Griot's Garge: what the market will bear...

[Formerly Steve Wilkinson]

While looking for a good oil-filter wrench for my 911, I discovered a superb tool made by Facom, the French tool company. The Griot's Garage catalogue spends many words on the fact that Facom is the supplier to the Ferrari Formula 1 team, and that their tools are "rare" and, obviously, expensive. The Facom oil-filter wrench, a superb piece, is $34.95 in the Griot's Garage catalogue.

Well, guess who else sells Facom tools? Sears. In the Craftsman catalogue, the exact same wrench is $24.99.

Stephan

[RickM]

Stephan, They've been selling Facom for quite some time. I've only seen one person mention the fact that they own the brand...and I think it's a Pelicanite. While their wrenches look very ergonomic I'd be (am) very happy with a less expensive alternative.

[Wayne 962]

Facom is the same or is owned by SK tools, which is what we sell here at Pelican. It's very good quality. In my opinion, Griot's in general is about 100-200% higher priced on all their products than just about anyone else. I have also heard from manufacturers that most all of their cleaners are made by industry players, and are privately labeled with their own brand.

-Wayne

[tsuter]

Buying tools at Griots is like buying coffee at Starbucks!

Its the snob appeal ... not the utility.

[Randy Webb]

Actually, I think Facom bought SK Tools....

Griot's sells mostly to people who don't know which way to turn a nut -- Literally! In one catalog they actually had a diagram of which way to turn to tighten... fine for kids but I think most of us already know that....

Their prices are uniformly absurd. They are useful in collecting various tools in one glossy place - I often see something intereting, Google the description terms and buy it for 1/2 -- e.g. the ball hex drivers they have.

I have to say the little close quarters tool kit (spline drive) is very useful. And if you get a torque wrench recalibrated often (which you should) their torque wrenches are an ok deal. Those are the only two items I've bought from them.

I definitely agree with tsuter's comment -- except that my bit of snobbery is to dis Griot's....

[MotoSook]

I definitely agree with tsuter's comment -- except that my bit of snobbery is to dis Griot's....

You guys AGREED on something!!!!

(Sorry guys I couldn't pass that one up)

I agree, the Griots catalog never makes it into the house..it gets dropped in my garage on the way from the mailbox so my non-wrenching friends can oogle the pretty pictures...the real catalogs (the useful ones) get put in the "you know where I spend a lot more time with sheety thoughts" place...funny huh?

[82SC]

yeah...griot's is way overpriced...but he does have some cool gizmos

but I must say I do like the Facom rachets...very comfortable, my palms hurt less after a long night of wrenching, and the ratcheting mechanism has really fine teeth

check ebay...there is a guy that occasionally sells ratchets for a decent price

I bought an SK set of screwdrivers from Pelican...very reasonable price and I like them

I'd really like to get my hands on one of those commemerative Ferrari tool chests though...

but I say getting craftsman is the best tool for a home wrencher...decent if not very good quality, lifetime guarentee, and if something breaks on the weekend, a quick drive to sears solves the problem instantly (I think Husky Home depot's brand is similar too)

other "lifetime" guarentee tools require finding a tool truck or mailing it in

[AFJuvat]

Originally posted by 82SC
....I'd really like to get my hands on one of those commemerative Ferrari tool chests though...

Contact Hazet tools and get the Porsche box.

Griots prices are absurd. The catalog goes straight to the trash

AFJuvat

[ChrisBennet]

Originally posted by Randy Webb
I have to say the little close quarters tool kit (spline drive) is very useful. And if you get a torque wrench recalibrated often (which you should) their torque wrenches are an ok deal. Those are the only two items I've bought from them.

Just so there is no confusion; Griot's torque wrenches include Lifetime Testing Service. I think this means they'll just test it for free. I think recalibration would include adjusting a wrench to bring it back into spec.
-Chris

[Randy Webb]

True - I have not tried to find out what they will really do....

[movin]

Well, they did sell a very useful flexible longneck metal funnel from Germany that was perfect for filling the P car oil tank. No longer impoted.

[kach22i]

Originally posted by AFJuvat
Contact Hazet tools and get the Porsche box.

Do you mean that cute little round thing they have for VW and call Old Porsche?

[Wrecked944]

I have a couple of ratchet handles (SnapOn, Craftsman, etc ) and the Facom ratchet handle I bought from Griots is my favorite. But aside from that, I don't think I can afford anything else they sell.

[banjomike]

so does anyone know what it the original product name for the non-sillicon vinyl/rubber dressing stuff they have. I won't allow armour-all anywhere near anything I own.

[david914]

It's called Vinyl and Rubber Dressing, if it's the Griot's name that you're after. Great stuff. It's all I use on my cars.

[barlowdo]

When I lived in the back hills of Binghamton NY I never even heard or new of Griots, Then I moved to Raleigh,NC and live in a Foo Foo neighborhood and all of a sudden I start receiving the Griots catalog. Talk about marketing !!

-Don B

[Zeke]

Originally posted by banjomike
so does anyone know what it the original product name for the non-sillicon vinyl/rubber dressing stuff they have. I won't allow armour-all anywhere near anything I own.

It's probably drug store glycerin. (sp?)

[yelcab1]

So, let me ask this stupid question:

Who buys this expensive griot stuff anyway? and Why?

[n8marx]

I really like their Speed Shine. If only I knew who made it I could buy it elsewhere. Anyone know?

[c2 rower]

The Speed Shine is nice and I'm happy with the epoxy floor paint, but for items that are sold elsewhere his prices are quite high. Mabye that is how he pays to send out a glossy catalog every two weeks.