Harbor Freight "Professional 301 piece mechanic's tool kit"?

[rockin86ranger]

Any body have this, i was wondering how the quality is on the pieces in it, im fixing to start school for auto body and then later doing the mechanical part of it too. I have always used snap-on and matco tools, which is what my dad uses. I have some harbor freight specials too but im curious if this set is worth the price, Im going to be using them for the auto body side for awhile before doing the mechanical side. I was thinking about getting this then if/when things break replace them with a better quality tool. This is what i can afford on my student budget.

So what do you think go for it or not, any help would be appreciated.

Heres a link

http://www.harborfreight.com/professional-301-piece-mechanics-tool-kit-45951.html

 

[pillen140]

harbor freight is the worst quality! i had a set of their Pliers and you can bend them with your hands! lol. go to autozone or sears, they usually have specials, and craftsman and greatneck both have lifetime warranties.

 

[rockin86ranger]

well i found out snapon has student starter sets and id you are a student you usually get a discount on them, but i cant find a price anywhere on them. Anybody know how much they charge for the student starter kit casue thats what i would rather have, but im not sure i can afford it on my scholarship.

 

[straycat]

I have never had an issue with any of their tools or items I have bought. None of my friends have had any issues either. I bought a roll around work beanch a few months back that I really love!!!! I can put my air compressor on it and take it around the garage where it is needed. The bench was so easy to put together and I am a disable vet!!!
The store by us is always crowded day and up to closing time. I have never been in there and saw only a few people. The parking lot is very full with cars coming and going from their!!! I have a life time warranty on all the tools I have bought. I have never had to return anything from their.

 

[88_Eddie]

harbor freight is the worst quality! i had a set of their Pliers and you can bend them with your hands! lol. go to autozone or sears, they usually have specials, and craftsman and greatneck both have lifetime warranties.

yeah, dont get the toolset from harbor freight. the only time i go there is when i need something that i'm only gonna use once. EVERYTHING in their stores is a POS.

i agree with pillen, go to sears or autozone. the greatneck stuff doesnt have a lifetime warranty, but the duralast stuff does. same thing with craftsman. you're gonna break stuff, so it might as well be free to replace.

 

[02RangerXLT]

Wrong. Not everything in Harbor Freight is shit. I have a 40 piece ratchet set, for doing simple things like taking bolts off inside the engine compartment, its a great set. For anything that is really labor intensive and requires alot, I go to my dads craftsmen set. Also have a HF flashlight, works great, and I have HF lights on the back of my pickup. Believe me, just because something is cheap doesn't mean its shit.

 

[modelageek]

Costcos has a nice crescent set. I think it is like $60. ........

 

[cammeddrz]

am i really the first one to post that all harbor freight hand tools have a lifetime warranty? walk your broken tool into the store and they will open a package and pull out whatever you need and swap it out.

now that being said........snap-on all the way i have $55,000 in snap on tools that still break

 

[pillen140]

STAY AWAY FROM SNAP ON!!! they will own you! they say its easy to make payments, then you add more and more and more! and its crazy prices! i say no to snap on!

Wrong. Not everything in Harbor Freight is shit. I have a 40 piece ratchet set, for doing simple things like taking bolts off inside the engine compartment, its a great set. For anything that is really labor intensive and requires alot, I go to my dads craftsmen set. Also have a HF flashlight, works great, and I have HF lights on the back of my pickup. Believe me, just because something is cheap doesn't mean its shit.

and i never said their stuff doesnt work. but it is no heavy duty at all. for things i would use once in a while, they are fine, but something that gets used a lot it WILL break! for house duty they are fine. but i would never trust them for everyday use tools! they are junk and poor quality! ask anyone who uses tools everyday what they would think about using hf tools in a shop.

 

[pillen140]

yeah, dont get the toolset from harbor freight. the only time i go there is when i need something that i'm only gonna use once. EVERYTHING in their stores is a POS.

i agree with pillen, go to sears or autozone. the greatneck stuff doesnt have a lifetime warranty, but the duralast stuff does. same thing with craftsman. you're gonna break stuff, so it might as well be free to replace.

actually if you look on the back of most greatneck tool packages, it says lifetime warranty. you just have to mail it in. but they are of decent quality.

 

[cammeddrz]

STAY AWAY FROM SNAP ON!!! they will own you!

and they do own me and in about another month or so they will probably own my whole box...........i said i have $55,000 worth of tools they're not paid for and will likely never be if i keep missing my $300/month payments

harbor freight tools straight-up suck. no ifs, ands, or buts. and if you compare prices to brands like powerbuilt tools (sold in checker, and pep boys) or great neck and duralast (sold in autozone) harbor freight is no longer any cheaper on anything. go ahead try it, go down to harbor freight, price out a socket set, and then go to autozone and price out the same socket set, you will see the same prices.

 

[pillen140]

ive avoided snap on, its hard to avoid when they come see you once a week and show you all the cool crap they got..... but i just go to sears and pick up my own stuff. cheaper, and hands down best warranty. and if they dont have the one you bought in stock, they will give you something better, without batting an eye!

 

[94bigsteele]

u get what you pay for.i have alot of harbour freight.toolsand they havent broke yet.i mean come-on u cant beat the price.but if u want something thats good and warranted,( besides craftsman) i would go with S&K.there not as much as maco or snapon.i just got a S&K 480 ps auto/diesel kit for 1700$ wich isnt bad at all

 

[straycat]

u get what you pay for.i have alot of harbour freight.toolsand they havent broke yet.i mean come-on u cant beat the price.but if u want something thats good and warranted,( besides craftsman) i would go with S&K.there not as much as maco or snapon.i just got a 480 ps auto/diesel kit for 1700$ wich isnt bad at all

I have friends who bought Snapon (Crapon as they say) and Maco tool kits that cost as much as a nice low mileage used 4x4 and that cry every time they have to use a tool from the set....'Is it going to break on me'?


Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!

 

[BlackBII]

I've had good luck with most HF tools. Although I've never had one of their socket sets...

I normally only buy Craftsman, from KMart of all places. They always have sales.

I've never had a Craftsman socket or wrench open up on me, never had a Crescent wrench tooth break, Breaker Bar still hasn't busted yet. Craftsman is where it's at.