22 hours ago, VWD said:

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

Being a beginner i'm not sure how much use I'll get out of specific tools, but my intentions are to do most of the work on my car as long as I have time. As for pricing the right tools I agree it's better to get top quality but sometimes I feel that mid range stuff can get me by for a few years. During that time I can save some money to upgrade when certain sockets break, just an example.

 

13 minutes ago, CWARD said:

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. 

The bit about using Bahco and Teng with greasy hands is a very good tip. I will put this near the top of my wish list when I buy tools. Thank you! It's kind of funny that you mentioned Halfords sockets need replacing all the time, yet they have a great lifetime warranty. Double edged sword I guess. I would rather pay more money than get stuck halfway through a job. 

 

Lots of great tips. Glad to get this kind of feedback!

I would recommend these socket sets

1/2 inch

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bahco-S240-Socket-Piece-Square/dp/B0001OZHS0/ref=sr_1_5?s=diy&ie=UTF8&qid=1513003275&sr=1-5&keywords=bahco+socket+set

or with spanners

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bahco-S400-Drive-Piece-Socket/dp/B0001IX9BI/ref=sr_1_11?s=diy&ie=UTF8&qid=1513003275&sr=1-11&keywords=bahco+socket+set

3/8 and 1/4 inch

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bahco-S330-Socket-Piece-Square/dp/B0001JZRYY/ref=sr_1_6?s=diy&ie=UTF8&qid=1513003275&sr=1-6&keywords=bahco+socket+set

 

If money is tight go for the smaller socket set as you will use it more. 

 

Torx screwdrivers are needed more with lots of manufacturers using them to secure trim

http://www.halfords.com/workshop-tools/tools/hand-tools/halfords-advanced-6-piece-star-screwdriver-set

Hex Keys - I've had a set of these that is a few decades old with no rounded edges.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bahco-9770-BE-9770-1-5-10mm/dp/B002SHPOZO/ref=sr_1_21?s=diy&ie=UTF8&qid=1513003275&sr=1-21&keywords=bahco+socket+set

 

normal screwdrivers

http://www.halfords.com/workshop-tools/tools/hand-tools/halfords-advanced-8-piece-screwdriver-set

 

Other things to consider:

 

Magnetic tray

Torque Wrench - 3/8 up to 60nm will be more useful than a 1/2 inch one. Halfords Pro or Norbar

extendable magnetic pickup - when you do drop something no doubt it will end where your hand won't fit or reach.

Flexi Screwdrivers are great when for hard to reach places where your wrist won't contort.

Ratchet spanners are nice to have as are stubby spanners too.

 

If you're going to be working on your car a lot then axle stands are must and don't forget funnels, drip trays and quality lubes. 

 

 

 

 

I have a Halfords Advanced socket set.  Nothing to write home about but fine.  The case it came in - awful.  The hinges failed within 6 months of occasional use.  Currently held together with gaffer tape.  Anyone know if the warranty covers the case?

No it doesn’t. Yours lasted a lot longer than mine. 

7 hours ago, Ttaskmaster said:

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.

 

You can tell which Bahco adjustables in my toolbox at work have been with me since I was an apprentice as not that long ago they said 'MADE IN SWEDEN' on them. Apparently Snap-on acquired them and the stuff is now made in China as the new spanners don't have that on them.

 

That said, my go-to 1/2 drive socket set is Bahco as I prefer the 6 point drive instead of 12 which you get in a lot of other sets. I know all my Halfords ones are mainly 12 point.

 

I do have mostly Halfords stuff at home which I like. Sealey stuff is good value also.

 

I do have a few bits from snap-on as well, you can get some good deals on ebay on new and used snap-on stuff and its a fraction of the cost of the website or tool truck.

 

 

30 minutes ago, SuperbTWM said:

 

You can tell which Bahco adjustables in my toolbox at work have been with me since I was an apprentice as not that long ago they said 'MADE IN SWEDEN' on them. Apparently Snap-on acquired them and the stuff is now made in China as the new spanners don't have that on them.

 

That said, my go-to 1/2 drive socket set is Bahco as I prefer the 6 point drive instead of 12 which you get in a lot of other sets. I know all my Halfords ones are mainly 12 point.

 

I do have mostly Halfords stuff at home which I like. Sealey stuff is good value also.

 

I do have a few bits from snap-on as well, you can get some good deals on ebay on new and used snap-on stuff and its a fraction of the cost of the website or tool truck.

 

 

 

 

My Bahco all says Sweden...& mainly I have their adjustable spanners in wide mouth versions...best on the market....great for plumbing....& their bow saws (3ft long)...didn't realise snap-on bought them..& then downgraded it to get rid of the competition...

 

 

My new Facom sets...1/2 & 3/8...are both 6 side....way better grip & less likely to round the corners especially on high torque & awkward angles...just have to pair with strong 72 click ratchets as you loose the 12 point extra angle choice...thankfully the sets I got from Facom have nice ratchets....

12 minutes ago, fabdavrav said:

 

 

My Bahco all says Sweden...& mainly I have their adjustable spanners in wide mouth versions...best on the market....great for plumbing....& their bow saws (3ft long)...didn't realise snap-on bought them..& then downgraded it to get rid of the competition...

 

 

 

They are excellent but my only gripe with the wide openers, particularly the 8", is that the jaws taper in slightly due to their length so after snugging the jaws up onto a smallish fastener they don't come off easily so I tend to only use them when required. As you say, they are awesome for nipping pipe fittings up behind sinks and where access is tight.

 

That was one of the reasons I got some Snap-on ratchets for the high tooth count over my Halfords ones

 

 

 

Thanks again for the commentary and advice. It's very informative reading the different experiences people have had. 

 

Not sure if this deserves it's own topic in the forum, but what about jacks? I bought a Yato jack the other day that was supposed to lift from 89 to 359 cm and it barely got halfway. There was very little pressure. So, I went to return it today and when I put it on the returns desk the thing was leaking oil all over the desk !! Somehow it didn't drop a single bit of oil in my trunk .

 

I didn't have any problems getting my money back but what a waste of time that was. This is why I wanted opinions on tools. Didn't think to ask about jack's. So here I am, lesson learned.

 

Tips? Opinions? Should I start a new thread for this?

 

Halfords do a kit with axle stands, trolley jack and crawler board which is well priced. Not sure on the crawler board though as you normally need to jack the car even higher to use and unless you have a smooth surface for the wheels can be a pain to use. 

 

http://www.halfords.com/workshop-tools/garage-workshop/trolley-jacks/halfords-5-piece-lifting-kit?_br_psugg_q=axle+stands

On 12/10/2017 at 18:02, Lee01 said:

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

Or anyone with a British Cycling Membership.  10% discount isn't limited to cycling department. 

@SkodaSponge - Well, IMO good axle stands are way more important than a hydraulic jack, at least if you value your rib cage!

 

Sorry, should have said that good axle stands are those rated to support 1 tonne, and using pin rather than threaded pillar height adjustment.

Edited 13 December, 20178 yr by KenONeill

I have axle stands, but being old school, I tend to use 3 lumps of railway sleeper, I find them more stable, the car can get a bite into them with no damage to the car, and if they are designed to carry a train, that's good enough for my car. I also bung stands under a suitable point as well. belt and braces, but for years when I was impoverished I just used some railway sleeper chunks on their own. 

the other thing which springs to mind is if you buy a "small/basic)(not necessarily cheap)  set of metric spanners you will need to fill in some gaps as VAG loves to use stuff like 16 and 18 mm sizes too

I've got a big set of Crescent hand tools which are pretty good, they came from Costco but you can get them online too.

 

Some of the other tools I've got are Draper (2x torque wrenches) and Stanley.

Just want to say thank you to everyone who replied. I went with a 200~ piece kit by Yato. They had the most complete set, without missing sizes. Matched with the most reasonable price out if the kits that can be bought in the Czech Republic. It seems to be doing the jobs I need it to. One note, the top half of the case has everything clipping into it, but the bottom does not. You can imagine how that worked our the first time I opened it

 

I will say that magnetic tips would be extremely helpful, also I never accounted for my own stupidity when it came to how long certain pieces would last.

 

Broke one of my torx bits first try, as it was the hollow middle style and I needed the solid bit.

 

As for axle stands, I got 4x "Carface" 2t and a Geko lift rated 2.5t. Combined they held my Octavia 2.0 TDI for a few hours no issues. Axle stands with a pin seem safer then threaded pillar. 

 

Happy Holidays to everyone, thanks again for the replies!