This is kinda' Important. Read It!

[joesixpack]

OK, I don't know how to start off this topic, so I'll just start at the beginning. Bear with me here. I live in the ghetto, which sucks in some ways, but one good thing is that you can't throw a rock without hitting an auto parts store. There's a Kragen only a block west of my house, and another mom & pop run store (C&C Auto Parts) a block south of me. I generally go to the Kragen because they have longer hours and carry a lot of stuff besides parts, (oil, window-washer fluid, etc.)but when I can, I like to support the smaller store. Kragen is part of a chain of stores here in the western U.S. that includes Checkers Auto Parts and Schucks Auto Supply. Here's their corperate website;

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.cskauto.com/">http://www.cskauto.com/</a><!-- m -->


Now, don't get me wrong, Kragen's a good place to shop. The staff there are very helpful and polite (something you don't see very often these days) and they take my used motor oil and they keep their parking lot clean (which is quite a job in the ghetto. I don't know what it is about po'folks that they can't seem to use a trash can). So what's the problem?

When the car is up on the jackstands with the wheels off and you find that you need a 1 1/8" socket, it needs to be within walking distance. And here's the problem. Kragen doesn't carry a line of hand-tools that are made in the U.S.A. They have a few specialty tools that are American made, but their in-store brand (I think it's called "Trades-Pro" or "All-Trade" or something like that) is made in Tiwan. Though I am certain that the nice folks in Tiwan can make decent tools, I would really like the opportunity to buy an American made tool when I need one.

Well, I had to bite the bullet and buy a tool that, in my mind, is substandard. It did the job, but now it's in my tool-box with all my good tools and I don't like it. I went to their website and sent them a polite e-mail. First I pointed out how much I like to shop with them and why, and them I told them that they should carry an American made line of hand-tools because I'm not the only one who would be willing to pay a few more bucks for quality. That was two days ago, and I've not heard back from them (apparently, their in-store staff are their only employees who understand customer service).

Maybe if more of their customers were to send them a comment (right here; <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.cskauto.com/ContactUs.aspx">http://www.cskauto.com/ContactUs.aspx</a><!-- m --> ) they might take it more seriously. And not just them, there are many other auto-parts stores (AutoZone and Pep Boys, for example) with the same problem. Tell them how you feel.

So all you guys who post here, take a few minutes out of your day to take a stand for quality tools and help out the American worker.

Thanks.

[re-tired]

soyour from getto.im from southern woods ,it dont make me a redneck.keep yo head up :lol: . BTW ive been in"rich" part of town ,they cant hit the garbage can either !