I was reflecting on this subject myself a few days ago. I noticed I managed to slowly build a huge collection of tools over the years. Which ones have been the most useful to me? A shallow answer would be sockets and wrenches 1/2", 9/16", and 5/8" size, plus the various extensions which you rejoice when you find them but curse when you misplace. When I put a bit more thought into it I realized that the value of a tool is determined not by what kind it is, but whether or not you have it when you need it.
Rather than considering exactly what kind of tools you might use most you first need to ask yourself how much wrenching do you plan on doing yourself versus taking the vehicle to a mechanic. If you are just a nuts & bolts guy then you won't need a spring compressor for the cylinder heads, or a compression gauge to diagnose a bad cylinder or leaking valve, and you won't need a multimeter to track down electrical gremlins either.
On the other hand, if you insist on fixing everything yourself then be prepared to buy one of practically every tool made because you will need each one at one point or another.
Looking back on my years of wrenching I realize that the type of tools I bought was determined by what the job required, and that required me choosing between doing the job myself or hiring a mechanic. Due to the enormous amount of money which can be saved by doing auto repairs yourself investing in whatever tool is needed at the moment is easy to justify. The only things left to consider is your knowledge level for the job at hand, and your competence doing things many of which are extremely dangerous if not done carefully.
Which tools do you need to buy?
Which problems with your car do you intend to tackle yourself?
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Working on cars can either be one of the most frustrating things you ever do in your life, or it can be the most frustrating thing you ever do in your life.
Last edited by SC Car Dude; 07-15-2009 at 11:01 PM..
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