I Hate Sears (TQ. Wrenches)

JR96CK · Post by **JR96CK** » Fri Jul 03, 2009 9:12 am

Looks like it's time to buy some Snap On torque wrenches. You can't send Craftsman torque wrenches in any more for recalibration, they tell you just to buy new. How convenient. I will buy new... but it won't be from Sears. Yet another American business which has gone completely down the drain.

Sherk · Post by **Sherk** » Fri Jul 03, 2009 11:10 am

That's BS.

SikSilverado · Post by **SikSilverado** » Fri Jul 03, 2009 9:16 pm

they wont do a warranty exchange?

I think the regular wrenchs are all china made now anyways.

JR96CK · Post by **JR96CK** » Fri Jul 03, 2009 9:32 pm

Warranty exchange? Oh, of course not... because even though this is a hand tool and should thus be covered under the Craftsman hand tool "Guaranteed Forever" warranty, TQ. Wrenches only have a 1-year warranty.

About that "Guaranteed Forever" thing, they try to give you an old tool now instead of a new one. I recently had to warranty a 1/2" drive swivel head ratchet because of a broken swivel pin. I brought the old one and a new one off the shelf to the register, and the kid turns around and pulls one out of a drawer behind him. I ask him about this and he says it's been rebuilt. I pointed out the fact that the serrated surface which gives the muli-position locking action to the swivel head was just as sloppy (due to wear, it had a visible groove in it) as my old one and nowhere near as tight as the new one, becasue "rebuilt" means they just replaced (probably just oiled) the ratchet mechanism and did nothing about the swivel. I politely insisted on a new ratchet and he obliged.

You buy a new item and if it breaks under warranty they give you a used one? Uh, no... not acceptable.

Aloicious · Post by **Aloicious** » Sat Jul 04, 2009 5:12 am

that sucks, I've been unimpressed with craftsman quality for a while now. this just backs it up.

Bent1 · Post by **Bent1** » Sat Jul 04, 2009 10:22 am

Most everything is made in China these days, even the 'good' stuff...

Quality is not in their vocabulary, just their bottom line...

"just good enough", "cheapest at any cost", their battle cry during
decision making meetings...

I'll bet that if you look at any of the 'better' to 'best' tools will have
an ever increasing percentage made over there (India, China, etc).

I give up...

Sherk · Post by **Sherk** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 9:30 am

JR96CK wrote:You buy a new item and if it breaks under warranty they give you a used one? Uh, no... not acceptable.

My buddy and I have both recently been through this - with the ASUS motherboard RMA process. You buy a new motherboard, and if something happens to it within 3 years, they replace it. However, they replace it with a "refurbished" board.

My buddy sent his board in, they tested it and couldn't find the problem, and sent it back. He had to pay twice to ship the thing in. The next time, they sent him a refurb, which didn't work, either. One last payment to ship the 3rd board back (and nearly 2 months later), he finally gets a refurb board that works.

My experience hasn't been any better. I sent my board back after some strange stuff started happening (this particular board is known for it), and the replacement is starting to do the same things. Yeah, fun.

I think it's BS to replace electronics with a "refurbished" piece. Even if you fix a problem with the board (such as a bad capacitor), who's to say when that failed, some other piece didn't, too?

endo · Post by **endo** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 12:35 pm

Craftsman's mechanics tools are still made here, correct?

ThunderTT · Post by **ThunderTT** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 12:50 pm

endo wrote:Craftsman's mechanics tools are still made here, correct?

cant say either way, but if they are still here - where do you think the steel is coming from? me thinks China - cuz its cheaper

there is a quality difference from the newer stuff compared to the old stuff - they try to make it all polished and contoured to make it more appealing.

i take strength over looks any day of the week.

saturnstyl · Post by **saturnstyl** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 2:30 pm

Never expect professional results from consumer quality gear.

endo · Post by **endo** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 3:50 pm

ThunderTT wrote:
endo wrote:Craftsman's mechanics tools are still made here, correct?
cant say either way, but if they are still here - where do you think the steel is coming from? me thinks China - cuz its cheaper

there is a quality difference from the newer stuff compared to the old stuff - they try to make it all polished and contoured to make it more appealing.

i take strength over looks any day of the week.

Wow, you're like so ten years ago. Didn't you get the memo? Style *is* the new substance.

ThunderTT · Post by **ThunderTT** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 10:10 pm

saturnstyl wrote:Never expect professional results from consumer quality gear.

true,, but ive broken more snap off than crapman. lol

ive had good luck with matco.