My first post on this forum. This topic. At 57, I have used tools from from crappy to Snappy, Craftsman to Cornwell, Mac to Matco.
And in a pinch - imported, usually inferior items.
Sounds like you had a bad experience with what sounds like a bad dealer. Not the first, nor the last, as unfortunately there are "bad" reps from every tool company.
Now, my best friend is one of the top tool distributors in the U.S., with over 27 years experience. Previously, he was a mechanic for about 12 years, but
it was his life's ambition to be a tool distributor.
When his opportunity came along, he was still pretty young, around 27. To get it, he had to mortgage the house he had just bought. With a wife and three young kids on the line, he had no choice but to succeed. He was determined.
He started with an old used truck he bought from another distributer. It wasn't pretty, but was all he could afford to get started. Years later he'd be able to buy a newer better truck.
His experience as a mechanic taught him that the customer is NOT always right, but his attitude was (and is) to take care of the customer.
Timvercoe makes some great points in his post above. Add in the cost of the truck fuel, insurance and maintenance and we're talking some big money just to fire up that big heavy truck every morning. Here, California's restrictions and regulations get worse each year, costing the small businessman a LOT of money and time.
He's been very successful, and has a lot of very good, loyal customers. Some have become close personal friends.
He's also seen people bring stuff into his truck for warranty which was so obviously mis-used, neglected or just purposely abused that anybody- even with no mechanical background- could see it.
He isn't an idiot, and he will call the customer on their BS when he sees it. But he will always try to figure a way to help them out.
Offering credit to customers, which seems like a great way to help out a young person getting started as a mech, is risky, to say the least. I am not 100% on the specifics, but as I understand it, there are laws in place prohibiting a tool dealer from taking tools back if a customer doesn't pay his tool bills...Talk about a wtf?
In your case, mirage100, I could assure you that: if my best friend, who also happens to be my brother, who also happens to be one of the best Matco dealers on the west coast had been that dealer on that day, you wouldn't have had a problem.
Best wishes always.