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I don’t recommend it. I spent $2500 for the master tech starter set which was a good deal on paper because I saved almost 50% on tools, however half the tools are SAE or just plain useless or tools I could have just as easily cheaped out on. I’ve worked in a shop for more than a year now and I haven’t used the SAE stuff ONCE. The flare nut wrenches are SAE, not metric. You’re never gonna use SAE flare nut wrenches unless you’re working on motorcycles or planes. Same goes for the rest of the SAE stuff they throw in there. They gave me an expensive breaker bar set, but the sockets that came with it are SAE!! There’s just a few metric tools in the set which I use daily, but the rest of the “Master tech starter set” was a waste of money. I’m still trying to sell most of the SAE stuff on craigslist but no one will buy it (surprise surprise) or when I get offers they’re really low.
My advice, save your money and buy Craftsman stuff for now. It works just fine. You don’t need the fanciest tools right out of school. Spend your money on better things like beer and girls.
Quoted From ClicknClack:
I don’t recommend it. I spent $2500 for the master tech starter set which was a good deal on paper because I saved almost 50% on tools, however half the tools are SAE or just plain useless or tools I could have just as easily cheaped out on. I’ve worked in a shop for more than a year now and I haven’t used the SAE stuff ONCE. The flare nut wrenches are SAE, not metric. You’re never gonna use SAE flare nut wrenches unless you’re working on motorcycles or planes. Same goes for the rest of the SAE stuff they throw in there. They gave me an expensive breaker bar set, but the sockets that came with it are SAE!! There’s just a few metric tools in the set which I use daily, but the rest of the “Master tech starter set” was a waste of money. I’m still trying to sell most of the SAE stuff on craigslist but no one will buy it (surprise surprise) or when I get offers they’re really low.
My advice, save your money and buy Craftsman stuff for now. It works just fine. You don’t need the fanciest tools right out of school. Spend your money on better things like beer and girls.
I totally agree with part of what your saying, i did look at those sets and unless you get super super expensive ones the tools included in the kits are far and few between and to me it seemed like they just throw in whatever and here you are, for me being a heavy truck tech I talked to my other co-workers and came up with a list, I picked everything out myself so i got the stuff i actually needed and cut out the garb you don’t need with those so called kits. It took many hrs and i had 3-4 notebook pages filled up but in the end the only thing i wish i would have done was bought more.
Those deals on the fliers they give you when applying for the discount are a few of the tools and tool sets that they accept for the discount. Most of the tools Snap-On carries are included for the discounts. So with all the money I saved on tools I can buy beer, girls and more tools!
MAC, Cornwell, and MATCO have similar deals. I found Ingersoll Rand tools through a website called http://www.abc-tool.com I think that was it. IR for up to 60% off and it was legit. Lots of stuff had the high end discount. I *THINK* Sears does discounts through online only. Not sure. They might have stopped it, idk.
I say F Snap-On. They are over-priced luxury tools. You don’t need them. Further more, MAC, MATCO, Craftsman, Snap, and Blue-Point ALL have their sockets and I believe a few other tools made by DANAHER Corp. Can’t remember where I saw that. Cornwell has video on their website that shows how they make ALL of their own tools in their own facilities.
The only things I would considder from Snap is the ETHOS scan tool because NOTHING competes with it, and the VERUS I think is their top-of-the-line Diagnostic tool. Again, nothing really competes with it.
I want to work at GM though. They have the old Tech II and the new MDI (is that what it’s called?). Those tools are bad @$$
After I got my Snap-On tools I became in love, the tools felt way better in my hands and I like the tools they have. Also another plus for me is that there are lots of Snap-On trucks (more than any other brand) that come to business’s where I live so i can have my tools replaced and more than likely if i switch jobs down the road there will be a Snap-On truck that comes weekly. Everyone has their own personal preference, Snap-On tools have treated me well so that is why I buy them. But anyways moral of the story, if you are planning on being a tech I would consider going through a program whether it be Cornwell, Snap-On, Mac or Matco because you learn real quick when you buy quality tools they are very expensive, so why not save money on the same quality tools that you would have to buy regardless.
Wow. Brand choice aside, 18% is RAPE. They are not doing students any favors. At 18% your debt doubles every four years. So in 4 years you pay twice the price the tools cost. Of course they can give them to you for ‘1/2 price’.
It is bad enough students come out with student loans debt. Throw in another $6,000 doubling in 4 years to $12,000; and you have a guy busting hump just to get out of debt much less live or raise a family. If they wanted brand loyalty, they should charge a reasonable interest rate for their product.
I am sure Snap-On is not the only one to charge these rates, so not raining on your parade. Just hate to see people go into debt. Hell, one can get a good set of of Craftsman on sale for less then $400 and pay cash. When one gets their student loans paid off, go out and splurge on top end tools. Snap-On or whatever lifts your skirt. Just stay out of debt, especially when going to school.
/rant
Yes 18% is very steep, but I used the 90 days same as cash to my advantage. I did calculate the possibility of losing my job and the amount in my bank account. That is why I spent what I did, if you are smart about it, the program is great. I also have no student loans as I only have the education from my vocational school. So in my case I got my tools at 50% off and didn’t pay a penny of intrest, so this is why I was so happy with the program.
Quoted From TejasNW:
Wow. Brand choice aside, 18% is RAPE. They are not doing students any favors. At 18% your debt doubles every four years. So in 4 years you pay twice the price the tools cost. Of course they can give them to you for ‘1/2 price’.
It is bad enough students come out with student loans debt. Throw in another $6,000 doubling in 4 years to $12,000; and you have a guy busting hump just to get out of debt much less live or raise a family. If they wanted brand loyalty, they should charge a reasonable interest rate for their product.
I am sure Snap-On is not the only one to charge these rates, so not raining on your parade. Just hate to see people go into debt. Hell, one can get a good set of of Craftsman on sale for less then $400 and pay cash. When one gets their student loans paid off, go out and splurge on top end tools. Snap-On or whatever lifts your skirt. Just stay out of debt, especially when going to school.
/rant
+1. Great post.
This is a great thread. If anyone is still in High School (or anyone else who hasn’t gone to ‘Tech school yet), I recommend serving in the Military first. Get that new Post 9/11 G.I. Bill, and any “kicker” they will throw at you.
A former USMC guy I know in class drives an older Benz 0.1 Miles round trip from the fancy-pants Dorms, to the Diesel Campus every day. He’s on a FULL ride for tuition, books, tool and rent deposits, then, he uses his living expense checks to pay rent, buy food, gas, insurance, cell-phone, and has a substantial ammount left-over at the end of a pay period that he sticks in the bank, or blows. He buys the best Groceries from the most expensive place in town too. He told me when he finishes his 16 months of school (extra 4 months for an additional class), he will have bank-rolled almost $10K from his G.I. Bill alone. He thinks the “kicker” is going to put him over $15K but he’s not sure because he opted to get that as a lump-sum at graduation. On top of that, he works full-time. All-in-all, he’s going to leave school with $30K+ in the bank, whereas the rest of us are going to be broke and have $26,500 in tuition, plus the 10 years of interest at about 8%. He’s making out like a fat cat.
I wish I read the fine-print on my Discharge papers. I fucked myself out of a better deal than the Marine is getting. They woo’d me with things like: “Man, you’re gonna be sitting back home (sign here), chasing girls (sign here), drinking Margaritas (Innitial here), eating steaks (sign here), and living the life (Innitial here).”
When it was all said and done, I got screwed royally without any KY jelly, and they couldn’t even buy me a drink before they did it. I should be sitting here on a Government ride, bank-rolling $35 G’s or more.
Moral of the story: READ *EVERYTHING* you sign, kids.
I love my snap-on tools just like anyone else. I really, really do. I obtained my first set through my technical school and they were probably the nicest tools I’ve owned prior to that. I’m still not quite sure what I paid for them, but I figure for my starter set it couldn’t have been too much. Still, after spending a year with that basic set, I don’t feel like I need anymore then I have at the current moment.
Additionally, at my school they made it a point to mention that tantalizing 50% off discount which I don’t nessecarily agree with. On one hand it worked out in my case because throughout my course I lost a few sockets and a wrench which would’ve cost me double to replace. However, it does put a lot of unsuspecting students in that buyer’s mindset to puchase as many tools as they can while they have a deal they can’t pass up and I don’t normally agree with that. Not to mention that the snap-on dealer at the school approves everyone for Snap-On credit regardless of weather they can afford the tools or not, and I think that’s dirty on Snap-on’s behalf. Even with the 50% discount Snap-On tools can’t even touch the price of your everyday Craftsman, and if s Craftsman tool can tough it out even half as much as a Snap-On tool you’re still saving money.
Furthermore, I got a lot of advice from the instructors who’ve spent 15+ years in the field about purchasing tools, and they all agree that Snap-On makes a great tool, but there are just some cases where it’s impractical to spend that kind of money on tools. Of course everyone has their own brand preferences. One of the most expericenced instructors there (Who had 40+ years in the field) Used craftsman throughout his whole career, in part because as he said “I prefer to keep my money in my pocket instead of someone else’s”. I’m not saying you shouldn’t buy Snap-On, but for anyone else going into a technical school, spend your money wisely and don’t purchase what you can’t afford.
Having just finished up my 15 month course though, I’ve come to the realization that I just can’t afford Snap-On tools. All my money is soon going to be going to gas, paying bills, loans, and more loans so I’ll be taking the craftsman route and trying to find ways to stretch whatever budget I can come up with. Buy the best you can afford, but don’t buy it unless you need it.
Most of the stuff i got is craftsman, I’m very happy with their stuff.
I like that you can go get your replacement tools when ever you want too, don’t have to wait for the snap on truck to roll around.I am currently in a community college auto tech program. The instructors had both the Snap-on and Matco tool representatives come to class and explain the deals. I agree that some of the tools in the list you will not use very often. From what I understand by asking questions, you can mix and match the tools as long as they are in a designated list for the student tool program. I have a lot of tools at home and just took and inventory of all my tools, so I wouldn’t by tools that I already had or didn’t need. Some of the tools that you don’t use all that much can be purchased from a cheaper place and even if they break you can replace them twice before it costs more than a snap-on . Also, the program is a 2 year program and as long as you are enrolled you can get the discount. Some of my classmates wanted to by the tools right away with the financing. Being a lot older than most of them, I told them to wait and save the money then if they wanted to buy the tools they could. At least 5 people have dropped out of the program and it is only the first semester. After 2 years of school some of them might realize that auto tech is something they do not want to do and I’d hate to see them with a bill for tool financing not to mention a tuition bill. As a side note, you can really tell who is paying for the tuition out of pocket and who is paying for the classes with a student loan or with mommy and daddy’s money. Why would you go to school if you don’t give it a 100%. I’m trying to impress my instructors, not pissss them off. What if I need to find a job, do you think they are
going to help me out if I’m goofing off all the time. Do us all a favor and just leave. They don’t leave because daddy has a garage and they have a job waiting for them. Too bad when you work there for a while everybody will think the boss’s son is a complete idiot.Our tech college here is partners with Snap On so the shop is full of tools and you get to try out new stuff before it hits the market.
My Grandpa worked at the Snap On plant till he had to retire because of cancer. Snap On made metal toy truck a long ago and I still have them a long with really nice clocks with a variety of women on them. I also have plenty of really old Snap On patches.
I bought a large order from Mac in cash, then got my big box and impact sockets and several wrenches and hand-tools from Snap-on credit. All of these were discounted 50-60 percent through my school. I also have some Matco stuff that my uncle gave me. The only thing i favor is the Snap-on ratchets over every other ones I have personally used. There is a good mix of Craftsman in my box as well. I ran thru the whole credit thing with my tool guy, and even if I take the full 4 years to pay off the account (which I won’t), it’s still saving me $4000. So, it was worth it to me. I don’t have a car payment, so I figured I could handle a tool account. I haven’t had to give anything up to keep my stuff. I’m 15 years out of high school though, and have a good bit of life experience. I have also been working on cars for over 20 years, so I know that it’s what I’m going to keep doing. My biggest fear is for guys/gals coming right out of high school, and thinking they really want to be a mechanic. Then, they sign the line on a big loan for tools, and discover it’s not what they want to do with their life. Now, they are double in debt for a career they don’t want via school loans and the tool truck. So, all in all, if you decide to take the credit splash, just think long and hard about it. Talk to yer folks, they have prolly dealt with debt for awhile now, especially in this economy. Ideally, you can find at least a part time job in a shop so you know what it’s like before you make the commitment to a big loan. I have auto shop experience and industrial tire experience, so I know how it goes in those kind of environments. It wasn’t a big deal to me to take this on.
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