I recently went to my local Discount Auto Parts store for a remote starter button to spin the engine and line up the plug on the torque converter to replace the transmission fluid.

Discount Auto sells a Chinese-made gizmo, made by Actron for $13.99, while Autozone sells the exact same thing for $9.00. I am sure our fine oriental friends got all of three bucks for it.

I am annoyed at these clown using the name "discount". Perhaps they are cheaper than NAPA or the local Rolls-Bentley dealer.

What have YOUR experiences been? Who sells tools cheapest?

My guess is that they all discount oil and the cheapo sort of filters for Big Three American cars, and paerahs little three (Nissan, Honda Toyota) as well, but tend to rape the hapless customer on the less common stuff.

A curse on Marketing!

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Semibodacious Transmogrifications a Specialty

1990 300D 2.5 Turbo sedan 171K (Rudolf)
1985 300D Turbo TD Wagon 219K (Remuda)

"Time flies like and arrow, yet fruit flies like a banana"
---Marx (Groucho)

The word "Discount" is obviously used to attract attention of value seekers like myself. The term is a relative one, as it may not be a discount from every competitor or every item in the store, but it may be generally cheaper than a dealer.

You might confront them with the example you found...if nothing else, it will make them aware that they are not the cheapest place in town....they may think that they are???? Some firms even have a price guarantee that gives you your money back and 10% for your trouble, if you find it for less elsewhere.

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1976 240D
1987 560SL
2007 E320 Bluetec
1998 C280 (now son’s car)
1982 240D Manual - Sold

Harbor Freight is the cheapest tool store I have found. I know a lot of people think their tools are not very high quality but I have not had any trouble with them. They give a lifetime guarantee on most of their house brands. For instance, I frequently find their digital multimeters on sale for about $4. It's cheap enough to keep one in every car. I've been using one of their $99 2hp air compressors for about 4 years and haven't had any problems.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

I have lived in this town for 6 years, and just disovered the local harbor freight a couple of months ago. I am addicted. I have quit my weekly Home Depot excursions. They sell name brand tools a lot cheaper than HD (mostly power tools, though, and some hand tools). Their own line of power tools has a lifetime warranty, and are dirt cheep. The automotive tools, I think you have to be careful with, but they do have some quality, inexpensive products if you look hard enough. Funny you mention multi-testers--I bought two last week myself and two $6.99 digital tire gagues!

I like Harbor Freight.... wish it was not 40 miles from me.. one direction...

I made a mistake once... assuming that a special on their website was going to be that price at the store..

Seems I need to print out the special and take it with me... they won't look at the site... or honor it without the printout....

Also, they run managers specials ( in store specials ) which I am at a disadvantage on... due to distance...

If I lived as close as RLeo does I would stop by every afternoon on the way home from work,,,, to check the manager special for the day....

I don't really understand their sales either. Last week I picked out four woodworking clamps that i was happy to pay $4.99 apiece for. Also, I picked out a 'yard magnet' to pick up roofing nails with, which had a pleasant $8.99 price tag on it. The cashier scanned the clamps at $1.99 per and the magnet for $5.99. I even brought it to her attention, and she said, it must be on sale. I was ok with that.

Discount auto of course does not discount as much as they did when they arrived and began running all the local Ma & Pa stores out of business. Noew Ma & Pa have retired, and they are stickin it to us.


I observe that they have began to change the name of some stores to that of their recently merged partner Ädvance Auto Parts.

They are advancing their profits.

I also like Harbor Freight and have bought much stuff from them. Their cheapo electric drill will not hold a charge, however. I have two batteries for a 14.something drill and neither will hold a charge for over a week or operate for over ten minutes.

It does no good to tell the clerk about the undiscounted prices: they are all Haitian here in Miami and barely speak English. They do not teach a sense of humor in Haiti (or here).

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Semibodacious Transmogrifications a Specialty

1990 300D 2.5 Turbo sedan 171K (Rudolf)
1985 300D Turbo TD Wagon 219K (Remuda)

"Time flies like and arrow, yet fruit flies like a banana"
---Marx (Groucho)

Made a discovery. On their wrenches most are made in China but some are made in India. Buy the Indian they are harder and don't stretch.
Great to keep in the car and leave the good stuff at home.
Their circuit test wire is to small.
Charlie

my father is a mechanical engineer, and has his very special (read costly) dial calipers calibrated avery 6 months. I use mine at home about twice a year. Mine were purchased, very cheaply, thru Harbor Freight, low-and-behold, they are just as accurate as my fathers. Dumb luck
All I know is they make me happy when I use them.

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1992 500SEL 25K
1995 E320 40K
1995 SL600 120K
2002 JX8 Sport 43K
2005 Volvo S40 95K
2006 Isuzu NPR 304K (Frankencamper)
2007 Crown Victoria 150K
2014 Smart Electric 20K

I was heading out the door at Harbor Freight and saw their Dial Indicators on sale for $6.... it said it was ACGD ( or whatever the standard is )... I have compared it to my $18 mitutoyo .... and can't tell any difference in readings... Now that is not to say that the really good ones don't have added features/shock resistance/more back options or might not last a lifetime....
BUT the point is ... if you are needing to check your chain elongation ( the way specified my MB if you have any performance complaints ) I promise this $6 indicator will give you a plenty accurate measurement...

I just noticed that " praise for Harbor Freight" has hijacked 'complaints about Discount auto"... sorry, but more fun to spread good news....

If you look long enough and hard enough you can always find it cheeper no matter what it is.
The question you have to ask yourself is "What is my time worth?"
Remember life is short use your time wisely.
This is only my 2 cents worth.

Rdanz, I have no clue as to the point of your last post . First, I am so frugal that I would not have gone looking for a dial indicator because I already have one... but when it caught my eye.. if it was half way close in accuracy.... then it was insurance for my better one.... I don't like to get my other one out of the lathe room... easy to drop, get greasy, whatever when out in the engine compartment... But at $6 at the checkout counter,,, I fell for an impluse buy... Also, if it did turn out accurate... I could make a dial indicator carriage position indicator.. like this one....

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leathermag . My point wasn't dirrected at you at all. It was just a statement I felt like making in general about bargin hunting.

I used to strictly try to live according to what my time is worth monetarily. This is sort of necessary in my profession. I would be doing a project at my home after taking off early from the office, and would think, "I could pay some one 1/20th of my hourly rate to paint this door...." and I would go back to the office. After three years, I began to not enjoy my profession as much.

My time spent doing things like bargain shopping for tools or painting a door at my house is just as valuable to me as my hourly rate.

Just another perspective--this isn't directed to anyone specifically either.

My motto is :" Life is just an excuse to collect tools"......