I browse the local Cummins Tool store occasionally, just to see if they have any decent tools for cheap. Lo and behold, they are now carrying some Bahco socket sets. For those of you who aren't familiar with Bahco, they are a Swedish company that Snap-On bought in 1999. The quality is beautiful, for a lot less $$ than Snap-On tools off the truck. 90% of what I see at Cummins is cheap Asian crap, but every now and then I find bargains on nice tools.

My Snap-On dealer tells me that the "mobile dealers" are in an uproar, because Snap-On is treating Bahco as their retail brand, selling very nice tools a lot cheaper than the "real" Snap-On tools on the truck. He says that more and more Bahco will start turning up in retail outlets like Cummins...I can't wait.

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2002 Ford ZX2
2 x 2013 Honda Civics

I just got on Cummins website, looks like they are only in KC and St. Louis with real stores, but do traveling 2-3 day shows all over the country. Anyway, they are sorta like Harbor Freight, with more left-overs, over-runs, etc, and less new Chinese/Indian tools

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2002 Ford ZX2
2 x 2013 Honda Civics

Linky?

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-Justin

91 560 SEC AMG - other dogs dd
01 Honda S2000 - dogs dd
07 MB ML320 CDI - dd
16 Lexus IS250 - wifes dd

it's automatic.

within the last 5-6 years snap-on has turned into crap-on.i won't buy anymore,if they break i'll turn em in for new ones but i will not BUY new ones.if you must buy em get on ebay and buy old ones

If you google Cummins Industrial Tools you'll find their online site. There's nothing that I could find on the site about Bahco but the response I got from my Snap-On guy when I mentioned it to him tells me that there will be...he said the Cummins sale catalog had a reference to it.

I like nice tools, and have been very happy with my Snap-On and Matco tools, but I feel funny spending $75 for a 3/8 ratchet, or $250 for a set of 3/8 metric sockets. I enjoy scrounging garage sales and flea markets looking for well kept tools, and pawn shops can be a treasure trove too, if you know what to look for.

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2002 Ford ZX2
2 x 2013 Honda Civics

"Thankyou come again".....tools

Can you post pictures of specific examples? Just curious. I buy a lot of snapon tools. The snapon guy lives very close to my parents house, and I can even call him on the weekend if I really need something.

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Current Stable:
1994 S500 v140, 210k miles, white with grey.

Former Mercedes in the Stable:
1983 300CD Turbo diesel 515k mi sold (rumor has it, that it has 750k miles on it now)
1984 300CD Turbo Diesel 150 k mi sold
1982 300D Turbo Diesel 225 sold
1987 300D Turbo Diesel 255k mi sold
1988 300 CE AMG Hammer 15k mi sold
1986 "300E" Amg Hammer 88k mi sold (it was really a 200, not even an E (124.020)
1992 500E 156k mi sold
etc.

I'd be curious about the alleged quality drop as well. I have never had a S-O tool failure. I have been snooping around online and it seems that the US-made tool is a dying breed, and all the big tool companies are moving production off-shore, if the web denizens are to be believed, MAC, part of the Stanley works, is the worst offender. I wouldn't have an objection to buying a WELL-BUILT imported tool, as long as I know what I'm getting and pay accordingly.

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2002 Ford ZX2
2 x 2013 Honda Civics

you evidently don't use ratchets.i have at least 6-7 different ratchets.i am turning in at least one a week for broken teeth on the locking lever or the main drive lug,i have a couple mac's that never have such problems,i've had 2 of em for at least 10 years and haven't had 1 problem with em.then we have the open ended wrenchs,they went and put those stupid teeth on em,all they do is start rounding off bolts quicker.i bought a new 3/4 impact,i have blown the front seal at least 4 times.i still have my dads old CP it has to be at least 30 years old, lost out in the snow one winter,and it has never failed me.about a month ago i was beating out a rollpin on a driveshaft yolk with my newest deadblow hammer.about the 3rd smack on the punch and the head of the hammer broke right off,now i could see if i was whailing on a frozen brake drum or something like that but jeez a 1/4 inch rollpin come on.but the deadblow i bought right when they came out(80's) i still have and it gets the crap beat out of it.the one thing i did like about snap-on is they would warranty wrenchs for flaking chrome.but thru the years as my dads old wrenchs started to flake i turned em in,what do i get in return,those stupid teeth.if i would have known then what i know now i would still have the old flaking wrenchs.i still have some and will not turn em in.one thing that i do need to check into is the black unchromed wrenchs,does anybody have any??and do they have the teeth??i want to think i have a couple of em in metric and they don't.might have to try the black wrenchs.i got out of the shop about 15 years ago and i swear i am turning in more broken stuff then i ever did when i was using em everyday.

buy matco

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

never tried em.what mac stuff i have i don't ever recall breaking.one other thing i hate about snap-on is their wrenchs,they are so thin that if you have to really put some muscle into a fastener that they almost tend to cut into your fingers,i do have one snap-on 1/2-9/16 combo wrench with a round shank.i love that wrench,but if it ever breaks i ain't getting another one as they no longer make em that way.

snapon and mac do not get any business from me.

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

I work in a huge body shop, and you would think that tool guys would be lined up to get in the door. Alas, it's not like that:
1. The Cornwell truck stops at QT across the street for coffee, but hasn't been here in the 4 years I've worked in the shop
2. The MAC guy quit coming in because the body men made fun of him: he was a little short guy who looked like an elf, and they kept razzing him about doing midget porn films
3. The Snap-On guy comes in regularly, really nice guy
4. Matco comes in too, another good guy
5. the independent jobber who sells S-K and other brands, good guy but deals mostly in cash, doesn't extend credit for the most part and stocks NOTHING on the truck, takes orders on Monday, delivers on Friday...I could just go to the store during that time, and buy it myself.

I've had good luck with S-O and Matco, one thing that has struck me is that the Matco products are in nicer packaging, S-O has stooped to really cheap, cheesy packaging lately: flimsy plastic trays with clear "Saran-Wrap" over it, at least Matco wraps the whole shebang in a corrugated cardboard sleeve.

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2002 Ford ZX2
2 x 2013 Honda Civics

My gripe with all the truck guys is that the pricing makes my eyes water. I have been doing some online research, and Danaher, parent company of Matco, makes Craftsman and NAPA wrenches too, for a hell of a lot less money than the Matco-branded items. Craftsman Professional even has full-polish finish like the Matco, for less than 1/2 the money.

I have also learned more about the Snap-On/Bahco situation. BAHCO has stopped operating in North America as a separate entity, it was absorbed into the JH WIlliams division of Snap-On. The reported plan is to sell Williams and BAHCO tools in outlets like Grainger stores, and other places catering to professionals, and leave the mobile dealers(trucks) selling Snap-On branded items. You may recall that Williams made Lowe's Kobalt-branded wrenches for several years (Danaher does now).

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2002 Ford ZX2
2 x 2013 Honda Civics

I'm of the same mind after 40 odd years. 90% of my tools are...where S/O.

I'm shifting to NAPA...they can't leave town like my S/O guy did.

I have serveral broken S/O screwdrivers, sockets, wrenchs with chrome worn etc...no truck here for two years.

Being an old fart with nearly all I need I guess he thinks that I won't make him any more money, but my problem is the spiraling costs of their tools.

The 'Brick' scanner with it's constant modual update requirements has driven me to Vag Com and others.

I used to buy them because they where available all over the world when I travelled a lot....now I have been here 20 years I don't need that guarantee.

...sides, I might drop dead tomorrow.


.

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[http://languageandgrammar.com/2008/01/14/youve-got-problems-not-issues/ ]

"A liberal is someone who feels they owe a great debt to their fellow man, which debt he proposes to pay off with your money."