I've finally decided to bite the bullet and buy a complete second set of hand tools to keep in my tire trailer. I can make a list of everything I need, but I can't find a good place to buy them all individually. One of those big 200 piece tool sets will have a lot of stuff I don't need, but it might be cheaper to chuck the rejects than buy individual wrenches.
It is far cheaper than buying individual tools!
By the set, and then only take the tools you need with you. Your car might change (I know, weeeird for most of us on here, change cars? Whaaaat?), and you might like to have the 12mm instead of the 13, etc.
I buy used unless its urgent and i cant find used.
Used is potentially the cheapest way and you can get better quality. But if you are impatient it could also be more expensive too.
I routinely pass up $50 5 gallon buckets of sockets at closed down businesses. Flea markets and garage sales have great deals mixed if you hunt for them too. It all supports your local economy even if you buy used (cr-v crome vandium if you get imported ) imported stuff.
Pawn shops are another great resource for small amounts of tools.
If I'm buying a socket of a type that I don't already own, I always buy a set. I figure if I want the 13mm version, odds are I'm going to want the 10mm, 12mm, 14mm, and 17mm versions at some point as well, and by that point it's cheaper to buy the whole set. It's also cheaper not to have to drive to the tool store every job. :)
OTOH, it sounds like you're trying to build a set of tools for a specific job (leaving in the trailer so you always have them at the track/autox/whatever). Given that I'd buy singletons because I'm not going to want to take the extras with me, and I've already got 16mm sockets that I never use sitting in my toolbox at home.
I wouldn't buy the 200+ piece tool sets for this purpose because they're usually loaded down with useless crap. 12 point sockets for example -- yes, you need them to take off 12 point bolts, but how many of those are on the car and are you really going to be pulling those ones at the track?
I have a modest collection of tools but I found that when I sorted out everything after having gotten one of the ridiculous 200 pc Craftsman sets that I had a ton of overlap in sockets. Like multiples of 3 or 4 for some sizes, and only 1 in others (usually the stuff I actually use!).
I think they are fine to start a collection, but after that they are just selling you filler or tools you already have.
jere wrote: I buy used unless its urgent and i cant find used. Used is potentially the cheapest way and you can get better quality. But if you are impatient it could also be more expensive too. I routinely pass up $50 5 gallon buckets of sockets at closed down businesses. Flea markets and garage sales have great deals mixed if you hunt for them too. It all supports your local economy even if you buy used (cr-v crome vandium if you get imported ) imported stuff.
A few years ago my brother and I bought a bucket of sockets. There wasn't a single 10mm, 13mm, 1/2" or 9/16.
Robbie wrote: By the set, and then only take the tools you need with you. Your car might change (I know, weeeird for most of us on here, change cars? Whaaaat?), and you might like to have the 12mm instead of the 13, etc.
Cars are like underwear. .. . Thinking aobut it I change car more often. 
Buy the set. You can never have to many tools!
I keep some tools in my DD and in my tow vehicle, with my largest collection in my garage and some in my basement workshop. Since I hate having to go up and down the stairs to garage for tools I put together an odd ball collection of my fathers old tools, some cheap HF type tools, and a few good tools. If I don't have the right tool to do the job then I go to the garage. I also keep a separate tool box in my garage for the tools I take to the race track that are generic and some specific to the car. I just need to grab it to go racing.
coupled with the list you make, i bet one of us could build your exact set out of extras
Another bonus of buying a set is they come in nicely organized boxes so you know what your missing. Friends and i have been known to buy a cheap set from harbor freight to leave in cars. Some of us has even had tools stolen out of cars so its not as big a loss if its cheap tools anyways.
I keep a nice S&K socket set in my truck because it came with 3/8 short and deepwell 6 points. Ive been debating adding a basic metric wrench set. I dont buy the big 200 peice sets because i find most of them to be full of useless stuff.
dean1484 wrote: Cars are like underwear. .. . Thinking aobut it I change car more often.
Good phrase: "I bought a new car. Well, new to me."
Bad phrase. "I bought new underwear. Well..."
Wall-e wrote:jere wrote: I buy used unless its urgent and i cant find used. Used is potentially the cheapest way and you can get better quality. But if you are impatient it could also be more expensive too. I routinely pass up $50 5 gallon buckets of sockets at closed down businesses. Flea markets and garage sales have great deals mixed if you hunt for them too. It all supports your local economy even if you buy used (cr-v crome vandium if you get imported ) imported stuff.A few years ago my brother and I bought a bucket of sockets. There wasn't a single 10mm, 13mm, 1/2" or 9/16.
I have a bucket of sockets I have accumulated over the years. Everything in it is something like a 6/31 9 point or a 7.3mm reverse octo-edge.
I inherited my dads tool box when he downsized and I found some snap on sockets in the mix I didn't know he had. He told me he used to shop Maxwell Street in Chicago in the late 1950's - mid 1960's and he would go with a list of what he wanted and would buy them as he found them.
Not familiar with Maxwell Street? The Blues Brothers.....
http://youtu.be/HeOHLunhNWs
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