Howdy,

 

I am a beginner when it comes to car maintenance but I'm eager and I learn fast.

 

I've been looking to get a set of ratchets, sockets, and wrenches to start doing regular maintenance on my Skodas.

 

What I would like to ask the forum is what tools brands are best for the beginner? I don't need snap-ons, but I don't want something of cheap quality.

 

Mid range with lifetime warranty would be ideal.

 

Cheers!

Halfords advanced kit.

Ideal, good price in sales, has everything you'll need and a lifetime warranty which I have tested and they follow through on.

It'll have all you need for most jobs on a car.

 

Has Halfords closed down in the Czech Republic now though?

Edited 3 December, 20178 yr by AwaoffSki

Lofty; thank you for the recommendation. That's the kind of answer I was hoping for. Halford's has a 50% sale on the advanced 200 piece kit right now.

 

AwaoffSki; I don't get any results online for Halfords in the Czech Republic but I have already contacted Halfords_1 on ebay to ask about shipping. Hope to hear from them soon.

have you tried looking at secondhand stuff ?  probably the best is "Stallwille? Motors"  & Hazet   Facom (French) is good also and any of the old english brands Britool Gordon,  Nield Elliot ---  Crescent and Starrett from USA and the swedish stuff is first  class   too old engineers retiring are a good source and often pleased their stuff is going to a good home

Cheshire cat; I have taken a look on the Czech second hand websites and have not found the brands you mentioned. I will keep my eye on it though because I had the same thought. Nice tip about retiring engineers, that didn't cross my mind. 

 

Which brands are Swedish? Bahco? Any others?

For regular Servicing and General Maintenance on you Skoda the amount of tools are not that much.

Have you got a Workshop Manual?

 

Are you going to do your own Haldex servicing and the Gearbox, Oil & Filters and discs and pads?

Are you going to do bearings, bushes etc?

I have a workshop manual in Czech that goes over everything in detail, and thankfully with labelled images, because my Czech sucks. And that's being generous.

 

I currently have to do the following: Haldex oil change, filter was changed last Haldex oil change. I will do engine  oil changes and filter, air and cabin filters, fuel filter, and new brake fluid in the next week.

 

After that, I will try to do all regular maintenance as the time comes. Basically whenever the mechanic suggests it's time for something I research the job and see if I can do it myself. The money I save on mechanics I use for tools to do the job at hand plus future jobs.

 

Ex. Mechanic wanted 11,000 CZK for all the jobs I listed as 'have to do'. I priced out the parts and oils for 7,000 CZK. That gives me 4000 CZK for tools and experience.

Edited 3 December, 20178 yr by SkodaSponge

As it turns out, Halfords is not shipping outside of the UK. I got a reply from them yesterday.

I’ve found Makita power tools reliable, good performing and can be found for decent prices if you shop around.

i bought a 120pc Kamasa socket set with the money I got for my 21st, I ditched it when I was 45 as the box was wrecked, sockets and adaptors missing but the ratchets were all perfect as I’d looked after them. Don’t even know if they exist anymore.

Happy to hear they lasted you so long!

 

I ended up going with a 216 piece Yato set. Hopefully it serves me for a while.

I treated myself earlier this year & replaced my old tool sets with new 1/4"/3/8"/1/2" ratchet/socket sets, Impact sockets/TX-Star set with Machine marts Clarke Pro brand that come with a Lifetime guarantee.

I've had zero trouble with their stuff over the years & they get a lot of use.

 

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/c/socket-sets-sockets-tool-sets/?p=2&Brand=clarke

snap on

britool

Mac tools

Craftsman

 

Given the "in Europe" requirement, I was thinking about Beta or Facom.

Question- will you use the tools for one  of jobs , or as tools of your work.

Case 1- Do you need to spend a lot of cash for a tool you will only use once in a while?

Casec2 - tools of the trade- pay high and ger best quality.

 

 

I'm an amateur car meddler, so I don't see the need to buy top /high priced tools, but as an electronics/ electrical bloke, I will need good quality dependable tools, so I spend  on them. It's called horses for courses.

VWD: Good questions.

 

I'm fairly new to working on cars, definately not a mechanic. So I don't need snap-ons, but having worked in construction and forestry, I appreciate reliable tools more then anything else.

 

So really, I just need the basics that will cover most jobs without breaking in me. 

 

At this point, I've already bought a 216 piece YATO socket and wrenches set but I would still like to hear people's opinions for when the time comes that I need to replace pieces or perhaps find a good sale.

 

Thanks for all the comments so far everyone. This forum is a lifesaver while living in the Czech Republic

Draper expert, Teng, Laser...all decent brands & decent quality...

 

My tool set has the above, oldest is a 23yr old draper expert socket set which is now "rough" set..for dirty, rough work...for normal work I have Facom socket sets etc...

 

Laser make specialist tools for certain jobs which other companies do not make, I have some Geodore sockets which are big 30mm+ sizes...

 

then I also have a hand full of cheap "silverline" tools when I could get no other brand & needed the tool right then...

I've a 35 year old Draper 1/2" set still going strong.  And a Britool ratchetless 1/2" ratchet drive I really like.

 

Have bought Halfords Professional range of late.  All good so far and lifetime guarantee.  Shattered a screwdriver bit on their impact driver set, took it back and got a complete new impact driver set as they didn't do individual components.

 

Gaz

At my work we tend to use a variety of tools. 

Britool were rubbish, in fact their breaker bar was dangerous so we were told to throw those away and get snap on ones.  

Snap on is good, but expensive. 

Bacho is cheap

Facom stuff is good quality and it should not be too expensive and is a sub brand of Mac tools.

Q- what do you want tools to do?

For car jobs, I ask IF I'll  want to use that tool many times, or whether it's a one of purchase. Like many blokes on here in the electronics/ heating /car repair work, then it's buy cheap, spend dear. Tools for professional work- I'd spend as much as I could afford, as these tools will be "tools of the trade", but for jobs around the house, where it's a one-use tool- is it worth the spend? Horses for courses, really. 

I've got an old car boot sale socket set bought many ( somewhere like 20 years ago) still going strong, apart from an AF 7/16 socket, my youngest lad decided was a close fit for 11mm. Add hammer, and it fits.  Dad applied Boot and son saw the error of  his  ways

years ago Britool were good and were specified issue to Rolls Royce (cars @ Crewe) factory staff   are they another old name bought up by the far east and used to flog junk ?

Iirc Facom bought Britool, then Stanley bought Facom.

Halfords 'Advanced' range. They have great deal on now and again with some sets at half price and, as mentioned, come with a lifetime warranty.

I also buy a lot of Lidl's tools. The quality isn't that bad for small jobs. They do some pretty decent Powerfix socket sets and spanners.

Lidl also do a half decent torque wrench which I think is a re-branded CK tools wrench.

Edit. Further discount from Halfords if you can get a Trade card.
http://www.halfords.com/advice/motoring/trade-card/trade-card?cm_re=mmtradecard-_-Tradecard-_-Tradecard
Qualifying trades;

Qualified mechanic
Self-employed mechanic
Mobile mechanic
Small independent garage mechanic
Fast Fit Centre mechanic
Commercial vehicle mechanic
Police, fire or ambulance mechanic
Bus mechanic
Local authority mechanic
Recovery mechanic
College motor vehicle staff
College apprentice mechanic
Army mechanic
RAF or aviation engineer
Railway engineer / mechanic
Naval Engineer
Marine Engineer/Mechanic
Carpenter
Electrician
Plumber
Glazier
Landscaper / Fencer
Welder / Metal worker
Utilities worker
Taxi companies & drivers
Courier companies & drivers

TBH, it probably depends on the tool and the company, as with any other flavour of tools.
A lot of older brands used to do good tools but have gone downhill.

Bahco, for example - I have one of their socket sets and they still do excellent saw files, but their sliding bevels don't even lock in place.

 

Most of the local guys use Halfords sets, mainly for the excellent replacement service.

I have a spanners, screwdrivers and torque wrenches from Halfords Professional range and they are good value for the money. However the socket sets are crap. They may have a lifetime warranty and they will exchange them readily but there is nothing worse than not being able to complete a job due to a broken tool especially if you're working on your own car and need to get a taxi, bus, push bike or whatever just to exchange the broken piece. It's a real annoyance and waste of your time. 

For socket sets I would go for Bahco or Teng both have the added benefit of being a shot peened finish which even with oily or greasy hands you can hold the tool with slipping so less socket bits dropped into the darkest cavities of your car which happens too easily with chromed finishes.  

CK pliers seem to be in another league compared to others too. 

Edited 11 December, 20178 yr by CWARD