Originally posted by MeanGreen2:

$3K is nothing to any mechanic that I know of, period.

And if your dad works bumper-to-bumper, I'd sure like to see what tools he has. Around here, 1" impacts are well over $1K...1 wrench can cost $100.00 or more, sockets $50.00 etc...but I'm talking quality...not junk.

And I won't say it again, I don't overcharge...my labor is 10 dollars per hour less than everbody else in the area, I don't oversell jobs and I never go over suggested retail, so just get off of that and face the facts that tools cost money...the more work that you do, the more tools are needed...more money is needed.

And $7K for a real tool box is cheap...I've seen mechanics spend closer to $20K

You just seem sour...and p*ssed because a pro knows more and owns more tools than you. Big shocker.


He doesn't have to buy his own impact wrenches. He has a couple torque wrenches that cost about $200 each, and he does have expensive wrenches, sockets, etc. but maybe not as expensive as the ones you get, but they seem to last him long enough and do the job right.

I don't care if you won't say it again, in fact that would be good. You obviously charge too much, and if it's less than others in the area, then they really charge too much. Suggested retail is often way too much, and I've never paid it. I realize there is a cost for the right tools,etc... but there is a limit.

Again, yes I've seen people waste money as well. I have never met a mechanic (in south georgia, like I said, you HAVE to be overcharging) that has spent/or been able to spend $20k on a tool box. Mechanics around here simply don't get paid well enough to do that. There are some that spend $3k-$4k on a tool box, but they don't have families yet to care for, and they also have multiple credit cards. My dad has only bought used tool boxs, because even though he is the highest paid mechanic in his shop, he can't afford even a $2k tool box, atleast not if he expects to pay bills, support a family,etc.

I'm not sour or pissed, though it certainly seems you are. I'm not gonna doubt that you know more than me (when it comes to fixing cars anyways) or that you own more tools than me (I know grandmas that own more tools than me). I just disagree with you when it comes to the fact of you saying you "need" certain tools to work on a zetec, when I and countless others have proved otherwise. I also, again, don't like your know-it-all attitude, because even though you may know a lot (about working on cars, or atleast you know what the books tell you), you don't know it all. Neither do I or your customers. But if I came to you with my car, you seem like the kinda mechanic that would act like I know nothing, which is obviously untrue, and I wouldn't have you work on my car if you won't discuss intelligently with me what's wrong with it.

The only reason I don't really enjoy working on cars is because I find it boring after doing it for more than a few minutes (except when diagnosing a problem using a scanner and recording/comparing information). I find working on cars to be very easy to do, and not much of a challenge. I think it anybody could work on a car. I think even someone like my mom, who acts like she could never work on a car, actually could, if she wanted to. That's why I wanna design cars, not just work on them, hopefully (and I'm sure it will be) it'll be more of a challenge.

98.5 SVT 91 Escort GT (almost sold) 96 ATX Zetec (i brake to watch you swerve) FS: SVT rear sway bar WTB: Very cheap beater CEG Dragon Run - October 13-15