Snap-On did not forget me

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Jimmy9190

Jimmy9190

Joined
Feb 17, 2007
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Location
Clermont, Florida
I have owned these Snap-On diagonal cutting pliers since some time in the early 1990's. Back in June of this year I used them to cut the end off a zip tie and the handle broke off:



I called the Snap-On 800 number and all they needed was my email address, street address and the part number off the pliers. The part number wore off long ago so I found the closest replacement on the Snap-On web site, gave it to the guy on the phone and he said they would send me a new set of pliers under the lifetime warranty:



I did not have to pay any shipping and they did not want the broken ones back either, which surprised me a lot. It was very good to see Snap-On honor their warranty and give me a brand new set of $60.00 pliers free of charge. You don't find good customer service like that very often nowadays. The only bad thing about it was the new pliers were on backorder. I broke my old ones in June and it took until today to receive the replacement pliers. I thought Snap-On had forgotten me and was ready to call them again but yesterday I got an email from UPS saying I had a package from Snap-On Tools scheduled to be delivered today.

I am very glad to have received such good service from Snap-on, especially with no hoops to jump through and no questions asked other than where to ship the new pliers. You just don't find good service like that everywhere.
 
Wow! Go Snap-On!

It's odd though that we've been trained to perceive regular customer service as extraordinary these days because we're so used to getting the short end stick from most companies.

I've heard of Craftsman honoring their warranty to people buying from flee markets. Gonna have to attend a few Swap Meets for some corn dogs, beer,... and oh ya, tools.
 
Hit up the Pomona Swap Meet for SnapOn. The truck drivers sell repo tools there and then they will warranty them out for new tools on site.
 
Never had a problem with Snap-on or Matco tools when it has come to warranty, Mac tools on the other hand can be real problem when a tool needs replaced. Also I have noticed Mac tools quality has gone down hill, half of the stuff is harbor freight stuff rebadged or put in a different color case.
 
Originally Posted By: crazychaz
Never had a problem with Snap-on or Matco tools when it has come to warranty, Mac tools on the other hand can be real problem when a tool needs replaced.
thats why i quit buying mac tools
 
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
Hit up the Pomona Swap Meet for SnapOn. The truck drivers sell repo tools there and then they will warranty them out for new tools on site.


How does one find out the dates and locations for such events? I want to go!!!
 
Originally Posted By: Jimmy9190
I have owned these Snap-On diagonal cutting pliers since some time in the early 1990's. Back in June of this year I used them to cut the end off a zip tie And the handle broke off.


I have to ask, how big of a zip tie? Also, what else have you done to abuse those pliers?

Sorry, I'm generally a snap on fan,mouth it seems to me that this was a pretty benign use to break the handle off. I get it that even good manufacturers have their duds, but a zip tie?

I am glad that they supported their product. You get what you pay for sometimes.
 
The truck guy around here would say "Thats abuse, no warranty." Screwdriver tips broken? Abuse. Chrome socket cracked? Abuse. "Cant use 'em on an impact"(even with no hammer marks). Ratchet problem? He'll sell you a kit. Plastic handle messed up? Normal wear and tear. Sad, snappy used to be great. I think thats why I hardly ever see Snap-on trucks anymore. I bet he is gettin dropped by the dealerships. Mac? Mac who? Haven't seen a truck in years. Actually the Cornhole, er, Cornwell truck is around here a lot.

A few years back I looked into buying a Snapon dealership but wow, $100k minimum investment and the management pushes you to buy a lot of tools that Snapon has on monthly promo. The dealer is forced to inventory way too much product that is hard if not impossible to move. All the while paying exorbitant finance charges from Snap-on. Looked like a good way to loose your house and go bankrupt in a few years. I'm thinking that's why I see the routes up for sale so often. They also keep you needing customers - if you get a territory going well they have the right (And exercise it) to cut up territories and create new ones. Congrats on your hard work, now go start over. Looked to me like they had become a finance company that also sells tools. Seems their business model is antiquated and while the tool trade has changed they have not.

So there is a ton of pressure on the local dealer. Snappy makes great tools but sadly it looks like they are riding their business model right into the ground.
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Originally Posted By: Jimmy9190
I have owned these Snap-On diagonal cutting pliers since some time in the early 1990's. Back in June of this year I used them to cut the end off a zip tie And the handle broke off.


I have to ask, how big of a zip tie? Also, what else have you done to abuse those pliers?

Sorry, I'm generally a snap on fan,mouth it seems to me that this was a pretty benign use to break the handle off. I get it that even good manufacturers have their duds, but a zip tie?

I am glad that they supported their product. You get what you pay for sometimes.


It was just a standard 8 inch zip tie on a small wire bundle under the dash in my truck. I did not put the gorilla grip on the handle, it just broke off clean. It really surprised me too. I have other Snap-On pliers and some other brands too that are older than those dikes and they are all still in great shape. I guess it was just old age or maybe just a fluke that broke the handle. I am still very grateful Snap-On sent me a new one for free.
 
$60 for that little plier? Yikes. How much better is it than the ones you buy for a dollar? (or the 6 piece set at Harbor freight for like $7)
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
Hit up the Pomona Swap Meet for SnapOn. The truck drivers sell repo tools there and then they will warranty them out for new tools on site.


How does one find out the dates and locations for such events? I want to go!!!


Look up "Pomona Fairplex" and the schedule is on there. It is an absolutely huge automotive swap meet and classic car show. My buddy goes every month to sell stuff, but to mostly get into arguments with people who want to haggle. This is the one that Car Craft, Popular Hot Rodding, and Hot Rod magazines get all their rare finds.
 
Originally Posted By: Nate1979
$60 for that little plier? Yikes. How much better is it than the ones you buy for a dollar? (or the 6 piece set at Harbor freight for like $7)


I have some from Knipex that were fairly expensive and they were the only ones made for the application I used them for that would do the job to my satisfaction.
 
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
Originally Posted By: Nate1979
$60 for that little plier? Yikes. How much better is it than the ones you buy for a dollar? (or the 6 piece set at Harbor freight for like $7)


I have some from Knipex that were fairly expensive and they were the only ones made for the application I used them for that would do the job to my satisfaction.


Knipex are great quality too, same as Snap-On. I have some Knipex channel locks that I bought maybe 16 years ago that are still in excellent shape even with a lot of use. There is no comparison between the quality of Snap-On, Knipex, Matco or other professional grade tools and Harbor Freight tools. That being said, Snap-On is not a non-profit organization. Their tools are excellent quality but the quality comes with a price. Snap-On are some of the very best tools you can buy, but also about the most expensive you can buy. I have a fair amount of HF hand tools in my box as well and they have held up fine, but unfortunately I do not use my tools every day. I have no idea how HF tools would do in heavy every day professional use, but I will say most HF hand tools such as wrenches, pliers, screwdrivers and hammers work just fine for me as a DIY home mechanic.

When my old Snap-On dikes broke, I ordered these off of Amazon to use temporarily until I received the warranty replacement from Snap-On:



http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008FY8...ailpage_o07_s00

They look, feel and operate a lot like the Snap-On dikes but they only cost about $6.00. They are made in Japan and have also been excellent quality, however I can not say one way or the other how they would do in everyday professional use in a shop. They do have a lot of great reviews on Amazon, including my own. The package they were shipped in had Japanese writing all over it, I think the only word in English was "pliers". I have been doing some work with the audio system in my truck this summer and still needed a good set of small dikes to complete the job. Now one or the other of my small dikes will go into the tool kit I carry in my truck and the other will stay in my box here at home. Those Japanese dikes are such good quality that it is hard to decide.
 
Originally Posted By: robshelton
Ratchet problem? He'll sell you a kit. Plastic handle messed up? Normal wear and tear. Sad, snappy used to be great. I think thats why I hardly ever see Snap-on trucks anymore.

So there is a ton of pressure on the local dealer. Snappy makes great tools but sadly it looks like they are riding their business model right into the ground.


Exactly. My experience is with a ratchet and was told, no warranty, buy a kit. When Snap-On moved manufacturing overseas, the quality and customer service left with them.
To the OP, you are fortunate, lucky, or have a whole toolbox full of SO tools, (ie customer too valuable to lose..)
 
Last edited:
My fitbit stopped working. I hit up the fitbit people and they sent me a new one free of charge and it arrived in 3 days.

Nothing in this thread is making me want to run out and buy anything from Snap-On.
 
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