Spud --
In general terms, there are four tool-brand players in the business of selling to US auto mechanics through "tool truck" dealers: Snap-On, Mac, MATCO, and Cornwell. None of these companies run their own fleet of trucks, although Mac tried for a while before going back to independent dealers. Of the MAKERS of these tool brands, only Cornwell is privately held, the others are brand names owned by the Big Three of the mechanics' tool world, Snap-On, Stanley, and Danaher, respectively.
Quality wise, I consider Facom to be the equal of any of these brands. Facom's Palm Control ratchets are the absolute belles of the ratchet ball in my opinion, although the rubber grip on the 1/4 inch drive model is too chubby.
Although I love the Facom tools, I would hesitate until they get their US distribution straightened out. Facom made a double-pronged entry into the US market in the early to mid 1980s by buying SK Tools from Dresser Industries; Facom continued SK's domestic manufacturing operations but added their French-made Facom tools to SK's distribution system. Last year, though, SK's US management bought SK Tool from Facom while agreeing to keep distributing Facom tools in the US. But shortly afterward Stanley Works bought Facom, which probably casts a bit of cloud over the US distribution question.
SK's website still shows the Facom logo, but contains a couple of press releases dealing with the leveraged buyout and SK's new status as an independent company.
There are several brands of mechanics' hand tools that are excellent quality, some sold primarily as "automotive" and some primarily as "industrial". Some of these brands have a cult-like following, and members of those cults will add heat to any relative-merit discussion without adding any light. They can usually be identified by their mindless mantras, perhaps the most common being "There IS a difference" and "Snap-On rules!".
Consider these:
Armstrong (primarily industrial, Danaher owned)
Cornwell (primarily automotive, private corporation)
Mac (primarily automotive, Stanley owned)
MATCO (primarily automotive, Danaher owned)
Proto (primarily industrial, Stanley owned)
SK Tools (primarily automotive, private corporation)
Snap-On (automotive and industrial, Snap-On owned)
J H Williams (primarily industrial, Snap-On owned)
SK Tools (primarily automotive, private corporation)
Wright Tools (primarily industrial, private corporation)
If I was buying tools today, I'd look first to Wright and then to SK. THEN I'd add the Facom Palm Control ratchets to my kit.
John