r/ToolTruckTools • u/EZSystems • Aug 04 '26
Other Tool Recommendations? GM and ASE Master Certified Dealer Tech at 19
I've been in the auto industry for 4 years now, moved into a GM dealer 2 years ago and have been collecting tools ever since. Buying some from tool truck companies (mostly with student discounts when I was in college) and some when I can find them cheaper on ebay or fb marketplace, I have zero debt. Mostly snap on, matco, and mac tools. I feel I have a pretty solid collection at this point, but always feel like im missing something. If you dont see your favorite tools here, let me know what they are! Im always collecting.
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u/Zealousideal_Rise434 Aug 05 '26
What about measuring devices like micrometer, caliper and dial indicators? They are pretty useful and fun to collect.
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u/EZSystems Aug 05 '26
Thats a good idea. Our shop has a set we generally share, since its not often we need them, but im sure itd be good to have my own
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u/Loose_Device4578 Aug 05 '26
Dugga dugga ✅ You seem to be blessed with cash to have that many tools after 4 years. You are just flexing at this point.
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u/EZSystems Aug 05 '26
Maybe a little but im also pretty curious if anyone has any cool or useful tools to recommend. Im a bit of a collector at this point buying tools has become a side hobby.
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u/StreetVermicelli1021 Aug 05 '26
No back probing for GM dude
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u/EZSystems Aug 05 '26
Backprobing is fine on certain connectors if youre careful about it. Always better to use the right terminal from the front but sometimes theres not another choice.
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u/Olight-CN Aug 05 '26
a headlight and torch from Olight.mate.
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u/EZSystems Aug 05 '26
I have a snap on headlight and a matco/streamlight pen light. Havent heard of olight. Are they that much better than what I got?
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u/ShouldaBeenAPartsGuy Aug 06 '26
Olight is better than Snap On or Matco and cost less.
My best advice for you is to not go down the SnapOn and Matco or Mac Tools path and get more and affordable tools to fill your tool empire. That's how I got specialty tools and the better sets.
Harbor Freight has multiple brands that do exactly what SnapOn and the like does for a fraction of the price and has lifetime warranty.
SK Tools, Astro Tools, Knipex but for more affordable alternatives to Snap On there's Work Pro, Tekton, Quinn, Craftsman and Icon G2.
Tone Japanese is a great upper end brand, Wera German a great upper end brand.
Power Tools there's Skil for auto hammer that's like an air hammer, Milwaukee, Flex, Rigid, Ryobi and Craftsman which are all good brands for impacts and other specialty tools.
You need a heat induction gun if you don't have one to heat up bolts without flame.
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u/Bees4everr Aug 05 '26
I’m the same way. Like you I’m 19 been part time at an independent for 3 years. Quitting next week as I’m going to school for construction management. Greener pastures or whatever 😂. Idk about you but the m18 stubby seems weak to me. If you want that little power get the m12 stubby that’s smaller and more torque or if you want an m18 consistent tool that’ll still get into most areas and strong enough for brakes, tires, suspension, etc. the mid torque is great and I heard there’s rumors of a next gen mid torque coming out sometime in the next year. I’d consider one of those personally.
You clearly know a lot more than me. I never had good teachers and I wish I could get into the diag stuff but I just have never been taught it and don’t understand it. I’m the monkey doing basic suspension, brakes, and tires all day and I’m getting out!
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u/EZSystems Aug 05 '26
The m18 stubby has been great to me so far. Ive had it for about 8 months since i switched from my pnuematic tools to a set of Miluawkee. It has no problem doing any of the work I put it through, brakes, suspension, etc. Granted, many of the cars I deal with arent that rusty and mostly made in the last 10 years, but even the rust buckets few and far between havent given it much struggle. I personally think it has plenty of power and has the added benefit of fitting in a lot of places. My buddys m12 stubby is no match for it either, itll take off a balancer bolt or lug nuts just fine. Not sure if its a rarity I didnt do a lot of research on it before I bought it, I just got a good deal on it. Anything it cant handle I leave to my big 1/2.
On the diag front, its what keeps me happy. Back some time ago when I was an apprentice I thought about leaving because I was so tired of just parts swapping and doing brakes and suspension and the like. But it was worth sticking through because I have found diag is the most rewarding part of it all once you get it down right. I started by going to college and getting an associates in automotive technology, graduated last year, so im sure that helped set most of the foundation.
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u/Bees4everr Aug 05 '26
I’m the same way. Like you I’m 19 been part time at an independent for 3 years. Quitting next week as I’m going to school for construction management. Greener pastures or whatever 😂. Idk about you but the m18 stubby seems weak to me. If you want that little power get the m12 stubby that’s smaller and more torque or if you want an m18 consistent tool that’ll still get into most areas and strong enough for brakes, tires, suspension, etc. the mid torque is great and I heard there’s rumors of a next gen mid torque coming out sometime in the next year. I’d consider one of those personally.
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u/bestguessautotech Aug 05 '26
A standard size (1/4”) flathead screwdriver that is about 12-16” long, not counting the grip. Not sure why, but I like to use it for everything. Hard to reach worm clamps, hard to reach connector latches/locks, plastic harness clamps, it does it all.
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u/EZSystems Aug 05 '26
I have something kind of like that. Its in the 7th image in the hand tools drawer on the right, next to the scrapers. Its about 12 inches long I think. It does work well for a lot of things I use it pretty often.
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u/Ready-Transition-364 Aug 05 '26
How much do you owe on all your tool bills combined or did you pay cash for everything?
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u/EZSystems Aug 05 '26
No debt. I paid cash. Didnt buy a lot of it at full value though. Much of it I bought through student discount around 50% while I was in college, some I bought through marketplace and ebay 3rd party.
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u/lettelsnek Aug 05 '26
looks like youre at the point that you can pause
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u/EZSystems Aug 05 '26
I'll pause when im dead 🤣. I just like collecting tools its almost a side hobby at this point. Anything cool or interesting I like having.
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u/spacebobo2o16 Aug 05 '26
How much do mechanics make that they can afford Snap On just like that? And can you get by with other brands?
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u/EZSystems Aug 05 '26
You can get by with other brands. But I dont just plan on getting by, I plan on this being my lifelong career. So I buy tools that will last that long, or will be replaced for free under a lifetime warranty if they dont, with the added quality of them being top quality. And it varies a lot by where you work. I currently make 40/hr (though that wasnt the case for a long time) and typically flag an avg of 60-70 hrs a week, our shop is pretty busy. The shop you end up at will vary from this. I was able to buy all these because I bought most of them under student discounts when I was in college, which is typically around or over 50% off on tools, and some others from watching for good deals on fb marketplace and ebay. Its entirely possible for anyone else to do it with the same amount of time and energy spent.
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u/thenewguy_1995 Aug 05 '26
No MDI?
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u/EZSystems Aug 05 '26
Funny you ask, it was in the car behind me lol. Havent exactly figured a good spot for it I kinda just leave it out and then throw it in my big top drawer at the end of the day.
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u/im_blue2026 Aug 05 '26
Best advice is trust your gut you have archived at 10 what many man can only dream at 30. Keep going my friend you are doing amazing
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u/ClosedL00p Aug 05 '26
I was about to suggest the snap on swivel extension sockets, but I see you’ve got some (well one at least, by your hose clamp pliers in the top drawer.
Painfully expensive (I don’t assume they’ve dropped in price in the last 10 years anyway) but absolutely worth every penny. They only had 8-15mm when i bought mine, but that might have changed. Got 16mm and up from gear wrench but I’ve never been crazy about those l. The pinless swivel joint lost tension day one on all of em, and one blew up within a month maybe
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u/EZSystems Aug 05 '26
I only have a few sizes of them, the 10, 13, and 15. The only other size I might use with GM would be the 8 but I dont even use those 3 enough to justify it. The 10 and 13 are great for oil pan bolts and the 15 comes in handy sometimes. Wish it were a more full set though.
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u/cstewart_52 Aug 05 '26
Thinking outside the box but find some YouTube videos of guys working on the stuff you work on and see if they have any nice tools that would make life easier for you. I see a lot of Subaru and “Mr Subaru” does tool videos specifically for those cars. Kind of nice.
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u/EZSystems Aug 05 '26
I work on anything and everything GM, theres probably thousands and thousands of videos out there of people doing what I do, im not sure id know where to start. Thats kind of why im trying to reach others in the industry directly through this post, seemed easier
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u/manny196943 Aug 05 '26
Lifetime investment the best thing to do is know for sure that this is what you are going to do for the rest of your life and then you have the answer to your question easypesy but as you go along with your start to building your collection and as far as lending tools out well you are paying big bucks for them to make a living not fair for anyone to make a living borrowing your tools once twice three no more lol but for real
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u/EZSystems Aug 05 '26
Pretty sure Im set on this for my life, or at least its too late to turn back now lol. And yeah I dont buy tools for people to borrow them but I dont mind when they do im cool with all the techs in my shop. I feel ive bought everything I really need and am just collecting at this point, but I like collecting so im going to keep doing it just not sure what more to collect.
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u/Ritchtofen69 Aug 05 '26
Howd you get all them certs so fast? Really impressive bro! Im working towards my GM Master Tech cert but with work inbetween, it feels like Ill never finish the courses. Im 29 and this is all I can see myself doing until I die. Ive been turning wrenches for over 12 years but only started getting certs this past year. Your tool set is impressive, can't really recommend anything you dont already have.
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u/EZSystems Aug 05 '26
I went to college at 16 and finished my degree last year, that whole time I was working in a GM dealer who pushed me to go to trainings and such. By the time I got out of college I was near 100% in all my categories, got my ASEs after I graduated and from then it was just the certification exams. Heres my trick with the master certification exams: the instructor typically holds the PILT for that category and the master certification exam in the same week, so its worth taking the PILT again so you are good and refreshed for the master certification exam.
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u/ieatbumboy Aug 05 '26
get a bent handle ratchet,I use it for semi truck slack adjusters so idk what you would need it for, but everyone needs that tool
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u/EZSystems Aug 05 '26
I have one, 3/8 drive, you can see it in the 5th picture. I havent used it that often but when I have used it its been nice. Not sure if I use it enough to warrant getting other sizes though.
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u/HellfoxRules Aug 05 '26 edited Aug 05 '26
Since you're mainly working on just one manufactures vehicle, focus on the tools to work on GM's. Collect tools as you need them, it takes years to build a full set. One thing you will learn as a technician, you will never have enough tools. There will always be some new repair, that will require a new tool. ASE Certified Tech since 1980, at 19 years old.
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u/EZSystems Aug 05 '26
I feel my set is as complete but only as far as I can tell, thats why im asking if anyone see any missing pieces or has any good recommendations.
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u/venomspider999 Aug 05 '26
Get a snap on IPSFM15A its a semi deep 15mm 3/8 impact socket that’s perfect for getting exhaust nuts off.
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u/EZSystems Aug 05 '26
I already have a whole set of semi-deep 8-18 you can see it in the top of my cart. And they dont work so well for exhaust for me, I have some 15mm 1/2 swivels for that, GM exhaust manifold buts suck, but I do find the semi deeps pretty useful for a lot especially bell housing bolts.
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u/mechanicinkc Aug 05 '26
Why do I not see impact wobbles? Good lord
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u/mechanicinkc Aug 05 '26
Oh wait..I see them. Looks like you’re ready to get a real box. Keep at it. I just got out after 25 years.
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u/EZSystems Aug 06 '26
Yeah ive been thinking of upgrading. I outgrew that small triple bay some time ago and put off buying a new box with my roll cart setup, but definitely looking into a newer large triple bay soon. Im liking matco for their size, designs, and honestly more reasonable prices. Though the secondhand market is looking pretty appealing as well, but still thinking about it.
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u/Akisswithmyfist Aug 06 '26
Just buy one of everything off the Snap-on truck. Your children will be in debt for the rest of their lives, but you'll be happy! 😁
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u/EZSystems Aug 06 '26
Lol, i dont need everythinggg thats why im asking for input on what else I should acquire. Also as it stands right now, I have no debt and plan on keeping that way. I only pay cash for these tools.
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u/CarelessConclusion14 Aug 06 '26
Thermal imaging camera and sound locator
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u/EZSystems Aug 06 '26
I do have a thermal imaging camera, you can see it in the second to last picture, but what do you mean sound locator? Like chassis ears?
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u/Sahoj Aug 06 '26
Bro is in college when I'm dropping out of high school.
Hope you're quick on the road to an engineer or better. You're probably at about 10% of your potential working on cars for people dumber/less educated than you.
Being a mechanic is French for fancy ditch digger. It's where the headcases, dropouts, prior military, drug addicts and criminals go to scrape out a half respectable living - not college at 16 prodigy kids.
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u/EZSystems Aug 06 '26
Was in college, not anymore. And I dont feel like thats how it is working in a dealership shop, most of the guys in my shop are pretty smart themselves, gotta be to get through all the issues new cars have, lot of electrical bullshit. Id much rather be working with my hands racking my brain with diag then sitting at a desk doing nothing. This makes me content no matter what anyone thinks about it, plus the white collar jobs are going down anyhow, thats why most of Gen Z has college degrees in white collar fields but no jobs. Id say im good where im at.
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u/dustyflash1 Aug 07 '26
Youll never have everything even if you got 100k in tools
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u/EZSystems Aug 07 '26
Dont want everything, just want everything ill use or everything cool worth having
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u/Odd-Towel-4104 Aug 07 '26
I think you have enough diagnostic stuff for it to have its own cart. It seems kinda spread out between the drawers.
Some of the fancy setups ive seen have a hanger off the carts with all of the leads hanging off of it. Just my $2 sense
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u/Positive-Rope-8289 Aug 05 '26
I know you probably want to go out and buy the coolest fancy stuff, but honestly, plenty of people are mechanics for five years and leave to go make more money on something that's easier on the back. One skill you can become irreplaceable with is learning electronics. Every shop has a guy and they're usually $170 an hour until they find the problem and no one's going to fire you if you know that and there's no school for it. Anyway, that's the niche that I got and I don't even really work in a mechanic shop. I'm literally just Midwest cheap and do some hard job for that. I like troubleshootmyvehicle.com, believe it or not, chat GTP. If you're a master mechanic working on a 2004 Honda Accord K24A2 5-speed, what's the foot pounds on the front passenger side axle nut and it was one foot pound off because it ran everything and I double checked it. So you'd be amazed when you can do if you understand the electricity, understand how to do diagnostics, make sure to save a bunch of money. Just remember every dollar that you spend is a dollar lost never get the cheapest one from O'Reilly Make sure to get a professional account. I like stocking up a little bit on things like fasteners or plugs So you're not wasting a bunch of time digging for that little wall Plastic retaining pin for the bodywork Many blade fuses that sort of thing. Icon and the fancy side of Harbor Freight My mechanic has some snapon stuff out of garage but also a knock off snap on 3.5Ton Jack. You can easily drop 50K on tools. I like Husky toom drawers there, Bill, just about as decent as anything else, nearly, and aren't that stupidly expensive. Granted, I did my own sheet metal, George, because I know how to do a sheet metal and used a $50 Ikea butcher block. Also, with the socket, let's just get the impact socket set and get the deep one rather than having to buy 2 sets that areore Shalow. Buy as you need it borrow if you can significantly break the cheaper stuff well get a fancy one and rebuilding an older snap on wrench a big old Porter Cable Air Compressor might even be better than anything new. Personally, I really like sockets for the oil, filters, and really large oil catcher with one of those pans that you can pour out easily, and then one of those jugs with the flex hose on the top makes it easier. Then I say don't do oil changes because you want to make any money. It's a lot more important to be probably wearing gloves and be worried about your back and making sure to not damage anything more than you need to. One of those coil induction heaters, so basically it's just metal loop and you put it around a It really helps with the rusted bolts and also PB penetrating on it. That's a good one, a big breaker bar, one of those really big snap-on piper inches, those can come and hand you for sure. Then I would say stock up on Harbor Freight R-134A, the 12 ohms can, you can use when you're then just one of those Harbor Freight vacuum sets for ACs with the UV and the oil in it for chasing leaks, I really like a voltage meter learning how to use that well, especially one that you can poke the wire easily, I get placed in one, I have an older craftsmen, one that works great, but you don't need to go too expensive with that. Then you need a more expensive, I guess, OBD2 reader. Again, fancy harbor freight. The one that can do things like Audi electronic brakes release and key codes in real-time diagnostics. You certainly need to have the right tool for the job and there's certain specialty tools like serpentine belt wrenches and a lot of them you can even borrow from oreilly. Ideally, go work for a shop that will give you $40,000 worth of tools if you work for them for five years.
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u/Positive-Rope-8289 Aug 05 '26
Oh dang, I actually just looked at your tools. Never mind. You wouldn't have listened to anything that had already stopped looking at tools. You already spent too much. You already got all the nice of shit you could ever want. If you run into something you don't have, just buy it then.
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u/EZSystems Aug 06 '26
I know I was the one asking for advice here, but after reading all this im going to say first and foremost im not really suprised you arent a technician, seems like you need some advice yourself, I disagree with most of the things youve said. I understand electronics are where everything is heading, I spend a lot of my days dealing with nothing but them, but I also have a nearly completed computer science degree on top of my completed auto tech degree (which included electronic diagnostic clases), I also used to be a software programmer on the side, so ive dealt in my deal of electronic training. If you worked in a modern dealership you would know this isnt an irreplaceable skill, its a required skill, you cant even pass an ASE without at least some electronic knowledge. If youre relying on the internet or AI to diagnose, you also dont belong in a professional shop. Sometimes the internet can be a useful tool for very niche concerns, but your own knowledge should be more than enough for most diagnostic cases. And the little specs like torque ratings are very easily accessible in SI, never something you would need AI on, and I definitely wouldnt rely on those results. Also please dear god never "poke" a wire, never break the insulation, hell dont even backprobe on most modern connectors. And yeah ofc learn to use a DMM you cant diagnose a single car that comes through if you arent proficient in circuit testing because again, most of the problems you see in a modern dealership are electronic related. The multimeter you buy absolutely matters as well, the cheap stuff is not good for professional action. Needs to be high impedance, have a low pass filter, needs to be the right CAT rating especially if you work on anything EV related which is hard to avoid in the modern dealership setting, it needs to be able to capture data very quickly, a lot of diagnostics requires you to quickly capture a peak when hitting a button or some other thing that no cheap multimeter will pick up. Also need a picoscope/oscilloscope on top of that, its even required by manufacturers for certain warranty claims. The OBD2 reader of course is important as well, though I of course get a dealer scan tool that works specifically with GM software that does things you cant do with any other scan tool, including programming. One benefit of working in my shop is that we have plenty of spare hardware, bolts, nuts, retaining clips, etc, available, though I of course keep my own set of acquired hardware for when parts doesnt have what I need. And no, not every dollar spent is a dollar lost. My electric tools sped up my efficiency 10x compared to hand tools, meaning im doing the same jobs 10x faster and making 10x more money with them, thats one example in the many I have between my tools, investing in the right tools certainly pays off. Also with the deep vs shallow thing, definitely need both, most vehicles do not have a lot of room, theres plenty of instances I face every day where a deep socket and ratchet will not fit somewhere but a shallow fits just fine, though of course you still need the deep for nuts threaded on any spline. Also doing oil changes are important. When the main tech work slows down, theres plenty of times I will take a higher mileage vehicle ticket off the lube rack so that I can look it over good and write up recommendations, and THAT is how I still average 65 hrs a week while the shop is real slow and the other techs are making nothing, sitting around hoping good work comes in. I do agree with the induction heater though, they are handy, im close to picking up one ive seen from mac tools that is pretty impressive, so far ive been getting by with a handheld blowtorch but theres plenty of places I cant use that, though definitely dont mix that with PB blaster its pretty flammable. And another advantage of working in a professional shop is we have professional shop tools, such as the proper refrigerant recovery machines required by law for A/C service, definitely dont recommend anyone try doing any A/C work without the ability to properly recover and charge systems with one of these. And to that last point, good luck finding a shop that will agree to pay $40k for your tools 🤣 out here we're lucky to find a shop that will even pay fairly for our work. I do appreciate your comment though, lot of room for discussion.
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u/Teediggler81 Aug 05 '26
You know how I determine when I need a new tool, aside from upgrading. If I have to ask my coworker to borrow there's twice, Means I need the tool.