Well i was gonna suggest Craftsman since you used to be able to return them in almost any town with a Sears, but those days are over!



Your serious,Sears won't take their Chinese wrenches back anymore???



Costco has a pretty good set of hand wrenches with multiple bits usually in a plastic case $ 100.00.

Home Depot has an after Christmas sale of a somewhat larger set for $120.00.

 

I used to own nothing but Craftsman tools. Sears refused to return a couple of sockets that split on me a couple of years back. Havent bought a single tool with them since.


BluePoint FTW


I know, I know, its not full blown Snap On but Ive still got a really nice set of tools.

 

Not a darned thing wrong w/Bluepoint,I've some of them here someplace if the shrews haven't moved the roll away.

 

Ive have nothing but good luck with em, and they've held up really really well. Been cranking on em for about 4 years on my last few trucks and they still look almost new. Wipe em down after use and once a year they get a spraying with WD40 and cleaned up.

This is the set I have, along with a smattering of various other pieces Ive picked up here and there.

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item....group_ID=20261

 

I second this, you need cheap tools especially combination wrenches, they will work fine for most things and if you lose one or have to modify one you haven't lost much. Offset wrenches are a different story, you also need the very best in some tools because nothing else will work, there is a fine line and depending what you do with your tools and how often you do it will determine which tools you have to pay top dollar for. There is no point in buying a single set of snap or Mac combo wrenches then misplacing the 13mm then needing two of them, you could buy 3 or 4 sets of cheaper ones and have money left over.

 

I agree with Busboy. I have several sets of sockets, wrenches and so forth to include sets of Snap on, Craftsman and Chinese made. When I'm using them I can't tell the difference about 99.9% of the time.

 

i agree with the general concensus that you need a set u can destroy and a set for some of your finer work. fortunatly a finer set is basicly one that u can return at any time for any reason. including that they are dirty.

 

I went with craftsmen, $220 I got a full set of standard/metric sockets and wrenches. They might not be the best, but I imagine they will work for as little as I use them. Maybe I will buy a set of grey pneumatic down the road. But I am pretty hard on tools so we will see if they last or not

 

I have some Snap-On, great tools, but if your not a pro, hard to catch the salesman if you break one.
Lot's of Craftsman, also great tools for a decent price. I personally have never had a warranty issue with them.
I've also had good service out of S&K and New Britain(NAPA). Not sure if NAPA still uses the New Britain name.
My favorite go to 3/8 drive ratchet is a flex head New Britain that I have had for more than 25+ years. It has seen much abuse and never failed me.

 

Oh Yeah, I personally stay away from any hand tool that says only China on it. Way to many busted sockets and knuckles to suit me.

 

Wow I just returned 2 split sockets and 1 bent screw driver yesterday, no questions asked.

 

Sears has Craftsman wrenches on sale right now. Order online and pickup in store or shipped!

 

I have S & K, and also Craftsman, but not as much as S & K. Never had any problem with either, but I do know that Sears has changed it's warranty, at least on certian tools. I do know that in the future, I think I'm going to do some more research on tools, and only spend my money on quality tools! A few things you can skimp on, but in the long run, you get what you pay for!

 

I have some of the Mac, Snap-On, S&K, and Crafstman but in all honesty I have just as good of service from Kobalt at Lowes, and even some of the stuff from Harbor Freight.

 

My tools are my living, and I have everthing from Snap-On, Matco, Mac, Cornwell, Blackhawk, S&K, Armstrong, GearWrench, Harbor Freight, and Craftsman... I can say that Craftsman is my least favorite.
But I agree with others, If I need to hack up and bend a wrench or drive a socket onto an erroded bolt, thats what the harbor freight and craftsman stuff is for.
One thing I WOULD suggest for your current project is to buy 6 point sockets for your exhaust system/turbo work. And make sure your wrenches fit the bolts/nut well so that they do not slip.
Fasteners that are exposed to high heat typically errode, so use a good tool.