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Here is my question of the day. I understand that Snap On and Mac and Matco all have great tools, But why is it that all the techs I hire straight out of school feel it is so important to have the most expensive stuff just starting out???? There are lots of tool companies out there that make good stuff.
I have one young guy that I hired a few weeks ago and every week he hands over 2/3 of his check to the snap on guy to pay for a tool chest and a bunch of hand tools . Maybe I’m lost or something !!! Does having a $8000.00 tool chest make you a better tech? Does it hold your tools better than my Harbor Freight Chest? Does the $4000.00 in hand tools he owes on get the job done better then my Craftsman stuff? Once again I understand Snap on makes some nice stuff . But to me I don’t think the niceness justifies the price. I look at every new tech I hire as one of my sons and I try to help them any way I can, But when I say something about them needing to be budget conscious they say I don’t understand. I have been in this business for 15 years and I have made great money doing what I love. But I can’t justify spending that kind of money . Can some one please tell me what I am missing?
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Who knows. I do have a snap on box. Bought used for cash. 3 grand. Retail price online is 7900. I also own quite a few snap on hand tools. I own hardly any snap on sockets. They’re all mostly harbor freight/northern tool impact sockets. I love snap on ratchets though. There’s no comparison there. What kills me is brand new techs who have all the latest and greatest battery powered impacts and stuff, yet they don’t own bolt extractors, drill bits, stuff like that. I just stopped offering advice. To each his own i’ve decided. Some guys want a nice huge tool box and some people like a brand new range rover. I just quit worrying about how people spend their money.
I’m attending automotive school this fall. I’ve saved up for a long time to cover tuition and living expenses for the entire duration for the program just so I’ll be debt free when I’m done.
Why would I go through all this to be debt free only to jump on another debt train as soon as I’m done?
Tool trucks have nice tools for sure, but I’m sticking with HF and Sears for starting out.Just my views on it.
you are right. the spend thousands on shiny fancy stuff and yet they don’t have simple things they really need. I just hate seeing these young guys fall prey to the status quo
Yeah and Harbor Freight does have a lifetime warranty on its tools just like Craftsman/Snap-on/Matco/etc..
Some people think the most expensive things are always better.
I needed a 1′ wrench with a offset, So I heated one up and bent it to the shape I needed instead of buying a special one.Yes they do. now not all harbor freight stuff is that great but there pro line seems to work pretty good, Also just like my craftsman stuff if something breaks I don’t have to deal with the tool truck guy to show up and give me a hassle about replacing the tool. I can just go down the road to sears or harbor freight and swap it no questions ask.
[quote=”bustedbolts” post=88968]now that sounds like a smart plan.[/quote]It’s real nice to hear that from someone already in the business!!
Lately all I’ve been reading on other forums is bitching and moaning about how awful the industry is and how anyone wanting to get into it is insane. I hear WAY more negative things about the profession than positive. It makes me wonder why because all I read is “IT SUCKS DON’T DO IT” but there’s never any explanation to why they think so.
Joni, Listen your going to have negative people in every profession. This can be a very rewarding and challenging career. If you don’t mind let me pass on a couple things I have learned. First don’t let others get you down try to stay positive. Your mood will effect the type work you do. By that I mean if your in a bad mood your more likely to mess up a repair. So stay happy. 2nd save as much money as you can so you can retire one day. When you buy tool and equipment shop around …. Do your research and find the best deal you can. Don’t fall prey to the tool truck hype. If people you work with give you crap about your tools just remember your plan and save save save…. Now I am not saying you can never buy from Snap on Or Matco Or Mac … I am saying be smart about what you buy and how much it cost. you are going to have good days and bad days just don’t let the bad ones get you down. Belive in yourself and your training and you will be fine.
[quote=”bustedbolts” post=88982]Joni, Listen your going to have negative people in every profession. This can be a very rewarding and challenging career. If you don’t mind let me pass on a couple things I have learned. First don’t let others get you down try to stay positive. Your mood will effect the type work you do. By that I mean if your in a bad mood your more likely to mess up a repair. So stay happy. 2nd save as much money as you can so you can retire one day. When you buy tool and equipment shop around …. Do your research and find the best deal you can. Don’t fall prey to the tool truck hype. If people you work with give you crap about your tools just remember your plan and save save save…. Now I am not saying you can never buy from Snap on Or Matco Or Mac … I am saying be smart about what you buy and how much it cost. you are going to have good days and bad days just don’t let the bad ones get you down. Belive in yourself and your training and you will be fine.[/quote]Quite the opposite, I very much appreciate your tips and knowledge!!
[quote=”joni” post=88981][quote=”bustedbolts” post=88968]now that sounds like a smart plan.[/quote]It’s real nice to hear that from someone already in the business!!
Lately all I’ve been reading on other forums is bitching and moaning about how awful the industry is and how anyone wanting to get into it is insane. I hear WAY more negative things about the profession than positive. It makes me wonder why because all I read is “IT SUCKS DON’T DO IT” but there’s never any explanation to why they think so.[/quote]
which forum? flat rate tech? ok… you want to know explanation
negative part of our trade:
1. few greedy owners who will not hesitate to lie and cheat to both customer and their workers…just to make few extra coin for themselves.
2. shops with no equipment expect techs to work in that condition and pay more money to us to buy own equipment out of frustration…
3. either hourly or flat rate: greedy upper management to cheat techs to make coins…
4 . tools and tools.
5. book time: it’s not bible…only starting point of repair.
6. repair someone else’s problem due to half-a%^ repair.
7. you know more you make lesspositive of our trade:
1. need to stay fresh to be on top of our game
2. strong character after few years in trade.
3. chance to specializer in repair.
4. some of those old school techs share their wisdom.that’s all i can think of right now.
[quote=”kevk62″ post=89142][quote=”joni” post=88981][quote=”bustedbolts” post=88968]now that sounds like a smart plan.[/quote]It’s real nice to hear that from someone already in the business!!
Lately all I’ve been reading on other forums is bitching and moaning about how awful the industry is and how anyone wanting to get into it is insane. I hear WAY more negative things about the profession than positive. It makes me wonder why because all I read is “IT SUCKS DON’T DO IT” but there’s never any explanation to why they think so.[/quote]
which forum? flat rate tech? ok… you want to know explanation
negative part of our trade:
1. few greedy owners who will not hesitate to lie and cheat to both customer and their workers…just to make few extra coin for themselves.
2. shops with no equipment expect techs to work in that condition and pay more money to us to buy own equipment out of frustration…
3. either hourly or flat rate: greedy upper management to cheat techs to make coins…
4 . tools and tools.
5. book time: it’s not bible…only starting point of repair.
6. repair someone else’s problem due to half-a%^ repair.
7. you know more you make lesspositive of our trade:
1. need to stay fresh to be on top of our game
2. strong character after few years in trade.
3. chance to specializer in repair.
4. some of those old school techs share their wisdom.that’s all i can think of right now.[/quote]
It is true but I hope those people are few and far between.
I can attest that I was one of those New kids fresh out of school with all the hopes and dreams of having the gigantic snap on box with all the shiney tools. But As I worked in the industry more and more I saw lots of techs with huge snap on boxes and ones with old craftsman boxes and I learned that the difference was not in the box or the tools, but it was the Tech. Once I figured that part out I stopped the crazy buying of tools that I had gotten into. I bought what I needed when I needed it. That was it.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that some people like Joni are going into this with the right mindset and knowing ahead of time that it’s a trap. But others, they just have to learn it the hard way. Sometimes the best way is to see someone with all those new tools and huge box fail to fix a car, then have someone with old tools and a rusty box end up solving the problem.
Once they see that it’s what’s in their head that counts for more than whats in their hand. It might open their eyes.IF YOU OWN Snap ON you are a master tech immediately. Period end of discussion, new topic. *sarcasm*
I have a new tech that just started in our shop. He has two large snap on rolling carts, and a main snap on box. He owes (so hes told me, as if debt was something to brag about) 24K in boxes and tools. He’s been in the industry since ’11.
Me on the other hand, I own Craftsman tool boxes, I have a lot of Snap On and Craftsman tools with a good portion of NAPA professional and some harbor freight stuff. My total tool debt is about 140 bucks. My Snap On guy is ordering me the rubber boot to fit over my 3/8 electric impact gun.
Hands down, the Snap On ratchets are the best in the industry. When I am under a D3 that is puking water, oil, mud and whatever else having that sealed head ratchet is the best. The Snap On wrenches are terrible for hydraulic work. That nice chrome polish makes them too slick, but my craftsman are just fine.
Snap on gives a 50% discount to students if you register with them through your school. At least that’s how it is at mine.
Wow I don’t even have 24K in tools and I’ve been buying tools since 2005. I also have a craftsman box but I do have a lot of Snap On tools but at this point and time I owe nothing. I buy what I need and I pay it off. Would be nice to have box that’s 10k and shiny and big but to me its not worth the 10k . Rather spend it on something more worth it. Like redoing my bathroom.
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