Buying Snap-On Tools? - Page 3

randywebb · 12-12-2005, 04:01 PM

re receipt -- I have had a lot of trouble with Sears on their tools. One prev. thread on it. And other trouble too. It isn't hard to see why that co. is in so much trouble...

I have a bent 1/2" T bar I need to exchange - we'll see how that goes...

CBRacerX · CBRacerX's Garage

I was a Craftsman guy when I first started out (high school) since that was what I could afford and the guarantee was just what I needed. Since I couldn't afford chisels, sometimes the screwdrivers had to do double duty :0

Since then I have converted to almost all Snap-On tools. I bought some used from an estate sale, that really helped a lot (even got a snap-on floor jack from that one), but many wrenches and sockets I purchased new. The truck man was very fair to me, and I was a regular customer for a few years when my business was sponsoring a racecar (my own).

I find the snap-on tools break much less often, and do not strip or damage fasteners. Plus they feel good in your hands.

Not cheap indeed, but I plan to keep using them till the end...

Chris

pwd72s · 12-12-2005, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jays72T
If you have the $ and work on your car(s) good quality tools are worth it. I am getting more and more Snap-On tools in box since my wife works for them but I've always been a Craftsman user and have not had too many problems. Still, I'm replacing my tools with Snap-On because you can feel the difference and they do the work better, with less stripped nuts and bolts With that said, when I've broken a ratchet, wrench or socket I had zero problem returning them to Sears which is easier then tracking down a truck on the weekend. I also have some SK tools and like them as well.

So Jay, we're all dying to know...what's the snap-on "employee discount", percentage wise? BTW, I love the SK stuff I've purchased from our host. Blatant plug, but a well deserved one.

mackskibum · 12-13-2005, 02:58 PM

When I was in college, I worked for Sears. Part of the training was "satisfaction guaranteed or your money back" This was and is (as far as I know) above every glass entrance to a Sears store. This used to work: find a manager and say "I'm not satisfied, I want my money back" With a receipt, they are supposed to refund your money regardless of the product, age or condition. Craftsman hand tools were the exception- no receipt required, but there was a transaction that had to be done- at the time it was a code 55 markdown, and a receipt generated (no security problem then). The damaged tool was then thrown in a bin, and accounted for somehow after the fact.

I have had a lecture or two from Sears about using tools for things they were not designed for.

JK-81SC · 12-13-2005, 03:31 PM

Sounds like there is a big discrepancy in Sears stores. I just walk in and hand them the tools at the register. If the clerk isn't busy, they will even get the tools for me. Never any problems what so ever.

I agree with the useage factor in determining what brand to buy. I've broken a few Craftsman tools. My son-in-law mechanic wears out Craftsman tools every month, so he is gradually upgrading to Snap-On.
He says there is no comparision between the two. If you have the bucks, get the Snap-On tools. Since I'm only a part time wrench with a daughter in college, I'll stay with the cheapo Craftsman.

Steve 82SC · 12-13-2005, 03:55 PM

A couple of years ago, I was speaking to a woman who had just moved into a home nearby and had gone through a nasty divorce. The husband had been long gone and she wanted to get rid of some of his "old stuff" in the garage rather than move it into the new home. She saw me working on one of my motorcycles and mentioned that the ex-husband was a mechanic some years ago and that some of the "old stuff" she didn't want to move to the new place were tools. I went over to her old place and in the garage was an older Snap On cabinet with an upper chest. I tried to open it, but it was locked. We agreed upon a price and I hauled the boxes home with a friend's pickup truck. After drilling out the two locks, here's what was in there.....Snap On 1/4, 3/8, 1/2, sockets (regular & impact), ratchets, more wrenches than you can imagine, punches, engine analyzer, multi-meter, drill bits, specialty ratchets and attatchments that I haven't figured out yet, complete sets of pliers, channel-locks, screwdrivers and a bunch of stuff that I'm not going to list so as to not further anger anybody. All of this stuff is Snap On. The agreed upon price was $100.......I felt so guilty that I gave the woman a $200 gift certificate to a shee-shee-la-la restaurant near my house. Sometimes you're just in the right place at the right time.

Steve

K.B. · 12-13-2005, 03:59 PM

I found a rusted frozen solid craftsman ratchet in the junkyard once. Took it to Sears and they gave me a new one "no questions asked"

I have a 1943 snap-on torque wrench - the plastic dial on the torque meter is broken - snap-on wants money to fix it.

I'll stick with craftsman.

Jays72T · 04:26 PM

Discount......she gets a discount? Now I know why she's buying more jewelry.

Decided to remove the % but they're still pricey at that. Every now and again they have an employee only sale and that offers some nice deals.

DW SD · 12-13-2005, 05:00 PM

A lot of Craftsman "professional" line of tools are modeled after Snap-on and are still 1/3 or 1/2 the price. I like those. They are knock - offs, but very fine quality. They are 80% as nice as Snap-On, but for much less $$. Many of the craftsman stuff is just plain junk, especially their cheap combo wrenches. They don't fit as well, are strong but huge and not balanced. Of course, huge is not better when it comes to wrenches. They are nice for cutting up, bending, welding, etc to make specialty tools.

I got spoiled when I worked in a foreign car shop while I was in college. I could use the owner's tools, since he was my friend - all Snap-on. Over the last ten years, I'm buying what I need, but almost all used.

Again, in my opinion, there is no comparison in quality, but price difference is tough to swallow.

Doug

Shop around, buy the used snap-on tools on the cheap. Best place for that is a garage sale or mini-ads in the newspaper.

Doug

Dirkclod · Dirkclod's Garage

Is money really the proplem here?? Ya drive a porshe and want to work on it with craftsman tools instead of snap-on ? Hell ya should have bought a VW. Ya drive the best , use the best !!

vash · vash's Garage

this little cute girl i know, decided on a whim to learn airline mechanics stuff. she graduated from berkeley with an ME. well, she hated it and told me i could use her 50% student snap on buyer program. she gave me the catalog and the drooling began. basically they put together a few starter packages to (i speculate) get the newbies addicted...i mean product loyal. at 50% i still couldnt/wouldnt buy the stuff. owwwieee. nice stuff, but i just cant justify it with what i do with my stuff.... you know,.... break things.

TerryH · TerryH's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by vash
snipped..... at 50% i still couldnt/wouldnt buy the stuff. owwwieee. nice stuff, but i just cant justify it with what i do with my stuff.... you know,.... break things.

LOL! Self-deprecating humor is the best kind.