Why are European Toolboxes Smaller

[Jack Palmer]

Thanks

 

[nissan_crawler]

because they only have to have half the tools, I would guess.

 

[CLee0507]

Because they don't have SAE!!! hahaha

 

[stolender]

They use 1/4" drive and 1/2" drive almost exclusively.

 

[KenS]

Because with gas at double the prices of the U.S., they're working on these:

 

[Gtamazing]

Europeans are more efficent and can do the same job with less.

 

[billymade]

I'm wondering too; with so many regulations, inspections (e.g. TUV), etc. if this drives people away from fixing their own vehicles? The USA has always had a strong "do it yourself" and shade tree culture; I wonder if this is less so in europe? I also do not think that people keep their cars as long as we do; in Germany they told me that a 5 year old car was "old" and typically too expensive to repair to pass inspections. We here in the USA keep things way longer and have much older cars on the road; we also have so many different brands too!I remember when I went to Germany in the 90s; Germans were saying that you couldn't work on your car in certain areas like on the street etc. My VW's also seem to use less sizes of tools then other brands; less sizes equals less tools needed? I do know that public transportation is excellent in europe; compared to the usa, so maybe less people own cars as well...

 

[richfinn]

In Britain most independent garages provide test equipment and diagnostic tools so most techs will carry basic hand tools and a few specialist tools.

Everything is metric.

I dont buy a set of anything if I can help it, I just buy the sizes I would actually use.

I dont carry many duplicates, and I regularly purge old stuff i dont use any more.

 

[leod]

maybe they are more tool efficient since no SAE. rarely see american cars on my trip there and fewer people use cars. train is better

 

[ibedayank]

everything costs more in the Uk. and the cars are a lot smaller...

 

[ibedayank]

In the UK more people ride small motorcycles scooters mopeds... and bicycles

 

[bagsanthony]

because they aint 'Merican!!!!!!! Yeah but I have noticed this too.... I see very quality boxes, but they are so small... Its just like anything else American vs. European, I guess.
They elect for things like fancy villas, small apartments, whereas we go for land, land, and more land to house all r toys

 

[Monte]

-you only need metric here
-special tools are stored in a cabinet for everybody and not in your box
-most problems are of electric nature and don´t require much hand tools (if..)
-car mechanics only need their specific tools, no car body tools etc., specific tools like glass removal tools are often stored in a extra box at the specific work station
-What tools do you really need ??? 8,10,13,15,17,19mm sockets + wrenches, 3 or 4 ratchets, a couple of torx and XZN etc., lug nut socket, impact wrench, air ratchet,
4 pliers, screwdrivers ... and ...?...

 

[leod]

but why does monte have lots of tools?

 

[cdseven95]

-most problems are of electric nature
.

Kind of funny sorry

 

[Monte]

but why does monte have lots of tools?

because I´m a member of Garage Journal

 

[Monte]

oh and many tools don´t exist over here like stubby wrenches or medium length sockets (only short + deep)

 

[Britwrench]

Currently,some of the European manufacturers supply both the toolbox and tools, so the tech doesn't have a lot of choice over the amount of tools.
If the tech is working in a franchise dealer on one brand of vehicle, then not that many tools are rquired.

Nowadays, say from 2000 onwards, most of the large items like engines and transmissions are not repaired anyway so no tools required for that type of work.

I worked as a technician in both Ferrari and Porsche dealers as well as Porsche specialist shops and had no more tools than I actually wanted and needed to carry all types of repairs, which included at the time major engine work.

 

[billymade]

Monte, do you think your average european; works on their cars anymore?

 

[larry_g]

Monte, do you think your average european; works on their cars anymore?

So billy do you think the average 'merican works on their cars?

lg
no neat sig line

 

[Monte]

Monte, do you think your average european; works on their cars anymore?

yes, like in our garage click and click
Most people don´t want to spend - or don´t have the money to spend 100 € + an hour to let someone repair their car in a authorized repair shop or like 60-70 € in a Independent shop so you have to do it on your own either at home or in a "DIY car repair shop" which you can find in every city where you can rent a car lift and tools by the hour (or bring your own) or you know someone or someone knows someone who can do it for less.....
I think it´s not different in any other european country or around the world.

 

[vssjim]

I was always told that because the shop owners bought all special stuff that you only needed basic stuff but I would bet in the new world economy much like North America the tool deal is changing.

 

[Wanna Ride]

Why are European Toolboxes Smaller

Everything in Europe is smaller. Houses, garages, cars, trucks, even their countries.

In America, we like BIG!

 

[Lugnut64052]

Why are European toolboxes . . . generally smaller than the sometimes huge tool boxes you see here in the U.S. [?]

What difference does it make?

 

[AZ_Catskinner]

Why are European toolboxes, like Hazet, falcom, Stahlwille ,generally smaller than the sometimes huge tool boxes you see here in the U.S. I'm talking about the rolling boxes.

More standardization over there.

 

[Skin]

Kind of funny sorry

The electrical systems in American cars were pretty terrible too. The main difference is the EU still makes their own, we import it all now.

yes, like in our garage click and click
Most people don´t want to spend - or don´t have the money to spend 100 € + an hour to let someone repair their car in a authorized repair shop or like 60-70 € in a Independent shop so you have to do it on your own either at home or in a "DIY car repair shop" which you can find in every city where you can rent a car lift and tools by the hour (or bring your own) or you know someone or someone knows someone who can do it for less.....
I think it´s not different in any other european country or around the world.

Those are all skylights yes? Good design. Tons of natural light and makes the workplace such a better place. Most garages here are like dungeons in comparison.

 

[ecotec]

More standardization over there.

i think there is a lot of truth in this.

 

[diggerrick]

Because they have smaller tools (I've been told).

 

[Sick Puppy]

Everything in Europe is smaller. Houses, garages, cars, trucks, even their countries.

In America, we like BIG!

This I'm liking - when I lived in London, I could count on one hand the people I knew with a garage, and/or a driveway. No, I'm not kidding.

Also, tool boxes are ****** expensive! I want a bigger toolcart, but $1000US is out of my price range at the moment. It isn't my living, I cannot justify it.

 

[diesel research]

Lived there for a while.

I think the proportion of people doing their own work is less. Hell many of my friends don't have driveways or garages and park in the street. My more rural friends did in fact do quite a bit more, the story is same in the US.

One of the local "mechanic" shops I would hang out was simply a 1 car garage with just a single old man in his late 60s. He knew enough english where we could shoot the breeze. I don't even remember seeing a tool box although I think he may have had something similar to a craftsman rally hand box. Never paid attention to tool brands, nor did he. I didn't meet anyone so obsessive over brands or COO over there. He didn't really use any pneumatic tools and I was quite amused how he smoked and worked on fuel filters at the same time. He never seemed to be in any rush and probably didn't need half of the "time savers". The porsche and chevrolet dealerships downtown never seemed to busy either.

Of course there is the fact we make more.

Cars aren't nearly as rusty. One of mine was 15 years old, the other 10. Bolts came off no problem. One an american export, one german.

 

[Monte]

Those are all skylights yes? Good design. Tons of natural light and makes the workplace such a better place. Most garages here are like dungeons in comparison.

yes, and saves electricity too





here a tool box for BMW mechanics with 258 necessary tools:
(at least in the pic it looks big )

for the Audi mechanics 289 tools:

something for the paint shop or to clean cars etc.

 

[mrholeshot]

We have bigger toolboxes and more tools because we work for employers who won't provide anything and we will work on damn near anything.

 

[Monte]

if you don´t have your own driveway or garage you drive to the "Autoselbsthilfe" where you can rent a lift or space and the tools and repair it there or paint it

here a price list of a "Autoselbsthilfe" ("car self help" )

standard tools- free of charge, car lift 7€/hour, MIG welder 6.-/hour
, engine crane 10.- , coil compressor 3.-, impact wrench 3.-, air ratchet 3.-, transmission jack 6.-, pullers 3.-, special tools 2.- , "machine use" (angle grinder, drill etc.) 2.- ea. ....etc.... coffee is free too

some charge per hour or have a fixed price like 15.-/hour but with tools included, paint booth is typical 50.-€/hour etc.

 

[Rickster]

I think it's in our nature to have bigger and more. I'm sure there are guys like that all over the world, but here in the US it's the way we are for the most part.

 

[Berserker]

I thought there was a high toolbox tax.

 

[Monte]

bigger is better

 

[Berserker]

On a serious note, I don't know how or why some people buy such big expensive boxes here. The boxes can be thousands.

 

[Fedwrench]

The Europeans don't use Hansen socket holders so, that saves a lot of room right there. I think it's mor a matter of function over form. The European tool carts seem to be better organized and you don't see much overlap. I personally do 90% of my work oout of a NAPA 7 drawer too cart these days. I really like the mobility and smaller foot print it gives me. Although, many well cry foul, often less can be more.

 

[diesel research]

We really need "bremsenprufstands" here in the US! Not only is it not a requirement annually here, but it is practically unheard of. Brake tester or brake dyno.

Would be much better than the 20mph-0 parking lot test and help isolate wheel to wheel differences.

 

[Bruce M]

Pretty much everybody who can afford a house with a garage can afford to pay to get their car serviced. So it is rare for someone to have a big garage to fit in a monster roll cab. Hobby mechanics will often work on old cars that need limited tool sizes. I'm rare in the UK because I have a double garage in a nice area, yet I will happily stick my car on axle stands in the drive and work on it (the neighbours probably think I'm nuts). Oh, and I have a pretty small tool box too, although a small roll cab is "on the list".

Often owners combine their service with a trip to an MOT station for the annual nail-biter (car over 3yrs). If your car is under 3yrs old it will mostly go to the dealer for servicing to preserve a line of dealer stamps in the service book(affects trade-in value).

Professional techs only need metric tools (standard 1/4" & 1/2" socket sets) but they do need every socket size for modern cars. All the special tools will probably be owned by the garage (special cam timing tools, diagnostics, air-con etc), although a tech might buy a diagnostic reader. However, mechanics in smaller "back street" garages often have far more tools because they work on a wider range of models & ages. Also they might need to buy more specialist tools themselves.