Snap On Tool boxes / Roller cabinets etc

[Jim Davey]

They buy all the tools on their vans too. It's a franchise deal like McDonalds. That's why they don't like returns on certain types of tools much, if they give you a replacement and then Snap-On refuse the warranty claim its your dealer who is out of pocket.

 

[Richard.]

Exactly. And when they do replace stuff it's the bear minimum for that very reason. They won't give you a new screwdriver or breaker bar they will give you a new blade or knuckle because that is all they we be reimbursed for.

 

[zzr1200]

I didn't know they were self employed.

Yep, all franchised dealers, costs a small fortune start up and tied to a contact for so many years, I believe.

 

[Bill Edwards]

Maybe I'm wrong here but I Can't see them chucking in 90 quids worth of freebee spanner with a £250 spend personally or we'd all be getting our free 30 milly as it does not take long to spend that on a van.
They are not going to give away 40% of a 250 quid order or even 33% of a 300 quid order in a free spanner. Remember these guys are self employed they make profit on the tools they sell but they don't make a mint. It's snap on that makes the mint with the tools provided to the driver. A £1000 order I could believe it as its 10% so the driver has made enough on that to cover the spanner. They ain't gonna give 35-40% of order value away for free. I struggle to believe that tbh.

I was given a set of ratchet spanners the other day when spending a few hundred. Basically it's just part of the price negotiations, the price can be dropped or something included for free. Perhaps the dealer I use is more businesslike than some.

 

[Richard.]

More likely to go out of business it seems if he's giving away £100 freebees with £300 orders.
Tee shirts, hats, seat covers a blue point stanly knife or a pocket screw driver are the usual give aways for a couple hundred spend. My friend bought a fancy big tool box for £1800 and got a nice 3/8 starter set thrown in.
From the sound of it if you bought a tool box from your guy he'd fill it for free.

 

[Bill Edwards]

Hardly, but he does make the figures work in such a way that you always leave happy that you've got a good, fair deal.
I don't expect him to go out of business, he's been going 15 years...

 

[Richard.]

It's just unheard of that's all. I've lived in many areas of the country and had accounts with 4 different snap on guys over the years. Spent a lot of cash with them then sold a lot of gear years ago when money was tight and spent more cash replacing stuff and as nice as these guys are they all work to the same script. The prices are rarely negotiable, the returns are hard work and the giveaways are few and far between. As Jim said they have invested there own money in filling that van up with stock. They don't like giving it away. I'd even bet (don't know for sure) they have a price list that they must stick to so that they can't directly compete with each other.

 

[Farside]

I didn't know they were self employed.

Franchise operation.

 

[Bill Edwards]

It's just unheard of that's all. I've lived in many areas of the country and had accounts with 4 different snap on guys over the years. Spent a lot of cash with them then sold a lot of gear years ago when money was tight and spent more cash replacing stuff and as nice as these guys are they all work to the same script. The prices are rarely negotiable, the returns are hard work and the giveaways are few and far between. As Jim said they have invested there own money in filling that van up with stock. They don't like giving it away. I'd even bet (don't know for sure) they have a price list that they must stick to so that they can't directly compete with each other.

Well fair enough, that's your experience - I've only dealt with this one dealer, so that's all I know. Very negotiable prices, things thrown in and kits tailored to suit, and if told it's warranty it is replaced with no hesitation.
It clearly works well for him, 15 years of it and it's obvious he's not struggling to make a living, he knows how to do business. It sounds like a great pity they aren't all like him, as if I'd found him to be like the ones you speak of I'm sure I would have bought a small fraction of what I have.

 

[Farside]

Well fair enough, that's your experience - I've only dealt with this one dealer, so that's all I know. Very negotiable prices, things thrown in and kits tailored to suit, and if told it's warranty it is replaced with no hesitation.
It clearly works well for him, 15 years of it and it's obvious he's not struggling to make a living, he knows how to do business. It sounds like a great pity they aren't all like him, as if I'd found him to be like the ones you speak of I'm sure I would have bought a small fraction of what I have.

I don't think I mentioned in this thread my experiences with relocating to various parts of the country at times and keeping an eye out for the local Snap-On guy as I toiled around. In every case, when I saw him, I'd have a broken screwdriver or something minor to fix / replace. I wasn't really looking for freebies, just replacement of the broken bits, and in every case it was done for free - probably as a loss-leader. I usually did buy something from them too.
Last one was in Luton, when I bumped into the guy there - John Scholey - handed him a busted pozidriver, he whacked in a new blade and sorted, free.
Unknown to him, I was looking for a timing light, especially a S-O timing light, as I was familiar with them and really preferred them. So, as he hadn't raised any objection to the repair of the screwdriver I bought the light from him. The best timing light I ever bought, although it wasn't cheap.
He still works for S-O, and is on Facebook, Linked-In, and all that stuff.

 

[winchman]

Phone him up & ask him to pop round. Otherwise contact Kettering and make some waves...

I bought 4 new snap-on master series boxes, over a decade ago (cost me 7k then), they've been ok.

Well phoned head office place, gave me area managers number.
He now tells me as mine are Snap on Euro tools they are not covered! but as a gesture of good will he will replace them and has been so long as he didn't know part numbers ( mustn't be able to read his texts) I was assured I would get a call last week but still haven't.
To be honest once I get them back I will be parting with a few of my lesser used Snap on items as whilst I do like them I no longer feel they are good value and the last few things have been very difficult to get exchanged

 

[Richard.]

I thought the euro tools and blue point range of tools were covered by the same warranty. This is such a shame.

 

[Bill Edwards]

Blue point range warranty seems to vary depending on the item. Some things (such as ratchet spanners) are free replacement (as with SO branded).
Some items are warrantied in a different way - you can't exactly replace the part, but instead you buy a SO one and pay the price difference, not the whole cost. This seems to apply a lot to items in sets, and I think can be a good way of building up cheap sets - e.g buy a set of Blue Point torx bits at far less than SO ones, the ones you mainly use may break so you upgrade, but save money by not buying expensive sizes you hardly use.
Again, perhaps this is just my dealer, but it's always fully explained what is and isn't covered by warranty, either automatically or by simply asking.

 

[Richard.]

Blue point range warranty seems to vary depending on the item. Some things (such as ratchet spanners) are free replacement (as with SO branded).
Some items are warrantied in a different way - you can't exactly replace the part, but instead you buy a SO one and pay the price difference, not the whole cost. This seems to apply a lot to items in sets, and I think can be a good way of building up cheap sets - e.g buy a set of Blue Point torx bits at far less than SO ones, the ones you mainly use may break so you upgrade, but save money by not buying expensive sizes you hardly use.
Again, perhaps this is just my dealer, but it's always fully explained what is and isn't covered by warranty, either automatically or by simply asking.

That's sound advise bill.
I totally agree unless your a tool tart there is no point in having uncommon sockets you use once a year Carrying the SO name. Common sizes and daily go to's are worth the extra.

 

[winchman]

I thought the euro tools and blue point range of tools were covered by the same warranty. This is such a shame.

When I bought them I was told its all the same warranty.
Bill has some good advice, I feel now most of the Teng and Halfords stuff will last just as long

 

[Richard.]

I know certain things have certain conditions with the warranty but I thought all the spanners were lifetime. I know you've bought them but the euro tool spanners are pretty much re stamped teng spanners at a lot more cash. There isn't a snap on molecule in them. And the fact they refuse to even warranty them really annoys me as they are happy to put there name across them for a sale.