Your 200 Dollar Tool Kit

[Draw7Seven]

So you have a shop full of the best car tools in the world and one day you step inside and it's all gone. Now you've got 200 bucks to buy yourself the most versatile and dependable collection of tools that you can for just about any DIY job on your EP3.

What do you buy? Prove that you kept it below 200 by using links.

[EP3tuner410]

Just go to Sears and pick up Craftsmen tools...

They have starter kits with almost everything you need for reasonable prices.

I made the mistake of buying almost 100% Snap On, Mac, Etc... tools that work perfectly but cost an arm and a leg.

By the way Craftsmen tools are warrantied the same as all the big time tool dealers!

Check this out....$199.99

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00936260000P?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1&adCell=W1

You even get a small storage box.

Nothing great but enough to get most of your basic jobs done!

[Paul 631]

The craftsman warranty ended years ago, now it's only their tools with no moving parts that have the lifetime warranty... that set still is a fairly good deal for the $.

[talonXracer]

Go to Lowes and get a set of Kobalt tools

http://www.lowes.com/pd_266602-1074-23088_0_?masthead=true&selectedLocalStoreBeanArray=[com.lowes.commerce.storelocator.beans.LocatorStore Bean%4020e1f5c7%2C+com.lowes.commerce.storelocator .beans.LocatorStoreBean%4028e8f5c7%2C+com.lowes.co mmerce.storelocator.beans.LocatorStoreBean%402888f 5c7%2C+com.lowes.commerce.storelocator.beans.Locat orStoreBean%405d0b35c7%2C+com.lowes.commerce.store locator.beans.LocatorStoreBean%405d2b35c7]&langId=-1&Ntt=266602&URL=TopCategoriesDisplayView&N=0&firstReferURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lowes.com%2Fpd_2666 02-1074-23088_0_%3FnewSearch%3Dtrue%26catalogId%3D10051%26 productId%3D1076357%26Ntt%3D266602%26N%3D0%26langI d%3D-1%26y%3D10%26x%3D21%26storeId%3D10151%26Ntk%3Di_pr oducts%26ddkey%3Dhttp%3AProductDisplay&Ntk=i_products&zipCode=13774&y=10&x=21&isQvSearch=&mastheadURL=TopCategoriesDisplayView&newSearch=true&findStoreErrorURL=StoreLocatorDisplayView&ddkey=http%3AProductDisplay&productId=1076357&catalogId=10051&NttParam=&storeId=10151&qvRedirect=

Then wait untill craftsmen has a sale on a wrench set and sockets sets and build up your tools.

Dont forget a set of decent screwdrivers.

[Draw7Seven]

Just go to Sears and pick up Craftsmen tools...

Nothing great but enough to get most of your basic jobs done!

Thanks for the heads up, I was thinking Craftsman is where I'm leaning, was doing some searching online today but may not have seen that exact set. What I was reading is that in this price range you can get good tools as long as you expect the container they come in to be shitty, lol.


The craftsman warranty ended years ago, now it's only their tools with no moving parts that have the lifetime warranty... that set still is a fairly good deal for the $.

Really? Thanks, I was assuming they all had the lifetime warranty.


Go to Lowes and get a set of Kobalt tools

Dont forget a set of decent screwdrivers.

I'll take a look at that. The price is very tempting, and would leave me a lot of room to figure out which pieces I wanted to buy a more expensive version of.

Dumb question: what makes a set of screwdrivers more decent than another? Magnetic and rubber handled? Can you guys tell I don't do much wrenching?

[beechstreet]

harbor freight > everybody else when it comes to saving $$$ on tools

[Tougeep3]

tools for the EP.

8,10,12,14,17,19,21,24mm sockets and wrenches, I'm pretty sure those are the only sizes on the car.
Screwdrivers, phillips and slotted.
assorted pliers.

Obviously not required but nice to have, a Ball joint separator, (http://www.toolsource.com/ball-joint-separator-p-94185.html) torque wrench, pry bars.

BTW anyone who has worked on hondas for a while will tell you, get extra 10mm sockets, they always vanish.

[Mighty_Mouse_Ep]

tools for the EP.

8,10,12,14,17,19,21,24mm sockets and wrenches, I'm pretty sure those are the only sizes on the car.
Screwdrivers, phillips and slotted.
assorted pliers.

Obviously not required but nice to have, a Ball joint separator, (http://www.toolsource.com/ball-joint-separator-p-94185.html) torque wrench, pry bars.

BTW anyone who has worked on hondas for a while will tell you, get extra 10mm sockets, they always vanish.

Dont forget the 32mm axle nut bolt. Also some bolts are 13mm if remember correctly.

[Johnny]

You don't need the best tools in the world to work on a EP. Some Craftsman is all it takes. Plus their life time warranty. Plus you don't have to much say in the answer as you only have $200 bones.

[56chevydan]

The craftsman warranty ended years ago, now it's only their tools with no moving parts that have the lifetime warranty... that set still is a fairly good deal for the $.
This is not true. Read this link: http://consumerist.com/2009/03/sears-clarifies-craftsman-tools-warranty.html

[Lucid Moments]

This is not true. Read this link: http://consumerist.com/2009/03/sears-clarifies-craftsman-tools-warranty.html

I'm not arguing with you, but that article says nothing about what tools are covered.

[EP3tuner410]

The craftsman warranty ended years ago, now it's only their tools with no moving parts that have the lifetime warranty... that set still is a fairly good deal for the $.

I just took in a torque wrench that broke on me and they checked my ticket and handed me a new one.

This was about a month ago.

Harbor Frieght will even warranty their tools but certain ones cost extra to warranty!

[talonXracer]

Steer clear of harbor freight for hand tools, you can get the same damn things at any auto parts store, just look for the Chinese tools!

Sockets and a ratchett should be the best quality that you can afford, ESPECIALLY the ratchett.

[REBUILT CIVIC]

harbor freight and thats it

[BeaterEP]

Harbor Freight FTL.
They can't even stock non-moving-parts items that are worth a damn consistently.

Picked up a one-time-use tap/die set from them a while back, just because I was broke but needed it; POS stripped on the first use. How the fuck is a tap/die set gonna strip after one use? It's supposed to fix things that are stripped, fer fucks sake!

That store sells trash.

As has already been mentioned, if you're on a budget, there are plenty of good tool manufacturers to choose from: Craftsman, Kobalt. You'll wind up wasting money going to Harbor Freight, in lost time if nothing else.

[LLH]

bacho s106(google it) on discount :D



edit: picture
http://images.toolstop.co.uk/product/bddb7b258d6d187fc93f4fce8a7e305f.jpg

[BeaterEP]

Your sig is awesome. :mbiggrin:

[talonXracer]

I purchased a cheap gas powered water/trash pump fro Northern Tools or Harbor freight, cant reeber, but it ran for 1.5 hours before failing, and as it hasnt flooded in over a year the warranty was expired,,,,So I dropped it off a buddies house and he farted around with it and discovered that a piece of plastic had jambed the intake valve open,,,,but alas there is no plastic component within the valve cover.......China strikes again!!!!

[Lucid Moments]

Sockets and a ratchett should be the best quality that you can afford, ESPECIALLY the ratchett.

I agree with that especially. I use Snap On ratchets and craftsman sockets.

[EP3tuner410]

Steer clear of harbor freight for hand tools, you can get the same damn things at any auto parts store, just look for the Chinese tools!

Sockets and a ratchett should be the best quality that you can afford, ESPECIALLY the ratchett.

I will say that most Harbor Frieght tools are junk but for the record i have knuckle saver 2 Mac wrentches and the only thing different from my Harbor Frieght set is the logos on them.

The finishes are the same, the performance is the same, and one set was almost $300 while the other was $9.99.

You always want nice ratchets, sockets, and tamper proof screw drivers.

Other than that most hand tools are identical in all ways.

Look at Snap On, Mac, Craftsman, Etc...all those companies have tools that look identical, work identical, and hold up the same way.

Even some junky Harbor Frieght tools will last you or come in handy and save you some loot!

You just got to know what you are looking for!!!

[Civic5lug]

Harbor Freight FTL.
:yeahthat:

[PatrickJamesYu]

with me, harbor freight tools seems to tear apart on me :/
Sockets crack
Ratchets don't.. ratch?
wrenches snap
I mean not everything
But I mean, even craftsmen sockets wont hold up like Snap-On impact sockets

anyways, I think harbor freight tools are okay for light things
And I mean really light things
But thats just my opinion with my bad experience with cheap tools

[Lucid Moments]

Harbor freight is great for stuff you are going to use very rarely and won't need to count on.

[Civic5lug]

with me, harbor freight tools seems to tear apart on me :/
Sockets crack
Ratchets don't.. ratch?
wrenches snap
I mean not everything
But I mean, even craftsmen sockets wont hold up like Snap-On impact sockets

anyways, I think harbor freight tools are okay for light things
And I mean really light things
But thats just my opinion with my bad experience with cheap tools

:rofl:

[Draw7Seven]

Yeah, I'm starting to realize the importance in having expensive ratchets and midrange sockets, then nice screwdrivers. My problem is I keep running into these situations that can't be dealt with by hand. I had to drill a siezed bolt out of place just to remove my fender, and then some bitchy shop had put these WEIRD ass bumper clips in my bumper clip slots that were basically made to never come out.

I also learned today that I cannot remove a single lug nut on any of my wheels, thanks to Macon shops and their love for impact drivers. So if I get a flat, I'm pretty fucked. I was jumping up and down on top of one of those cross shaped lug wrenches and NOTHING was happening. This is the kind of shit that no hand tools are going to help me with?

[PatrickJamesYu]

Yeah, I'm starting to realize the importance in having expensive ratchets and midrange sockets, then nice screwdrivers. My problem is I keep running into these situations that can't be dealt with by hand. I had to drill a siezed bolt out of place just to remove my fender, and then some bitchy shop had put these WEIRD ass bumper clips in my bumper clip slots that were basically made to never come out.

I also learned today that I cannot remove a single lug nut on any of my wheels, thanks to Macon shops and their love for impact drivers. So if I get a flat, I'm pretty fucked. I was jumping up and down on top of one of those cross shaped lug wrenches and NOTHING was happening. This is the kind of shit that no hand tools are going to help me with?

They should really only be tourqueing your wheels to 80lbs
over tightening can be hella-dangerous

[Draw7Seven]

They should really only be tourqueing your wheels to 80lbs
over tightening can be hella-dangerous

EXACTLY. Man I'm just going to stop going to shops for anything. Which pisses me off, because I'm a very lazy person. Once I get them fucking professionally loosened, I'm just going to hand tighten the lugs myself, even if I don't have a torque wrench lol. I can do "snug" better than these mechanics, apparently.

[EP3tuner410]

Look i'll be honest with you and this is no bs!

There was a 65yr old body man who used 75% harbor freight tools and his work looked just as good as the guy next to him with over 20gs invested in tools!

I'm not saying it's the best to buy but for the time being if you need something like a drill they have em for $20 all day long and the old man i worked with rarely had to replace some of his stuff.

Anything that was problematic he would eventually go with Snap On/Blue Point.

[TXEP3]

Look i'll be honest with you and this is no bs!

There was a 65yr old body man who used 75% harbor freight tools and his work looked just as good as the guy next to him with over 20gs invested in tools!

I'm not saying it's the best to buy but for the time being if you need something like a drill they have em for $20 all day long and the old man i worked with rarely had to replace some of his stuff.

Anything that was problematic he would eventually go with Snap On/Blue Point.

I can attest to this. I've bought several tools from Harbor Freight and haven't had to replace anything yet (knock on wood). My buddy's got all these nice Snap On tools that seem to do the job the same (maybe a little better in some cases) as mine. I'm a pretty cheap guy, but I don't think it's worth getting the expensive tools unless it comes down to the more specialty tool, i.e. those you don't want to ever have to replace.

[Karma]

I started aircraft mechanic training about a year ago and had to invest in some tools. The school had Snap On sets: a Basic kit for about $600 and an Advanced kit for about $800. I bought (almost) all the same Craftsman counterparts for nearly half the price of both Snap-On kits.

Both had their pros and cons, and the Snap-On looked really nice, but I couldn't see the total price difference. I went with Craftsman because they were (relatively) affordable, and easier to acquire.

On a side note, some of those Kobalt tools look pretty nice and are much more affordable. If I couldn't get Craftsman, then I'd settle for Kobalt.