6 Power Tools Every Mechanic Needs to Run an Auto Repair Shop

Did you know that the average mechanic has anywhere from $25,000 to $50,000 worth of tools in their toolbox at any given time?

That might seem like a ridiculous amount of money to spend on tools. But without the right automobile repairing tools, mechanics won’t be able to fix things on the cars they work on each day.

There is a long auto mechanic tool list that everyone who works on cars for a living should have. It includes a bunch of tools every mechanic needs to make repairs to the vehicles that are brought in to them for service.

If you’re a mechanic trying to put together the ultimate tool collection, you should consider adding basic tools to your toolbox along with at least some of the must-have mechanic specialty tools.

Here are six power tools every mechanic needs to help run a successful auto repair shop.

1. Impact Wrench

As a mechanic, you’re going to spend a lot of your time removing parts from cars so that you can work on them. With this in mind, you’re going to need to have a trusty impact wrench by your side at all times.

These days, there are lots of battery-powered impact wrenches out there that are capable of helping mechanics take parts off cars and reinstall them in no time. As long as you keep them powered up with industrial lithium batteries, they’ll prove to be one of the most useful tools in your arsenal.

Impact wrenches are, without a doubt, one of the tools every mechanic needs at all times. You’re not going to be able to make it through many days without one of these.

2. Air Ratchet

Most mechanics spend a large portion of their days wrestling with nuts and bolts. Many of the nuts and bolts found on and in cars can be difficult to loosen, especially if they haven’t been loosened up in years now.

An air ratchet is designed to help mechanics get nuts on and off bolts in no time at all. With the push of a button, a mechanic can win the battle with a nut and get it off a bolt in a matter of just seconds.

Air ratchets are actually so powerful that mechanics have to be careful while using them. One wrong move could result in a mechanic doing damage to a bolt while trying to tighten a nut on it.

3. Power Drill

Power drills are obviously useful power tools for those in a wide range of industries. You’ll find everyone from electricians and plumbers to construction workers and bricklayers carrying power drills around.

So it should come as no surprise to hear about how essential they are to mechanics. Power drills can be used to do everything from drive screws into cars to make holes in car parts.

It’s a good idea for mechanics to invest in a heavy-duty power drill that will stand the test of time. They don’t want something that’s going to give out on them the first time it’s pushed too hard during an extensive auto repair job.

4. Grinder

Most people don’t think of mechanics as the most creative people in the world. But they might be surprised to see how creative that mechanics have to get in order to make auto repairs each day.

Grinders are power tools that allow mechanics to show off their creativity day in and day out. They can use grinders to problem-solve on the fly as they do things like:

• Make a car part fit into a tight space
• Enlarge a hole that they made in a car while making a repair
• Get rid of excess materials that are getting in the way

When a mechanic finds themselves with a problem on their hands and isn’t sure what to do next, it’s usually not long before they’re trying to figure it out with a grinder. It’s an excellent power tool for those who enjoy thinking outside of the box while making car repairs.

5. Flashlight

We really could have placed this tool at the top of this list of tools every mechanic needs. A good flashlight is an absolute must for all mechanics if they’re going to do a good job.

Mechanics are going to struggle to make repairs to vehicles if they’re not able to see what they’re doing. Flashlights allow them to shine some light on whatever part of a car they’re working on so that they can see easily.

Lots of mechanics also invest in underhood work lights that they can hang right underneath the hood of a car. It provides them with all the light they need to work on a car and fix it up. 

6. OBDII Code Reader

When the check engine light comes on in a car, any number of things could be causing it. Some of the most common reasons why a car’s check engine light will come on include:

• The car has a loose fuel cap
• The car has a bad oxygen sensor
• The car has a catalytic converter that has failed
• The car has issues with its spark plugs
• The car has a battery that’s about to die

So, how does a mechanic figure out which of these things is causing a check engine light to stay on? They use an OBDII Code Reader.

This tool will communicate with a car’s internal computer and spit out a code that lets a mechanic know what’s wrong with the vehicle. Using it is the quickest way to diagnose an issue with a car.

Make Sure You Have All the Tools Every Mechanic Needs Today

You really can’t call yourself a mechanic if you don’t have all of the tools listed here. These are the tools every mechanic needs while they’re working on cars.

If you’re just starting your career as a mechanic and putting together tools to work on cars, make sure these tools are on your auto mechanic tool list. You’re not going to have very much success without them.

Check out our blog for more information about automobile repair tools.