full wrench set sae/ metric and stubby regular and long screwdrivers in philips and regular.

thats all you need to start, and you can build that set paycheck by paycheck

and a cheap craftsman $200 toolbox will be enough until you have too many tools for it then sell it for half of what you paid on CL once you need a bigger box, something that cheap is just a stepping stone

 

[Fedwrench]

Depending on what school he goes to, Snap on may not be the only discount program available to him. All of the tool truck brands have votech programs. Think of the votch program as a fisherman casting a hook trying to land the big one for life. Honestly, even at 55% off list Snap on still isn't cheap, Ebay and used may be a better deal. Think entry level tech tasks, LOF, tire rotations, brakes later, light engine repair, all the warranty work no one else wants to, etc.
I do have some advice for a school though. Skip UTI, Wyoming Tech or any other accelerated program mills. There is only so much a sponge can absorb in a certain amount of time. Find a community college that offers the GM ASEP or the Ford Asset programs, Chrysler may still have theirs too. Anyway, these are 2 year programs where you alternate 8 weeks of classes with working in a dealership 8 weeks. You learn more, get experience under your belt, get paid when you're at the dealership and walk into a job upon graduation. I've worked with more than a few graduates from the program mills and I've been less than impressed with their skills but, I'm a *****.

 

[Fedwrench]

you dont need air tools to be a mechanic,

I disagree. In the flat rate world, even an entry level tech needs a minimum of a 1/2 drive impact with enough impact sockets to pull wheels on whatever he works on.

 

[Hiball]

Tell him to stay away from the tool trucks until he has a few years under his belt and is committed to the career.

He can get started with Sears, Harbor Freight, CL or Ebay.

The absolute worst thing he can do is get in debt due to peer pressure to buy brand new SO tools.

His knowledge and troubleshooting skill will be the best tool to acquire at the outset.

I firmly believe on not creating alot of debt early in a career choice etc... With that said, I believe the Snap on Plan for Techs is a great choice. Also to boot when your buying Snap on tools for 60% of cost its a Good investment because even if your son decides he doesnt want to pursue this career and the Father doesnt want them, YOU can still sell them for what you have in them if not more. Im not saying buy the Snap on Catalog, Im only referencing buying the Main drive tools etc as it seems your willing to help your son with the Money aspect. There is no doubt in my mind that your son could get the job done with Craftsman, HF but... Its foolish not to utilize the Snappy tech program to some extent, just use some common sense and scroll thru some of the past threads as there is some great info in regards to tool brands here at GJ. BTW.. Welcome to the forum..

 

[crewchief888]

i'd say price compare his student discounts vs
CM pro for wrenches,
SK sockets & ext.
SO for ratchets (my personal fav)
SO for screwdrivers ( hard handles , personal fav)
OTC pullers, pry bars
IR impacts
SO air ratchets
CP or IR for other air tools
CL, ebay, auctions,estate sales for tool box(s)

i started out working on const eq with a basic set of SK hand tools up to 1 1/4, and a set of kennedy 26" boxes i bought a new CP 1/2 impact and a couple of impact sockets.
they served me very well for several years until my tool collection overwhelmed those boxes.

i guess i got lucky, several dealerships i worked at had damn good "old guys" working there, that wanted to see a "kid" do good.
now i'm one of the old guys, and most of the kids we've hired havent been worth 1/2 of what they were being paid, didnt want to learn anything, and were just plain smartasses.
the best tool he can have is the one between his ears

best of luck to him

 

[caper]

Being in the trade for twenty years my recomendation would be to make use of the Snap on discount for some of the items that he will eventually want to upgrade to.Ratchets,screwdrivers,swivel impact sockets,airguns.For the other stuff like sockets and wrenches I'd go with decent stuff like Gearwrench,Craftsman,Kobalt,Allen,Wright-There just doesn't seem to be a big enough difference in quality in sockets to justify the price difference.

 

[Slip_Kid]

Do not go into debt buying tools to start. As others have said Snappy tools at 60% off is a great deal, you could break even if you have to sell them.
Good Luck

 

[Diesel_Crawler]

If he gets the student discount, Just pick him up one of these and he will be set...for a while.

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...&group_ID=2299&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

 

[Paco Pena]

Interesting comments on the schooling issue and avoiding the Wyo Tech types. In Canada there are few if any of those private type schools as such. They tend to be more comparable to a community college type institution. He is planning on going to BCIT or the British Columbia Institute of Technology. Its one of the better polytechnical institutes in Canada. He wants to do the Foundations program which is 30 weeks and is the equivalent of a first year apprenticeship. Then continue on an after three more years of work experience and a month of schooling each year then write his journeymans exam.
I've seen the infomercials for some of those schools you've mentioned and some, not all, look a little suspect. Maybe I'm wrong?

Paco

 

[Goinlow]

For reference when I start a short while ago my boss hired me with little experience and said bring the basic tools and we'll go from there. Well I realized I loved it and started buying my own stuff. He let me use his tools to start with and I bought the stuff that I used the most out of his box. I now barely ever need to dig in his box.

 

[srmofo]

1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 set metric and standard, screw drivers, and a pliers set, 1/2 impact and at the minimum a flip socket for lug nuts, preferably a 1/2 impact set metric. Personally Im fond of IR air tools. Most of that will fit into a small service cart.

The discount is great, but IMO I think he will grow to appreciate and respect his tools more if its HIS money being spent on them. Help him out on the basics which could be had for $500-$600 US, then let him build his set from there.

Debt is bad way to start any new chapter in life.

 

[paramedic]

first i have in the past gone buy the theory of buy as i need borrow. i started a small business working on farm equipment that has grown tremendously. sometimes im caught off gaurd and have to borrow a tool from dear old dad or a friend. i order one that night when i get home. my collection has grown nicely actually now i need to figure out a way to keep hauling them in my tahoe that isnt 3 buckets and 3 boxes.
now onto the accelerated colleges, accelerated schools are fantastic for those that can handle them. alot of people get a C average all through highschool then go off to an accelerated school. they can pass the tests but dont actually learn what they need to know. the sad thing is they are good schools just alot of the people that go arent ready for that type of pace

 

[rebrewer]

I would consider picking up a used Snap-on KRL1001 or similar used. Right now I'm seeing a lot of desperate sales at 30-35% of list. I'd pick up everything else from Snap-on on the program. I think it would be false economy to buy non-pro brands like Craftsman if he can get Snap-on heavily discounted. If a screwdriver needs to be replaced, the guy on the truck will happily take care of it on his weekly visit to the shop. No sense driving to Sears.

There are plenty of pros here who could put together a shopping list.

The other option would be to buy out a retiring tech. I've seen guys with $80k in tools (list) trying to get $15k for the whole lot, and failing. Not many have that kind of cash.

Bob

 

[sgrammel]

Tell him to stay away from the tool trucks until he has a few years under his belt and is committed to the career.

He can get started with Sears, Harbor Freight, CL or Ebay.

The absolute worst thing he can do is get in debt due to peer pressure to buy brand new SO tools.

His knowledge and troubleshooting skill will be the best tool to acquire at the outset.

+1 and Amen to that. Plus if he defaults on his payments with whomever...there goes the old credit rating....In today's world...not a good thing at all. Bad credit = no home loan...

Buy what you can afford. Nothing wrong with Craftsman when starting out. Lots of peer pressure in buying Snap-on or some other truck brand...but it ain't the tools that makes the mechanic.

 

[Hiball]

+1 and Amen to that. Plus if he defaults on his payments with whomever...there goes the old credit rating....In today's world...not a good thing at all. Bad credit = no home loan...

Buy what you can afford. Nothing wrong with Craftsman when starting out. Lots of peer pressure in buying Snap-on or some other truck brand...but it ain't the tools that makes the mechanic.

Also remember that He is inquiring about footing the bill for the tools, So the Debt would be minimal to his son. I know if my son was in the same sitsuation and had the desire to become a mechanic and qualified for the Student program via Snap on the choice would be easy one for me. I have first hand experience with Snap on tools and there Customer service and there arent too many companies that stand behind there tools like Snap on does. Most people know me and know that my eyes are open towards other tool options including Imports, But in this situsation the discount makes it a easy decision for me. Of course he asked for opinions on the sitsuation and there is some great ones here but as a father it sounds like he wants to start his son off the best he can and i dont suppose his intent is to put his son 30K into debt at a young age.

 

[00S4Boy]

Interesting comments on the schooling issue and avoiding the Wyo Tech types. In Canada there are few if any of those private type schools as such. They tend to be more comparable to a community college type institution. He is planning on going to BCIT or the British Columbia Institute of Technology. Its one of the better polytechnical institutes in Canada. He wants to do the Foundations program which is 30 weeks and is the equivalent of a first year apprenticeship. Then continue on an after three more years of work experience and a month of schooling each year then write his journeymans exam.
I've seen the infomercials for some of those schools you've mentioned and some, not all, look a little suspect. Maybe I'm wrong?

Paco

Hey, whats wrong with Wyotech I went there and i'm makin 80k a year at the age of 21 turning wrenches.

Now would I say the school is worth the 35k my parents paid for it, probably not, have a lot of the little things i learned there got me out of trouble a couple times yes.

Honestly what he needs to do instead of going straight into tech school, spend a year to two years working in shops doing tires oil changes, and more if the shop will let him. This will let him experience the industry, it will let him learn from technicians it will give him a basic understanding of the tools he needs.

I went into tech school loving cars, knowing all types of random theory about engines and engine performance, but when it came down to it i knew **** else about cars. That hindered me, if i had worked in the industry i would have had some basis on what to really pay attention and absorb from tech school.

 

[MattT]

Hey, whats wrong with Wyotech I went there and i'm makin 80k a year at the age of 21 turning wrenches.

Now would I say the school is worth the 35k my parents paid for it, probably not,

Compare that against the parents who waste $40 grand + getting their kids 4 year *******ology degrees. These unfortunates will get a 40k job when they graduate if they're lucky. If they ain't they'll be asking if you want to supersize it. I'd say your parents got a bargain.

 

[00S4Boy]

Compare that against the parents who waste $40 grand + getting their kids 4 year *******ology degrees. These unfortunates will get a 40k job when they graduate if they're lucky. If they ain't they'll be asking if you want to supersize it. I'd say your parents got a bargain.

I kinda got into a lucky position to make the money I'm making right now. Most techs with my experience working for different company's are probably making 30-40k a year, i just happen to be the most experienced tech at decent volume shop, working for a company with an amazing pay plan.

 

[78Bird]

If it was me...

Sockets - the big CM set on sale, awesome bang/buck.
Wrenches - kinda a personal comfort thing, CM Pro, or truck brands used IMO.
Ratchets - try them and get a good set of the ones most comfortable to HIM. CM thins, Matco, SO, whatever.
SO specialty stuff, use the discount.
IR airtools
HF Box - yes, it's not as shiny but again IMO the best bang for the buck... If he sticks with it upgrade later when he can pay cash for it.

Just my suggestion.

 

[APEowner]

I think the school thing is really dependent on the individual. Some people learn really well in a school environment and **** up knowledge in an accelerated program like WyoTech while others do much better working in an apprentice situation. The path your son is proposing seems like an excellent balance between the two to me.

As far as tools are concerned when I started almost 30 years ago I bought a large craftsman set with what was at the time their largest box. Over the years I replaced tools that didn't hold up or I just didn't like with tool truck brands (mostly Snap On) and moved the warranty Craftsman stuff to road tool boxes, back up tool drawers and to friends and relatives who needed stuff to get by. I now have almost exclusively Snap-On stuff in my primary boxes but there's still a few pieces from that original Craftsman set that never replaced. The example that comes to mind right off is my set of 8 point sockets. I'm sure some of them have never been used and those that have don't get used that often.

I got a deal on the largest bottom box that Mac made after I had worked for about 3 years and worked out of the Mac bottom with miss-matched Craftsman top for a couple of years. I then got a deal on a matching Mac top from a dealer that was going out of business and I've used that combination as my primary box since then. A quality box is ridiculously expensive but if it's large enough will last several lifetimes.

 

[NUTTSGT]

He has two years till he hits up the tech school. Get him started now with some tools, atleast something decent with a warranty. I'd suggest Craftsman because almost every town has one.
Buy him some, but let him charge a few on your Sears card(if you have one) and have him make payments on them. This way he can learn the responsibility of having to make payments or can understand the financial side of buying tools.

After he gets out of tech school and gets a jobs, he can replace the Cman stuff with things off the tool truck if he wants. The older stuff can go back to his house and his box there.

What ever you buy him now, will still be an investment later.

 

[KEH]

I would never get a 16 year old a set of tool truck tools. It's quite possible he will change his mind about career choices, this is not unusual for young people, I'v done it myself. A craftsman set is a good choice, I know several professional mechanics who use Craftsman tools. However, i would look into getting used tools. One morning at a good flea market should turn up enough tools to start. General prices should be in the area of $1 each for regular depth sockets, $2 for deep sockets, $10 for Craftsman or other US ratchets, discounts for buying in quantity. A tool jockey will want 1/2 new or up for Snap on ratchets, possibly that for Macs, less for Cornwell which is probably just as good. Haven't priced combination wenches. I wouldn't go cheap on screwdrivers since they take a lot of abuse, but I have seen Stanley 100 plus and Klein drivers for sale used in good condition.
A set of 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 drive new Craftsman thin profile ratchets which are much better than the standard ones are About $100 new and sometimes they are for sale at flea markets. Like some other posts said, if he becomes a professional mechanic he can use the older ones as spares or loaners.

Hard for me to advise on tool boxes but I see used tool truck boxes for sale all the time on CL.

KEH

 

[comedyman809]

Personally, I'd suggest staying the hell away from the tech school and finding a shop that is actually willing to work with him to get some working experience. By all means, go to school, but don't discount the local community colleges with the in-state tuition and being able to live at home and work some while he is learning. Start off at the button of the ladder and work his way up. Pay attention and learn, don't be afraid to sacrifice a bit of his time to help out around the shop and the other guys just might be willing to help teach him some. Granted I'm sure there are capable guys who graduate out of these schools, I've personally yet to meet one. I've seen plenty go in with high expectations, come out heavily in debt, carrying an enormous tool bill, with not a whole lot of knowledge and they wash out in no time growing bitter about how bad this business *****. There are still some shops out there, may it be independents or the few dealerships where an older tech is willing to help a younger fella along so long as the individual isn't a smart *** or a lazy f%$#.

As far as the tool discounts, I'd say pay for whatever he can afford. Snappy is nice, but being debt free is better. Buying quality doesn't mean he has to finance everything. Hit up the pawn shops and don't get sucked into the brand hype like its some kind of male endowment contest. The most powerful tool he has is between his ears !

would have been funny if you said legs instead of ears.

 

[comedyman809]

the best advice for a youngster is

"stay off the tool truck"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[comedyman809]

financing anything is stupid.


unless it s house or car or business.

if you cant pay cash for something, you dont need it and clearly you cant afford it.

start cheap. 16 year olds do not need expensive tools. niether does anyone else.

its all our personal preference to pay the premium for top dollar tool.

 

[mrholeshot]

I've been a tech all my life, I have 2 of my 9 sons who followed my foot steps and became auto techs. My advice to you is the same I gave to them, Stay off the tool trucks as much as possible. There comes a time when we almost have to buy something off the truck but he should be well established before he does so. Buy him tools like Craftsman, Husky, Kobalt and such because they all have a lifetime warranty and just about everyplace has a lowes, Home Depot and a Sears. The pipe dereams that UTI and Wyotech and a few more schools really doesnt introduce them into a real world atmosphere. I've had several Wyotech and NDC come to work for me only to throw the towel in very early. He will learn more in 2 years working for an independant garage starting from the basics and working his way up. Even if they start him at min wage it's still better than paying him to go. Place like that are great for learning the basics but he can learn that and get paid at the same time.
I would say the last thing he or you needs is to go into massive debt right out of the gate. Make sure he can hack it, has the desire and the passion it requires to do auto repair. When he gets some experiance under his belt then he needs to start making a real investment. He doesn't need much to begin with because nobody will trust him with much in the beginning regardless if he just graduated from Prinston auto tech (yeah I know no such thing). I say buy him a nice decent toolbox that will last about 5 years, A basic good quality set of hand tools, volt meter, testlight, Impact gun, air ratchet and see what he does.

If your son shows up on the job with a big Snap-On tool box filled with 30K worth of tools and a degree from wyotech he's hitting the line on flat rate right out of school. Chances are he'll lose his passion when he gets his first paycheck and find he got paid for 15 hours after spending 60 actual hours on the job. Then making tool payments out of that he won't enjoy the work. Starting as a Mechanics helper (yes that means sweeping the floor also) he will find that most experianced techs will take that person under their wing and really do some serious teaching along the way. He doesnt need the pressure right away and being debt free and making a little money as you go leads into passion. You can't do this job without it.