TOOLS Owning and having access to the right tools are crucial to your ability to do your job and to survive as a business. You do not have to spend a fortune, either. Pictured is Sealey's S01250 Micro Ratchet Wrench & Bit Driver Set, which we found offered by one of its stockists for £16.73 including VAT.
FAST MOVERS AND TIME SAVERS Some tools are absolutely vital; others make the job quicker and easier. This leads Rob Marshall to look at some of the pre-Christmas offerings to suit all budgets
One of the most exciting things about automotive technology evolving so quickly is that vibrant, reactive and innovative aftermarket tool suppliers strive to keep the repair industry up to date. As many readers treat their toolboxes as lifetime investments, we hope that some of our picks may appeal as future additions. Yet, more expensive tooling costs are borne by businesses, rather than the individual – although, of course, this could be the same thing in some set-ups. Should you be an employee, your boss may find it useful if you communicate that certain purchases will make your life easier and can benefit the business, by making more efficient use of your time. Sealey should be on your radar, if you are looking for affordable and useful additions to your 'box. The high-grade plated steel Micro Ratchet Wrench & Bit Driver Set (part number S01250) can be had for under £20 (including VAT) online, for instance. Its brake pipe flaring kit is tough enough to work even steel lines and not just softer Cunifer pipe. Its official price is a VAT-inclusive £261.54 but we found one of Sealey's stockists offering it for £167.12 – so consider that it pays to shop around. While quite an investment at £1,079.94 including VAT (again our online search found the price slashed to £649.92), our favourite Sealey offering is the 2,000-watt induction heater that loosens corroded and/or seized fixings. It also includes accessories to help remove body panel dents. 40
Should you wish to make a more significant investment with a £5,000 budget, consider Sealey's HHO Engine Carbon Cleaner. Unlike many competitor products, it uses tap water and, therefore, does not require costly fluid refills. The water is split by electrolysis into oxygen and hydrogen, which enter the engine via the air inlet, to break down carbon deposits. A further advantage is its automatic shutdown feature, which allows the machine to run without supervision, meaning that the technician is free to conduct other tasks as it works.
Some tools are just super cool but keep a grip on reality. Sealey's VS230 2,000-watt induction heater is designed to make easy work of removing seized fixings but will it make enough difference to your workshop to justify the outlay?
