I have more tools than I can count and actually surprise myself by finding tools I forgot I bought now and then. So many were a one time use tool.

The one I wish I had bought sooner because now it is supper handy is a radiator pressure tester. I worked on cars for over 30 years before I bought one. I forgot why I bought one but I can say it is handy for lots of reasons.

What about ya'll?

A lift, still waiting to buy one too, lol.

A Welder. I waited till I was about 40, that’s not something you can really live without.

Shrinking disc. No tool noisier than these, but they do work.

Tool I waited too long to learn was lead work. I'm not fast at it as I hardly use it, but I can do it, which is kinda cool to say. Most are scared of it, or they like bondo too much and will use those magic in a can high strength body fillers with aluminum powder or whatever mixed in and hope it holds up like real lead does.

Just bought a strap type filter wrench today. Sure was handy taking the oil filter off my 69 GTS 340!

A lift.

My ratcheting crimpers for electrical terminals. Bought just as I got done wiring my Valiant.

A good valve seat machine. I was forced into it when my local machine shop closed. I love this thing

i clearly remember the first time I walked under a car in my garage. WOW!!!, what was even more astonishing was the first time i needed another tool and I just walked over, opened the drawer grabbed the tool and walked back under the car. I kept asking myself why did i wait so long. The answer was the same as most. Up to that time I didn't have the needed ceiling height and $$$. Money was tight and we had just borrowed to put the shop up. I came across a couple of cars that needed work and flipped them for the $$
The lathe would be another as would a good sized bandsaw.
After 25 years in business I now have way more than I need so little by little I'm offing the bigger stuff. then it will probably be a helluva garage sale

Mini bandsaw for cutting metal. Way nicer than a cut off wheel and don't have sparks and bits shooting everywhere.

Welder. Waited until about 45 and then my eyes went bad. Things you just don't think about when you are younger.

CNC Mill

Brake line (A/C, PS, trans, etc.,) FLARING TOOLS pro type.

Perfect every time flares in less than a minute. The hand flare tool works every time on the car, ON THE CAR/TRUCK vehicle.

A pressure washer for my service truck. I bought a Grandfalls electric one that has a 100' retractable hose. It fits in one of the truck bed compartments and gravity feeds from a 30 gallon water tank. I mix a couple cups of detergent in with the water so that it cuts some of the dirt. It's so nice to be able to wash off the problem area of a machine before working on it. A case of brake cleaner lasts me months instead of weeks.

Two post lift. Finally got one 2 years ago and I’ll never go without one again. It’ll be the first thing that gets installed in a garage if we move.

Dennis

Same here, a 4 post lift.

I'm glad that I bought it a about 3 years ago, like everything else the prices have gone stupid.
When I bought it it cost $3,600, now the same lift is $5,400 (last time that I looked).

Battery powered impact.

Granted, I bought it about 6 years ago but it was a life changer!

A hose reel.

Finished building the garage in 1996 & figured I'd get the hose reel any day now.

That "any day now" was just 2 years ago.

A set of the little pry tools to remove those stupid plastic push pins that modern cars are held together with.

Took my wife's bumper cover and splash shields and belly pan on and off several times with a flat blade screwdriver. Finally bit the bullet and spent the $15 at harbor freight and its way easier now....

still looking for that "tool" that will do my work for me.............