I know they're supposed to be the Rolls Royce of professional tools, but the prices are astronomical, even second hand.

Does the quality really warrant the price ?

I question I've been meaning to ask for years.

it used to. not so much now.

I was reading a snap on catalogue on Friday while I was having an MOT done. The prices were eye watering. I know I m a bit of a toolaholic, but I always thought that tools were bought to do jobs to earn money, no way I'd be paying those prices. I think a lot of it is the pay a. Pound a week for a million years and it's yours syndrome

the other part of it was the warranty, the van would come round once a week and any tools you've broken by being a gorilla where swapped on the spot. there are so many caveats now (IE ratchet mechs not covered, battery tools have limited warranty etc) that that major upside has gone away too.

plus a lot of vans have reduced their routes, so some garages never see one anymore.

Snap-on is worth it for some stuff like ratchets, sockets and spanners and some other stuff but some of their prices for stuff like brake caliper windback tools are ridiculous. Snap-on sells finance first and tools second.

as long as your a garage owner/worker its worth it due to the replacement but youve paid for that anyway

as for second hand stuff if you arnt near a garage or near someone who can get replacements its not worth the price that many want for the tools

Snap-On used to be the only game in town for proper tools, not any more.

The dealer is on 100% mark up so if you buy something for £100.00 it's cost him £50.00.

The best day of the week used to be Snap-On day, absolutely loved going on the van back in the 80's

The difference between them and my dads old tools or the stuff I bought at Maccess (anyone remember them?) was night and day.

ive got all britool ,williams superslim elora and sykes picavant stuff all second hand over 50 years old used regular, screwdrivers wera havent broken one yet .who the hell would pay 15 quid for a no 2 phillips screwdriver that wears out after a year 8 quid buys you a wera and lasts the same time for 8 quid , snapon wont replace them if just worn only if the end snaps

I got mix of tools - some Snap On - some not...

I not bought off the Snap On van for years now - the stuff is just too expensive for what it is...

Most of my Snap On stuff has lasted well to be honest.

Plus I nearing retirement - so I try not to buy too many tools now - just won't get decades of use out of them into the future.

Interesting, alright another question, here in France if you're a mechanic, you turn up day one and get handed a toolbox full of tools, which you do an inventory of.

I am fully capable of losing the odd socket or spanner, and as long as you're not being cheeky, and you've genuinely lost it in a bilge or canal, they're like go get whatever you've lost on the works account.

I've also heard that in the UK it's expected you turn up and use your own tools.

Is this true ?

Are they franchises? I haven't actually seen a Snap On van for a couple of years.

Most are, but some are employed by Snap On.

Previous two employers aren't even covered by a Snap On van anymore, and Snap On can't even get anyone to take on the area, and won't let the neighbouring vans cover it.
I have some Snap On tools, but the prices really aren't justifiable. One of the vans who I do hunt down occasionally, doesn't even carry ratchets unless they're on offer, as he knows they're too expensive.

Most of the Snap On tools I own, have been bought on offer, with only the occasional thing that's been an impulse/dedicated purchase bought at full price, as I couldn't get them anywhere else.

Where I take cars for mots the garage owners “big” tool box cost 32k without tools.
His wheeled tool box I think he said was 7k without tools.
The pair of them are loaded with snap on tools must be 100s of thousands of pounds worth of kit.

I've also heard that in the UK it's expected you turn up and use your own tools.

Both my sons were expected to have their own tools. One son could use the company account to buy tools and then they took the money off his wages.
Our mechanics have their own tools, they get a tool allowance each year but it’s a pittance. The apprentices get a tool chest fully equipped when they join, the last one was 5k worth.

I entered my first Snap-On van at Gates of Woodford, Essex (commercial workshop), when I was just 17, the only other mainly available tool supplier was Britool at the time, there were others but you had to hunt them out.

I am 70 now, I still have some of my original Snap-On tool purchases, I've lost a few over the years, and changed several due to breakages/damage I've certainly had my money worth out of them.

Snap-On has changed some of its warranties for certain tools over the years, but mainly other tool manufactures have upgraded their tool quality/specs/warranties closer to Snap-On's, with the likes of Halfords Pro/Teng Tools, along many others over the years.

I do own other makes mainly German (Elora, Heyco and Gedore) all from the early 70/80's before they moved production to the far east.

My mate still has and uses my original Snap-On Top Box, I purchased when I was 18.

Are Snap-On worth it (?), if your starting an apprenticeship for hand tools yes, if your in your mid to late working life probably not, there are some specialist tools that Snap-On made/still make that are worth their weight in gold, depending on your field of work.

However I wouldn't consider buying any Snap-on Tool Box storage system now, even if I was just starting out, just because of the extortionate/prohibitive costs. There are other makes that although they may not have the same level of quality they are perfectly serviceable at a much cheaper price, let's face it most of the time roll cabs/mid draw sections/top boxes get put in place and very seldom get moved again.

The only Snap-On box I would ever consider is their road version (as an ex-hire fleet service engineer) life in a service van kills any draw based tool box, but you would need to be able to justify even that purchase price to yourself.

Pre online shopping, there was huge convenience value in having a van turn up at work

Pre online shopping, there was huge convenience value in having a van turn up at work

As was paying on the rolling knock weekly...

only stuff i buy off my local van now is the gasket scraper blades and if he has any used bargins from lads who have not paid and been snatched back or part ex,d and thats rare...Tbh i prefere used MAC tools over Snap On anyway.

I've not bought a new snap on tool for years but the used market is much better value for money.

You cannot in my experience, beat a snap on ratchet. Koken very close.