Brand loyalty...

Now Sears just gives you an entire new ratchet with no questions asked, but it seems like every time I get a new one the ratchet mechanism is just a little less smooth. I finally bought some 3/8" and 1/4" drive Snap-On and Mac ratchet off eBay, and they've been great. It's pretty amazing how much smoother they are and how much more force they'll take. I'm a firm believer in using breaker bars, but with the better ratchets if I'm feeling too lazy to grab a breaker bar I can just use them to break rusty bolts loose.

 

Like you were going back after that episode? Right!

I remember the same about their ratchets. The first time they gave me a rebuild kit, I laughed and told them this is not the way I bought the ratchet (in a parts bag)!

With the compromised quality, I wonder if they realize this is why sales of their tools are so low?

 

Nope, it seems like the entire tool market is more about driving out costs than improving quality. I really do miss when Craftsman was a top tier brand. My dad has a Craftsman power drill that's older than I am that still works fine. A buddy has a 30 year old Craftsman garden tractor that's a beast. Apparently it's a bad business plan to make quality things that last forever. You need them to break every few years, forcing consumers to keep buying your crap.

 

Planned obsolescence!

 

I only turn a few wrenches nowadays but got 2 snap on in car so when I see truck I can get them replaced.. most of my craftsman break.. if nephew goes automotive I will buy the 7000 dollar kit at education costs 2200 of course I will hold it til he either pays me back or earns it in my garage win win

of guy forgot to mention for shovels rakes etc... if you break home Depot they want you to mail it back to manufacturer to get replacement.?. Lowe's gAve me new one off shelf... if you check how much it costs to mail a shovel... more than new one some warranty

 

Farm tractors Farmall, Massey Ferguson, AC _ had a 8N ford on loan for awhile it was ok , but needed the gear box upgrade, lawn tractors well drank the cool aid and got one of those green and yellow things- yuck- my old Simplicity was much better -maybe not as egonomic. I will state up front that none of the current crop of lawn tractors are worth the price ( below $2k) in the hydro trany styles as those K44 type trannies in them are too weak and are not repairable ( they last ok if ya got all flat to mow but hilly terrain eats them alive) K55 on up tranny wise at least ya can change the fluid on those. auto, mostly fords had a run with buicks , couple dodge ( not impressed) and a bunch of amc back in the day, had one chevy- trouble from day one and one datsun mini truck- wore it out in 2 years. Am I brand loyal, well not totally, my fords have been decent for me - i do most of my own wrenching and i am not a fan of all the computer crap on vehicles - when they go down you are sol big time till you can get it back to the shop 98% of the time.

 

Fiskars will send you a replacement via mail. All you have to do is take a picture of the broken product and send to them in an email. They don't even ask for the broken tool to be returned. Doesn't help you if you are in dyer need of a shovel at the moment though.

A lot of manufacturers are going towards the "send it in and we'll see if it qualifies for replacement".

I have perhaps a different outlook on all the cheap tools and power equipment out there. I think they hurt consumers in the long run. The trend of buying throw away stuff does not help those of us who want to buy quality. Honda generators are somewhat of a hard sell these days. Why pay $1000 when you can get a Champion for $300? Problem is that if the trend of this cheap stuff continues, there will be no quality stuff left on the market. Or the quality stuff will cost even more if you can find it. Kind of creates a race to the bottom IMO. Its killing manufacturing in the US. Even if we can compile raw materials for a good price, our labor makes the end product more expensive than if it's made in China. So, manufacturing jobs here decline, the guy who used to make stuff here now has a job that doesn't pay what he used to make and can only afford the cheap stuff. Rinse & repeat.

I myself refuse to buy the low end stuff. If I can't afford a quality widget, I'll not have a widget and make do without.

 

10 snowmobiles and only 3 saws? Somebody has their priorities mixed up!

Gary

 

Vehicles, no preference, whatever is best buy.
Tools, all were my dad's, they stay.
Tractors, I've run them all, I prefer green.
Saws, Dolmar

 

Half of those were Mrs. TD's



If she wants a saw I'll get her a new one

 

I don't consider myself brand loyal, bit I guess the evidence would show I am! I have owned 4 new Toyota trucks over the past 27 years, and 8 Toyota cars. I have had 2 Kubota tractors and an RTV. Two Honda ATVs and Stihl trimmers, saws, and a Kombi tool.
Can't say a bad word about any of them.

When I was shopping for a new truck, I looked hard at a GMC. My fiancé told me "If you buy it and have any problems, I don't want to hear 'I should have bought a Toyota!'"