Anyone had dealings with Mac tools?

[dextadriver]

I am looking at buying new spanner’s sockets etc.. I have contacted nearest mobile Mac van but I would have to go 30 miles to meet him , he told me that there is always special offers going and he will will do good deal on a tidy size order
Anyone dealt with Mac??

 

[AKN]

I’ve had good dealings with the MAC van that covers where I’m working on the Range Rover. They do seem to have different specials each week. He also does Facom and other brands. I guess like Snap-on a lot will depend on how good the local guy is. Tip:- always haggle on the price!

 

[blackolive (Ste)]

I am looking at buying new spanner’s sockets etc.. I have contacted nearest mobile Mac van but I would have to go 30 miles to meet him , he told me that there is always special offers going and he will will do good deal on a tidy size order
Anyone dealt with Mac??

I’d be asking myself how good the after sales service would be if he can’t be ar*ed travelling in his mobile van for half an hour to make a sale

 

[premmington]

Not seen a MAC tool van at our garage for years (decades) - I used to buy allot from them in times gone past.

Truthfully I thought they (MAC) had finished in the UK.

MAC owned by Stanley Tools now? Not sure?

---------

I got one Black MAC double height tool box - that has been good. Plus from other post above - I really like Facom tools and buy loads over the internet.

 

[PhillipM]

I’d be asking myself how good the after sales service would be if he can’t be ar*ed travelling in his mobile van for half an hour to make a sale

This, you're paying a premium off the van for this stuff anyway. If they cba to stop by just buy something decent off the 'net instead.

 

[Other Daniel]

I’d be asking myself how good the after sales service would be if he can’t be ar*ed travelling in his mobile van for half an hour to make a sale

That "half an hour" in all truth would more than likely translate to an hour and a half
round trip. 30 miles in half an hour demands a pretty high average speed, a rarity in
the UK these days.
Then there's the time he has to spend with the customer, probably a lonely person
talking the hind legs off the proverbial donkey.
In addition to that, the actual net financial benefit to the Mac guy might well be in the
order of £10 or £20, based on his average individual sales value.
So, in truth, what you are expecting is for the guy to take approx half a working day, to
make, if any sale at all, a tenner.
I would think that far from CBA, he sees it as not worthwhile, and is probably absolutely
correct in thinking so.

 

[stuvy]

Used to get a brilliant Mac van come around to us around 5 years ago

The fella packed it in

I see them in the next town to me floating about but haven’t had any issues with repairs

Maybe call head office and ask if you can post them?

 

[pressbrake1]

This, you're paying a premium off the van for this stuff anyway. If they cba to stop by just buy something decent off the 'net instead.

Going by my local Mac man he’s probably already doing 12-14 hour days
Then the couple of hours lost might muck up his round which can’t be made up

 

[PhillipM]

Going by my local Mac man he’s probably already doing 12-14 hour days
Then the couple of hours lost might muck up his round which can’t be made up

Which doesn't change the fact that that's also going to be the same issue any time you want more tools or service.

 

[dextadriver]

it seems there used to be a fairly local Mac guy but he went bankrupt

 

[northwest]

I stepped on board the MAC tools van once local to me here, I really felt as if I was a major inconvenience to him.
OTOH I have bought loads of Facom stuff off tinternet and like @premmington I really rate it, especially their snips and vice grips. My Snap on guy is really good though, will drive over to me and I always feel I have got a deal so he gets my off the van business.

 

[TEO]

My ratcheting Facom spanners seem to be identical to the Mac ones but came from Internet. There was a van round every week but I have very modest needs/budget that didn't fit with his business plan & now that the big spending mechanics have moved from this site he doesn't bother coming round.

 

[pressbrake1]

Which doesn't change the fact that that's also going to be the same issue any time you want more tools or service.

Doesn’t change the fact if he’s out of area.
Self employed doesn’t mean you’re everyone’s Bitch and should run around ruining your day on off chance jobs
I brt you wouldn’t

 

[wristpin]

My tool buying days are over ( almost). But when I had a business Snap -on were reasonably regular but the Mac men came and went on a regular basis. What they both liked was a new starter buying a lump on the drip. Perhaps like many things the profit was in the finance.
Back to reality , lately I’ve bought a bit of Beta and some Teng . Teng, in particular , for something being bought to do a one off particular job. Reasonable quality and reasonable price.
Apologies for the bold type but it seems to have turned itself on - un asked !

 

[Keithmac]

I haven't seen a MAC van at our spot for 15 years or more!.

Snap-On is regular as clockwork and the last two have been really nice people to deal with.

What will you do if you need warranty repair?, very rarely I've had to return anything from Snap-On but it's dealt with within a week and they come to us.

 

[roblane65]

A bit of track but there used to a van did the rounds where a few of my mates worked and they nick named him " johnny wonders " why because they all wondered how what he sold did exactly the same job as snap and mac and usually for a boat load less money .

 

[Domdom]

I’ve got some MAC tools. Quality wise they are up there with good stuff but if I needed the warranty I’d be up the creek, not seen a van for ages. The SnapOn guy is much more regular and Halfords is a 20 minute drive. When the wife worked for Apex Tools I got a load of gearwrench and their other brands. They’re OK tools for the price.
Depends how hard you are on tools.
Nowadays I tend to buy off the net or secondhand.
The one thing in favour of SnapOn is the sheer variety, there’s a tool for everything imaginable……that you pay a fortune for and use once.

 

[Brad93]

I don't think their stuff is the quality of yore. I'd certainly have snap on over them but as far as I'm aware they are a fair bit cheaper.
Pretty sure some of them carry teng on their van too. Not bad gear for the price teng.

Gedore. That's where I'd spend my money

 

[roofman]

I have a set of Mac combo spanners 8mm-19mm i bought in the early 90,s..still as good as ever. I personally prefer Mac over Snap-On because a lot of Snap stuff these days is generic and re-badged. Specialist stuff like pullers and one off tools then i go to the Snap van.

 

[doubleboost]

I bought a fair bit of Mac gear 20 years ago .
Still got a few bits and pieces left .
I bought a high power windy gun from them .
It sounded like a Morris 1000 with no exhaust .
way more torque than the Snap On at that time .
Never seem a Mac tool van for years .
There was a lad selling used Mac tools at Blaydon car boot sale.
They were all Mac warranty returns ,burst sockets and slipping ratchets .
I bought a few screwdrivers with broken blades and re ground them .