1. Inspection camera
   Circuit tester
2. Oil drip pan
   Air compressor

The inspection camera used by auto mechanics is also called a videoscope. It has the ability to take still pictures and show real-time video of the area being inspected. Images can be displayed on the mechanic’s smartphone, tablet or other connected device.

1. Suction cup dent puller
   Ignition spark tester
2. Angle grinder
   Jack stands

Jack stands should be bought according to their weight and height capacities. The maximum weight capacity of most jack stands is somewhere between 1 and 10 tons but some heavy duty jack stands have much larger capacities. Not all jack stands are adjustable for height since most jobs can be done comfortably at the same height.

1. Funnel
   Torx screwdriver
2. Parts washer
   Hydraulic shop press

Parts washers come in various designs depending on the needs of the repair shop. The manual parts washer is a sink where the parts are cleaned by hand. Some parts washers, however, are enclosed and can allow you to soak the parts before they are washed automatically.

1. Timing light
   Drill
2. Metal forming dollies
   Automotive stethoscope

A drill is one of the most basic and most versatile tools in an auto shop. It can be used for a wide variety of jobs, including making holes and driving screws. Drills may be electric or air-powered, corded or cordless, and some are reversible with the ability to turn in both a clockwise and counterclockwise direction.

1. Hydraulic floor jack
   Pliers
2. Auto body hammer
   Lug wrench

Lug nuts (also called wheel nuts) fit over special studs and help to hold a wheel securely onto a vehicle. They can be loosened and tightened using a lug wrench, manual socket wrench or powered impact wrench.

1. Nut splitter
   Ratchet extender
2. Wrench assist
   Parts washer

The ratchet extender does exactly as its name says—it increases the reach of a ratchet. The reach can be increased even more by attaching several extenders together and then to the ratchet before attaching a socket at the end.

1. Oil drip pan
   Underhood light
2. Inspection camera
   Spark plug pliers

A carefully positioned oil drip pan of sufficient size is a necessity when changing oil in a vehicle (engine oil and transmission oil, for example). The collected used oil can then be stored and disposed of in an approved, environmentally friendly way.

1. Underhood light
   Mechanic’s creeper
2. Combination wrench
   Engine crane

Auto mechanics will agree that a padded mechanic’s creeper is much more comfortable to use than cardboard when lying on the ground under a vehicle. Some creepers can also be folded up into a seat, which is much better than stooping down when you have to work on low areas of a vehicle, such as the wheels.

1. Timing light
   Spark plug pliers
2. Stubby screwdriver
   Auto body hammer

Auto body hammers are most often used to even out dents in sheet metal. Using an auto body hammer requires special skill, so some amount of practice is advised before trying one out on an actual vehicle.

1. Automotive stethoscope
   Headlamp
2. Circuit tester
   Flashlight

The headlamp has several advantages over a flashlight and an underhood light. Holding a flashlight leaves you with just one hand available to work with and using an underhood light tends to cast a shadow over the area you are working in. With the headlamp, you can direct the light exactly where you need it and have both hands free to work.

1. Pliers
   Engine crane
2. Air compressor
   Bench vise

The basic function of a pair of pliers is to securely grip an item. Pliers come in a wide variety of designs, however, to suit specialized needs. These include needle-nose pliers, wire cutters, circlip pliers and spark plug pliers.

1. Bent-handle flex-head ratchet
   Underhood light
2. Funnel
   Automotive stethoscope

The simplicity of a funnel sometimes takes away from how very useful it is. By using a funnel, liquids can be poured faster and more accurately than if they are poured without one. Using the right sized funnel can completely eliminate spills.

1. Jack stands
   Nut splitter
2. Stubby screwdriver
   Ignition spark tester

There are times when corrosion causes a nut to become completely seized onto its bolt. If other methods fail and the nut does not need to be saved, then using a nut splitter is the best choice. It has a tooth which pierces and splits the nut so that it is easily removed from the bolt.

1. Suction cup dent puller
   Lug wrench
2. Hydraulic floor jack
   Air hammer

Some repair jobs are easier to complete if the vehicle is raised off the ground. A hydraulic floor jack uses “liquid power” to lift a vehicle and in many cases, it is much more powerful than other types of jacks.

1. Parts washer
   Hydraulic shop press
2. Torx screwdriver
   Needle scaler

A needle scaler (or needle gun) has multiple needles and can deliver over 4,000 blows per minute. Some models are sold with sets of needles in various sizes and for use on different types of materials such as metal or concrete.

1. Automotive stethoscope
   Ratchet extender
2. Jack stands
   Scribing tool

The trained ear of an auto repair specialist knows which sounds should be coming from a vehicle’s engine and which should not. Using an automotive stethoscope helps by magnifying the sounds while keeping the auto mechanic’s ear and face away from hot surfaces under the vehicle’s hood.

1. Combination wrench
   Oil drip pan
2. Bench vise
   Drill

Combination wrenches will typically have the same sized head at either end but one end will be open whereas the other is a box end. It is also not uncommon to see the box end of the combination wrench designed as a flex-head so that it can grip from different angles.

1. Mechanic’s creeper
   Trim removal tools
2. Inspection camera
   Circuit tester

Automobile circuit testers (also known as test lights) usually feature a light up indicator to let the user know when a voltage is detected. Some models are also equipped with a buzzer as a secondary indicator.

1. Bench vise
   Stubby screwdriver
2. Needle scaler
   Auto body hammer

As its name suggests, the bench vise is a mechanical apparatus used to secure an object to allow work to be performed on it. It can serve as a strong pair of extra hands when the auto mechanic is working solo on a job.

1. Metal forming dollies
   Funnel
2. Spark plug pliers
   Torx screwdriver

Due to its shape, the Torx screwdriver is sometimes referred to as a star screwdriver. The word Torx is actually a trademark name for this type of screwdriver and the screws it works with. Torx screws can be found on a wide variety of vehicles, making the Torx screwdriver a must-have for the auto mechanic.

1. Air compressor
   Underhood light
2. Air hammer
   Lug wrench

The underhood light is a very good choice for flooding the entire engine bay of a vehicle with light. For convenience, an underhood light most often features LEDs and is both cordless and rechargeable.

1. Oil drip pan
   Bench vise
2. Timing light
   Suction cup dent puller

It is advisable to thoroughly clean and dry the section of the vehicle where the dent is located before attempting to use the suction cup dent puller. This is so as to avoid the dent puller slipping when it is pulled on and perhaps causing more damage than it is trying to fix.

1. Pliers
   Ignition spark tester
2. Angle grinder
   Nut splitter

No spark from the spark plugs is one of the most common reasons behind an engine failing to start. Spark plugs can be checked very quickly using an ignition spark tester. If there is a spark, then the problem might actually be that the vehicle has no fuel—check it!

1. Trim removal tools
   Auto body hammer
2. Nut splitter
   Mechanic’s creeper

Trim removal tools are inexpensive and indispensable when removing trim from a vehicle. They are specifically designed to loosen hidden fasteners in odd locations while preventing damage to the trim material.

1. Headlamp
   Drill
2. Engine crane
   Lug wrench

Engines are big, heavy and cumbersome, therefore moving them requires much care and consideration. Before using an engine crane to lift an engine, you should ensure that the engine does not exceed the maximum weight capacity of the crane. It is also important to know in advance how the crane is operated.

1. Scribing tool
   Hydraulic floor jack
2. Timing light
   Ratchet extender

Most modern vehicles use a computer to regulate the firing-the-ignition process. In older vehicles, this is the job of the distributor and these are the vehicles whose engines can be tuned with a timing light.

1. Torx screwdriver
   Hydraulic shop press
2. Parts washer
   Combination wrench

The hydraulic shop press uses the force of compression to help shape metal. It can be used in an auto shop to either repair parts or make them from scratch, such as fenders and hoods.

1. Metal forming dollies
   Needle scaler
2. Bent-handle flex-head ratchet
   Suction cup dent puller

A dolly can be used to create curves and creases in sheet metal. The dolly is placed under the metal, like a small anvil, and the metal is then struck repeatedly with an auto body hammer until it takes the shape of the curve of the dolly.

1. Hydraulic shop press
   Jack stands
2. Air hammer
   Pliers

As you can tell by its name, the air hammer is an air-powered or pneumatic tool. It is also called an air chisel and is very effective at cutting sheet metal. The air hammer is often put to use in auto shops which do automotive restoration.

1. Scribing tool
   Spark plug pliers
2. Funnel
   Ratchet extender

Spark plug pliers have specially shaped and padded tips to firmly grip the spark plug boot without damaging it or the wire. The bent jaws of the spark plug pliers are said to be offset with the most common offset angle being 45 degrees.

1. Ignition spark tester
   Trim removal tools
2. Metal forming dollies
   Air compressor

Some good advice when opening up a repair shop is to start with a good quality air compressor and hose. A collection of pneumatic (or air-powered) tools can then be slowly built up to use with the compressor.

1. Inspection camera
   Combination wrench
2. Stubby screwdriver
   Drill

A stubby screwdriver has both a short handle and a short shaft. Some are ratcheting and some are sold as a set with interchangeable tips to use on different types of screws.

1. Circuit tester
   Ratchet extender
2. Air hammer
   Bent-handle flex-head ratchet

The crooked, or offset, handle and flexible head help this type of ratchet to find its way around obstacles to turn fasteners. It can be of particular use in the cramped space of the engine bay in some modern cars.

1. Angle grinder
   Headlamp
2. Engine crane
   Mechanic’s creeper

The angle grinder is a very versatile tool which gets put to plenty of use in repair shops which have invested in one. They are very powerful and come in both electric and air-powered versions. As with most other power tools, it is important to wear protective gear when using an angle grinder.