Tool recomendation help

[milk]

Hello.

Ive moved house and it appears i have left my tools at my previous house. luckily they was old crappy things.

I'm after a tool kit which isnt the crazy price of snap on but not crappy quality. something that will last for years. Mainly things such as servicing and maintaining cars and also ,minor repairs when needed.

Mostly use metric stuff anyways and if i need imperial i can add at a further date.

What i need is-

Socket set with a good variety of sizes in both standard and deep maybe with rachets in to save finding good ones.

screwdrivers

torque wrench

breaker bar

any mic items i might need.

Thanks

Mike

[Dez]

Halfords.
You won’t get better for less, especially if you wait til the big kit is on offer so it’s half the price.

[xbl]

USPro are good value and all guaranteed for life too.

[slater]

Yep Halfords. They arnt as comprehensive as they used to be but still great value. Get a trade card if they arnt on special offer already.

[LowStandards]

Halfords have just updated their Advanced socket sets, so you can get the older ones for silly cheap money at the moment.

Just don't look at the newer sets, as you'll leave with one of them instead...

[ballbagbagins]

Am sure the advanced set has a lifetime warranty.

[comfortablynumb]

Yeah they do, just make sure you have the receipt

[milk]

I was looking at the halfords advanced ones but was unsure of the warranty and when i look around the internet its for the professional tools which i cant see so i can only presume the advanced replaced them.

How would i get a trade card ass i don't fall in any of there required trades to get one. is there a way to blag one?

I don't need a big kit at the moment and il probably add to it at some point slowly so the bare essentials for now.

I'm torn between the 1/2 inch tray only 26 piece for now or a bahco one of similar size on amazon.

Tool shopping is stressful

[Deleted]

Feb 6, 2020 10:41:16 GMT milk said:

I was looking at the halfords advanced ones but was unsure of the warranty and when i look around the internet its for the professional tools which i cant see so i can only presume the advanced replaced them.

How would i get a trade card ass i don't fall in any of there required trades to get one. is there a way to blag one?

I don't need a big kit at the moment and il probably add to it at some point slowly so the bare essentials for now.

I'm torn between the 1/2 inch tray only 26 piece for now or a bahco one of similar size on amazon.

Tool shopping is stressful

All you need, to get a trade card, above whats in yer wallet anyway is a VAT number. Any vat number. 

[caprijake]

As above Halfords

I have a really nice set from Costco from a few years ago with lifetime warranty.
But i don't think they sell the same set anymore, not sure how that warranty will work if i do break something

If i lose anything i usually go halfords stuff now.

I have some nice spanner sets and replaced the odd socket here and there with their stuff.
Usually when on offer

Bought 2 of the small socket sets usually £40 for £15 each with an offer and a discount code
Throw them in the boot of the old Fords, just incase.

I had an email recently for my trade card for the new 175 advance set £250 usually but with trade card £160

Or £13.34 a month for 12 months 0% APR

www.halfords.com/workshop-tools/tools/socket-sets/halfords-advanced-175-pc-socket-spanner-set?utm_source=Email&utm_medium=Email_one_time&utm_campaign=FY20_WK41_BAU897_Gold&utm_identifier=

You can get a trade card with a couple smiles and some gift of the gab there and then without any paperwork.

Jake

[milk]

I always thought VAT Numbers applied to self employed/business owners? which i am neither. and for work is nothing to do with motor trade. which is a shame as the discounts on some stuff look good enough to be worthwhile.

[milk]

Il have to try and wing it when get one. presuming its better to convince them in store than apply online for one.

[Phil H]

One of the Halfords Advanced sets (I've got one for home and another I take racing) will certainly get you started and I've not managed to break any of it yet. The smaller sets are generally only Metric; bigger sets get Imperial sockets (although not spanners) but depends what you want.

As for "retail" price, they appear on half price pretty regularly. I doubt there will be a Valentines offer, but probably an Easter sale on. You've probably just missed the New year sale..

I've also got a Bahco one which is also holding up well. I've got the odd bit of USPro (because it was the cheapest way of getting big imperial stuff like 1" deep reach sockets for the wheelnuts on the RV) and it seems OK.

[caprijake]

Feb 6, 2020 10:47:51 GMT milk said:

I always thought VAT Numbers applied to self employed/business owners? which i am neither. and for work is nothing to do with motor trade. which is a shame as the discounts on some stuff look good enough to be worthwhile.

If you don't feel confortable blagging it there and then, prep before hand.

Rub some dirt on your face. Wear garage clothes

You don't need to have a VAT number, if they do ask you... make one up.

Say you work for Milk restoration services based from your home address.
Show a pile of receipts for anything motor related. Oil, battery. If you don't have any.
Make some and print some up.

This isnt your usual store but you go into Halfords everyday.

They don't grill you that hard. Pick the youngest looking college kid and say your boss told you, you need it today.

Jake

[milk]

How do you rate the Bahco compared to the halfords advanced?

[milk]

So my plan of action is work on a car for a bit before and blag and then if needs be il have reciepts and business cards for my "business" il try it

[Phil H]

Feb 6, 2020 10:53:51 GMT milk said:

How do you rate the Bahco compared to the halfords advanced?

As good as each other to be honest - I've only got a limited Bahco set (an odd one with 1/4" and 1/2" sockets but no 3/8") but it does the job. One little "niggle" is they use one socket for two sizes (19mm and 3/4" is the one that springs to mind). The difference is usually very small and I'm sure we've all used the "close" one before, but it seems a bit penny pinching, especially if you've doing a nut and bolt and want a socket both sides but can't because there aren't 2..

[Deleted]

I purchased a Halfords Advanced set very similar to the one listed in caprijake post above well over 15 years ago - its seen no end of use and for the last 4 years has been used non stop / on a daily basis for professional use - its still all complete - nothing broken - I bought it half price at the time - some where around the £90 mark instead of £180 - it must have paid for its self 10 times over

[ballbagbagins]

I've got a bahco socket set and I really rate it, only downside is one of the clasps on the case broke off so I have to be careful when moving it around or I'm on my hands and knees trying to find all the sockets which have rolled everywhere.

[milk]

When it comes to buying them il either try blag a trade card for the halfords ones or just order Bahco form amazon. Then its hunting for big breaker bars and a torque wrench.