Tool brands and buying habits

[Dakotadadv8]

Tool habits and purchases based on projects and life journey. Home and car ownership required maintenance and renovations adding more tools, focusing on best tools you can afford. Upgraded and added more tools as projects increased in scope and having more $ to spend. Stay with brands that I started with in my 30+ years ago Craftsman, Dewalt, Makita, Snapon hand tools upgrade. Getting older tool purchases slowed since quality tools last. Woodworking is a hobby during retirement so will focus on woodworking tools.

 

[f121]

At the moment I’m not buying much Snap On, simply because the prices where I am have risen to the point where it’s poor value. To give some perspective - wrench sets that I could buy, on a deal, for £150 a few years back, are now £420.

Same. Don’t see the value any more, particularly given the back ordered warranty items.

 

[CHI_Tool&Die]

What do you mean? Does your company pay for tools? Or provide some tool stipend? What say do they have regarding personal tools? Sounds like you have some government contract work.

No, it’s all personal tools with no stipend. I’ll find out more today. I don’t know what we would have to do with government work but you never know until you know.

 

[MovingAlong]

It sounds stupid and it's difficult to explain, but things in life change and buying tools is no exception.

Sounds like you've been going through some things. Can only imagine what tools have meant to you in the past and the difficulty of changing that relationship now.

It's true for everyone, everywhere, every time - things change. Fight it or roll with it, makes no difference - things change.

Wishing you peace and contentment as you sort it out.

 

[bonneyman]

It's nice to be a member of a community like garage journal where people share their experiences with different things. Those reports make it so much easier to make informed decisions. The criteria used is also very broad so you get different perspectives from people in many different environments.

Yeah, I agree that the forum is great for the massive experience contained and opinions shared.

I've said it before and I'll keep saying it: I don't know how you young guys and new mechanics do it. With the crazy prices and all the specialized stuff you gotta have - plus the inflation - I don't see how you youngin's navigate the work environment. Maybe I'm just so old and so inflexible that I've have lost that adaptability I once had.

 

[AJHD]

I like to buy from non tool truck brands that specialize in particular tools, they tend to live or die on quality and innovation.

Vessel and PB Swiss - Screwdrivers

Ko-ken - Sockets

Knipex - Pliers

Fluke -Multimeters (I like my UNI-T amp clamp a lot too)

Stahlwille - Wrenches

Veto Pro-Pac - Tool bags

Lisle - Mechanics Specialty tools

Launch - Diagnostic Tools (not the most intuitive but the coverage and features are always in there somewhere)

I still like Snap-On/Facom/MAC Ratchets if I can find a good deal, I wish we could get VIM Tools a bit easier in the UK (they look to sell some interesting stuff)

That's a good way think about it.
I love my Snap On tools, but I'm actually wanting to buy other brands these days for some things and save myself a lot of money.

I've only recently started to explore Koken and PB Swiss. I didn't even know about them when I started wrenching (as a job) and buying professional tools. I wish I had done some things differently.

I know they exist, but I don't know to what extent tool trucks have influenced the automotive industry in Europe. In the US, it's strong. I've worked with plenty of guys who don't buy tool truck brands but the vast majority of them do.

 

[bpwoodworking]

I started off buying things just to serve the purpose of doing the job, then moved on to getting quality tools that I was (am) excited about. Really odd to look forward to using a wrench or a pair of pliers, but with good tools comes the enjoyment of the quality of result.

 

[lardy1]

There have been a lot of changes over my years of tool buying and using. Mostly involving domestic versus import. It's still strong in me but I'm a realist. I depend on tools less and have more liquid resources to buy them than I ever did in my life so I'm probably that guy a lot of people in here don't like. I buy tools because I WANT to sometimes. I'm grateful as hell to be able to do that. I still remember snow covered driveways after dark changing starters or whatever with worn out junk tools to be able to get to work the next day so I could feed and house two little girls.

 

[legenddc]

At this point I tend to get things in two different ways. I have a project/repair and need a tool right away so whatever is in stock at Home Depot/autoparts store gets purchased. OR I have loads of time and I can look into the best version/best bang for your buck type products.

My cousin was a mechanic and when he retired I had access to a full tool truck box and tool truck brand tools. Was great to have access to everything and nice versions of it. Besides my used Snap-On FL80, my Craftsman/Husky ratchets and sockets get me by. I do want to upgrade my K-mart wrenches but they've worked for years.

The set of PB Swiss Swissgrip screwdrivers I have are great. I'd like to get some more of them. Occasionally I'm able to get great deals on Stanley-Black Decker brand tools so I tend to gravitate towards those brands.

 

[kngelv]

Some "idiots" in the Hot Deals section keep posting discounted Koken stuff through Amazon Japan and I've been sucked in. I've picked up three different 3/8 ratchets in the last month. I also got a rail of their Z series shallow 3/8 sockets plus some 3/8 extensions too. I'm really liking the Koken stuff. Great broaching on the sockets and buttery smooth backdrag on the ratchets.

James

 

[Skellyii]

When I go to the salvage yard, my tools are never more than an arms length away. I'm paranoid at the salvage yard.

I'm thinking the previous poster was a lot like myself, we take the cheaper stuff with us because we might lose it, not that someone might ****** it. I've been doing the salvage yard thing since the 70s, and it's unbelievable the amount of tools that I find there.

I've never had anybody walk off with anything, actually I've both borrowed and lent tools out there.

Regional differences, perhaps?

 

[cannuck]

I guess there was a time I could be considered a "tool snob" but reality of having employees ravage my toolbox means I ended up with my personal tools and more public ones. Today I buy what seems to suit the occasion and don't care what name is on it. That doesn't mean I will buy just anything, but each kind of tool will be suited to what I need it to do, not who made it.

 

[Hohn]

I wouldn't say I'm a tool snob per se-- I have a lot of HF Icon stuff. But I do feel like I've come to figure out what I like and what works for me.

As for brands, I've been exposed to ones that were new to me (thanks to you guys here on GJ) I have enjoyed very much using the recent acquisitions.

But I think I go through phases, and frankly some brands do also. Our tool journeys often end up being meandering path through chance encounters, local availability, online deals, friendly recommendations, etc.

Brands I've only recently been exposed to and bought:
KTC/Nepros
Williams
Astro

Before that my "discovery" list would have included:
- Wright
- HF Icon/Chief
- Tekton
- AIrcat

One thing is certain-- I don't think any generation has ever had it better in terms of the quality you can obtain for your dollar. Between chinese mfg upping it quality game, Taiwan mfg continuing to push towards world-class and tools made all over the world coming to your door in a few days-- it's never been better be a tool buyer.

 

[charbar]

I used to own nothing but Snap On and Cornwell because those were the two tool trucks that came to the places I worked. That was years ago. Now with how easy it is to buy online, 'cheap' tools getting better, and sites like Garage Journal that tell you "Hey dummy, that Snap On tool is a just a rebranded version of this brand that you can get for 1/3 the price" I have a pretty wide range of tool brands.

Majority of my tools are still Snap On but they now sit along side Tekton, Carlyle, Icon, Sunex, Astro, Proto, Gearwrench etc in my tool boxes. All of them tools that work absolutely fine every day in a repair shop and they have saved me quite a few dollars over the years compared to if I had bought everything off a tool truck like I used to do.

More money in my pocket to spend on enjoying life instead of work all the time.

 

[dchawk81]

I started off buying things just to serve the purpose of doing the job, then moved on to getting quality tools that I was (am) excited about. Really odd to look forward to using a wrench or a pair of pliers, but with good tools comes the enjoyment of the quality of result.

That's how I felt about my first ever and only pair of Klein needle nose. I was so used to ****** ones all my life that they're actually a joy to use, and can get tasks done quickly and easily.

It's kind of weird.

 

[dchawk81]

There have been a lot of changes over my years of tool buying and using. Mostly involving domestic versus import. It's still strong in me but I'm a realist. I depend on tools less and have more liquid resources to buy them than I ever did in my life so I'm probably that guy a lot of people in here don't like. I buy tools because I WANT to sometimes. I'm grateful as hell to be able to do that. I still remember snow covered driveways after dark changing starters or whatever with worn out junk tools to be able to get to work the next day so I could feed and house two little girls.

I feel that. I worry about ROI less and less and about doing a job with minimal hassle more and more.

 

[Meursault74]

I have a lot of Craftsman tools. Sears was close by and that's what they had so that's what I bought. Most bought before I came here and saw all the debates over tools. I'd consider the C-man stuff I have to be middle level overall

Now Sears isn't around so I got to Harbor Freight mostly. I try to stay away from their lowest offerings. Their best stuff I'd consider middle of the road overall, and that's fine by me. I don't want the cheapest tools and I don't need the best because I'm strictly DIY.

I have a soft spot for the old school type Channellock pliers. I filled some gaps recently with them as well as the HF Doyle brand. I can't compare long term durability but new out of the box so to speak some of the Doyles looked better than CL. I'm sure they'll both grab whatever needs to be grabbed just fine for me, anyway.

 

[Stobal]

For the price it’s decent….but I’ve yet to find anything outside of their US made hard handle drivers that I was impressed with beyond thinking “not horrible for cheap tools.”

Tekton for the price is better than decent. I am aware it was AJHD and not you that said Tekton is overpriced but I can’t see how that is a defensible statement. You yourself admit there is probably nothing better at the price point, which is the antithesis of something being overpriced. I have lots of tools by many brands but I don’t have any special loyalty to any specific brands. As long as it does what it is supposed to without causing me additional issues or headaches, that is a good tool on my book. Now admittedly sometimes you do need to pay a bit more for a tool to meet that criteria, but for something like a 10mm combination wrench the point of diminishing returns is reached pretty quickly in my opinion.

 

[Robinson1]

For the price it’s decent….but I’ve yet to find anything outside of their US made hard handle drivers that I was impressed with beyond thinking “not horrible for cheap tools.”

Tekton is a company I’ve tried to like. But you can buy similar quality for cheaper if you do a bit of digging around. Nothing they offer is great but when compared to the completion at similar price points it’s pretty good. I’ll go so far as to say some things are over priced. I haven’t tried any of the US made offerings. At the end of the day they are trying to be what Craftsman used to be. And for the most part I think they’ve succeeded.


I think at the end of the day most of us buy tools to fit the role that will be used in. If you’re rebuilding a hydraulic pump on a work bench you probably don’t want to use a $2 screwdriver. On the flip side if you’re digging mud out of a disc gang to change a grease fitting you most likely won’t be using a $40 screwdriver.

 

[dr_clyde]

I've been buying tools my entire adult life, and I've sampled about every brand under the sun. I shop based on quality, ergonomics, availability, innovative designs and useability. Somewhere pretty far down the line is cost. I don't really care what my tools cost as long as they're what I want. Sometimes I want the best of the best, buy it once tool and sometimes I want the disposable option.

I never have regretted buying good quality tools. I tend to prefer USA, Euro and Japanese tools. I'm not particularly brand loyal, but I do default to Snap-on as the gold standard. I pretty much only buy hardline hand tools from them, but I've yet to find hand tools I like more. Snap-on sells a lot of mediocre tools and even very nice at a very high price to unsuspecting mechanics, and if you know what ones to avoid, that helps a lot. All the tool trucks do it, not just SO. Welding helmets, power tools, shop equipment like blast cabinets or air compressors, stuff like that is a HORRIBLE deal from the tool guy. When I graduated high school and was headed for welding school, my grandma gave me some money to buy a new welding helmet. I ordered the nicest one the SO man could get thinking it would be the best one money could buy since it said Snap-on on it. After all, this was true for my ratchets and wrenches I bought and loved. I was PISSED when I got it in and I took one look at it and saw it was just a re-badged Jackson painted red. That said, I still have and use that helmet occasionally and it has been great, but I could've bought an IDENTICAL one for HALF the money.

I regret buying Craftsman. They almost all ended up getting replaced with another brand. I've been disappointed by CM tools a LOT. Especially the screwdrivers, ratchets and smaller sockets and hex tools. I don't own much from HF, but the stuff I do own is pretty bad. I won't go there unless I have no other options. I still am glad we have a HF in town, they've saved my **** a few times, but 95% of the stuff I bought there broke pretty quickly or is so poorly made I don't want to use it unless I have to.

If I could go back in time and do it again, I'd still buy SO, Mac and other high end truck brands for my core hand tools, but I'd avoid the tool trucks for anything not hand tools and avoid anything they rebadge. I'd buy a lot more industrial brands for things like sanders, impact wrenches, etc. I'd also just buy a triple bank toolbox right out of the gate. I've "upgraded" toolboxes a **** ton over the years, I'd be much better off just buying one and done.

 

[legenddc]

At this point I tend to get things in two different ways. I have a project/repair and need a tool right away so whatever is in stock at Home Depot/autoparts store gets purchased. OR I have loads of time and I can look into the best version/best bang for your buck type products.

One more thing to add to this. It also depends on what I'll be using the tool for, how often I think I'll use it over my lifetime and the price of a cheap one vs better quality.

I'm sure I'll be replacing a lot of electrical outlets/lights so buying a pair of Klein pliers is fine. When I ran new lines for our dryer vent the Klein duct crimpers weren't much more than Harbor Freight. Might as well get the nice one in that case. I use my weedwacker twice a year. It would be nice to have a cordless one, but my used $15 Craftsman one does the job.

 

[richfinn]

That's a good way think about it.
I love my Snap On tools, but I'm actually wanting to buy other brands these days for some things and save myself a lot of money.

I've only recently started to explore Koken and PB Swiss. I didn't even know about them when I started wrenching (as a job) and buying professional tools. I wish I had done some things differently.

I know they exist, but I don't know to what extent tool trucks have influenced the automotive industry in Europe. In the US, it's strong. I've worked with plenty of guys who don't buy tool truck brands but the vast majority of them do.

Snap-On to me is now like an expensive "Harrods style" department store for mechanics that can't be bothered shopping around, I shopped there myself for many years and then the internet came along, I do still treat myself occasionally if I've been a good boy and earned a shed load of bonus money.

It was actually GJ that convinced me to try out Japanese Tools

 

[Junkdrawer Dog]

So, I had a philosophy about tools, tool usage and buying tools but that’s all out the window. My shop is undergoing rapid change and new certs and all this other stuff and we are being mandated to have just one footprint for a personal box. It has to be under a certain depth and width and it sounds like they are asking for us to utilize US or North American sourced tools. Not sure which yet but I’m sure they will clarify everything this week. Needless to say I am pretty hosed as I invested a ton into German tools. So, yeah I’ve basically just spent the whole weekend staring into space trying to figure out how I want to handle it all.

I worked for years in a place where I was required to use a company supplied tape measure. These were nothing special, just a 25' Stanley with a company serial number engraved on it. Every month I had to take it to the metrology lab for "calibration". This consisted of making sure it was the unit assigned to me, the end wasn't broken off, and the markings were still legible. All this was due to a particular certification that our mill was pursuing. It sounds as though your workplace may be venturing down a similar path.

 

[RPH]

I always used pro quality tools until TSA required unlocked cases. Even with TSA approved lock devices, belts, or what ever got cut.
This meant that my tools were exposed during travel by air. Travel quite often involved daily to months at work sites. All the good tool that I could got replaced with cheaper brands. I have both metric and saw combo wrenches that were kobalt USA made. If they disappear, no big loss. Screwdrivers were always high quality electrician 1000v kits. Replaced on a bi-annual schedule by me. I usually bought sets while in Europe and brought them home.
At the farm here all those multiple sets of tools come home to roost. As it would frequently happen to be dispatched to work strictly on a metric system. No sae needed so cut the weight. Only to be rerouted to a tool that was sae. Buy more wrenches, Allen’s sets, and so forth to fill the void. When I worked on overhead cranes it was nothing but Sk tools. Not the place to have breakage or slippage.
Good tools pay off. I find tekton to be more than adequate here at home.

 

[Stobal]

Tekton is a company I’ve tried to like. But you can buy similar quality for cheaper if you do a bit of digging around. Nothing they offer is great but when compared to the completion at similar price points it’s pretty good. I’ll go so far as to say some things are over priced. I haven’t tried any of the US made offerings. At the end of the day they are trying to be what Craftsman used to be. And for the most part I think they’ve succeeded.


I think at the end of the day most of us buy tools to fit the role that will be used in. If you’re rebuilding a hydraulic pump on a work bench you probably don’t want to use a $2 screwdriver. On the flip side if you’re digging mud out of a disc gang to change a grease fitting you most likely won’t be using a $40 screwdriver.

I agree with what you are saying regarding the availability of comparable tools to Tektons offerings but it’s sometimes difficult to know what you are getting with brands you are not familiar with. I have Tekton indexing prybars, punches, a set of 3/8” impact sockets, one of their pliers, a set of picks from them, and my non ratcheting combination wrenches (maybe some other things I can’t think of) I also recently got their modular storage solution and am especially impressed with them (I know they are made by Ernst). I would have bought them directly without issue but I needed a couple one-of sockets and Tekton is the most reasonably priced option with free shipping that I am aware of with the knowledge that it’s going to be functional. It also doesn’t hurt that if I have an issue with something I know the company will take care of it. Case in point, those prybars came in a set of three. I didn’t have a need for the largest one until over a year after my purchase only to realize the locking mechanism was stripped. They sent me a replacement no questions asked, and didn’t even require me to send in the old one. Now the next time I lose a socket or wrench, I’ll probably get the replacement from them because it’s easy, reasonably priced, and my experience with the quality of their tools them has been positive. Now this doesn’t mean that I feel like I owe them anything and if someone I trusted turned me on to another company that provides an equivalent experience at a better price, or a superior experience at a comparable price I would have no qualms making a purchase.
I don’t understand some of the tribalism that goes on. I have nothing against Snap-On; my flare nut wrenches are snap-on because I quickly realized after two nightmare scenarios that it’s a tool that inferior versions cost you time, money, and sanity. I am sure all of their handtools are extremely well made but I could not afford to be an exclusive Snap-On customer nor could I justify it to myself to get a snap on tool just for the panache when another more affordable option would serve my needs. This tribalism and serves no one. I don’t judge others for their choices in tool purchases, I just want honest feedback and recommendations I can trust. That is the reason I am always on GJ because there is a wealth of knowledge and shared experience. the people I tend to ignore are those that are fanatical about their like and dislike of certain brands. It doesn’t matter if you’re the guy who says “Always Snap-on* everything else is junk” or the guy who says “Never Snap-On* they are a total ripoff” (*one can substitute literally any tool brand) I am not going to place a lot of weight in your opinions.

 

[dchawk81]

The way some people talk about Snap-on, you have to wonder how the rest of the world manages to function.

 

[AEAdam]

The way some people talk about Snap-on, you have to wonder how the rest of the world manages to function.

I get what you are saying, but an awful amount of the world uses Snap On tools. You know. It’s a really big company that produces a LOT of tools. $4.25B last year.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

I get what you are saying, but an awful amount of the world uses Snap On tools. You know. It’s a really big company that produces a LOT of tools. $4.25B last year.

Lots of people get buy with less.

I'll continue to try to buy the best, be it Snap-on or otherwise. I wouldn't want to work on cars without a variety of tools from a variety of brands.

 

[dchawk81]

I get what you are saying, but an awful amount of the world uses Snap On tools. You know. It’s a really big company that produces a LOT of tools. $4.25B last year.

And?

 

[AEAdam]

Lots of people get buy with less.

I'll continue to try to buy the best, be it Snap-on or otherwise. I wouldn't want to work on cars without a variety of tools from a variety of brands.

Yeah. I think the comment was just referring to the shear number of respondents praising their Snap On tools as if no one else makes tools. Which I think is what you are mentioning.

Not sure how old you are, but even 10 years ago, we didn’t have the quality choices we have today. Snap On was a true stand out. Not as true now, in my opinion, though true peers are few.

My point was only, you wont, for example, see Koken tools dominating the aerospace industry, not because they aren’t good tools, but because they don’t have the production rates.

 

[dchawk81]

Yeah. I think the comment was just referring to the shear number of respondents praising their Snap On tools as if no one else makes tools. Which I think is what you are mentioning.

Not sure how old you are, but even 10 years ago, we didn’t have the quality choices we have today. Snap On was a true stand out. Not as true now, in my opinion, though true peers are few.

My point was only, you wont, for example, see Koken tools dominating the aerospace industry, not because they aren’t good tools, but because they don’t have the production rates.

Yeah I mean some people act like snap on is the only option and you can't do anything without it. It's absurd.

In the meantime, there's a big planet out there.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

Yeah. I think the comment was just referring to the shear number of respondents praising their Snap On tools as if no one else makes tools. Which I think is what you are mentioning.

Not sure how old you are, but even 10 years ago, we didn’t have the quality choices we have today. Snap On was a true stand out. Not as true now, in my opinion, though true peers are few.

My point was only, you wont, for example, see Koken tools dominating the aerospace industry, not because they aren’t good tools, but because they don’t have the production rates.

That and brands like Koken don't have "complete" catalogs. For instance they don't make wrenches. Knipex doesn't make ratchets, Tekton doesn't make scan tools, Precision Instruments doesn't make locking pliers, etc.

Snap on I would argue has the largest collection of tools of any singular brand, rivaled only by Stanley Black and Decker.

Yeah I mean some people act like snap on is the only option and you can't do anything without it. It's absurd.

In the meantime, there's a big planet out there.

I can think of but a singular member which sells that philosophy. I can tell you I won't be giving up my nut grips, cobra pliers, topdon scan tools, or schely O2 sensor tools for snap-on.

 

[dchawk81]

That and brands like Koken don't have "complete" catalogs. For instance they don't make wrenches. Knipex doesn't make ratchets, Tekton doesn't make scan tools, Precision Instruments doesn't make locking pliers, etc.

Snap on I would argue has the largest collection of tools of any singular brand, rivaled only by Stanley Black and Decker.



I can think of but a singular member which sells that philosophy. I can tell you I won't be giving up my nut grips, cobra pliers, topdon scan tools, or schely O2 sensor tools for snap-on.

Speaking of scan tools. I have Mack OEM for my truck and it's the same as the dealers use. I don't know if anyone else comes close but it was 1800 bucks the first year and 250 annual renewal.

It has all the OEM codes and step by step trouble shooting, diagnostics, Regen w/DEF sublimation, clutch calibration, etc.

Not to go far off on a tangent, but for the SO absolutists, there's nothing more in depth AFAIK.

 

[richfinn]

The way some people talk about Snap-on, you have to wonder how the rest of the world manages to function.

Some of the Worlds most exotic high performance cars were and still are built entirely without Snap-On Tools, they are absolute masters of marketing and selling the "American Dream" though, there's definitely some good tools in their catalog to back it up and they have worked very hard to become a great brand name

 

[Hakeem]

The older I get , the more I am willing to cheap out on tools. when I was starting off, I bought nice versions of pretty much everything because I thought I needed all the help I could get. Ten years in and I am more willing to take a chance on less expensive tools, knowing that my skills can cover any possible issues.

It’s easy to get caught up in the consumerism mindset of buying all the tools. It’s something I struggle with myself, as the line between
“want” and “need” is not always very clear. Especially when you use tools for your job, it’s easy to justify nearly any purchase.

I work for some old timer carpenters from Poland from time to time, and they turn out beautiful work with tools that look like they’re from WWII. it’s a great reminder that the craftsman makes the tools, not the other way around.

The better we get, the more we can do with less.

 

[d.mcfarland]

they have worked very hard to become a great brand name

Don't all successful companies do that? Equating just the brand name to quality is extremely important in a lot, if not all, businesses.

People who haven't figured out that Snap-On is a financial company (they do own other businesses/brands as well), aren't looking at it correctly. They need a product in order to make high profit loans. Making a large variety of good selling products makes that endeavor much easier I would assume. Just my take on things.

 

[Hakeem]

Don't all successful companies do that? Equating just the brand name to quality is extremely important in a lot, if not all, businesses.

People who haven't figured out that Snap-On is a financial company (they do own other businesses/brands as well), aren't looking at it correctly. They need a product in order to make high profit loans. Making a large variety of good selling products makes that endeavor much easier I would assume. Just my take on things.

Their financing component is a significant portion of their business but still delivers a fraction of the revenue of their tool sales: $258m from tool sales vs $68m from financing in 4Q 2023

 

[f121]

Speaking of scan tools. I have Mack OEM for my truck and it's the same as the dealers use. I don't know if anyone else comes close but it was 1800 bucks the first year and 250 annual renewal.

It has all the OEM codes and step by step trouble shooting, diagnostics, Regen w/DEF sublimation, clutch calibration, etc.

Not to go far off on a tangent, but for the SO absolutists, there's nothing more in depth AFAIK.

This is always the case with manufacturers diagnostics tools, they are better than a generic scan tool (even if it says snap on at the top). The advantage of a scanner is you don’t have to buy manufacturer specific diagnostics for every vehicle you see, which gets expensive quick. My snap on scanner isn’t as good as the oem diagnostics, but it does 90% of everything well.

I’d guess the market for trucks is worse - do snap on or autel etc even make a scanner that talks to trucks? I was asked to look at a tractor recently - as far as I can tell there’s nothing out there other than dealer kit.

 

[f121]

Some of the Worlds most exotic high performance cars were and still are built entirely without Snap-On Tools, they are absolute masters of marketing and selling the "American Dream" though, there's definitely some good tools in their catalog to back it up and they have worked very hard to become a great brand name

Inside the engine building room at m-sport. Note the Halfords socket set:

 

[2ndGearRubber]

Speaking of scan tools. I have Mack OEM for my truck and it's the same as the dealers use. I don't know if anyone else comes close but it was 1800 bucks the first year and 250 annual renewal.

It has all the OEM codes and step by step trouble shooting, diagnostics, Regen w/DEF sublimation, clutch calibration, etc.

Not to go far off on a tangent, but for the SO absolutists, there's nothing more in depth AFAIK.

OEM diagnostics will be hard to beat. Although I bet that tool ***** *** on a BMW. Which is where aftermarket tools enter, although I would agree snap on is the worst value in aftermarket scan tools.