When I went to remove my block heater this fall that's when I realized I didn't have a 32 mm socket with 1/2 drive. Needless to say, now I have every socket to 40mm, because I went out and bought them, used. It was a good buy. When I went to do my Power steering pump on my Volvo, I realized there was a special tool to remove the pulley. I know own it. When I went to fix the vacuum dampers on 87 300D climate control, thats when I needed a Mityvac, even though I had a standard hand held vacuum pump. So I got one. Similarly, I went and got my own radiator pressure tester and three types of spring compressors last year after one set shifted on my 87 300D. I always try to pick these up used. Do I regret this habit? Not really, for the most part I never buy these tools new, so I save 50%. Granted the money you spend on them adds up, but after spending 10 years jury rigging this and improvising that, its an obsession to always have the right tool. Now what scares me is with the OBD II scanners and Laptop diagnostics and laptop reprogrammable ECU fuel management tools on the new gassers, I may be headed to a new level of ridiculousness...but I a guess I'm not the only one with this obsession... The only thing I do pass on is Air Tools. For a lot of wrenching, you just can't get them to the point of access, and after a while I just get lazy and stop using them...

No big deal with the OBD II software. Already own a laptop so it was just a matter of buying the software with cable adapters at $125. with shipping included. Now I can use this on both the Toyota and Subaru.

IMHO it makes a lot of sense buying your own tools even if they are expensive. Because you still save over 75% in the long run and do a better job then the local stealerships and grease monkeys.

I am looking forward to adding a 6hp 33gallon craftsman air tank with their included air tools. Then sometimes in future when we relocate to a bigger home/MUCH bigger garage I will install the electric shop lift....

My father always said.........if you need something only once rent it.........if you are sure you are going to need it again buy one.

If you can get it used thats even better.............

Me if I can get it for little more than rental I will buy it.

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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

One non-contact IR thermometer
One Craftsman temperature capable digital DVM and THREE thermocouples.

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Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

I always thought that owning tools was a worthwhile investment. I used to own a lot of specialty tools. Mostly for Murray steam turbines and Trane compressors.
I do not own them anymore thanks a lot to my x-wife. I'm still pissed about that.

Anyway, where are good places to buy used tools? I'm in the bad habit of buying new. Not so bad if you can get them on sale but they never are when you need them.

Danny

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1984 300SD Turbo Diesel 150,000 miles

OBK member #23

(\__/)
(='.'=) This is Bunny. Copy and paste bunny into your
(")_(") signature to help him gain world domination

1. Auctions for Machine shops, etc. reducing inventory
2. Classified Ads
3. EBAY isnt bad!
4. The Indy network ( your independent always knows whose back went and is getting out of the business)
5. Trading Times
6. Company newspaper

7. flea market
8. pawn shop

Either of these can be really good or really bad, just depending.

Out here in farm country there are a lot of farm estate auctions. Older retiring farmers that just want to get rid of stuff. Good deals can be had on all sorts of tools.

DS
87 300D
Northern Iowa

I went to an estate sale advertised in Hialeah this Saturday. It was in a warehouse, where this fellow lived. He had many of my own tastes. I bought four Japanese-only label Kitato space music CD's, the DVD series about the Third Reich and a couple of CD's of an old Long John Silver TV series that I was lured into buying by a 2002 copyright. No matter, the CD's and DVD's werew $1 and $2 each. The stuff was being sold by the guys' sister and her husband. Lots of tools, but the brother kept most of the Craftsman tools. Then he sold the rest for a dime each...including 10, 13 and 14 Snapon boxend wrenches, a 6 in Crescent wrench, a 1/4 in S-K ratchet and three Dowidat wrenches that I suppose came with someone's VW.

There was also a couple of indoor Terk TV antennas and an outdoor model. The only bad thing is that the hardware was left on the guys' house when he sold it a year ago.

Yard sales are really the way to go for tool bargains.

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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)

Many of my relatives were handy folks. I have inherited many woodworking tools, unique wrenchs, old wood handled tools, an egg-beater style hand drill and many others. Each time I use them I think of them.

Chuck

What kind of OBD reader software did you buy for that little? I have an old laptop I'd like to use for that too, if it's cheaper than buying a hand-held all-in-one code reader.

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AlexTheSeal: hack mechanic, inadvertent drifting champ, builder of infernal devices, professional epistemologist

'87 300D Turbo, roadtrip mileage champ (for sale!)
'92 Isuzu Trooper, mudder extraordinaire (for sale!)
'82 Honda Silverwing, cockroach of motorcycles
And various boring daily drivers...

I am whunter and I am a tooloholic.
If I don't have it, I need it, because I don't have it!!!
Tools, tools and more tools + the toys that need the tools. LOL

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ASE Master Mechanic
asemastermechanic@juno.com

Prototype R&D/testing:
Thermal & Aerodynamic System Engineering (TASE) Senior vehicle instrumentation technician.
Noise Vibration and Harshness (NVH).
Dynamometer.
Heat exchanger durability.
HV-A/C Climate Control.
Vehicle build.
Fleet Durability
Technical Quality Auditor.
Automotive Technical Writer

1985 300SD
1983 300D
1984 190D
2003 Volvo V70
2002 Honda Civic

https://www.boldegoist.com/

Here's the website where they sell 'em http://www.obd-2.com/

Read up then compare with others....

i too am one of the many that are obbsessed with getting new tools. im always looking to buy new ones. i started buying my tools at harborfreight when i was 12 and i am now starting to buy craftsman(cant afford snapon) as i am doing much more work on others cars and the harbor freight dont seem as good(obviously). i just bought a camphbell hausfeld airtool kit from a friend for $50. the only thing ever used in it was the air ratchet. the kit included an air ratchet,impact wrench,spraygun,sockets,and inflation tools. im about to purchase a 123 pc. socket set from craftsman. oh i cant wait!!!!! but i also buy a few tools that ill probly only use once. i ordered a glowplug reamer when i did my plugs and ill probly never use it again. oh well atleast i have one if i need it. i too am thinking of buying a code reader soon. a friend at autozone says he carrys a reader that will read any brand from the first car to use a computer to the present.

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