Need new tools. What is an affordable but decent brand?

[NateSVT]

I'm sick of having POS tools that break all the time and I want to buy a decent tool set for working on my cars. I would like to spend under $300. What do you guys recommend?


Are any of these decent?


http://www.harborfreight.com/profess...kit-45951.html

http://www.craftsman.com/shc/s/p_101...1&blockType=L1

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...3&blockType=G3

http://www.lowes.com/pd_338518-22328...d|1&facetInfo=

[Sonic03snake]

I like Craftsman an SK tools. Look on craigslist, some of the older stuff is better and still has a lifetime warranty.

[speedracer]

I like Craftsman an SK tools. Look on craigslist, some of the older stuff is better and still has a lifetime warranty.

Craftsman ratchets and sockets just plain suck, The stuff Autozone sells (duralast) is WAY better than anything you can get at sears.

[Terminated]

The Kobalt stuff seems pretty nice. As far as ratchets go, the GearWrench stuff at Advance is pretty nice stuff, then just find some Craftsman sockets to go with.

[scott5]

ratchets, screwdrivers, wrenches and sockets i never buy anything other than snap-on. Pliers and such i get channel-locks or kobalt.. Kobalt tool box are the only boxes i buy cause snap-on is too expensive.

[scott5]

But out of what you listed, i would go with the kobalt stuff

[Sonic03snake]

Craftsman ratchets and sockets just plain suck, The stuff Autozone sells (duralast) is WAY better than anything you can get at sears.

Their old ones are nice, I have had some for 20 years. I do not care for the new ratchets from craftsman.

Be sure to budget for the gear wrenches, those are the best invention ever!!

[no1sirbutler]

Kobalt is not bad at all....Keep in mind almost all the ratchet wrenches are Gearwrench. I have mostly Snap on and Kobalt myself

[speedracer]

Kobalt is not bad at all....Keep in mind almost all the ratchet wrenches are Gearwrench. I have mostly Snap on and Kobalt myself

I have been spoiled by the 80 tooth Snap-on ratchets... it's all I own any more. But if I was limited to best bang for the buck I'd get Duralast stuff, I have yet to break one of their sockets in 6 years to about 25 craftsman sockets.

[Ares]

Anything from Harbor Freight is garbage. You may find something decent but a good bit of it is really really bad Chinese crap.

I like some of the Kobalt stuff. The Duralast stuff I have found to be nice. Craftsman I like but I get picky with ratchets as some feel odd or don't work smoothly. Plus not a fan of some of their newer box end wrenches.

[no1sirbutler]

Harbor Freight is only good for that one time use tool. If your gonna use it a lot spend a lil more on the tools.

[cwh19]

Ive bought a couple things from harbor freight and nothing has broken so far. I know they will break eventually but so far so good. I use the ratchet wrenches and pliers from there on a weekly basis. Most of my tools are craftsman and kobalt mixed, however. Some of the newer craftsman ratches are crap though. They just arent comfortable to use. I have a set of the smoother ones though and they seem pretty nice.

[blizzard]

Be sure to budget for the gear wrenches, those are the best invention ever!!

i'm a much calmer mechanic with these

[blizzard]

Ive bought a couple things from harbor freight and nothing has broken so far.

lolz, i got a chain wrench there, chain broke as soon as i applied force

[somethingclever]

I like Craftsman becuase it's made in the USA, has a lifetime replacement warranty, Sears stores are readily available, and the price is reasonable.

Bang for the buck is Craftsman IMO for automotive grade.

[speedracer]

A quick look through my toolbox this morning and the only broken tools came from sears... The impact universal has been replaced with a snap-on so I'll probably get the Craftsman replaced and donate it to charity lol. My last sockets that are Craftsman are 1/2" 12 points and they are going to go soon.
Ok I'll give Craftsman some credit now, I do like their professional wrenches.

[somethingclever]

Greg,

Are you a heavy equipment welder only, or mechanic too?

Aka...do your tools see daily use with 600-900ft-lb air guns on mining equipment, or did those tools get that beatup from working on your Fords in your home garage? (Fords never need work so I don't see how this could be possible.)

I've been "turning wrenches" with Craftsman tools for 15 yrs at a hobbiest level and don't have a socket that looks as beat-up as yours. The majority of these tools were my fathers that are 35yrs old, although he used them much more infrequently than I.

Not to say I haven't broke a Craftsman socket here and there...usually under situations where I have a 2ft breaker bar and a 3ft pipe and a std. (non-impact) socket.

Overall, for a hobbyist level tool, I have been very pleased with the craftsman stuff. If I used primarily impact/air guns everytime (daily?) I took a bolt out or put one in, then I would consider purchasing high-end 6pt sockets...

[speedracer]

I'm both a welder and mechanic, as far as name brand sockets go craftsman are the worst by a large margin... Now I'm sure I abuse my tools way more than most but I work in the middle of nowhere and when Im trying to get a part off and my tools break I'm dead in the water... Like I said I've been screwed by craftsman's poor quality for the last time. I don't care where Duralst tools are made they are better and I use them here.

[lib88stang]

I have alot of Craftsman tools, and i have replaced alot of rachets and a few sockets and gear wrenches, but i dont mind because Sears is ten mins away and they ask no questions.

[speedracer]

This is a picture from my job site... Not a sears anywhere