> For one, I tend to buy cheap everything in one box for under $60 sets
> to carry as "oh shit kits" in my car. If it gets ripped off, I'm not
> out any real money. On the other hand, the tools will usually last
> long enough to effect a side of the road repair, and I don't have to
> worry about whether my cars are in my garage, my MG, my Van ...
Definitely. I've even found some of these cheapo kits to have fairly
decent tools. I also drag one of these along when I go to a salvage
yard. Nearly everything I could need in a small package, and if I lose
some tools, or someone borrows one and doesn't bring it back, it's not a
big deal.
> Another time that it's OK to buy cheap tools is when Sears is having
> a particularly good sale on craftsman. Back in college, I used a
> friends snap-on tools and was instantly spoiled by them. Craftsman may
Agreed as well. I recently filled in some gaps in my tool collection
during a sale. It was a significant discount off the regular price on
some wrench and screwdriver sets.
> Another time that it's OK to get cheap tools is when you are only
> going to use an expensive tool about once a year (like an engine
> hoist) rather than every week. In that case, you can probably get by
> with the $200 hoist rather than the $800 hoist. If you are a
> professional and use the tool a lot, then invest in one that'll last,
> but if you're only going to use it 6 times in the course of owning it,
> you'd be better to spend the difference on better tools that you use
> every day.
Or even if the quality tool isn't terribly expensive. One of the local
big-box auto parts places carries a large selection of budget tools.
When it comes to something like a shock nut wrench, the $6 tool they
have serves my purposes nicely. Yeah, I could spend several times that
amount on a Snap-On, but it's a tool I'll maybe use once every few
years. I'll put that money into getting better quality on a tool I use
frequently.
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