Tool set/socket set advice

[306Puggy]

Dude, they are CR-V.

[Niall]

Dude, they are CR-V.

So? Just because they are made from CR-V Doesn't mean they will be any good. Don't forget things like the ratchet heads won't be and that will be what fails and i can almost bet for that money, your nice german 3 year guarantee does not cover moving parts. Even the halfords one doesn't (although lucky for us, most halfords staff are too stupid to realise this.

You do only get what you pay for. Why do you think every mechanic uses snap on or blue point or similar? A snap on set like your £40 Aldi set would cost 5 times that for a reason. Its well built, very fine ratchets (makes more of a difference than you might think!) and if it does break, its all replaced.
Ive got a snap on flex head ratchet thats older than me and the head has just started to cause issues. This is being replaced for me next time i bump into the local snap on man no quibbles. Cant argue that service!

[WiNgNuTz]

Tbh, i use the Aldi/Workzone stuff fairly regularly, but i always keep in mind that they are cheaper than your average, so dont like to do anything too strenuous with them. I have access to a decent array of tools if i need them, but more often than not, the cheap kit is sufficient. Wouldn't swear by them though.

[Jtrigga]

I think the best use for this set is to kept in the car the amount of times I've saved myself and friends with a cheap set in the car. But for doing a big job and regular use I wouldn't recommend a cheap set like this.

[puglove]

That set does look cheap a tacky tbh. With them easy brake sockets lol. Your never going to get a decent kit of that size for sub £100 But its better than nothinf if its all you can affors

[Toms306]

You don't always get what you pay for tbh. I bet snap-on/Halfords have a much higher profit percentage than the cheaper tools brands.....or they wouldn't be able to reduce them so often and make lifetime guarantees.

I have a 'Phaze' cheap socket set, cost about £15 iirc from Halfords, bought just to keep in the car as it's small and light......but I use it for most jobs tbh!! Previous one I had for 3 years before I finally broke one piece - the reducer for smaller sockets, but then again I was removing brake caliper bolts lol. Bought another set in the sale for a tenner and haven't broken anything in that one for over a year now....

I do have a Halfords pro kit as well, but only really use it for heavy suspension work or similar.

[Rippthrough]

Dude, they are CR-V.

That just denotes a class of steels, they could be anything.

And tolerance and design makes more difference than what they are made from.

[budd]

Unless you’re prepared to spend a lot of money in one go you can’t buy a decent tool kit, generally a proper tool kit is amassed over years and years, That said a cheap Aldi / Halfrauds kit is as good a place as any to start (everyone most start somewhere), once you’ve bought your basic kit you need somewhere to put it, IMHO a tool box is vital, the best tools in the world are no good if you can’t find them, my Snap-on top box is over 30 years old and is one of the best buys I’ve ever made, now I wouldn’t suggest you need to go out and buy Snap-on, for the professional yes but even for a keen DIY'er it’s overkill and that goes for the hand tools to, without doubt the premium brands like Snap-on, Britool, Beta etc make some of the best quality tools available, you only have to use say a Snap-on 3/8th ratchet to see and feel where the money goes but unless you are using them daily they aren’t worth it.
Since I stopped working on cars for a living I stopped buying expensive pro spec tools, and I have to say Halfauds Pro range, Clarke and Sealey make decent quality, good value tools which if bought as required over a period of time will make a fine tools kit, so a cheap basic kit, a tool box and (because your working on French cars you’ll definitely need a 16mm socket and combi spanner which almost certainly won’t be included in your starter tool kit, and as said in previous posts simply buy tools as required and gradually build up your kit, also watch out for special offers , sales etc motor factors often have ‘sale ‘ bins that can be worth a look, another good source of cheap tools is a car boot sale you often find decent gear for give away prices.
Quick word of warning re life time guarantees, it goes without saying premium companies like Snap-on, Britool, Beta, Facom etc will replace almost anything that breaks in normal use with no moaning or quibbles that’s partly where your money is going in the original price, but some of the mid level suppliers despite quoting a lifetime warranty have some exclusions e.g. I recently returned a 10mm rachet end combi to Halfaud, only to be told the moving parts ie the ratchet mechanism wasn’t covered, after a bit of moaning on my part they agreed as a show of good faith to replace it but said that the small print on the warranty specifically excluded moving parts and therefore they didn’t have to replace it, on the same day I returned a Clarke long handled 3/8th ratchet to Machine Mart and they replaced it without question so maybe all life time warrantees aren’t created equal.

[Piggy]

Snap-On is for fools who want a badge.

Like buying a Passat or A4 over an Octavia....its about the badge.

[Frosty]

Snap-On is for fools who want a badge.

Like buying a Passat or A4 over an Octavia....its about the badge.

I wouldn't say snap on is for fools! Yes it is pretty expensive but if its getting used every day it's worth spending the bit extra to have the quality and the warranty that the dealer doesn't question and just replaces when required.

I have a fair bit of snap on gear but there is a lot of bits I wouldn't bother buying off them like I've got a set of Bergen impact sockets that have been used and abused day in day out for 6 years and I haven't broken 1 and there only set me back £30

[Rippthrough]

My basic Cresent stuff has taken all sorts of abuse and it was £60 for the kit at the time, lifetime guarantee (and they've even replaced sockets I've lost, not broken, how many snap on dealers will do that?!).
The spanners, sockets, and ratchets are all as good as the Snap on stuff we have, although the pliers and screwdriver bits are a bit soft.
Although you have to be careful which you choose, as some of the sets they sell are crap stuff aimed at plumbers and DIYers, etc.

[Frosty]

You are obviously very lucky that you get sockets you have lost replaced. No snap on dealers would do that or any other tool companies I can think of

[Rippthrough]

Neither can I, but it has meant I've added to my collection of their stuff over the years, so it worked out okay for 'em

[budd]

no company will have a policy of replacing 'lost' items, it’s almost certainly just a method of rewarding and encouraging repeat custom, sounds like it works, other than the odd sticker Snap-on give very little away, but despite this and their undoubtedly high cost Snap-on still represents excellent value to the pro mechanic, about 30 yrs ago when I was just an apprentice I bought a Sykes Pickavant socket set from Brown Brothers (SP tools are med range tools generally sold through motor factors) at the time I was well impressed with it but after around 6 weeks the ratchet mech on the 3/8th failed, Brown Brothers replaced it no problem then after another 6 wks it failed again and was replaced again and so it went on after aprox 6 weeks it would fail and be replaced, in the end I bought a Snap-on 3/8 ratchet which cost nearly has much as the whole SP socket set cost and I still have that ratchet today it’s had a couple of services (free from your friendly Snap-on man) and is still in almost perfect condition, I’m pretty sure when I pass on my tools to my son (when he’s old enough) that this ratchet along with all my other Snap-on tools will give another lifetimes service.
It’s like the difference between a Timex and a Brietling watch both tell the time but one is a privilege to own.

[Rippthrough]

I've not been convinced with any of the Snap on stuff of late, the quality has been going downhill for years. The old set of original Flank drive spanners we have are far tighter fitting than the few more recent ones for odd sizes we have. Certainly don't believe they're worth the money any more, there's better out there for the same or less these days.

[budd]

I've not been convinced with any of the Snap on stuff of late, the quality has been going downhill for years. The old set of original Flank drive spanners we have are far tighter fitting than the few more recent ones for odd sizes we have. Certainly don't believe they're worth the money any more, there's better out there for the same or less these days.

quite possibly true and I will admit to not having bought snap-on for many many years, they replaced a 9mm combi I broke last year and it seems OK but that's the extent of my involvement with them. Since I’m now I’m not on the spanners full time and more of a DIY mechanic I can’t justify the costs involved buying Snap-on and as you say there are some excellent products out there these days, I still enjoy using the ½” and 3/8” ratchets though