[Outlaw 06]

This is a seven month old thread, so the OP probably made a choice already.

Here's my 2-cents anyway.

I really don’t understand why people who decide to spend 30, 40, 50 thousand dollars or more on a car, then also decide to skimp on vital equipment such as jacks and stands.

There’s an old racing adage that goes “If you have a cheap head, then buy a cheap helmet.” It can also be said that if you have a cheap life, then buy a cheap jack.

I’ve read many threads with people recommending cheap jacks (and jack stands), and these definitely aren’t tools you want to skimp on. Harbour Freight, Craftsman, and far too many other makes are just rebranded/repainted versions of the same “Made in China” POS jacks. These jacks are poorly manufactured with shoddy components and seals that might last a few years if they're only used once or twice a year. Why keep buying shoddy Chinese-made throwaway jacks every couple of years when a high-quality $400 jack will last a lifetime AND be much less expensive over the long run?

Oftentimes you get what you pay for, and "saving" a few dollars (in the short-term) on cheap POS jacks and jack stands isn’t worth the safety risk either. Getting crushed under a car with some extra money in my wallet just doesn’t seem like a good risk/reward trade-off to me. Simply put, I won't trust my life or my limbs to Chinese jacks or jack stands.

I prefer using high quality tools that are built to last. I have a Danish made AC Hydraulic DK20 4,400 pound low profile floor jack (with the optional rubber saddle pad) and US made Hein-Werner 3-Ton jack stands. The DK20 is an outstanding floor jack with excellent fit, finish and build quality. The jack is fairly priced at $400 and is an excellent value for the money. The DK20 is 16 inches wide and very stable with an extremely low saddle height of about 3.2 inches (for 4 inches past the saddle) and a maximum lift height of almost 20 inches. I use the DK20 regularly to jack up an entire side of my M3, 328i and my wife’s Acura MDX. I highly recommend the AC Hydraulic DK20 floor jack.