En garde! A challenge!

What to do to keep your car looking and running like new, inside and out.
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Squint
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En garde! A challenge!

Post by Squint »

Having seen several discussions that suggest that people have many different ideas about what tools they like the most or what the most useful tools are when working on a car... here is my challenge:

Let's say that one is completely new to working on cars with absolutely no tools. You need to buy tools to do regular maintenance and relatively easy repairs (not replacing an engine, etc...). To make it difficult, let's also say you can't spend more than $200 on these tools.

Which tools would you buy? And prove your price somehow, whether you bought the tool recently at that price or you found it online (i.e. Amazon.com, whatever...)

Anyone up to the challenge? :D
'15 Mazda 3 iSport Hatch 6MT
'11 Ford Fiesta Hatchback SE 5MT
'14 Giant Escape City 24MT
'97 Honda Civic EX 4AT - Retired @ 184,001 mi

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watkins
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Re: En garde! A challenge!

Post by watkins »

Buy the biggest socket and wrench set Sears has to offer in your price range. Make sure to have some pliers. You won't have enough. I have several thousant dollars worth of tools and I'm always looking for more.
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Squint
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Re: En garde! A challenge!

Post by Squint »

Yeah, my dad has a garage full of tools, powered and manual, and still always finds reasons to get more. I was just seeing if anyone had anything specific they loved so much that they'd get it along with sockets, pliers, etc...

For example, on my civic, buying one of those oil filter caps (drawing a blank on real name) is a wise investment because it is located pretty much center of the engine compartment. Arms reach up, and you can't get pliers or something else in there because there's stuff in the way (small cars=no space lol)
'15 Mazda 3 iSport Hatch 6MT
'11 Ford Fiesta Hatchback SE 5MT
'14 Giant Escape City 24MT
'97 Honda Civic EX 4AT - Retired @ 184,001 mi

For Pony!
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theholycow
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Re: En garde! A challenge!

Post by theholycow »

For someone just starting, using a small budget, I would not recommend spending the whole $200 at once; instead, get the very basics and sock away the rest to buy tools when they are needed. For example, the oil filter cap wrench for your car.

I also don't recommend starting with good quality tools. Good quality tools should be bought when you've determined what kind of things you're actually going to do, and what tools you don't have patience for when they're crappy.

I'm also assuming a few basic tools are already in-hand, such as a 1/4" hex bit driver, 3/8" ratchet, basic 3/8" sockets, hammer, crowbar, and an electric drill...these are things that most people who might possibly be handy already have.

As such, I'd say go to Harbor Freight and buy the following:
- UltraGauge to use as a code reader (and any daily driving use of it is a bonus). Any code scanner will be fine but the UG is priced very low and does additional stuff too. (Well, this can't be bought at HF.)
- stubby 1/4 + 3/8 combined fine-tooth ratchet. I love this thing.
- 3/8 and 1/4 deep sockets
- spark plug sockets
- square drive U-joints
- variety of square drive adapters
- cheap torque wrench
- wobble and regular square drive extensions
- flare wrenches (you'll likely need these for fuel filters and automatic transmission cooler lines)
- ratcheting box-end combination wrenches. Gear Wrench brand or anything with fine tooth ratchet are a huge advantage over regular wrenching.
- large variety set of 1/4" hex drive screwdriver bits
- decent wire stripper
- decent crimper and crimp butts/terminals
- cheap multimeter
- test light
- cheap hydraulic floor jack
- jack stands
- latex/etc and leather gloves
- needlenose pliers, multiple sizes
- locking pliers, multiple sizes and shapes
- drop light and a few different flashlights

It would also depend on location...in New England and the rust belt you'll need tools/supplies for dealing with corrosion (breaker bar, angle grinder, drill-mounted wire brushes, electric impact wrench (low-budget), PB Blaster), but in Arizona you could probably skip all that (as well the flare wrenches, maybe you could get away with regular wrenches).

That's all just off the top of my head, I've surely missed entire categories of important stuff. Then again I've already reached about $200 (or $1000 if you don't buy most of it at Harbor Freight).

Edit: You could probably skip the floor jack, flashlights, and torque wrench if you reach $150 first. You'll really want a few bucks for individual tools you suddenly find yourself needing as you work.

Edit 2: Also get some hand cleaner and acquire vast quantities of any form of rags. Oh, and a good oil change drain pan with a built-in funnel for dumping old oil into bottles. And also a variety of funnels. And more rags.
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Squint
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Re: En garde! A challenge!

Post by Squint »

Do you have one of the Ultra Gauge's? I went to that website and it looks interesting. My dad has a separate OBDII scanner but not living in the same state as him anymore, it's probably a decent idea to get one of my own. Though I believe that you can usually go to Autozone or other places and they can check the code for you... never done that, just heard the rumor mill.
'15 Mazda 3 iSport Hatch 6MT
'11 Ford Fiesta Hatchback SE 5MT
'14 Giant Escape City 24MT
'97 Honda Civic EX 4AT - Retired @ 184,001 mi

For Pony!
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theholycow
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Re: En garde! A challenge!

Post by theholycow »

I know you can go to the store to get your codes but it's a pain in the ass. You have to convince the guy to give you the actual code number (instead of letting him just tell you that you need to buy an O2 sensor), and some stores may be unwilling to clear codes after you fix it. It's still a viable option if you've blown your budget on other tools, but I'd struggle with lack of other tools before depending on the parts store for scanning.

I have a ScanGauge II. The UltraGauge is very similar with a lot of advantages, a couple disadvantages, all at a fraction of the price. If I was in the market now I'd definitely get the UG.

I also have a Harbor Freight brand code scanner that just pulls and clears codes. It's effective and a little cheaper than the UG. I got it before I got the SGII.
1980 Buick LeSabre 4.1L 5MT

Put your car in your sig!

Learn to launch/FAQs/lugging/misused terms: meta-sig
watkins wrote:Humans have rear-biased AWD. Cows have 4WD
watkins
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Re: En garde! A challenge!

Post by watkins »

theholycow wrote:some stores may be unwilling to clear codes after you fix it.
Thats because its illegal in most places.
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