What are the Best Tools for Fixing Cars at Home?

Summary

In this video, Chris Fix addresses common questions about tools, offering advice on brands, toolboxes, and essential tools for car maintenance. He emphasizes the importance of organization, quality, and investing in tools by saving money from DIY car repairs. Chris also compares tool brands to cars, providing a unique perspective on their value and utility. Viewers are offered a discount on Sonic tools, highlighting their efficiency and warranty.

Takeaways

• 🛠️ The importance of a good toolbox for organization and storage, starting with a small one and possibly upgrading to a larger, more organized one as your tool collection grows.
• 🔩 The necessity of a complete socket set, including both shallow and deep sockets, with a range of sizes that covers most needs, and the value of having extensions and universal joints.
• 🔧 The advice to start with a basic wrench set that is complete and covers all necessary sizes, and the variety of wrench types available for different uses.
• 🔨 The categorization of 'supporting tools' such as screwdrivers, pliers, hammers, and vice grips as essential for a beginner's tool kit, along with the types of pliers and their uses.
• ⚙️ A reminder to avoid gimmicky tools when starting out, focusing instead on the basics that will serve most needs in automotive work.
• 📈 A strategy for affording tools by saving the difference between professional repair costs and the cost of doing the job yourself, then investing part of those savings into tool purchases.
• 🏎️ An analogy comparing tool brands to cars, with Snap-on likened to a Ferrari for quality and price, Harbor Freight to a Hyundai for affordability, and Sonic to a Corvette offering a balance of quality and price.
• 🔄 The benefit of renting specialized tools from parts stores instead of purchasing them, saving money on items that are used infrequently.
• 🛒 Tips for buying a large toolbox, including looking for ball bearings in the drawers and having multiple drawers for better organization.
• 🔑 The emphasis on the investment aspect of a toolbox, suggesting it should last a lifetime and contribute to efficient tool organization.
• 👷‍♂️ The speaker's personal testimony of building up a tool collection through self-repair savings, highlighting the practicality and cost-effectiveness of DIY car maintenance.

Q & A

Who is the speaker in the video and what is the main topic of the video?

The speaker is Chris Fix, and the main topic of the video is to answer common questions about tools, including tool brands, toolboxes, basic tools for car maintenance, making money buying tools, and getting tools for free.

What is Chris Fix's stance on being sponsored by tool companies?

Chris Fix clarifies that he is not paid by any tool companies, and his goal is to provide honest and truthful information to help viewers learn and contribute to their knowledge base.

What is the first tool box that Chris Fix got and why did he choose it?

Chris Fix's first tool box was a small, inexpensive one that he got when he was a kid. He chose it because it was affordable and served its purpose at the time.

What advice does Chris give on choosing a first tool box?

Chris advises to find a first tool box with a lot of storage because tools will be collected quickly. He also suggests waiting for a holiday sale to buy a larger toolbox for better deals.

What are the two main features Chris recommends looking for in a large toolbox?

Chris recommends looking for a toolbox with ball bearings in the drawers for smooth operation and a toolbox that has a lot of drawers to fit as many tools as possible.

What is the recommended size range for a beginner's socket set according to Chris?

Chris recommends a socket set that ranges from 8 to 22, ensuring coverage of common sizes needed for most tasks.

Why does Chris suggest avoiding socket sets with skips in the size range?

Chris suggests avoiding socket sets with skips because missing sizes like 18 and 20 can be essential and their absence will lead to the need to buy additional tools.

What type of wrench set does Chris recommend for beginners?

Chris recommends a complete wrench set with no size skips, starting with a regular set that includes an open end and a box end.

What are the 'supporting tools' Chris mentions and why are they important?

Supporting tools include screwdrivers, pliers, a hammer, and vice grips. They are important as they are basic hand tools that complement the primary tools for various tasks.

What is Chris's opinion on gimmicky tools for beginners?

Chris advises against buying gimmicky tools for beginners, suggesting to resist the urge and focus on essential tools that are more likely to be used regularly.

How does Chris suggest saving money on tools?

Chris suggests saving money by fixing cars yourself instead of going to a mechanic, using the savings to invest in tools, and considering renting specialized tools instead of buying them.

What is the analogy Chris uses to describe different tool brands?

Chris compares Snap-on to a Ferrari for its quality and high price, Harbor Freight to a Hyundai for its affordability and basic functionality, and Sonic to a Corvette for its balance of quality and price.

What unique warranty service does Sonic offer for their tools?

Sonic offers a unique warranty service where if a tool is broken, customers can take a picture of it, fill out an online form, and receive a brand new tool shipped to their house without the need to return the broken one.

What feature of Sonic tools stood out to Chris during his use?

The feature that stood out to Chris was the organization of the tools, with every tool having a specific place, as well as the solid feel, nice rubber grip, and the socket grips that help remove loose nuts or bolts.

How does Chris suggest viewers can get a discount on Sonic tools?

Chris suggests that viewers can get a 25% discount on Sonic tools by following the link provided in the video description, specifically for a set of third tools to help organize their toolbox.

Outlines

00:00

🧰 Toolbox Selection and Tool Organization

Chris Fix discusses the importance of choosing the right toolbox for storing and organizing tools. He advises starting with a small, inexpensive toolbox and gradually upgrading to larger, more organized ones as needed. He emphasizes the value of a toolbox with ball bearings in the drawers and multiple compartments for better organization. Fix also suggests looking for deals during holiday sales or on platforms like Craigslist and at local auctions to find good deals on used toolboxes filled with tools.

05:00

🔧 Building a Basic Tool Collection

The video script covers the essentials of building a basic tool collection for car maintenance. It highlights the need for a good socket set with both shallow and deep sockets, extensions, and a universal joint. The importance of having a complete wrench set without size skips is stressed, along with the types of wrenches available, such as open-end, box-end, and ratcheting wrenches. Supporting tools like screwdrivers, pliers, hammers, and vice grips are also mentioned as necessary additions to the toolkit. The script advises against buying gimmicky tools when starting out and suggests renting specialized tools instead of purchasing them.

10:02

🛠️ Tool Brands and Affordability

Chris explores different tool brands, comparing them to car brands to help viewers understand their quality and price range. He likens Snap-on to a Ferrari for its high quality and cost, Harbor Freight to a Hyundai for its affordability but lower quality, and Sonic to a Corvette for its balance of quality and price. Fix shares his personal strategy for affording tools by fixing his own car and investing the money saved into purchasing tools. He also provides a discount link for Sonic tools and encourages viewers to subscribe for more helpful content.

🔩 Sonic Tool Review and Organizational Benefits

The script provides a detailed review of Sonic tools, focusing on their organization, warranty, and functionality. The organization of tools within the Sonic toolbox is praised for its efficiency and ease of use. The warranty process is highlighted as being straightforward, with a quick online form and fast replacement of broken tools. The feel and function of the tools are commended for their solid build, comfortable grip, and durability. The script concludes with a special offer for a discount on Sonic tools and an invitation for viewers to share their tool brand analogies.

Keywords

💡Tool Brands

Tool brands refer to the manufacturers or companies that produce tools used for various mechanical, construction, or repair tasks. In the video, the speaker discusses the importance of choosing reliable brands and compares them to car brands to illustrate their quality and price range, such as Snap-on being likened to a Ferrari for its high quality and cost.

💡Toolbox

A toolbox is a container used to organize, store, and transport tools. The video emphasizes the importance of having a good toolbox for keeping tools organized and accessible. It also discusses different types of toolboxes, from small beginner's toolboxes to large, fully-loaded ones with features like ball bearings in the drawers.

💡Basic Tools

Basic tools are the essential items needed to start working on tasks such as car maintenance or home repairs. The script mentions building a good socket set, wrench set, and other supporting tools like screwdrivers and pliers as the foundation of a beginner's toolkit.

💡Socket Set

A socket set is a collection of sockets, which are tools used to拧紧或松开螺母和螺栓。The video script specifies the importance of having both shallow and deep sockets in various sizes, as well as extensions and universal joints for hard-to-reach fasteners.

💡Wrench Set

A wrench set consists of multiple wrenches that are used to provide grip and mechanical advantage in applying torque to fasteners, bolts, and nuts. The speaker in the video advises choosing a complete set without size skips to ensure all common needs are met.

💡Supporting Tools

Supporting tools are additional tools that complement the primary ones in a toolkit. In the context of the video, these include screwdrivers, pliers, hammers, and vice grips, which are used for a variety of tasks such as driving screws or gripping objects.

💡Gimmicky Tools

Gimmicky tools refer to those that may have unique or novel features but are not necessarily practical or cost-effective. The video advises against purchasing such tools, especially for beginners, as they may not provide added value compared to standard tools.

💡Renting Tools

Renting tools is an alternative to purchasing them, especially for specialized or infrequently used items. The script mentions that parts stores often offer tool rental services, which can save money and prevent the need for owning tools that are used only occasionally.

💡Tool Affordability

Tool affordability is the concept of balancing the cost of tools with the budget of the user. The video suggests saving money by doing car repairs oneself and investing the savings into purchasing tools, thus making tool acquisition more manageable.

💡Organization

Organization in the context of the video refers to the arrangement and systematization of tools within a toolbox for easy access and use. The speaker highlights the benefits of organized tools, such as efficiency in finding the right tool for the job and maintaining an orderly workspace.

💡Warranty

A warranty is a guarantee provided by the manufacturer that the product will be free from defects or will perform to a certain standard. The video discusses the importance of a good warranty, particularly in the context of tool brands like Sonic, which offer a replacement policy for broken tools.

Highlights

Chris Fix discusses common questions about tools, including brands, toolboxes, basic tools, and making money from buying tools.

He emphasizes the importance of not being paid by tool companies and providing honest advice.

Starting with a small, inexpensive toolbox is recommended before moving to larger, more expensive ones.

Holiday sales and local auctions are suggested for finding good deals on larger toolboxes.

A toolbox with ball bearings in the drawers and multiple drawers is recommended for better organization.

Building a good socket set is essential, with a preference for metric or SAE depending on the cars worked on.

Socket sets should include both shallow and deep sockets, extensions, and a universal joint.

A breaker bar is necessary for removing stuck nuts and bolts.

A complete wrench set without size skips is crucial for a beginner's tool collection.

Supporting tools like screwdrivers, pliers, and hammers are categorized as basic hand tools.

Blunt nose and needle nose pliers are recommended for various tasks.

Magnetic screwdrivers are beneficial for holding screws in place during assembly.

Gimmicky tools should be avoided in favor of practical, basic tools when starting out.

Specialized tools can be rented from parts stores instead of purchasing them.

Saving money by fixing cars yourself can be reinvested into buying quality tools.

Tool brands are compared to cars, with Snap-on likened to a Ferrari and Harbor Freight to a Hyundai.

Sonic tools are praised for their organization, warranty, and feel and function.

A discount is offered for Sonic's third series tools to help subscribers organize their toolboxes.

Transcripts

hey guys chris fix here today i'm going

to answer many common questions i get

about tools what are good tool brands to

buy what toolbox should i get what are

the basic tools you should have to start

working on your car how can you make

money buying tools and how you can get

tools for free and if you already have a

ton of tools remember to comment below

with any tips and tricks or with

something i might not cover which should

help everybody out also most of my

subscribers already know but for those

of you who are new i am not paid by any

tool companies at all everything i'm

saying is completely honest as always

the goal with all my videos is to help

you guys learn contribute to your skill

sets contribute to your knowledge base

whether it's craftsman if it's sonic if

it's stanley or if it's pittsburgh it

doesn't matter what you guys take away

from it and truthful and honest

information matters to me and that's why

you should consider hitting that

subscribe button because i'm just like

you guys i use common hand tools to work

on my cars at home in my garage in my

driveway because i enjoy working on cars

and also i like to save some money and

know the job is getting done right

[Music]

let's start with tool boxes now these

are important because this is where you

keep all your tools and keep them

organized but you don't have to start

out with one of these big boxes you

could start out with something small

like this this right here was my first

toolbox i got this when i was a kid it

was real inexpensive but it did the job

when looking for your first tool box

find something with a lot of storage

because you're going to be collecting a

lot of tools real quickly and you don't

want to move up to something like this

just yet this lasted me about a year and

it worked real nice

after this box i moved up to this black

one right here now unfortunately these

are significantly more expensive but

they're an investment wait for a holiday

sale to buy one of these big boxes

because you could find some great deals

and save a ton of money also check

craigslist your local auctions sometimes

you can get these filled with tools

they're used but big deal you get a

great deal so after this box i moved up

to my sonic box this thing is fully

loaded fully organized and it has a

great workspace on the top you could

wheel it around to your vehicle so you

could bring the tools to where you're

working which is helpful and i have two

tips for when you're buying one of these

large toolboxes the first tip is you

want to get a toolbox with ball bearings

in the drawers

the next tip is you want a toolbox that

has a bunch of drawers you don't want to

have a toolbox that only has a couple

you want to get as many drawers as you

can so you can fit as many tools as you

can and finally when you're buying your

toolbox remember it's an investment it's

going to last a lifetime and you want

something that's going to organize your

tools really well because that's the

whole point of this keep your tools

organized

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

all right so you got your toolbox

whether it's a small one or one of these

larger ones if you're just starting out

what tools do you want to get so that

when you're working on your vehicle you

could fix most things with a beginner's

set of tools now at this point of the

video let's forget about the actual

brand don't worry about the brand of the

tool that'll come later for now just

focus on the tool itself the other thing

is we're focusing on hand tools not

stuff like a jack or one of these

electric impact guns the first thing

we're going to talk about is building a

good socket set now unfortunately you're

gonna have to pick metric or sae or buy

both what i do is i'd pick one most of

the cars i work on are metric so here's

a metric set now one of the most

important things to me are the sockets

you want to make sure that you have both

shallow sockets and deep sockets because

you're gonna find uses for both of them

now this set here is a quarter inch set

so we go from four

all the way up to thirteen but if you

can try to find a set that is at least

eight here we go six it goes to 14 15

all the way up to 22. so 8 to 22 is my

recommendation if you could find a set

like that so we have everything covered

between these two sets here you don't

want to get a set like this where it

goes 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 19 21

because i promise you you're gonna need

that 18 you're going to need that 20 and

this will just drive you nuts you also

want to try to get a set that comes with

extensions because you'll definitely

need those and then a bonus is one of

these universal joints which you'll

probably use every once in a while for

those nuts and bolts that are difficult

to get to if you notice with this set we

have these torques which you don't have

to worry about when you're starting off

unless if you have like a german car

that uses a lot of torques but these are

more specialty and you could wait and

hold off to get those till you build

your collection up a little bit more and

then with every socket set that you buy

you need to get yourself a good breaker

bar this is how you remove all those

stuck nuts and bolts it'll come right

off when you have all this leverage so

that covers the basics on what type of

socket set you want to look for

next you need to get yourself a good

wrench set just like with the sockets

with the wrenches you want to make sure

when you get a set it's a complete set

there's no skips and sizes i have this

cheap set here it goes 6 8 9 10 11 12 13

14 17 19. so we're missing 18 we're

missing 16 we go down to the beginning

we're missing seven you're gonna need

those and you're not gonna have them and

then you're gonna have to buy more tools

so you wanna try to find a complete set

now there are so many types of wrenches

that you could get i just want to cover

the basic one that you should start out

with a wrench just like this has an open

end has a box end it's medium size not

long not short but there are tons of

options and here's what i mean we have

specialty wrenches just like this

they're angled even our basic wrench has

differences you could have a six point

like this or you could have a 12 point

like that and the uses vary and then you

could also get ratcheting wrenches which

you don't need right away you could wait

to get those they just make your life a

little bit easier in tight places but

they work the same as a regular wrench

so again there's multiple options but

i'd start off with a regular set with

all the sizes that you need then as you

need tools you could go and get those

tools from the store and for the last

category on basic hand tools i like to

call these supporting tools they're your

screwdrivers they're your pliers a big

four pound hammer some vice grips and

stuff like that when choosing pliers

there's two types i like these blunt

nose style pliers and then these needle

nose style pliers which are a lot

narrower and then you want a good

clippers for cutting wires and then you

could get your specialty pliers you know

these are curved needle nose pliers you

don't need these right away but they do

help with getting hoses off hose clamps

and stuff like that and then obviously

screwdrivers i don't really have to

explain these you got your basic

phillips head and flat head i like these

because they're magnetic which is

awesome because you could put the screw

on there and it holds it in place or

when you unscrew it won't fall into the

engine bay so these are good for the

basics but as you get more tools these

thirds are a great way to get

specialized tools that you don't need a

whole set of you just need a small set

and finally there's something i like to

call the don't category don't buy

gimmicky tools especially when you're

starting out tools like this are really

cool i gotta give it to them they come

up with these great ideas but i haven't

even used this even once because one of

what a regular wrench just does the job

better but as many of you will find out

you have like a tool addiction you see

something cool like this you'll buy it

so when you first start out resist the

urge to buy those gimmicky tools the

multi-tools or even the specialized

tools unless if you need them

[Music]

for specialized tools you don't actually

have to buy them you could rent them a

polar set like this go to your parts

store you might only use this once twice

three times a year they'll rent it out

to you for free same thing for a bowl

joint press set like this your local

parts store even rents ac gauges and

vacuum pumps so if you need to do air

conditioning work you don't have to buy

the pump and the gauges and there are

tons of specialty tools that part stores

rent out for free so check it out and

save some money on tools that you might

only use once a year

now buying tools costs a lot of money so

how do you afford them well this is how

i started let's do the math every time i

had something to fix on my car i got a

quote from the dealer and then i priced

out the job if i did it myself for

example a brake job could cost 500 or

more it really depends on the car i know

parts are going to cost me around 100

bucks so that means i save 400

if i do the job myself now i can invest

all that 400 into tools but instead

let's be smart and invest only half of

that into tools and save the rest for

whatever you might want then as things

break on your car fix it yourself save

money and buy new tools and that's how i

afford my tools i mean when i was in

high school and college i was working at

pizza hut so i couldn't afford many

tools but fixing my own cars and never

having to go to a mechanic i saved

enough and built up to what i have now

[Music]

now the last thing i want to talk about

are tool brands now there are tons of

brands and just like cars everybody has

their favorite so the best way i could

think about explaining the different

brands is through an analogy this is how

i think of the tool companies snap-on is

like a ferrari it's really nice

everybody wants one it's fancy it's

expensive it's exotic it's expensive

it's quality it's expensive i think you

get the idea harbor freight is like a

hyundai great warranty not really

comparable to the ferrari but get you

from point a to point b it's usually

cheap definitely low quality but you

could get by with it now sonic is like a

corvette it's nice it's fast it's way

less expensive compared to the ferrari

but it's more expensive than the hyundai

but you get great quality for the price

and you could beat most supercars if not

then you could at least keep up with

them and i think a fun idea in the

comments let me know your tool brand

analogy and since i started using these

tools you've asked me to review them so

now's a good chance to see what they're

all about so the first thing and the

thing that stands out to me the most

about these tools

organization you know where every tool

goes every tool is organized you want

flatheads they're all over here you want

phillips heads they're all over here

your pry bars your specialty

screwdrivers all of that is in one place

neatly organized compare that to a

normal toolbox where well here are all

my screwdrivers i kind of keep them

organized the best i can but they roll

around they move you know this is one of

those portable toolboxes so it moves

around here i roll it around everything

stays in place and i think that is just

beautiful besides screwdrivers you guys

already seen the socket sets but

everything is numbered it's labeled it's

in order it's in place and that just

makes everything so much more efficient

when you're working on cars you could

easily find what you're looking for if i

want to go get my wrenches well i got

thirds here so i could grab some

wrenches specialty wrenches or i have

some deep sockets right there you know

the next one if i want to go and grab

some sae wrenches everything's right

there i come down here i want to grab

pliers any specialty tools a box cutter

that's all in place

come down here here's a chisel set some

hammers and then finally my last drawer

is well i just keep torque wrenches in

here for now but you can put whatever

you want in here it's deeper

and everything in this box is neat and

organized so one of the biggest things

organization now compare this socket set

drawer

with this socket set drawer completely

different i try to stay organized but

you just you can't on something like

this with this all foam to fit your

tools and honestly this is what hooked

me the next thing i want to talk about

is the warranty let's say you use one of

these screwdrivers as a pry bar and you

break it all you have to do with sonic

completely different than any other

brand tool that i've owned you take a

picture of the broken tool you fill out

a quick form online and once they

approve they next day air ship you a

brand new tool to your house no waiting

for a tool track to come no driving out

to the store that i thought was pretty

cool and finally let's talk about

another important thing and that's the

feel and function of the tools

themselves just like other quality tools

i've used sonic tools feel solid they

have a nice rubber grip to them which is

comfortable in your hands it's not hot

in the summer it's not cold in the

winter and the quality of the metal it's

light but it feels strong a cool thing

about the sockets you know after you

loosen the bolt and then all of a sudden

like your ratchet doesn't work anymore

because it's so loose they have grips on

the socket to help you remove that nut

or bolt which is actually a really nice

feature that's one thing that stuck out

to me when i'm using these so for after

owning these tools for a little while

the biggest thing to me is efficiency

with the organization and then the

quality of the tools is great for the

price a similar quality tool brand this

thing is a fraction of the price of what

they would charge which for people who

do stuff at home but want professional

series tools

that's a good thing now i contacted

sonic to see if i could get my

subscribers a discount they did help out

with the giveaway which was awesome and

now they're helping out again they told

me to pick out a tool for a discount for

you guys so i chose these thirds and you

can get 25 off when you follow the link

in the description and the reason why i

picked thirds is because a lot of

toolboxes look like this and with the

discount you could get a third

and get your toolbox a little bit more

organized and try out some new tools so

hopefully the discount helps you guys

it's up for a week you could click the

link in the description to get to it

hopefully the video was helpful gave you

some new tips on getting tools i know

everybody's been asking for this asking

for a review on sonic tools so there we

go as always if you're not subscribed

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