The tools used to build, maintain, diagnose and film the cars — organised by real use, with links to the exact item, not a vague equivalent.
Filter by what you're doing. "Essential" means the job doesn't happen without it; "Recommended" means it makes the job better.
The core set — 10mm to 32mm, deep and shallow, with a decent ratchet. Used on every single job on this site.
The one that actually fits in the engine bay. Gets more use than the 1/2" set.
Ratcheting ring end is worth the extra money for the bits a socket can't reach.
Mini and BMW use E-Torx on the head, subframe and gearbox. A normal socket will round them.
Wheels, subframes, suspension. Calibrated, click-type, stored wound back to zero.
Cam covers, sumps, timing covers — the fasteners that strip if you guess.
Head bolts and rod bolts are torque-to-yield. Degrees, not just Nm.
Measuring pistons, bearings, bolts you're not sure about. 0.01mm resolution.
Low enough for the Mini's front lip, strong enough for a loaded Mondeo.
Ratchet type. Never under a car on a jack alone — not once, not ever.
Lifted the Mini's engine and gearbox out as one unit, then folded into a corner.
Flip the block for the sump and bottom end without a second pair of hands.
Cam locking bar, crank pin, tensioner tool. Non-negotiable for the Prince engine.
Band type for the 77mm bore. Oil it, tap the piston home, don't rush.
The cheapest tool on this page and the one that tells you whether the crank is OK.
Reads live data and codes on both cars. Worth every penny when a light comes on.
Battery, alternator, sensors, fuses. Auto-ranging saves time.
Keeps the Mini's battery alive while it's off the road for months.
Wheel nuts, crank pulley, subframe bolts. Not for tightening — torque wrench for that.
Wire-wheeling rusty bolts, drilling out snapped studs, building the garage shelves.
If you can't find it, you don't own it. One drawer per system.
Magnetic base, hooks under the bonnet. Also doubles as fill light for filming.
What the channel is filmed on — camera body, wide lens, tripod and clip-on mic.
A cheap socket set is fine. A cheap torque wrench isn't. Two wrenches covering 5–200 Nm are the best money spent in this garage.
A timing kit costs less than one wasted Saturday. Rent or buy the right tool for the job — improvising is how engines get damaged.
Axle stands, gloves and eye protection before anything shiny. Nothing on this page matters if you're under a car on a jack.
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