A HF here opened up NEXT door to a car dealer

[Trav]

Originally Posted by ford46guy


They are releasing tools that are more and more professional grade. look at their new digital torque wrench.


Look at what about it? Its new to the market, unproven and may be fine or a total piece of crap. If its garbage the warranty will get you another piece of garbage infinitum.
The point people forget is what compares favorable to a pro tool today may not last much longer than the box it came in. There is no such thing as a free lunch.

 

[doitmyself]

Originally Posted by Trav
Originally Posted by ford46guy


They are releasing tools that are more and more professional grade. look at their new digital torque wrench.


Look at what about it? Its new to the market, unproven and may be fine or a total piece of crap. If its garbage the warranty will get you another piece of garbage infinitum.
The point people forget is what compares favorable to a pro tool today may not last much longer than the box it came in. There is no such thing as a free lunch.

You have to remember that your prospective as a pro wrencher is much different vs. the casual weekend warrior. It would be no different than me recommending a homeowner with 1/4 acre lawn to purchase the $10,000 Exmark zero turn used at my workplace.

I just bought the HF clamp-on dial indicator for brake rotor work based on MANY recommendations at the GarageJournal and YOUTUBE reviews (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykM5xjUU3LQ). I probably will use it no more than 1 or 2 times per year and a $100+ unit would not provide any benefit at all.

But yes, junk is junk regarding some stuff and is not worthy of buying even for occasional use. It boils down to common sense for the application at hand. Even the Starett in my Youtube link is now China made, so COO reasons can sometimes be tossed too.

 

[DoubleNickels]

There are items from Harbor Freight which you just can't use. Then there are items from Harbor Freight which are the best ever. It all depends on what you want. Not everything from Harbor Freight is garbage. That being said, if my life depended on it, I would not buy it from Harbor Freight.

 

[demarpaint]

HF is stepping up their game. As already mentioned they sell some real garbage, they also have some decent items for the money. I like their 25" breaker bar, their impact sockets, and they have a few ratchets I found to be quite good. I also like some of their disposable gloves, which are very reasonably priced when on sale or bought with a coupon. To say their tools are the best would be a real stretch of the imagination, however like I said they do have some good products that are reasonably priced.

 

[Trav]

Their pro breaker bar is a good tool and the best value out there no doubt about it, the pro ratchets are very decent. These are Taiwan made not Chicom with a good warranty but there is one problem HF needs to overcome and that is parts availability.
When you work with something like a ratchet for years you get used to it, its broken in and feels just "right" I do not want a new one because a $2 plastic grip is damaged.

With the premium tools these are available along with repair kits for little money, you can totally rebuild a /Snap on, Hazet, Stahlwille and other for under $20 including a new grip and screws. The pro plastic ratchets are a best deal if you work in the cold or removing battery cables, that one they will replace also and that a good thing.

 

[Exhaustgases]

Snap on could cut their tool prices almost in half, if they had store outlets like the old days, instead of the middle man in the tool truck. Thats the reason for the high cost. Just watch the how its made stuff and you will see they spit those tools out for penny's, well you know.
Snap on like most all company's is managed by idiots. Lower the prices and sell more product, instead of opening the door to more competition. They like some outfits just seem to want to price themselves out of existence.

 

[clinebarger]

Those plants/machines/workforce are not cheap to run/operate/maintain.
Brick & Mortar Snap-on stores......For what?

If you don't like Snap-on prices, Don't buy their tools. Snap-on will be around for a long time to come & your not the first to complain about what it cost.