Snap-on Prices

Trav

Trav

Joined
Nov 20, 2006
Messages
31,263
Location
MA, Mittelfranken.de
Not to hijack another thread so I started this one. Snap on has really lost the plot, I have some of their tools and don't mind paying more for them but this is a bit over the top even for them.
I bought some Williams 1/4 drive locking extensions, I buy from Tooldelivered or Abolox tools depending on the shipping and selling price, both are good and legit.
Anyway the Williams are made in Taiwan and are very decent quality and cheap enough.


Now check out Bluepoint, same exact tool also made in Taiwan.

Snap-on Store

shop.snapon.com shop.snapon.com

Add a little knurling and USA made...

Snap-on Store

shop.snapon.com shop.snapon.com
 
I like Snap-on but majority of mine is from the pawn shop for 50 cents a piece can’t justify paying their prices for most of their stuff. My preferred USA brand is either the Williams or SK. I’ve got some Blue Point too it’s not bad. Whatever happened to Zoro? I know a few people on here liked them but I never see anyone mention them for tools anymore.
 
And in my opinion that is a crazy price for one extension. I have a Mac locking extension just a little 1 inch 1/4 drive that I got at the pawn shop for 50 cents they don’t even look at tools. I’ve never used it but it stays in my box for when I do need it. It’s the only locking extension I have.
 
I have a few of their ratchets, and a couple of sockets. One of the ratchets and the sockets I inherited from my FIL. The remaining ratchets were bought new on eBay for a considerable amount less than truck prices. As @Trav showed in his examples many times Williams is the way to go for certain items with SO quality for a lot less. A lot of my sockets, extensions, etc, are from Williams. Snap On wants a destinct segment of the market, and from what I gather from reading on a few different boards that segment is shrinking, although I could be wrong.
 
It’s all in the name. Lol.

It’s cheaper for me to get an Aisin water pump with the word “Volvo” ground off than it is to buy the Volvo water pump made by Aisin.
 
I have a ton of Snap on tools but I bought most of them thirty years ago.
Once, my truck got broken into and they got my service box. Run of the mill two drawer steel box full of snap on tools. My brother and I got on the tool truck and replaced everything in it to the letter. Truck guy totals it up and says 5500 dollars. I went WHAAAT? I picked up the 3/8 to 1” combination wrench set and said how much is this? His reply was 414.10. That number has remained in my brain since that day. I’m sure they’re more now.
 
The only Snap On tools I ever bought was out of necessity. Metric line wrenches back in 1979 when the GM “X” bodies came on the scene. No other tool vendors had them on their truck. Otherwise SK, Cornwell, Craftsman, and Mac is what I ended up with while turning wrenches (76-83). Promoted to shop supervisor etc etc and my tools came home. Never needed those Snap On wrenches again thankfully. I couldn’t afford Snap On tools. I always felt I’m “not doing surgery” so why invest in sparkly tools.
 
Nothing against Snap on quality they are some of the best tools made and I really like the ones I have but Blue Point and Williams is not their primary line. They are well made and lower cost but an $80 up charge for Blue Point over the same exact tools from Williams from the same Taiwan factory, is really trying to take advantage of a brand name.
If someone want to pony up an extra $150 for USA made that's up to them but it wont be me for this sort of tool.
 
Trav said:
Add a little knurling and USA made...
Click to expand...
If Snap On is buying machined pieces from their supplier in Taiwan, performing a knurling operation, then claiming "made in USA", they need to be careful. To claim it's "made" here, they could buy blanks and perform ALL of the machining operations and probably get away with it. Key is that the majority of the cost operations have to be done in the US to make the claim. I don't recall the specifics right now though...

I thought these looked pretty similar to my Gearwrench locking extensions but I see enough differences that they're likely not the same. Could be made by the same company with minor machining operations (mostly cosmetic too).
 
Hall said:
If Snap On is buying machined pieces from their supplier in Taiwan, performing a knurling operation, then claiming "made in USA", they need to be careful. To claim it's "made" here, they could buy blanks and perform ALL of the machining operations and probably get away with it. Key is that the majority of the cost operations have to be done in the US to make the claim. I don't recall the specifics right now though...

I thought these looked pretty similar to my Gearwrench locking extensions but I see enough differences that they're likely not the same. Could be made by the same company with minor machining operations (mostly cosmetic too).
Click to expand...

Several brands (US and foreign made) use the same locking design, patented by 501 Qualicorp, Ltd.
 
I do like and own many snap on sockets, ratchets, and wrenches. I agree and feel the pricing has gone up from what it was to the point it is taking it out of the realm of feasibility. I check on Ebay and pawn shops for deals when I can, but now that my wrenching work is at home and I dont make a living off the tools anymore, I have been buying more "lesser" tools. They work well for my needs and the money saved allows me to buy more!
 
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