quote:

Originally posted by egregore:
I didn't think of Facebook Marketplace, mostly because I detest Facebook and am not a member. I also accepted a long time ago that I'd be lucky to get 20 or 25 cents on the dollar. But whatever I can get for them would be nice.

You can get top dollar for stuff on FB marketplace.

quote:

Originally posted by nhtagmember:
Go talk with a tech school or community college that has an auto repair program. You have a captive audience of people needing good tools to star they’re careers.

good idea, and you may be able to donate with a tax write of to the school if they don't sell

I know a young newly minted mechanic bemoaning the cost of tools. He is looking at a whole set.

Might you have a list of the tools for sale and an aggregate price?

quote:

posted by Sig2340: I know a young newly minted mechanic bemoaning the cost of tools. He is looking at a whole set.

As I said in earlier posts, I'm keeping what I need for my own use - a single car - and am mainly trying to sell the surplus. I don't think a newbie is going to find much use for most of it. For example, inch-measurement (somewhat incorrectly these days called "standard") sockets and wrenches. Other than a few cases where inch has a metric equivalent, what with almost everything built this century being metric, they aren't much use these days. Others are obsolete, for example, distributor wrenches. I have half a dozen of those, but almost nothing built in this century has distributors. Yet others are a narrow niche (e.g., "triple-square" found on VW/Audi). Still others have a single, specific use, e.g., camshaft holding/timing tools. I can't think of anything, offhand, that a new guy could truly use. If I do think of something, can I contact you?

I did know this day would come. I was told 30 years ago that tools, despite their cost new, are worth what you can get for them at a garage sale. (Long story.) This is not a "desperate for money" situation, just trying to mitigate the blow a little.

Something I'm not doing is "piecemeal-ing" them out on eBay or similar and shipping them. My time and sanity are worth money, too.

If they are Snap-on or an expensive brand I’d sell them in sets on eBay as they can be real money. Other stuff sell locally on Craigslist or Marketplace.

After his brother passed away at 67 Bill had his brothers giant tool collection hauled off to an auction .

After the tow truck, and auction fees he got $2000.00
For $6,000.00 worth of tools and equipment.

quote:

Originally posted by Sig2340:
I know a young newly minted mechanic bemoaning the cost of tools. He is looking at a whole set.

Might you have a list of the tools for sale and an aggregate price?

Check email, please

Here is a local to you online source.

https://theeclassifieds.com/category/all

You could also rent a table at the local flea markets and see how things go for a few weekends.



You might also contact one of the local estate sale companies. They combine estate sales to have a large sale and might be willing to add your tools to an upcoming estate sale. They price all the items and take care of the sales for a commission. This might be your best no hassle option.


Here is one located in Kingsport TN:

https://willowcreekestatesales.com/

From their website under services:

Off Site Estate Sales

No room to complete an onsite sale? We will pack your items and store for you to be placed in a future sale. All items are coded to your name for tracking purposes.

I'm getting close to the same deal.
I'll be 70 in December and have been wrenching on everything from lawnmowers to mining equipment.
Sold everything over 21/2" to a guy 14 years ago, but still have tons of Snap-On and Mac, Matco tools.
I'll keep metric up to what I need, but the rest needs to start going away.

I agree with going to a Trade School and talking to an Instructor . He can get the word out that you have tools for sale .

Getting something close to what the tools are worth / what you paid for them can be a hassle!
Trust me, I know. I had to help a friends daughter sell about 40 years worth of Mechanic's tools after Jim's death.

Two More Options:

YOU CAN GO TO THEM-
Hit up mechanics schools, trade schools, car/truck/tractor dealerships, repair shops.
These are people who deal with tools for a living and after buying something from a MAC or Snap-on Truck you know how much you're spending on quality. It's a lot of leg work, and kind of a pain, but word travels in those communities, and sooner or later, you're going to get a phone call or five- "Are you still selling stuff?"

THEY CAN COME TO YOU-
Go to the mechanic's schools, trade schools, dealerships, repair shops and drop off fliers:
"EGREGORE's Tool sale, this weekend only! Everything must go!"
Snap-on, MAC, Matco...
and have a yard /garage sale.

My grandson works in a shop that specializes in high end cars . A lot of older and exotics . If you have some oddball or unique stuff a shop like that might be worth a visit to leave your name and number .

Following this one...

In January I'll be facing a similar prospect with fifty years of machinist's tools, and a too-large Kennedy box.

If you really want to get rid of everything, an auction is the way to go. The local places do online auctions pretty regularly...they photograph, catalog, and list it, you pay them a percentage, and it's all gone at the end of the day. I've never sold anything that way, but as a buyer I've seen things go stupid cheap and other stuff go outrageously high...I imagine it all evens out in the end, and more importantly everything sells. It may not be the most profitable method of selling, but you'll at least recoup a good portion of your investment and it's far more convenient than trying to list stuff piecemeal on eBay.

If you have as much stuff as you say , trying to sell it on Ebay or FB Marketplace would be a full time job with a lot of aggravation . Lots of scammers and just plain knuckleheads out there .