I have all my own stuff. Cooling system pressure tester scanner ball joint press brake pressure bleeder wheel bearing tool guess what first of all I can't STAND doing laps around the shop looking for shit. Then half the time the shop tool doesn't even work. I can't work like that.

OMG... organization, a couple techs would leave sockets, screwdrivers, wrenches and impact guns laying around the ground... tires and rims blocking the walkways... and the SHOP TOOLS would be among those mostly broken, or not charged. So good luck jumping that crown vic.. in the parking lot... The best is looking for something that has been broken for sometime yet nobody has taken the time to turn it in to be fixed, recalibrated, or even replaced....it took months of bitchin to get some thing done.... and none of it is mentioned above. Still working on it😢😢😱 Love your videos Coach... I'm always watching, and can say you haven't strayed me once...Education is Power

I have my own A/C set up. It's paid for it's self 100 times already which bought me a strut tamer, 2 post and gsxr750. Which translates to it paying for it's self 1000 times I love a/c the thought of latent heat absorption and rejection gives me this really cool warm sensation in my body.

The amount of specialty tools you buy should be proportional to how much the shop spends on shop tools. Those shops that cheap out ought to be charged for every time a specialty tool is borrowed from an employee.

ROI doesn't just come from hours saved. Don't forget learning. If you want to become a diagnostic tech but you're young and only currently doing basic mechanical/maintenance then that's the best time to buy one. Pick up something like a first gen Verus for $1500. Even if it doesn't bill you a single hour it can allow you to learn how to properly use a scantool/scope and how to diagnose. Then you can show you know how to diagnose and can start getting the jobs/opportunities you want. That's HUGE ROI... You can't become a good diagnostician learning "on the fly" while on company time. You can become "effective" at billing hours and changing parts to solve most problems in a reasonable amount of time. Especially common problems. But to be able to read a car, know what to hone in on and what to ignore... that takes a lot of time and practice. Not something that can be done on any flat-rate clock. Scopes have the potential to make you an elite diagnostic tech. They have the potential to allow you to save a lot of time and catch things that otherwise would have required an engine tear down and a HOPE that you would see something wrong... But until you become proficient they will add time. A lot of it. You'll find a lot of patterns that look "ugly" or "noisy" and you'll be wondering if that's enough to make a call or not. Not only that, but a lot of shops have owners/managers/foremen that are used to techs making calls for billable hours in a relatively short amount of time. All the, "Well we need to start with this" calls... Whereas you're trying to skip all those steps and use only straight time labor to find the root cause. Sure that's prestigious and nice but the shop owner/manager/foreman is going to have a hard time not thinking about how "Johnny" would have sold a tuneup, fuel injection service, intake decarbonization, etc. None of that fixed the problem but it was all billable hours and, "maintenance that the customer would have needed eventually anyways". Unless you can find a shop that's willing to nurture you, which is very rare, if you want to become an elite diagnostic technician then you will have to fight a lot of battles along the way. Having your own scope/scantool so you can progress on your own time is invaluable. It's almost a requirement. The thing I love about diagnosing is that there is no end to how much you can learn and improve. You constantly have situations where you see something and you KNOW it's telling you something important. If only you knew that much more you could interpret it and be done! Then later on in your career you improve and learn how to interpret that case. You think back to it and how if you went back in time you could now solve it right then and there. I love that feeling so much. It's a constant ROI. I always think back to when I was a 1st year apprentice. Boss had me look at his friend's truck that was having starting/battery issues. I hooked my amp clamp up to the alternator to check current. I noticed that when I turned the truck off the sign on my meter flipped. Went from + to -. I KNEW that was telling me something but at the time didn't know what... Now I know that was the whole problem. If I could go back I'd be done then and there. Bad diode... Was charging fine when running but shut it off and current changes direction causing a discharge through the rectifier... I just find stuff like that so bloody cool. No guessing, no maybies, no "let's try it and see"... Just 100% pure fact... Anyways, sorry for the ramble/rant. If anyone makes it this far then have a good day and keep up the good work!

I broke down and bought my own scanner, Wheel bearing press and YF1234 refrigerant recovery system. In my shop, we work on many European cars and newer cars that come with YF1234 refrigerant in their HVAC systems. HVAC is a necessity in Texas and, if you're in a wealthy area, having the tools to work on euro cars/SUV will be necessary. This advice is spot on Mike!!!

I just buy stuff because its cool and I want bragging rights.

Good points! You definitely don't need a 5k Picoscope to check batteries 😒. But yes if a tech plans on owning his or her own shop, invest in any shop equipment that will make you money and more productive.

Back in the day in early 1980's when I was a heavy line flat rate I got frustrated more then once working on a front drive car and needing to pull the transmission and I needed the engine bar support. I bought my own and then could go to town. The biggest issue I had was on one occasion I had 2 deep in minivans with R and R on transmission I get ready go to my toolbox and get my engine bar on the side of box and it is missing. I find it across the shop on another car and the mechanic had "borrowed" it. I walked over to the service writer and shop foreman told them who gave permission to use my personal engine bar. Both denied it of course but I told them I need it in 30 minutes and it better be back on the side of toolbox and they needed to put a block of wood on a jack under that Dodge Daytona. The next thing I know I had a brand new engine bar delivered from Grainger, seems the service manager approved using my bar. After that I fasten a lock on the bar so no one could take it without my permission. Oh yeah and my original engine bar it was returned the next day. So for the price of one I had 2 engines bars. There is always a place for having your own shop equipment but it has to improve your productivity to make sense.

Reasons why hourly is the way to go. I got all day to wait on that ac machine.

I feel like the answer to that question is no you dont need to, you could spend money on other things you need but if you really really really want and have extra cash to burn then its your choice

BUYING YOU OWN TOOLS IS THE ORGASM OF EVERY MECHANIC....

I have learned the hard way through past employers that if I wanted to be safe and also be more efficient that I have to get my own equipment. I am a heavy duty diesel technician and I own my own 22ton axle jack, 20 ton ramps, recovery machine, electrical/battery system tester, tire fork/installer for 22.5 in tires, scan tool to help with dpf and forced regenerations, air hoses, 1in gun and sockets, hot spot for doing roadcalls to allow software updates in the field and to connect to manufacturer servers to back up unit data and so on. It is a combination between wanting to work without having to wait or cobble together a broken piece of equipment and wanting to be safe while working. Now I am a hourly technician and sadly will I get my money back on some of these items no. Back when I worked in automotive I bought my own factory wheel lock keys, rolling oil drain and even debated on buying factory scan tool for all the recalls and software updates I did daily and again I was a hourly tech and not even labeled as a full technician or a C class just a D or Express tech. If you look at it in the longer broader scope of things I saw it as a chance to build up my arsenal of tools and equipment preemptively so that when I did start doing whatever job I was assigned I had the tool or equipment needed to be able to do the work without having to look or wait for them to become available. I used the chances to work extra to allow me to better afford them early on I stead of needing them in a pinch or when I was least able to afford them if that makes a y sense. Short version which I should have just said from the start so apologies for the long comment is that FRM is right and each tech and situation is different and there are benefits to having your own even when the shop should be supplying them or supplying enough of them to facilitate not only your ability to be efficient and keep things moving both quickly but also with quality and care behind the repair with your name on it but to better prepare for and handle the business they wish yo generate. If this made any sense to anyone then thanks for reading through all of it

Found a last-Gen snap-on battery tester in the used bin on the Matco truck for $150. It even uses the same paper as the shop’s MidTronics unit, so free paper! It’s soooo much faster too.

I usually buy whatever it is that'll make my job easier and faster, I would love to buy an a/c machine, but I know it'll never pay for itself in my area, my best investment so far was a used Solus Ultra that was updated to 18.2 from my Snap On dealer, so much faster than the shops old OTC. thanks for sharing!!

as a tech my self i find your videos are dead on and right to the point. Good Job!

Always good content and investing in yourself pays off time and time again whether it's training or tooling.keep em coming

The Snap On D-Tac Elite is awesome. My shop bought it. I've used it to find parasitic draws with the amp clamp.

I agree, an A/C machine is a tad extreme. But a scan tool/scope is something I think can increase productivity for any A level tech. Thanks for the great video! Keep them coming!

I've been buying own specialty/diagnostic tools for a while now because the shops I've worked at never had crap for tools, And never wanted to buy tools. The down side is that they expect me to let everyone at the shop borrow my tools. Kinda frustrating.

Now I understand your point about hours you can turn on a 2 post vs a alignment lift but work can still be done on a alignment rack other than just alignments. It is a great lift to help with diag on the weird noises with the suspension not hanging. I also have a hard time sending my customer or their car out to do a job that we cant do. Ive always had this though of if it all cant be done at our shop they might go some where that it can. Great video!

Unless you are doing a lot of side work, don’t spend money on stuff that the shop should supply!!!

Buying your own stuff just makes life easier I just got myself a master fuel pressure tester and ended up using 3 times in the first week I bought it instead of trying to borrow stuff from other techs/ the shops fuel pressure tester is broken and then there’s other techs in the shop that goes I’m not buying that it should be a shop tool. More and more tools I buy the quicker my diag becomes

I got tired of doing transmissions on heavy trucks on drive on lifts, so I bought my own 60,000 lbs mobile column lift. Got a great deal. Idk if it paid for itself, but it made fleet life so much better!!

I work at honda and i love the fact that we all have an oem tool to ourselves. We do only have 1 aftermarket tool. And yes sometimes we do have to wait which does suck

Not to mention I do my own side work and I don’t need to arrange to borrow shop tools or equipment in the end I think it pays off!

I do alot of heavy line work ( engines mostly) takes its toll on yah thats for sure.

Yup... I don't like walking across the shop to get something. I'd rather have it in my tool box so I can get straight to work... but I know my limits. =)

Hey Mike all very good points, I have all my own tools. Even if its something my boss bought for his shop, I bought and have one. He's got a Verus I have a Solus. I like having my own tools at arms length to accomplish my work more efficiently. I love all aspects of the Automotive Industry, its constantly learning everyday. I love tearing down engines and transmissions getting my hands dirty. But I also like the diagnostic and electrical end of wrenching. Learning and figuring out what the vehicle is doing, getting inside its head if you will. Just sucks in a way all the tools I have. I might have to down size a bit, I have a wife and two kids to support. I bust my ass 6 days a week to catch up on stuff and still getting my house taking from me. "Long story about in laws" anyway keep up the good work man.

That is a really great tool!!! Great Video

Great topic. Although I've never seen a tech buy his personal ac machine. I have seen techs buy their own vacuum pump and gauges. Since what really takes the most amount of time is the vacuum portion of it all(if your doing the minimum 30 minute vacuum). Frees up those ac machines for the next guy. Great video and topic Mike 👍

Great topic ,. Good points !!

I kind of like the old Sun VAT 40 charging system tester it doesn't lie if you use it right.

FRM says he's not buying an ac machine but he will kick in for an ac, it's damn hot in the ATL.

Great topic my friend, I do own all main tools a shop usually have, including ac machine. As you mentioned is all about R.O.I calculation. Congrats on your new Pico scope, as an advice try to keep it connect it and ready to go so you use it more and more, i use to use the Verus Edge more than my Pico for that reason. Now I use it for almost all test except out side the shop.

Thanks for your videos you have grate info.

Great videos keep up the good work👍 the new Interstate handheld battery tester we got with a built-in printer is pretty good and it's actually connected to our corporate system so anyone in corporate can look and see how many cars we've done battery test on for that day versus how many cars the shop saw it uploads at 12 every night pretty cool. And people are going crazy over your video about running lug nuts on with a gun in the year-and-a-half I've been doing it I've never stripped one. The comments are pretty hilarious though on Facebook. Also do you have to pay for all of your own training. I think that's one of the biggest benefits for someone starting out in the industry and working for a Tire and Battery chain is the training they provide. I currently work for NTB the training is good when I can be sent to it

Good vid ,good topic ,good topic! I buy tools I probally should not .... I am a tool but for 1 I rather have my own, but it also does have some advantages getting the job done faster and I probally get a slight pay advantage and better treatment bc I have my own tools to get the job done!

Great info as always. I suppose some Cornwell dude was like, “FRM, rotates all the big tool brands... but ours. Please fix this.” They are smart if they did.

If you can afford it and want it go for it. The thing is then they are yours and you can use them for side jobs or even have them to start your own shop in the future if you want. I wouldn't suggest buying them then loaning them out in the shop because then the shop will think they don't need to keep theirs in good shape and the other techs may treat them like "Shop tools"

Starter and a multimeter is the best battery tester for a 4 banger. 5 mins of key on and the same set up for bigger engines.

Top Don Battery tester. $55 on Amazon. Has always given the same results as the shop's battery test unit. And it's the size of a Gameboy. Learned about it through the Rustbelt Mechanic.

I would agree on some tools having to hunt them down because the other tech never put in back or you have to wait a lot to use it a c machine maybe if you had ac work everyday mike enjoy your day off!

I'm a first year apprentice and just bought a bluepoint tyre inflator and am going to soon perchance a battery cca tester just so I can get very effecant with services

A lot of what you talk about doesn't apply to me as a DIY'er but I still find it interesting to hear about what techs are up against these day.

i spent 17gs on a zeus when they were out for about a year. when i was a16 year old on that truck in 97 my dealer told me something i still do to this day and thats DONT buy any new scantool from snapon till its been out for at least a year because they dont make sure the bugs are out when they go to market. dont know if its changed but its funny i still do that.

I’ve found that owning my own shop press (20t HF unit with the bottle Jack replaced with a better one from Napa.) has really been nice. The “shop press” in the corner is not always in good safe order and is often missing parts.

If a tool can make the job easier and more efficient then go for it if the budget allows.

It took me 3 years to pay my scan tool paid off and I got a hell of a deal on a c machine I even have a tire machine and I'll take it to work if I have to

I am getting a scope, just can’t decide if the money for the Pico is justifiable. Then if it is, which one, they have quite a few.

Helpful

I know this is old. But you can use the alignment rack the same as a regular 2 post lift. Just my 2 cents on an old video.

As a former motorcycle dealer, let me say that vehicle-specific special tools have a limited life. Tools that worked on last year's model won't work on this year's model.

Hey FRM could you do a video that shows like a ladder graph to show the steps to reach diagnostician

I like the PICO !

One of my best investments is an a/c machine.

Great video mike

I have bought all my shop equipment so I don't have to wait or deal with half broken tools are tools that have been put up nasty so when I work nothing slows me down

Also hondas drop charging voltage when the battery doesnt need 14 .3 volts. Alot of time alternatore is fine at 13v

Yep had to break down and go out and buy a screwdriver today.. Peace, God Bless America...

Exactly a year today that you uploaded this 🤘🏽

Using a dvom you can set it to min max record mode and record the min voltage while cranking. Also put a amp clamp on the battery cable to measure current draw at same time.

I understand what you're saying, but what I get upset about is many shops deliberately take advantage of techs by not buying adequate amounts of specialty stuff or any at all. If you're the designated diagnostic triage guy, there should be supplied scan tools issued only to you. Where I work we have a bunch of diagnostic stuff that went obsolete during the Regan administration and has more dust on it than King Tut's tomb. We used to all have to share 1 laptop, but we at least have 3 now. As far as other stuff, I do understand it's a double edged sword. I have realized buying my own special equipment makes for less headaches and pissing around even if I think they should be on the shop's dime. Like you said- who wants to wait a half hour or more for their turn or worse, you find it and it's broken. Guys will borrow or break things regularly and not buy their own. Heck, there's only 2 of us with slide hammers or seal pullers. Shop doesn't have any. I'm the only guy with an AC sniffer and other leak detection equip. Shop doesn't have any. We're expected to use nitrogen and soapy water because "that's how we've always done it". Shop does have a borescope, but it's been broken multiple times. I have a nice AC Delco, and no one else will fork out for their own. Same with a battery tester. I make it sound horrible, but it's not a bad job. The boss is good to me, I know the work well and the pay is very good. The other side of the coin is, the more specialty items I have the easier I see transitioning to somewhere else should I get fed up with where I am.

You forgot to mention that you can probably get a tax deduction out of some of the cost of the equipment. I know that with nurses they can write off uniform purchases, cleaning , education etc. I think that the technician can write off some of it as well.

I bought a special headlight restoration kit. A service my shop did not offer till I bought the kit. Now the shop offers and charges for this service and I’m only getting 5% of what they charge. It sucks

A big one is a jump pack I have spent a redicusous amount of time looking for a jump pack and half the time when it is where it’s supposed to be it’s dead

I always knew i would own my own shop so i say yes

I think it depends on the shop. But really think it opens the door for a lot of shops to skim out on tools and next generation to get more expensive tools that the shop should supply. I work at a dealer and we have no diagnostician. You roll what you roll . It's all random. We all do everything . No one guy does one thing. Everyone does diag. , alignment,engine swaps etc...

Great stuff

You bring alot of good points in your videos i work on 18 wheelers for a living alot of the points you make apply to me as well keep up the good work

Good video man I would really like to learn how to use a scope and be able to read it correctly

Gd morning=) looking forward to seeing the picco!

off subject didn't know if you had video on getting hurt at work how to cope not being able to work

I hate spending time looking for equipment Time is money. And spending more time looking for everything that goes with it. So spending my hard earned money on equipment is money well spent. Just have look at the pro's and con's. And justify spending the cash.

Your Pico is neato.

There are tools that I own that are simply just for a piece of mind and I will never prob get my money back but u can’t buy a piece of mind!

The problem i have with buying so many tools an equipment the more you have the more people want to barrow 😏😏😏

I disagree about the alignment machine. Saves having to shuttle between alignment shop, I do a better job, the rack is awesome for suspension inspection, finding noises, brakes, etc. Our rack is always being used. Sometimes dropping a subframe down makes some repairs ten times easier, roll it on rack after to make sure everything is good. Once you have an alignment rack, there's no going back.

Where do you find classes for scope in my area?

Q: What is purpose a suspension in a car? A: Making money. JING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Good points frm. Everyone must consider the ROI before buying any tool.

If u have to borrow a tool twice, buy it.

on modern vehicles the alternators are computer controlled, to save battery life. No need to charge at 13 - 15 volts if the battery is already fully charged, also saves a tiny bit of gas mileage not having the field coil on putting my load on the engine

Good video

Where do u find these classes to further ur knowledge in diagnostics?I’m a 20yr Master Chrysler tech in Oregon. Love ur channel. I used to live in Atlanta for 8 yrs. I’m pretty good diagnosing all Chrysler products just because of familiarity but i know I would lack on other brands. I’m trying to rectify that with more training.

My experience of training classes are those who can’t do it, teach it! Not all but most a waste of time and not in the real world of car repairs.

Hey do you prefer a 6 or 12 point box end on a combination wrench.

no, unless it a coke machine.... stocked w/ beer.

Can you do a review on Cornwell tools

Michael, I think you need to buy your own Air Conditioner!

Blah blah blah. I want that Pico. Thats all I saw that whole vid. I have the Autel and it's ok. I need a little ROI on some recent purchases first. PS I'm taking Brandon's class next month at ASA in PA

Should you? No. But when the shop won't buy it and it's costing you jobs and money why not?

I buy a lot of shop tools based on the fact is when I need it I know it’s there and not broken lol

Damn, you're getting paid 1hr for a starting/charging test? Nice....

Give urself any title you want be is technician, diagnostic tech, or super duper D.T bottom line your a mechanic. Nothing wrong with being a mechanic, I'm proud. But if you hate the word mechanic then better yourself. Calling yourself a bigger title ..... Well your still just a mechanic.....

Ok so it's my ac machine now who buys the freon