If you're confused by the terminology, a "swap meet" is the same as a "flea market." Different parts of the country use different names for the same thing and I'm sure there are local words in languages all over the world. In Algeria and Morocco we went to the "Souk," the Arabic word for "market" or "bazaar."

Picking the good stuff out of the trash at either one is like buying on eBay—it helps to know what you're doing. Like most of us, I learned the hard way, by experience. "Before you meet the handsome prince, you have to kiss a lot of frogs."

For tools, I looked for stuff marked "Made in USA" with a recognizable name brand like Thorsen, Proto, Craftsman, etc. In 1970, the "cheap" tools came from Japan and Taiwan; today it's China and other Asian countries. I spent a lot of time wandering the stalls, offering, bargaining, "I'm a poverty-stricken student" (true in 1970), occasionally spending a dollar or two. My prize was a set of ten (10) Bonney ignition wrenches for $2!

Jeremy

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"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970