1. hacksaw
   wrench
2. ball peen hammer

Wrenches are the most basic tool in a mechanic’s garage. There are dozens of variations on the theme, but wrenches are essential no matter what sort of car work you’re doing.

1. wire strippers
   welding machine
2. utility knife

You don’t want to use a utility knife to strip car wiring ... really, you don’t. Use wire strippers to do the job properly and your electrical system will thank you for it.

1. pipe wrench
   hammer
2. impact wrench

Sometimes they are called air wrenches or air guns. Impact wrenches are a mechanic’s best friend, typically using the power of compressed air to deliver high torque with zero effort.

1. pipe wrench
   socket wrench
2. crescent wrench

A socket wrench lets you swap various heads to match the project your’re trying to complete. A quality socket wrench set is a go-to tool for anyone who does car work.

1. hand steel
   multimeter
2. 9-volt battery

A multimeter is necessary for any vehicle electrical work. It indicates whether a wire is hot and how much juice it’s carrying.

1. nail gun
   pliers
2. ratchet extender

Some nuts are impossible to reach with a normal socket wrench. A ratchet extender, though, attaches to your wrench and lets you loosen or tighten fasteners stuck in no man’s land.

1. phillips screwdriver
   cordless drill
2. torque wrench

Lug nuts and the like work best if you fasten them with just the right amount of torque. A torque wrench features numbers that help you make sure nuts are not too loose or too tight.

1. nut throttler
   nut splicer
2. nut splitter

Sometimes, nuts are so rusty or cross-threaded that no amount of force will remove them. A nut splitter features a mean-looking metal tooth that splits the nut so that you can get back to work.

1. flexible
   rubber
2. rusty

Flexible sockets are hinged, made to you help you wriggle that socket into ridiculously cramped engine compartments. They’re a handy weapon in the mechanic’s arsenal.

1. sledgehammer
   flat-head screwdriver
2. philips screwdriver

Sure, you’re not technically supposed to pry things with screwdrivers, but beefy flat-head screwdrivers do the trick. And of course, they're great for big screws, too.

1. needle-nose pliers
   locking extension
2. hand trowel

Socket extensions are great, helping you to reach nuts that are wedged into the middle of that huge diesel rig. A locking extension means that the socket will stay in place instead of slipping off and making you wonder how you’ll ever dig it out of that big engine.

1. hand lotion
   WD-40
2. Vaseline

Like duct tape, WD-40 is a legendary go-to tool for many projects, and that includes in the garage. But use this stuff sparingly — a little goes a long way.

1. adjustable spanner
   claw hammer
2. spark plug pliers

Spark plug pliers might be a one-trick pony, but they do their designated task with excellence. They have padded jaws that let you remove spark plugs without ruining the plug’s rubber boot.

1. hacksaw
   drip pan
2. newspaper

Drip pans look like cookie baking sheets, but bigger. They’re the kind of tool you don’t realize you need until after you’ve made an ungodly mess that will forever stain your driveway.

1. ice pick
   precision hook
2. socket wrench

A precision hook (and its cousin, the pick) will help you snag electrical connectors without damaging them. They are also good for snagging beef jerky from your fellow mechanics.

1. claw hammer
   dead blow mallet
2. sledgehammer

If that stuck bolt drives you to blows ... grab a dead blow mallet. These mallets have a softer coating so that you don’t destroy surfaces while you’re whacking away on that bolt that’s making you crazy.

1. socket wrench
   screwdriver
2. tape measure

A socket wrench has a ratcheting head that moves in small increments as you turn it. It means you can quickly adjust a fastener without having to reseat the wrench after every turn.

1. duct tape
   handcuffs
2. zip ties

Zip ties are one of the world’s underrated tools. They make it very easy to permanently or temporarily secure all sorts of things, including wiring.

1. scriber
   permanent marker
2. spray paint

A scriber, such as a carbide-tipped scriber, will help you jot numbers and arrows and such on parts as you pull them out of an engine. This simple practice makes reassembly that much easier, even for experienced mechanics.

1. plastic grocery bags
   electrical tape
2. duct tape

Electrical tape isn’t always a permanent solution, but it’s safe to use on wiring and won’t conduct electricity. Translation: Use it instead of duct tape so that you don’t fry something, like yourself.

1. needle scaler
   kerosene
2. iron brush

A needle scaler is a power tool with multiple toothy needles mounted to the front. The oscillating needles make quick work of rust on car parts.

1. latex gloves
   snowmobile mittens
2. welder’s helmet

A lot of mechanics forgo gloves altogether, but their skin pays the price. A simple pair of mechanic's latex gloves are game changers, and when you’re done, you can just throw them away instead of trying in vain to wash them.

1. crows foot
   bears foot
2. pigeon foot

Use a set of crows foot attachments and you’ll be able to use your wrench just about anywhere, no matter how cramped the space.

1. jack
   Jill
2. Tom

A high-quality jack will help you quickly lift a car off of the ground for a safe working environment. A low-quality jack will lift the car up just long enough for you to crawl underneath, at which point it will fail and you will be crushed to death.

1. impact gun
   pliers
2. drill

The impact gun, or air wrench, makes quick work of fasterners no matter how tight they might be. Compressed air versions are the most common, but there are hydraulic and electrical types, too.

1. hoe
   breaker bar
2. vise grip

A breaker bar looks like a long socket wrench. Its length helps you apply more torque with less effort — it’s a staple tool on tow trucks for that very reason.

1. stubbed
   half-pint
2. phillips

Stubbed screwdrivers are shorter versions of regular screwdrivers. They are virtually indispensable when you’re working in cramped quarters.

1. hose remover
   digital circuit tester
2. box stripper

A hose remover has a simple but critical job — removing hoses without ripping them to shreds. Just one or two uses will help this tool pay for itself.

1. hand trowel
   jackhammer
2. ramps

Car ramps are simple inclined ramps that make it easy for you to get a vehicle off of the ground. They’re great for jobs like oil changes, but not really suitable for more serious work.

1. oily
   grabbing
2. locking

Locking pliers, or vise grips, have a locking mechanism that grabs and holds. These are extremely useful when you need an extra set of hands but have only your own.