[77 TRASHCAN]

Originally Posted by Simple Man

That's one problem with Snap On, ya gotta chase the tool truck down. Then I ran into an A-Hole dealer, who wouldn't replace any broken Snap On tool, unless you had a receipt, or could prove you were the original purchaser.

I remember you mentioning the "hole" dealer. I have a friend that's a Snap On dealer, he said the receipt deal was bull...

I still see him once in a great while. He takes all brands of tools on trade if needed, I have found some bargains from him, many Snap On brand. LOL, one of my former co-workers liked to call him the Strap-On tool man.

Snap On stuff is soooo very expensive. I really can't afford doing much business with him. I have found the afore mentioned bargains. I've bought several used Snap On ratchets at half of new price or slightly less. Their ratchets are the best. Some of the used ones I bought, my dealer buddy put a kit in them at the time I purchased them, can't beat that!!!

Years ago I had an awesome woman co-worker friend of mine take a bunch of Craftsman tools to SearsI had, that I couldn't get warrantied. If you can envision what Ann Margaret looked like when she was about 32 years old, my friend and her could have been twin sisters....Yeah, they warrantied every tool I sent her with!!!!!

[Chris65LeMans]

I don’t know how people can buy Snap On stuff with their prices. I was admiring the Snap On distributor wrench a local Pontiac guy had. I looked it up, and they wanted $85 for it! The Craftsman one I ordered was $12 shipped!

[Chief of the 60's]

Originally Posted by Chris65LeMans

I don’t know how people can buy Snap On stuff with their prices. I was admiring the Snap On distributor wrench a local Pontiac guy had. I looked it up, and they wanted $85 for it! The Craftsman one I ordered was $12 shipped!

Simple

$10.00 a week for the rest of your life.

The happiest day for a Snap-On dealer is when there is a new hire at a shop. The sadest day is when a guy retires or makes his last payment.

[77 TRASHCAN]

Originally Posted by Chris65LeMans

I don’t know how people can buy Snap On stuff with their prices. I was admiring the Snap On distributor wrench a local Pontiac guy had. I looked it up, and they wanted $85 for it! The Craftsman one I ordered was $12 shipped!

That's pretty much on everything they make. I'm truly amazed at times. I've seen professional mechanics, essentially throw away all their other brand tools, so they can load up on Snap On stuff. I agree Snap On is THE best quality ( other brands like MAC, Matco, Cornwrll, etc are right there on quality and outrageous price), my personal stuff is a humorous hodge podge of all brands. A few years ago, during a special price deal ( which was still way too high priced). I bought a set of 3/8" sockets, shallow and deep, Snap On brand. Knowing those are the most common sockets I will ever use. Did it as a gift to myself.

Keeping in mind that the payments mechanics make to the tool trucks ( Snap On or any brand), already have the ball busting interest figured into the price, obviously....!

[TimsTA]

Worked in the Auto Center in High School in early 80’s. Learned a lot from the “Old Timers” who took me under their wing! Including Paul the brake mechanic w/ the prosthetic mechanical arm! Took advantage of employee disc. to build my 1st tool collection. Was a great place to work as a kid! Sad to see it going downhill.

[mgarblik]

A great way to buy Snap-On tools @ 30-50 cents on the dollar is to buy them from a pawn shop or on Craig's list. Lots and lots of people retiring or just getting out of the business. Tools are a lousy investment when you try to sell them. Great for someone looking to buy. By the way, Snap-On hand tools have a Lifetime Warranty, period. Not just for the original owner. Power tools and equipment, that's another story entirely. Electronic torque wrenches, only 90 days!! Had to have 3 of them repaired at my expense. Over $1000.00 for the 3 wrenches. All three dead in a year. $300.00 to have them fixed. Wasn't happy. Personally, I think their power tools are crap and way, way overpriced. I will take a DeWalt or Milwaukee any day over a Snap-on branded one.

Originally Posted by Chris65LeMans

I don’t know how people can buy Snap On stuff with their prices. I was admiring the Snap On distributor wrench a local Pontiac guy had. I looked it up, and they wanted $85 for it! The Craftsman one I ordered was $12 shipped!

[77 TRASHCAN]

Ha! I mulled over the thought of buying one of those torque wrenches 3-4 years ago. T
My good friend, Snap On dealer advised me to go another direction...

I bought a 1/2" cordless Snap On impact, maybe 7 years ago? Hot Rod magazine ran a consumer comparison test, Snap On smoked them all. Mine has been awesome, no complaints. The only thing it failed me on was trying to loosen lug nuts on a full size school bus (I really didn't expect it to...), the lug studs are 22 mm, 33 mm socket. LOL, it was a kamakaze road side emergency tire swap deal, sucked big time.....

[ta6point6]

I still go to Sears when I can which is 20 miles away . I just found out it is closing in January. I loved going through all the craftsman tools at Sears, so many isles. Luckily there is still a Kmart in my town but by the looks of it not much longer. So I am grabbing up Craftsman tools left and right, I still covet Craftsman tools. I even have some gold Craftsman sockets and just bought some gold combo wrenches for 54 from Sears website. Craftsman tools are to me the shade tree mechanics top of the line tool although most of my Craftsman tools spend most of the time in the tool box. I have problem buying tools I may never use, like this gimbal palm ratchet I just bought from H. Depot. Metrinch is still my go to tools but I will miss Sears and Craftsman when they close there doors

[NeighborsComplaint]

Originally Posted by Chief of the 60's

The happiest day for a Snap-On dealer is when there is a new hire at a shop. The saddest day is when a guy retires or makes his last payment.

Or doesn't make his payments.

I know a Snap-On guy that has to do his own repos on defaulted accounts.

He has to work with a team of 2. They wait till lunch, walk into the shop or dealer service department and roll the toolbox out the door. He says it gets ugly sometimes but he has a letter from their credit department authorizing them to repossess the tools. Not all the tools in the box are Snap-On so he has to separate them out and then go on his way.

['ol Pinion head]

Miss my Radian wrench 3/8 ratchet. no gear teeth, unreal torque capacity, so smooth. After wrenching with that 3/8 socket wrench for near a decade, every 3/8 or 1/2" drive Crapsman ratchet I've ever used felt like it was from the Caveman era. Sears dropped the ball in that regard. Had a late 70's 1/4 drive fine tooth ratchet for many years, inthe late 90's, when Sears store quit handling the repair kit, in a temporary moment of insanity, I let some kid at Sears swap it out for a new small ratchet, what a piece of junk.

Have a decent array of Snappy flank drive wrenches, ratcheting combi wrenches, sockets, quite a few specialty tools, big Snappy slidehammer, gear pullers, Snappy dial type torque wrenches. All have been bought at pawnshops, auto swap meets, estate sales, all the hand tools for 20 cents on the dollar. In the 90's a few Snappy wretches and nice 3/8" ratchet were always in my big padded fanny pack tool bag I wore when out bone yarding, climbing over, & in stacks of cars. That sweet tool bag lasted till the buckle broke & eventually the bag was stolen. Really bad day when that happened, the hd padded belt tool bag took a year to replace.

[GT182]

I have some Snap ON tolls that I've bought at flea markets, and some from my local parts store where the guys uncle passed away and his wife gave him and his dad a huge Snap On box loaded with tools. I bought a bunch of tools really real cheap. Like 20 bucks for tools (in one bunch) that would have cost over a couple hundred bucks if bought from the Strap On guy.

My start for tools back in the 70s was S&K. Then a a few Craftsman tools and lately Kobalt and Husky tools.... that have been on sale after the Christmas season.

[carbking]

I used to shop at Sears regularly when the nearest store was only 30 miles, now it is 60.

Jon.

[GTOLiam]

The Sears catalog was the Holy Grail when I grew up. Spent hours thumbing through it dreaming of everything I wanted to purchase.

Never did get that Cox .049 powered RC airplane....

[bluebandit]

Originally Posted by 'ol Pinion head

Miss my Radian wrench 3/8 ratchet. no gear teeth, unreal torque capacity, so smooth. After wrenching with that 3/8 socket wrench for near a decade, every 3/8 or 1/2" drive Crapsman ratchet I've ever used felt like it was from the Caveman era. Sears dropped the ball in that regard. Had a late 70's 1/4 drive fine tooth ratchet for many years, inthe late 90's, when Sears store quit handling the repair kit..

Keep a lookout for an Easco brand ratchet, they are no longer made either but was the manufacture of the Craftsman ratchets https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easco_Hand_Tools

[shawn e.]

Go Carts, Guns and the Lingerie section!

[GT182]

Anyone remember the old Sears catalogs? You were able to buy a house thru them for around 799.00 or so. A girlfriend's grandmother had and lived in one back in the late 60s. Her and her husband bought it from the catalog. As to what year that was I've no idea. I believe it's still standing to this day. When I go back up North next August I'll be driving right by it... and several more just like it. The town - Raymondville, NY on RT 56.

[Chief of the 60's]

Originally Posted by GT182

Anyone remember the old Sears catalogs? You were able to buy a house thru them for around 799.00 or so. A girlfriend's grandmother had and lived in one back in the late 60s. Her and her husband bought it from the catalog. As to what year that was I've no idea. I believe it's still standing to this day. When I go back up North next August I'll be driving right by it... and several more just like it. The town - Raymondville, NY on RT 56.

Nope, not me.

Originally Posted by Chief of the 60's

Same here. I was a mechanic at Sears Auto Center back in the 80's. They use to be one of the best places to work.

Sears techically was the originator to "on line" shopping. People couldn't wait for the newest Sears catalog. Some would have family gatherings over it. Hell, you could never buy a car or a house from WalMart. You could from Sears.

Sears going down the tubes unfortunately is by their own greedy hand and poor corporate management.

[Mr Anonymous]

Got 75 lbs of Mac tools for $1/lb. Love those estate sales!

Best yet...when to Home Depot for a putty knife. There was a huge top/bottom toolbox combo there that was north of two grand. Really heavy duty... The assistant saw me checking it out. Showed him the small dent in the bottom box. He called mgr. Gets off the phone and tells me $600 and I have to take it on the spot. "Load the bitch up.".

Got home...got the dent out before getting it out of the truck. Set it up. Wife comes and checks it out. Then sends me back to the store because I forgot the damn putty knife.

Sears couldn't warranty the broken 10mm socket I had. Didn't have one . Swore them off ten years ago.

[Old Goat 67]

To hell with the darn putty knife!

[jusjay]

At one time you could buy a car by Sears catalog. I believe they were Henry J?