Coopz

Opinions please, if not what's a suitable alternative ?

misty

Teng! Britool! Draper! How often do you use them? I served my time as a motor mechanic in the early seventies.I'm still using the same tools today!!! I bought stahwile though which were quite expensive then. Like a lot of things in life the more you pay the better the stuff.
dave

Buzzer

No they're not !

Komatsu make tools for snap on and are less than half the price

Snap-on have huge overheads through franchise and advertising. They're a good tool but you pay way to much for them.

I have a socket set made by Komatsu. Twenty two years old, used by three families and has done 3 years in plant / diesel maintenance fitting

Phil

Unless your in the Trade Snap On are just Toooo expensive IMHO

Saying that I have a Cordless Impact Driver and that is an excellent bit of Kit

simo

I sell Teng tools at work and they are covered by the life time guarentee so if they break they get replaced / repaired foc. Never had a warrenty claim rejected, not that to many break but they even replace the allen key sockets if they snap. Good price as well not the £1.00+ per mm snap on charge for a socket

I think the main advantage snap on sell on is that the mechanics can pay £'s each week over so many months to get their tools so each week the van turns up and collects some of their weekly cash. Other than that go for an other make

simon

Kevin Groat

Snap on's nice to look at but you pay dearly for the name.
As a time served mech tech I'd say no they aren't. I've had more or less the same toolkit in my garage for the last 20 years and it's mostly Draper/Kamasa with the odd Britool spanner/socket. My Kamasa socket set is over 20 yrs old and largely intact although the rachet has been replaced with a Britool or King Dick as the Kamasa ratchet was too fine and would rachet back under it's own weight. Most of my spanners/sockets have seen pretty serious 4lb lump hammer and 4 foot scaffold pipe action and I've never bust one yet. I'd probably go after Draper if I were replacing.
Only socket I remember breaking was about 2 1/2" AF and we'd welded a 3 foot pipe to it and fastened a 10 ton chain pull to the other end........

jjones

halfords pro has lifetime guarantee - other than the ratchet mech which you can buy seperately. but be careful what you buy as most of their sets use 12 pointed sockets which i am not a fan of.

mj

Faccom,bahco,britool,Stahlwille,King Dick - all as good if not better IMHO. The lads in the garage next to me spend a feckin fortune on snap on gear, seems silly to me when there are just as good alternatives for considerably less money.

must be a name thing for grease monkeys

Spoon

That's a no then?

mj

Stahlwille let you know

Spoon

I suppose King Dick told him did he?

gsm1

Never tried King Dick, don't intend to either!

With Snap-On you pay for the vans and the franchise costs. Plenty of choice out there, I'd go for Kamasa.

Spoon

No, you'll find that's Píssys' domain.

Coopz

Cheers guys - they're not for me but a last minute christmas present for my boyf.

I'll have a look at the suggested others then as the general opinion on here seems to be not worth the extra dosh.

Thanks

mj

what particular tools is he after - his he a mechanic?

Coopz

No - well not by trade. He tinkers around with his car and i just thought they seemed like a nice present for him, the sort of thing you'd not really buy for yourself but would like!

mj

as someone said earlier, halfords proffesional socket sets are good value, and teng make some quite good sets.

not sure how this will come out...

Mecca Rosso ½" Drive Socket Set - MR1272
72 piece socket set containing 16 6 or 12 point sockets ½" drive, 11 6 point sockets ¼" drive, coupler adaptor, 3/8"-½" adaptor, 1/2" universal joint, 4", 5" and 10" extension bars, flex head adaptor, 1/4" and 1/2" drive fibre reinforced ratchet handles, three hex keys and 33 bits.
Supplied in plastic case with click lock and folding handle. Tool mat in the case lid. The underside of the case is fitted with rubber feet to prevent it from sliding.
Stock no. (MR1272)(MR1272-6)Socket type 12 point6 pointPackQty11Price£
123.00
123.00MR127272 piece 1/4" and 1/2" drive Metric Combi Drive SetMR1272-6(450x230x55mm, 4.3 kilos)Accessories1/4" drive FRP ratchet, 4" extension, coupler adaptor,
bi-flex wrench, 1.5, 2, 2.5mm hex keysAccessories1/2" drive FRP ratchet, 5" & 10" extensions,
universal joint, 3/8"F:1/2"M T-bar
adaptor, flex head adaptorRegular sockets1/4" drive6 point 4, 5, 5.5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13mmRegular sockets1/2" drive6 or 12 point 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17,
18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 27mmBits1/4" hex TX8, TX10, TX15, TX20, TX25, TX27, TX30,
TX40, 3mm hex, 4mm hex, 5mm hex,
6mm hex, 8mm hex, 10mm hex,
1/8" hex, 9/64" hex, 5/32" hex,
3/16" hex, 7/32" hex, ¼" hex, 3/8" hex,
no 5 & 6 spline
PH0, PH1, PH2, PH3, PZ1, PZ2, PZ3,
4mm flat, 5.5mm flat, 7mm flat

CrisPDuk

I've had Teng 1/2" & 3/8" MR sets for over 15 years now, and apart from a bit of discolouration where they've been rained on, they're as good as the day I bought them and I do KNOW how to abuse tools even the plastic hinges on the cases haven't split yet.

Most of my spanners are now Halfords Pro, with the odd Britool ones for good measure, and their side cutters & pliers are the best I've used.

Simon C

I've got a set of Halfords pro Rachet ring spanners, and they really are good, they've been hit with a mallet to free rusted bolts, the rachets in the 10 - 12 mm are a little weak for tight nuts but I think mines sticking because of a bit of grit in the mech, other than that no problems to report. My socket set is a Draper job, got it 1/2 price in a sale 5 years a go and have been put through hell and still going strong, no broken bits or snapped shafts.

fatscoobyfella

As a tech i have built up my tools over many years,my stuff is mainly Snap on and facom..Odd bit of Klann stuff in there too...
Its an old debate about Snap on being expensive...there is no doubt about it,it is!!But you are getting a nice piece of Kit...One thing you cant say about snap on is.."its was expensive but it feels crap"..
They do a budget section within the vans..Snap on euro and Blue point,that are competively priced to all other tools..In fact i reckon that Snap on as a company has had to cut prices to stay competitive..

To summarise..i think it would be a good present to buy somone..It shows you have gone for the best quality..

Its like when buyin jewellery as a present....nobody wants to see Elizabeth Duke on the box!!

Just my 2p worth

simo

for yr local teng stockist see http://www.tengtools.co.uk

pugoetru

I have snapped more snap on tools than any other make.....

ok they get replaced but so do many others

its just a name thing

the only snap on tool i have which i use regularly is the ratchet screwdriver

facom ratchets much beter than snap on

scoobyjimbo

Dont get me wrong snap on are superb tools, but too expensive for non garage/prof. usage.. I have a few snap on tools and i use them lots and they last. but the tools i dont use much are middle of the road ones.. that last but dont cost the earth.
unless you have endless amounts of cash, then save your money and dont get snap on
J

Billgtt

I've got a 6 foot Snap on tool box full of Snap on tools that my dad bought about 20 odd years ago. I've never had a problem with any of them but yes, they are over priced imo. If I need any tools now I usually buy the Halfords pro range. Cheap, lifetime gaurantee, and i've never had a problem with them either

jamin

The Snap-On screwdriver Norris Designs left in my Pulsar is priceless...any takers?

mj

as said above, the only snap on tool I have come across that could be considered worth the money IMO is the ratchet screwdriver. The new range have a soft grip handle and interchangeable shafts. Cost me £45, but considering there's a lifetime guarantee it has to be worth it. Don't waste money on snap on driver bits though, and with a 1/4" HEX to 1/4" sqaure adapter the world of undooing/tightening things is your oyster

look in any mechanics toolbox and there will be a snap on ratchet screwdriver

scoobyboy

must say i do prefer snap on stuff to any other make, i got loads of stuff from facom and premier and others that have been mentioned but when you use snap on stuff it feels better and when it's your living i want to know that the socket won't break when the going gets tough. personally not a fan of draper it feels cheap and looks cheap to me but then thats personal choice. if i could afford it it would be snap on all the way.

CustomScoobyIOM

Halfords Pro gear, Some Clarke Pro gear and Snap On I use.

All comes with lifetime warranty and are top notch stuff

richieh

got a couple of snap on bits and they are good if expensive
got an old(35 years) draper set so they last- sold by a lot of motors factors so discounts to be had, not that pretty if that matters tho
got a fair bit of the halfords pro gear and its very good -only broke the 1/4 in ratchet by using it on a 17mm nut with a 3 foot bar
for non/semi-pro use id get one of these
http://www.halfords.com/opd_product_...&type=0&cat=68
and a set of impact sockets for when serious abuse is needed
richie

4X4BOB

When I was in the motor trade (left 10 yrs ago) SNAP ON is all I would buy 'cos I knew I could rely on them 100%
When that awkard nut/bolt HAD to come off, it was the SNAP ON tools that did it.
Many other mechanics would buy cheaper stuff, but when the going got tough, they came running - "can I borow your 12mm flank drive plus spanner pleeeeeeeeeeeease?" etc etc

Yes, you can buy cheaper, and still have very good quality tools that most DIYers (and some Pro's) will be totally happy with. But if you want the best, then its SNAP ON.

In a way iys like watches, some insist Rolex / Breitling / Omega etc are the ones to buy 'cos they're the best. But the £50 Accurist on my wrist ALWAYS tells me the correct time. (although I do quite fancy a Breitling )


Bob

EDIT TO ADD: Never had a SNAP ON tool 'snap' on me. If one does snap, then in 99% of cases its the wrong tool being used for the job. eg: I don't use a screwdriver as a pry bar, some peeps do!