I have just been sent a 10% off from Halfords. They have a jack and stand offer was £69.99 (yeah right!) down to £44.99. Also, myvouchercodes.co.uk has just sent me a 10% Halford's discount voucher:

AFFCM09

I have added this to the order and got the further reduction which I wasn't expecting. Total pick up cost now £40.99

So, is the kit worth it?

jack link

edit:
details

• 2 Tonne Trolley Jack
• 2 x 1 Ton Axle Stands
• Padded car creeper
• Lug wrench adaptors
• 2 x Steel wheel chocks
• Lifting range approximately 14 - 38cm (5.5" - 15")
• Long wheelbase jack 42cm (16.5")

my only reservation is the total height raised and the I ton (not tonne?) axle stands load max.

 

jack isn't long enough or low enough to use on the front and rear jacking points

 

seems to be a common problem. When Event tyre fitter tried to get their air jack under it. It wouldn't fit, so they used my standard jack to lift the car a tad so that it did. The car is standard and surely not that low c/f others?

 

I have that kit (well, most of it), and the jack will go under the side jacking points of a standard car, but not under the central jacking points as Ste has pointed out.

The axle stands are fine as the whole car weighs less than 2 tons, half the car is about 650kg, so 325kg each.

It's fine for basic maintenance jobs like brake pad changing etc.

I've since got a 3-tonne low entry jack from Costco (£90 or so) which enables lifting of the whole front or rear by the central jacking points - much easier and quicker for brake pad changing, especially so as my car has been lowered slightly.

 

re the lowness problem.... i just made some wooden ramps to get the car up a few inches first, you can see them in use here lol

 

I think it's worth it, and will enable you to get the car in the air to carry out basic jobs. Yes, it is a faff using the scissor jack to raise before using the trolley jack, but it's not that inconveniencing

FWIW, I CAN get the trolley jack under the diff, and my S is lowered You just have to use your hand to pump it up the first few times (insert pun here), then put the handle in.

 

I use a scissor jack from a Toyota to lift the car a few inches then the big jack
Go down the scrap yard and have a look in the boot of a few old 80's toyotas
They are well made go very low and cost about £5

 

Thanks for the helpful comments

I don't aim to start major work on the car, I gave that up 40 years ago. In my youth I rebuilt engines and changed engines (old basic fords), changed a clutch or 2 and even held the corner up of an Austing 7 up while my mate changed a rear broken leaf spring. All this because all I could afford were clapped out rust buckets which needed continual, side of the road, repairs. This soooo impressed girlfriends!

What I am trying to do now is build up a basic bit of kit that is good enough to save me some stealers' charges, so it doesn't need to be expensive, just adequate. I reckon that the socket set I have just bought, together with this deal, will pay for themselves almost instantly.

My next decision is whether to let an independent (prob TGM) do my 54K S service (due in 500 miles) or do the lot myself, inc tappets.

I think I will service the Peugeot first as this is pretty simple, then the Accord.. The S scares be a bit because I have so much more to lose. Though Loftus' tinkering mechanics day is a great help and a confidence boost.

kit ordered

cheers guys

 

I got that jack for my birthday and as has been said it will fit the front and rear jacking points on the sills if your car isn't lowered.
It's pretty good actually.
I didn't get the axle stands with it, I have a set of 4 I got from somewhere else.

 

I bought the Hellfrauds jack and IMO its crap.

Got a really heavy duty 2.5t low entry SEALEY from an approved distributor on eBay at around £90 delivered.

Far superior and you don't need to fanny about with bits of wood.

I would spend some more money as this is a tool that will last many years and many cars.

Get a jack to make life easier, otherwise it will annoy you every time you go to use it.

Steve

http://www.sealey.co.uk/PLPageBuilde...roductid=13541