I am looking for a website that is a good source for tools (ratchets, torx, etc..)
Some people like Northern Tools but my purchases from them have been junk. For basic tools like you list I've not ever been dissatisfied with good old Sears. They have a good selection and the best warranty. You cannot go wrong with them for sure. If you purchase a torque wrench make sure it reads up to 96 ft. lbs. for the Cayman wheel bolts.
And as long as you are buying tools take a look at the Porter-Cable C2002-WK Oil-Free UMC Pancake Air Compressor. You can usually find them under $200 and you can use it for air tools as well as tire filling. It is light, portable and long lasting.
+1 for Sears Craftsman. Hard to beat the warranty and there's pretty much a Sears anywhere in the country.
Baum Tool used to sell retail for Porsche specialty tools. Don't know if they still do or not. Automotion also carries some of this kind of thing.
Harbor Freight is another source for really cheap stuff.
Sears Craftsman is reasonably good stuff. As others have noted, the lifetime warranty is pretty hard to beat (it's the primary reason I buy Craftsman tools) -- they even swapped out a hammer even
after
I admitted that I abused it. But, the warranty only applies to their hand tools (power tools and cutting bits, like drill bits and taps, are excluded).
If you want really good tools, both Snap-On (
Snap-on
) and Mac Tools (
Mac Tools
) sell directly from their web sites, so you don't have to track down a truck. These hand tools are also covered by a lifetime warranty, and they are higher quality than Craftsman. However, they are also significantly more expensive.
Sears tools are great, but using their website can be downright painful at times. I've had it do things like lose products it was showing me just a moment ago after I've gone through credit card entry, etc.
Another vote for Sears. BTW, I've had no issues w/its website during dozens of purchases.
To expand: you'll want a 1/2" drive 0-150 ft lb wrench for the bolts. Torque wrenches are most accurate in the middle of their range.
Craftsman has been annoying me lately, by cheapening up some of their hand tools. Some edges that should be finished aren't. Some of their sets are still great bargains, but for most modern cars all you really need are 6pt metric wrenches & sockets, and you always end up getting other stuff you never use. YMMV.
Two sites I frequent are:
Automotive Tools, Air Tools, Robinair A/C Equipment at ToolTopia.com
- ToolSource - 30,000 automotive tools online. Fast Delivery, Friendly service, Secure on-line ordering.
These guys sell the hard-to-find stuff. Snap-on, Matco, and MAC are great tools, but the prices you pay online stink; you really need to make a friend with a truck franchise, because no professional is paying list price.
Another really interesting site is:
McMaster-Carr
These guys sell Armstrong tools, which are made by DHR, the company that makes Craftsman tools, but they aren't cheapened-up for Kmart (er, Sears). They also have an awesome collection of fasteners and other useful stuff, and you can spend hours browsing the site.
I also have used these guys:
HAZET
For tools for German cars, but you really have to swallow hard on the prices, just as with Snap-on, MAC, and Matco. Chad's service is the best on the business, IMO, but he's not bashful about pricing.
I have a couple of Hazmet tools from Chad that are works of art (they give me pause when I see them in my tool cabinet), but your wallet needs to open wide to enjoy them.
I have been using Harbor Freight, but only from a local store so I can see the quality and avoid high shipping charges. A lot of their stuff used to be junk, but now most of it is quite good. China has come a long way.
