The ratchet in there is much nicer than the Craftsman.. just a nicer action. Plus it's nice and shiny

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1985 CA 300D Turbo , 213K mi

Craftsman is good enough for me, I have found to have had the best luck with them. I have also had some luck with Autozone tools and other parts stores specials for some of those hard to find pieces that Sears often doesn't has.

I work as a tech, but I have to say that the Craftsman/tool truck argument can be very situational. My sitch:

I work 1.5 miles from the nearest Sears. We get Mac weekly, Matco most weeks, and Snap-On once a month (tool guys must do so well, that apart from Mac, they don't want to sell tools... the infrequent visits happen EVEN WHEN I have a balance with them!!). Calling the tool man will maybe get him to show up by tomorrow. Getting in the 300SD and driving to Sears will get my broken tool replaced within 15 minutes. Under 10 if I borrow, say, that 490HP MTM tuned Audi S4 that's a frequent customer of our shop.

Quality? Snap-On, no question over Craftsman. But can you really argue for convenience of replacement *in my situation*??

Snap-On dealers can be very temperamental. Some act like they don't want your money, others will bow to your every need. That's the sad nature of independent dealers.

I was in a pinch and bought a small socket set at the K word. I too was pleasantly surprised! I prefer Craftsman myself.

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Sonny


86 190D N/A 2.5L Auto 265k "Ruby" -Sold-
79 300D 242k "Condi" my first -sold- RIP
2013 chevy sonic hatchback - had to for work

If you work on cars every day for a living....then Snap-on, Mac, & Matco are the best choices here in the USA..

However in my race car tool box you will find lesser $$$$ tools like Craftsman, Hazet, & Stahlwille.

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MERCEDES Benz Master Guild Technician (6 TIMES)
ASE Master Technician
Mercedes Benz Star Technician (2 times)
44 years foreign automotive repair
27 Years M.B. Shop foreman (dealer)
MB technical information Specialist (15 years)
190E 2.3 16V ITS SCCA race car (sold)
1986 190E 2.3 16V 2.5 (sold)
Retired Moderator

I'm a craftsman fan due to the guarantee and the fact the stuff really is that durable.

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Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
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Section 609 MVAC Certified
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"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

And weekend mechanics will have more time to recuperate from injuries sustained when their cheap tools break!!!

M.B.Doc,
How do you like those German made brands, such as Hazet and Stahwille? I have been eyeing some of their sockets for a while now.

Craftsman, S-K, Northern, Harbor Freight are what I have now. For cheaper, $-wise, I would say that Northern is the best I have found. They are on par with Husky and Kobalt. I'm not a pro so I can't justify complete sets of Snap-On but I do like what I see. Maybe some of those German-made products with good quality and less shine?

I would have to on Harbor Fright (yes I meant to spell it that way). They are ve-e-e-ry poor in quality and should be avoided unless you like rounded fasteners, worthless ratchets, and broken tools right in the middle of about every project you start. That said, the 3/4" drive sockets make good bushing press tools.

Mentioning ratchets. Even Craftsman has become very poor in quality there. This is disappointing because a 3/8" or 1/2" drive ratchet are probably my most used tools.

I have to admit, my heart does start to beat a little faster and I try not to salivate when handling good quality tools.

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Sam

84 300SD 350K+ miles ( Blue Belle )

I prefer Klein tools. Same guarantee as craftsman, but more durable IMHO

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green 85 300SD 200K miles "Das Schlepper Frog" With a OM603 TBO360 turbo ( To be intercooled someday )( Kalifornistani emissons )
white 79 300SD 200K'ish miles "Farfegnugen" (RIP - cracked crank)
desert storm primer 63 T-bird "The Undead" (long term hibernation)

http://ecomodder.com/forum/fe-graphs/sig692a.png

well looks like craftsman is the winner so far.

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have no worries.....President Obama swears "If you like your gun, you can keep it

Why isn't there a selection for Hazet or Stahlwille? I have Mac or Snapon ONLY when I haven't been able to buy a Stahlwille or Hazet.

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1968 230S Automatic, Elfenbein
1975 O309D Executive Westfalia Camper Bus, Blau/ Weiss
1972 280SEL 4,5 Dunkelrot
1966 VW Type 34 "Grosser" Karmann-Ghia
1963 VW 1500 Variant Pearlweiss
1969 VW Variant Automatic, Perugruen
1971 VW Squareback Automatic, Clementine Orange
2001 E320 4Matic Wagon- Our belated welcome to the 21st century! Polar White
1973 280SEL 4,5 Sliding Roof "The Bomb", Dunkelblau.

sorry i never thought about those brands.

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have no worries.....President Obama swears "If you like your gun, you can keep it

i prefer snap on/blue point. i try to get most of mine through eBay or the local flea markets. one time at the flea market i got 2 blue popint impact wrenchs for $30, worked perfectly. although i prefer snap on/blue point i do have mostly craftsman because of the $$$$ issue

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1981 300 SD 213k miles "Stock for now"
1999 Super Duty 7.3L 113k miles
1981 300 SD 180k miles "Heavily modified" SOLD

I've been weary of tool sets because they often put in a lot of the extra junk you'll never use but you still pay for it anyway, and the quality can be questionable, unless it's Craftsman (but then they cost accordingly). The tool set I've had particular luck with and grown rather attached to is Crescent. I've always enjoyed using wrenches, rachets, sockets, and screwdrivers from this set - they feel well-finished and high-quality. But other than that, Craftsman has been it for me, too. They've been pretty reliable with what they make, even though much of it is made in China these days...