need some serious advice!!!!

[snobdrbutch]

hey everybody, now i know for a fact that everybody on this site is some sort of gear head in one way or another!!!!

so here is my dilema.
ok i have the oppurtunity to purchase a mac tools tool route with truck and established clientel. but the more research i get into it keeps coming up bad. the more i look deeper mac tools seems to be a real bunch of jerf o**s but i have this sweet deal sitting hear in front of me and this is what is killing me.. i have sat and talked to the seller for quite some time and looked at his records and it all looks legit he is bringin home roughly 4k a month in profit and he says he has not had any problems with mac tools but when i did a little research i keep finding people that say they bought into the franchise and they got run into the ground cause mac wouldnt back them up with anything and they just kept screwing them ( if you want to find out more just google mactools sales route also look at mactoolssucks.com you'll find plenty). well i gues i really just want to hear what you all think of this and maybe some advice if anyone has some or if anyone has done this sort of thing maybe give me some pointers..
i'm just tryin to make a livin for my family cause i cant stay in the millitary any longer or my wife is gonna kill me.

some one guide me !!!!

thanks for your time confused one :whoa:

 

[jason33]

i cant make your descision for you but geting them to replace a tool is like pullin teeth
i dont use them any more,-plus there too expencive

 

[dklink2000]

I can't comment on how MAC runs their buisness, BUT...my uncle has a Snap-On route and makes a very good living with it.

 

[pyrofreak]

Snap-On is very true to their word, and I like their tools alot. But then agian, my bf is cheap and swears by Craftsman...... And my dad likes SK. But no one that I know even uses MAC tools.........

 

[cr125freak]

Everyone i know has to mortage(sp) there house to just get started. Then its getting people to trust you. You have to buy a lot before you can begin to make money

 

[Moose]

If I was going to be biased, I'd say Snap-On, just because my grandpa lived and breathed snap on his whole drag racing career.

 

[railer]

Not to steal the thread, but...

Snap-On is very true to their word, and I like their tools alot. But then agian, my bf is cheap and swears by Craftsman...... And my dad likes SK. But no one that I know even uses MAC tools.........

You must be pretty well off, becuase Craftsman ain't cheap! But Craftsman tools are some of the best out there. I have a CM phillips head screwdriver that belonged to my Grandfather and has not so much as a nick in the head. After three generations, that's quality! My entire tool collection is Craftsman, and I have absolutely no complaints. I'm with your "bf" on that one.

And I neither know of anybody that uses MAC. Don't think I've even seen a MAC tool. :think:

I have a friend named "MAC." :)

 

[fishwater]

Interesting thoughts about the tool business. I work for NAPA & sell tools for a living I have a similar business as a Mac or Snap-On dealer. As a tech I used Snap-On exclusively but back then there was a definite difference between the tool company's & quality, now except for some of the hand tools everyone is sharing suppliers.

What would concern me about Mac is the fact that they have company owned tool trucks run by company employee's. The problem with this is that the company employee makes a salary so he or she can afford to sell an item at a lower gross profit then an independent dealer. Mac is tough competition for me, I sell against them everyday but to see what is happening to the independent dealer is a shame. I would speak with whoever is selling the route & find out what other competition is near your route & more specifically if there is a company owned & operated Mac truck near your territory. Good luck, it's a great business & a lot of fun if you love people & tools.

 

[pyrofreak]

You must be pretty well off, becuase Craftsman ain't cheap! But Craftsman tools are some of the best out there. I have a CM phillips head screwdriver that belonged to my Grandfather and has not so much as a nick in the head. After three generations, that's quality! My entire tool collection is Craftsman, and I have absolutely no complaints. I'm with your "bf" on that one.

I didn't mean to call anyone really cheap, I'm just saying that the price of an SK socket vs a Craftsman, the Craftsman is generally cheaper. My boyfriend is little rough on tools, and I admit that it is nice to be able go to KMart or Sears and jsut trade a bent screwdriver in for a new one. My friend Howard has a ratchet that belonged to his grandfather. If I'm not mistaken, it has "1932" or a similar year etched into it.

But agian, no one I know uses MAC tools, I saw a catalog once, but never an actaul tool. Most mechanic colleges deal with Snap-On too.

 

[BSWIFT]

There is a Mac route in my area and the guy seems to do well. There is also a S/O route that overlaps the Mac guy. My area is rather rural so both guys have a lot of miles to drive to sell anything. Not sure what your area is like but with fuel prices flatchlating(not a mis spell), costs vs. profit is something to really be concerned with. The Home Depot, Sears, NAPA, and Lowes have mega marketing ability.
Customer confidence and trust in their supplier is crucial in the tool route business. Since you've had an opportunity to look at the books, see if you can contact a few of his customers face to face and see if they like you and would continue to support you. This may not be a certainty but it could help make your decision. Just my $.02 worth.

 

[cr125freak]

My family (everyones a mechanic) swears my snap-on. The know what craftsman can offer and snap-on can, they say snap-on are just better built.. I myself basically working on dirtbikes-lawnmowers- my truck-ect i really dont care what brand it is

 

[snobdrbutch]

well i would like to thank everyone for there opinons(sp?) but i have made the choice not to go that type of carreer. with al the research that i have done and the people in the area and all the shops i went to they were not very supportive of mac tools and they would rather go with snapon or matco so i just passed on this oppurtunity because it doesnt seem to be able to generate the type of income i need to make to live and would require a lot of work and beggin and pleading to get people to buy these tools and i really dont want to deal with that..
so again i thank evryone for there help !!
butch