No More Free Craftsman Tool Replacement!

Well, Kmart has bought out Sears, and the corporate shit for brains are phasing out the lifetime guarantee on Craftsman tools. This means no more returning your broken tools folks. I used to love finding old broken Craftsman tools at swapmeets and on the road, and returning them for new ones. Guess they cant guarantee Chinese tools since they started making crap tools that break the first time used. I guess old Craftsman tools just became collectors items...bastards

 

That sux !!!

 

aint progress great?

 

That figures. They have been getting crappier over the last 10 years or so. They should hold up their guarantee on purchases previous to the end date, then mark all tools after that with "worthless crap, no guarantee"

I'm glad I bought all my tools years ago.

 

Just traded in my broke rachet for a new one (rebuilt) last week.

 

Why does this not surprise me,........ A couple weeks ago My Son's friend went in to exchange a 1/2" drive rachet and they said they coulden't do that but they would have a "Rebuild KIT !" shipped to his house. I didn't believe him.

 

For quite a while now, a rebuild kit in your old rachet was better than a new one anyway because the new ones are junk. This new policy really sucks ass. I have a lot of these tools as they were lower priced than the tool trucks, but had a good warranty. Years ago, my buddy had a 10 or 12 drawer chest fall out of his truck, it racked the whole thing and really fucked it up. We stopped by Sears and went in and asked about a replacement. Sales boy says "yeah, we can replace it unless it fell out of a truck or something". So we bring the chest into the store, he takes one look at it and got a brand new one off the shelf. Ah, the good old days are over.

 

So now we're stuck either buying crappy tent sale tools, or spending a fortune on Snap-on, Mac, and Matco. If I've got to buy tool truck tools, I won't have any hot rod money left. $115 for a set of screwdrivers? Come on, that's just rediculous.

 

Well you could pay $40 for a set of screw drivers now. Then in 10 years when you need to replace them, you'll pay $60 for the same set. And in another ten years pay $80 for the same set. Or, spend $115 now on good quality tools and still be using them in 20 years.

 

you got a link or source for this? if not, it's bullshit, this rumour has been around for a while.

 

Well folks as for the College Station, Texas Sears.... my brother broke my 1/2 drive tearing down my 270 Hemi before taking it to the machine shop...Well the sale Clerk never asked a question and took the broken one , went to the shelf, and returned with a brand new driver...So maybe Texas is different but as of two days ago, well since I'm in IRAQ, 3 days ago it's still good to go. Thanks to the Unions here for driving up the cost to build something while we pay some Union Ass to sit and screw in a few screws and bolts for $50.00 an hour. You can't blame the Companies for going over seas and to Mexico to make shit because it costs so much to pay the help and make the product here.

 

I dion't see how they can end SEARS Craftsman lifetime tool guarantee without taking SEARS off the front of the building.

 

i second this comment

 

Tell us where you read this. Sounds like a rumor to me.

 

a friend of my uncle's best friends' sisters' boyfriend's friend......

sounds like rumor to me....

 

Find a Cornwell guy, they're still around. Cheaper than all the others and a lifetime warranty, too.

 

I agree... Seems like that could land them in some sort of legal trouble maybe? After all it is a guarantee...ah hell I'm no expert though.

 

and when you get home you can get a job at Wal-Mart for minimum wage with no health benefits.

 

Ive been hearing this for a while. If its true, its gonna discourage a lot of young kids like myself from wanting to build up their tool collections, and without tools we cant work on our cars. I guess Id better get my ass up to Sears and get all my broken tools replaced.

 

yea my brothers mother told me the same thing

 

Oh yeah, well my best friends sisters cousins roomate knows this guy thats going with a girl that saw Ferris pass out at 31 Flavors last night. I guess it's pretty serious.

 

I guess they can rename them " Crapsmen" tools or just " Crappytools".

 

ummm, whens the last time you saw a kmart that wasnt closing or damn near it??

i call bs

 

Problem is that paying extra for MAC or MATCO tools isn't really worth it. Tools are tools. They don't usually just break cause they are crap, they break because people don't know how to properly use them.

I went to school for welding and part of our class curriculum was machining, and that was one of the machining instructors biggest things to stress... that tools aren't always universal, and they will not last if you don't use them properly.

It makes me think of when I used to be an auto tech and some smartass kid would come in and be like "My car needs work. It's not running right, it drives bad.... it's a piece of shit."

So I'd get into it.... and then find that he must have been streetracing and trying to do brakestands, usually running the wrong coolant, little to NO oil, bad brakes, and bad c/v joints.... Things like cars and tools have been around awhile now, you know? Use them properly, and they won't wrong ya.

Basically, 99% of the time it's not the tools fault when braking, it's the users improper use/neglegence.

 

figures, i got a box full of tools that have no warrenty after they impose that, great, just what i needed to hear, but it dont suprise me. only reason i bought their cheap crap was because it was so easy to go and let sear make good if i broke it. might as well just buy swap meet high end jap tools now, if i break a 8 dollar ratchet vs 30, i wont cry as much, cept for the busted knuckle

 

Stuuupid!

 

I work at Sears selling tools. Worked there on an off since i was 17 and worked in a couple stores on the floor, as well management. Yes the company is nowhere near what it used to be. Yes they merged with K-Mart....it Fucking sucks! That place is so fubar'd they dont know what to do with themselves. But they are not phasing out the lifetime guarantee on handtools. They ARE changing things around with CERTAIN tools....stuff people were abusing. mostly stuff having to do with construction and commercial use. Handtools such as wrenches, sockets, ratchets etc blah blah blah will still carry the gaurentee. i can tell you right now. Craftsmen is what keeps Sears alive. But in the next few years, dont be surprised to see Sears become more of a "Discount department store." its inevitable

If the stores are not giving you a replacement tool, "threaten" to call corporate. Yes, they offer rebuilt ratchets as replacements and they are the default, BUT....if you WANT a brand new ratchet....get one. They have to give you and equal product for the warranty.

 

you can take your broken craftsman and trade them for husky's at home depot, or so I remember

 

got to agree with ya here. I have some early 70s vintage japonese ratchets that are still holding up real good. but they were the good grade stuff for back then. The Japonese build good tools for their own use and only build crappy tools because some company over here tells them what they want and how much they are willing to pay for them.Then gives them a bunch of specs that dont match up real well to metric and the results are obviouse. you gets what you pays for. I am pretty sure Japan has its own version of Snap-on and Mac tools. Just like we have"wilmar" and "performance tool" or some of the harbor frieght stuff. If you use a 3/8 ratchet instead of the 1/2 drive , of course it will bust ,and your knuckles too! like my old man would tell me "stupidity should be painfull, and usually is!"
R.R.

 

sounds like rumor to me....


Yeah it does. But never the less, Craftsman tools have been getting crappier and crappier. They are not all made in USA like they use to be. If it's not stamped "MADE IN USA" i don't buy it! Fuck that cheap shit they are importing....pay a little more and buy used Snap On..they still got a lifetime guarantee...