essential tools

[b4rks]

Story so far:
*Have zero mechanical know how.
*Bought a mk2 8v
*Have got it booked into the garage on Friday to have everything serviced/looked at/fixed etc... and have budgetted a grand so hopefully it should be sweet when it's back.
*Realised this can't continue!
*Bought a Haynes manual
*Introduced myself to a neighbour who until know i've never spoken to who is always tinkering with his Celica GT4 - (he showed me round it and literally EVERYTHING on it has been replaced - it's immaculate!!)

So ambitious as it may be I'm hoping with a bit of common sense, and the ability to read I should be able to start learning about my golf properly.

Here's where I need your help mechanical chaps, can you give me a reasonably concise list of the essential car related tools I'm going to need.

To give you the picture - I have NONE! well bar a sh!t screwdriver and a drill for putting up shelves.  What should I get?  Including things like I dunno - axle stands, or a jack???

Cheers fellas

[Ktuludays]

axle stands and a jack are a good start

if you want good but cheap (ish) tools you can't go far wrong with the halfords professional range

well made, good quality and a lifetime guarantee.

get yourself a socket set, oil filter wrench, oil catch tank, multimeter (not essential but good for electrical problems- try maplins for cheap ones), set of screw drivers

it is down to personal preference at the end of the day and depends on what jobs you are going to be doing

for std servicing and repair then the above should be ok.

welcome to mk2 ownership - a very rewarding car to own.

post up some pics

[Guy]

great post and idea... am pretty much in the same boat with my mk3 

[vw-bob]

would reccomend the halfords proffesional range, good tools

make sure you get a 1/4", 3/8" and a 1/2" drive ratchets, and if you can get a felixible head ratchet instead of, or if your budget stretches, as well as. its surprising how handy they come.

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_173083_langId_-1_CarSelectorCatalogId__CarSelectorGroupId__varient__categoryId_76863_crumb_33958-31562-76859_parentcategoryrn_76863#

something like that would be a good start, but you would definately need to add to it

a set or 2 of mole grips always comes in handy

if you do buy a set of spanners, get another aswel as there are often times when you need 2

a decent set of allen keys, or even a set that goes onto the ratchet

if i think of anything else i will let you know 

[Sukhi]

I have some Halfords proffesional tools, some snap-on, and other stuff like Mac tools and got the Halfords proffesional set.

I would say for a enthusiast the Halfords pro is fantastic, they will take a beating and seam to last very well.

Lifetime guarantee, nothing has broken on me yet, 2 years down the line, can't say a bad word against it

You would also require a few extras such as:

Deeper sockets
Breaker bar
Longer extensions etc





Sukhi.

[vw-bob]

lots of WD40 and a tub of copper slip

[Sukhi]

lots of WD40 and a tub of copper slip

That should read Plusgas 

[Dolly]

im a mechanic by trade and use snap on stuff, i then got this set when it was on offer £120, its my "spare" set but its good enough to be my first i managed to get hold of another to give to a friend who loves to tinker and learn... ok its only a 3/8 set and times you mite need bigger or smaller but for generall use it is very very good...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Snap-On-77-Piece-3-8-Drive-Service-Socket-set_W0QQitemZ320173445563QQihZ011QQcategoryZ30917QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

P.S i have no idea who the seller is im not advertising on behalf or anything just telling you what i know 

[1.8t]

lots of WD40 and a tub of copper slip

That should read Plusgas 

They both have there advantages, up until recently i have only ever used wd40 then about 3 weeks ago i bought some plusgas and have found it better on some things although still prefer wd40 for others

[b4rks]

Thanks everyone that replied - off to Halfords we go at the weekend.

Just one little question - what's copper slip?

welcome to mk2 ownership - a very rewarding car to own.

post up some pics

- - and - -


^ My baby