When looking for a new position or job, what is the most important factor that you look for?
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When looking for a new position or job, what is the most important factor that you look for?
View full poll questionHey Technicians! What’s your favorite vehicle to work on?
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Great review for Sales & Leasing Consultant; Nick Wade.
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What are some fun activities you like to do in the fall?
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Food Truck time to celebrate some special events! One tech celebrated 36 years of being here at Tom Wood Toyota. Another tech reported a first known issue found to Toyota and was awarded a special medallion.
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Air Tools or Electric tools?
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Minnesota roads can be unbearable in the snow, but this winter car workshop could be a game-changer for new drivers
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Happy anniversary to our Shipping & Receiving Clerk; Sam Lynch
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Great review for Service Advisor; Michael Manns!
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🎉 C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S 🎉 Congratulations to Garrett for being our BEAST of the week.
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If you could work on cars from any era, which would you choose?
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What's the most satisfying part of being an automotive technician?
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Thank you to everyone that joined us for the PenFed Racing Simulator Challenge on August 30-31. It was a pleasure to host Sabré Cook and showcase the Porsche GT3 Cup racecar while enjoying time with our amazing community and team. We hope you had a great time meeting Sabré, testing your skills in the racing simulator, and joining the scenic rally drive.
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Junior Technician, James, replacing a drive shaft on a 2022 Tiguan.
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Do you feel pressure to buy higher end tools from the bigger tool brands?
Educator
I always purchase quality tools regardless of the source. If the big name/tool trucks have the best quality tools then I buy from them, but if another supplier offers the same or better quality I’ll buy from them. Quality doesn’t have a brand name and a brand name doesn’t ensure quality. (edited)
Technician
More replying to Jay than Allan, but I have several means of finding quality tools, the first of which is Project Farm on YouTube. Guy does a sensational job testing tools and showing which hold up and which don't. Another is reading reviews. Granted some companies will post fake reviews, but you can generally find the honest reviews (and if these a bunch of fake ones I won't buy). Finally, laying hands on the tool. Most tool truck brands are not produced by the tool truck brand, so finding the actual producer can save you quite a bit of money (at the possible exception of the warranty). It all comes down to research.
That is definitely scary, Robert. I once had a really nice ratchet from one of the big brands that had a plastic handle. The plastic handle came off while I was trying to loosen a tie rod and ended with blood all over from me splitting my hand open. I had just bought it off of one of the tool trucks and needless to say, I had that thing swapped out for a new one immediately.
Technician
It depends on who I'm getting the pressure from. After all, I typically had 2-5 high end tool salespeople walking through my shop each week with just the thing I needed to solve that problem I was currently dealing with. There's also the shop banter and ribbing about the old toolbox and Sears specials, but that's always easy to shush: "It's paid for. How much is yours costing you each week?" The harshest critic, however, is me when my low end tool doesn't perform. "Buy the cheapest tool you can find. When it breaks you have used it enough, buy the best you can afford." At that point, yeah I feel a whole lot of pressure to buy high end tool brands.
I think I was very similar to you in this regard, Russell. There were tools that I wouldn't second guess paying the more expensive price for. Having good ratchets were always a big one but screwdrivers didn't make sense for me. I also had it drilled into my head at a young age that I would never have a nice toolbox, haha.
Educator
Same thing I tell my students, certain tools are definitely a "buy once, cry once" purchase, but most basic hand tools will last for as long as you are willing to take care of them. I used my first Craftsman chrome socket set throughout the duration of my automotive career, replacing as needed from the trucks or supplementing when specialty sockets were needed.
I think that's solid advice, Sean! Still have my original set of Craftsman sockets as well. I did was use my non-impact 3/8" sockets on an air gun. Learned my lesson there as I had a few of them crack. Must not have learned it too well because I still use them on my home projects. (edited)
Technician
I think what you're seeing here in this poll is a direct reflection of oral tradition. The older techs pass on what tools are good and which are bad. When a Jr tech borrows one of my tools it may be expensive and name brand and it may not be. I bought what the guys I learned from bought. Just like them my tools are an eclectic collection.
Technician
I was taught at a green tech, when I borrowed tools from the older techs, were snap on, the worked so much better than my broken cheap tools. If I broke the borrowed tool the tool truck will be there that week to replace… definitely worth paying the extra for that…
Technician
Yes and no I have been a mechanic started at the bottom as a tire tech with harbor freight tools (impact wrenches sockets) and I now have a Snapon tool box and cart with about 60k total in tools, I see the value in buying from a truck that comes by weekly (or whenever you call them) to come warranty/offer service, but some tools don’t need to be high end, a lot of my sockets are tekton high quality without the price, but my impacts are Snapon, Milwaukee Matco. Screw drivers are from autozone as they carry the same lifetime warranty. There is a stigma in the industry that if u don’t have all Snapon ur not a master technician, but my scanner (top-don) does more than a zues at less than 1/3 the cost. So some things yes buy snapon/tool truck brands, some save ur money use Amazon, harbor freight, auto zone/ORAP it’s okay to have a mix of tools
I still have the 240pc craftsman tool set I started with 22 years ago as the mainstay of my collection. People often ask about when the see all those “poor-mans” sockets in the top drawer of my 84” Epiq, and I always tell them the same thing. They haven’t broken yet, and when they do, I’ll replace them. But until then, I’ll keep using them. I have amassed a large collection of tools from all the big names, but I learned early on in my carrier that while having the right tool for the job is critical, knowing you options is even more important. I watched many a fellow tech get into debt to have the biggest toolbox or best wrenches, only to have it cost them so much more in the end. Live within your means and trade up if and when you can. Also don’t buy anything bigger than you can move in an afternoon 🤣
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