Why snap on is better(sometimes)

[Uncle Buck]

Yes I do - that would do wonders to add credibility to your claims of warranty dissatisfaction. Start with the very first tool and work your way up. Doesn't have to be all in one day either.

Here ya go Merk, batter #2 on deck for my second Snap-on tale of woe!

Story begins when I buy a brand new 1/2" drive flex head ratchet from the local distribution center which at that time was located in Lenexa KS. Forget discounts, I pay the full damned retail price for this POS. I had the ratchet for a few years, but really during that time my work made it such that the ratchet really was not used more than a handful of times and during those times it was not cheatered or abused. I was now living out of state and the tools were at my folks house. One time home I notice the casting of the head on the ratchet has a wicked evil crack all the way across it, clearly this ratchet is not long for this world. (I never had a clue how it cracked, but I know it was not through abuse by me) I asked my dad to return it to the distribution center where I bought it for replacement. Dad returned the ratchet and had to pay $5.00 to the A$$HOLES to get a replacement ratchet.
I don't care what their reason was, to me that is a **** warranty when you have to pay for replacement! I could have bought 3-4 Craftsman 1/2" flexheads for the price of the one Snap-on and never had a warranty issue, and certainly not had to pay Sears if their tool shot craps! Snap-on ***** man!

(There is just no way I want to go through all of my poor warranty service stories, I have too many to type!) I do have a few more if you really want them though.

 

[wrenchr]

Here ya go Merk, batter #2 on deck for my second Snap-on tale of woe!

Story begins when I buy a brand new 1/2" drive flex head ratchet from the local distribution center which at that time was located in Lenexa KS. Forget discounts, I pay the full damned retail price for this POS. I had the ratchet for a few years, but really during that time my work made it such that the ratchet really was not used more than a handful of times and during those times it was not cheatered or abused. I was now living out of state and the tools were at my folks house. One time home I notice the casting of the head on the ratchet has a wicked evil crack all the way across it, clearly this ratchet is not long for this world. (I never had a clue how it cracked, but I know it was not through abuse by me) I asked my dad to return it to the distribution center where I bought it for replacement. Dad returned the ratchet and had to pay $5.00 to the A$$HOLES to get a replacement ratchet.
I don't care what their reason was, to me that is a **** warranty when you have to pay for replacement! I could have bought 3-4 Craftsman 1/2" flexheads for the price of the one Snap-on and never had a warranty issue, and certainly not had to pay Sears if their tool shot craps! Snap-on ***** man!

That ***** donkey ****!!!

 

[Uncle Buck]

That ***** donkey ****!!!

Judging from your post I guess I have nothing on you, looks like you are working on catching up with me man!

 

[Merkava_4]

He gets his truck keys and we go to his truck, he grabs a screwdriver that was less than 1/2 the size I had given him and says here you go. I said oh no, this one was the size of the screwdriver I gave you and I removed the one like mine from the roof of the truck, He offered no argument. cause I am sure he knew damned good and well the size screwdriver I gave him. This was in KC Missouri in 1979 and it was my very first experience with Snap-on warranty service.

I like that part, I would've done the same thing had he kept my screwdriver for 8 months.

 

[wrenchr]

Judging from your post I guess I have nothing on you, looks like you are working on catching up with me man!

Well I'm hoping the mail in works out!! If not I will report them to BBB no kidding.

 

[Merkava_4]

(There is just no way I want to go through all of my poor warranty service stories, I have too many to type!) I do have a few more if you really want them though.

You don't have to do all of them today, but I promise you, I will read each and every one of them as you post them; I find this kind of stuff fascinating - seriously.

 

[wrenchr]

You don't have to do all of them today, but I promise you, I will read each and every one of them as you post them; I find this kind of stuff fascinating - seriously.

When it is you getting the repeated bad service "fascinating" is not the word that comes to mind first!!

 

[Uncle Buck]

When it is you getting the repeated bad service "fascinating" is not the word that comes to mind first!!

You said it Bubba!

 

[Vinko]

Compared to Matco and Cornwell, Snap-on has "soft" impact sockets, that wear fast. Snap-on is just out done here, especially when it come to impact swivel sockets.

We've found this to be the case too. S-O impacts haven't held up for us in serious day to day use the way Apex have.

 

[Uncle Buck]

You don't have to do all of them today, but I promise you, I will read each and every one of them as you post them; I find this kind of stuff fascinating - seriously.

I tell you what Merk, some of my stories are long and windy, and I get tired typing them. I am going to tell you only one more tale of woe since it is my favorite anyway so here you go.

In about 1992 I bought a new set of Orange handle Snap-on prybars from the industrial sales rep that visited the company I worked for. This was the only decent Snap-on rep I ever met, he actually warranted a wrench for me! He also gave me the same discount he gave the company. I used this prybar set till about yr2000 when I noticed a rather serious looking crack that was across the handle of the biggest prybar.

I had known of Snap-on's rule about no warranty on handles so I had never hammered on the ends of those prybars.

At ant rate, when I discovered my damaged handle I had to leave it with the maintenance department where I worked cause the local rep said to just leave it there and he would take care of it, though I would have preferred a face to face meeting.

When I go to pick up my warrantied prybar I find he left me a used black prybar as a replacement for my orange prybar! I was livid. I am not a tool polisher as everyone here knows, but I really did not want a mismatched prybar set of three orange and one black handle. I was really pissin and moaning about it and really cussing Snap-on good.
It worked out great for me though, one of the mechanics got tired of listening to me bash Snap-on and said here, and he swapped me his own orange handle for my black handle! I had no problem with the idea of used, but I did not want a mismatched set.

The mechanic explained that the driver would give him an orange handle that was new to replace the old used black one, all he would have to do is ask the driver and he would be taken care of! And you know what boys and girls? The very next week I walked back in the shop and just like he said the mechanic got a brand new orange prybar to replace the black handled one from the previous week's fiasco!

Now that is my third and last story, I am tired of typing them. They are too damned long winded even for me!

 

[AutoTech]

Compared to Matco and Cornwell, Snap-on has "soft" impact sockets, that wear fast. Snap-on is just out done here, especially when it come to impact swivel sockets.

Snap-on screwdrivers don't wear well, compared to the German brands.

Snap-on torx bit sockets break easy, compared to Hazet.

Snap-on got rid of the best handles they ever had, for ratchets and screwdrivers.

Some of their stuff is phenomenal, but then there is the Snap-on hassle to deal with.

I like Snap-on tools, but I don't snap-off to them.

I agree 100% autoace, Snap On impact sockets are soft and wear very quickly, totally ****. My dealer won't replace sockets that are worn out, says he can't get them replaced by corprate so I won't buy snap on impact sockets.

 

[Deafautotech]

I agree 100% autoace, Snap On impact sockets are soft and wear very quickly, totally ****. My dealer won't replace sockets that are worn out, says he can't get them replaced by corprate so I won't buy snap on impact sockets.

really?? i used a lot of snap on impact sockets and it seem not wear out quick or gave me a problems...

 

[AutoTech]

really?? i used a lot of snap on impact sockets and it seem not wear out quick or gave me a problems...

i have alot of problems with there Impact swivel sockets, they don't hold up for me at all, they wear out much quicker than some of the other techs Matco, cornwell, and Mac impact swivel sockets. They get used pretty heavy everyday but for the money they should hold up better than they do. I will be buying a set of Matco's eventually.

 

[Deafautotech]

i have alot of problems with there Impact swivel sockets, they don't hold up for me at all, they wear out much quicker than some of the other techs Matco, cornwell, and Mac impact swivel sockets. They get used pretty heavy everyday but for the money they should hold up better than they do. I will be buying a set of Matco's eventually.

i own many different brands of impact swivels from snap on, mac, matco, and craftsman... one thing i dont like is matco's pinless because i tried to use and it keep get stuck or bind. i know it need wear more to smooth it out but it stay problem for me... my matco guy still warranty it anyway..

i used a lot of hell times on mac tools and it stay strong but it make little more loose inside as it still one piece..

my few snap on swivel impact sockets service me well and no problems even the collars get loose but still work good. even i used a lot of my MG31 to work on it.

everybody have different way to use the tools... as one tech use 1/2dr impact wrench almost all time, other tech use a lot of air ratchet.. i use almost all my air tools as keep it lube and clean...

 

[bry@n]

I had no problem with my SO guy, though I did spend $$ while I was on the truck. WEnt in looking for a box, made my deal and picked up a couple of things. The next day I dropped off a lot of ****. Most of it was chrome rusting. Not a problem. To top it off, I just met the guy. I am sure spending the cash for a box and tools, helped my warranties get done.

 

[autoace]

i have alot of problems with there Impact swivel sockets, they don't hold up for me at all, they wear out much quicker than some of the other techs Matco, cornwell, and Mac impact swivel sockets. They get used pretty heavy everyday but for the money they should hold up better than they do. I will be buying a set of Matco's eventually.

I bought alot of impact sockets, many years ago. They were all brands like Campbell Hausfeld, and import Stanley,etc. They never gave me any problems, but I "upgraded" to a big Snap-on set. After just 1 month, the Snap-on impact sockets looked worse, than 10 yr. old import cheapies. The hex was rounded and the drive end was heavily worn??????The price of one Snap-on socket, would pay for a whole other set of cheap ones, that were more durable. I have Cornwell ones now, and they have proven TOUGH!

Snap-on would not warranty the sockets for wear, even after they fell off the impact gun real easy, and the hex was beyond deformed. I was told it must be my air tools had worn anvils. My air tools were all Snap-on/Blue Point, at the time, All less than a year old. I told the guy, my .99 cent apiece sockets didn't wear like this. He had no comment, but would not warranty the sockets, because they were not broken per say.

Remember, I was a regular customer at a dealership, at the time. I was not a off the street guy, looking for easy warranty. Pathetic

 

[Merkava_4]

Now that is my third and last story, I am tired of typing them. They are too damned long winded even for me!

I read all three stories tonight carefully and methodically; you did a great job and I appreciate your effort.

 

[Adam McLaughlin]

My biggest complaint with tool truck lies in the pricing of their goods and the way that this varies depending on whom they are pricing the goods too. I say that if they are willing to give tools to their clients on their normal routes at free financing, then I ought to get a discount when I pay up front in cash for EVERYTHING.

But No....

And I still meet my dealer every Wednesday morning at 9 AM to see what he has and to buy his stuff. I go out of my way to make this happen...

Adam

 

[Danglerb]

Nobody has answered the question in the original post, Why SnapOn is better (sometimes).

Simple answer is that offering a lifetime warranty on commercially used tools forces them to make a decent tool. The truck dealer structure means they find out about problems quickly, and likewise have a pipeline for requests on tools for new models.

The reason they don't always make the best tool is simple, opinions vary on what the best is, and they are now a BF company with many products and production in many places.

The warranty stuff has also created about the most enthusiastic group of tool abusers that can be imagined, and sometimes it must pay them to make a tool slightly cheaper knowing its going to be broken and replaced regardless of how well its made.

 

[Vinko]

The warranty stuff has also created about the most enthusiastic group of tool abusers that can be imagined.