One of the links from the site that Sean referenced is to Amazon, where they have a special on the Makita cordless impact, cordless drill, and a cordless flourescent worklight for $215 with free shipping. Two batteries and a fast charger, in a plastic case. Looks like a no-brainer to me. I deserve another toy for the garage/shop, and this one can sneak under K's threshold of $pain pretty easily.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...pf_rd_i=507846

 

I do have a decent (non pro level) compressor and air tools. But I rarely do anything big enough to use them, so they're not ready-set up for convenience. I have to drag everything out, hook it all up, fumble with hoses and connectors and oil, put it all away when I'm done, etc. I would rather avoid all that and do whatever I have to by hand.

As an alternative, I could slap a battery in this and go. I'm aware this is not going to break loose tougher bolts. That's ok. I am still strong enough, and it allows me to flex in front of the wife. It would be nice to have something to speed up and relieve some of the repetitive wrench motions on occasion tho.

 

+1
Dropping the front control arms on jack stands whent a hell of a lot faster with a 300+ft lb rated cordless impact.

 

My thinking is that the Big Jobs will usually rate getting the hoses out and connecting them. The air tools are handy/close, the compressor is a switch-flip and two minutes away. While the system is pressuring up, I can raise the car, loosen the lug nuts, etc. I see the electric as a convenience for the smaller jobs, or as the original posts suggests for thos tasks where the cord or airhose would be in the way. The once-in-a-long-while motor mount project springs to mind as a most-likely place where the cordless would be better than the air gun.

I pulled the trigger on the Makita at Amazon, but decided that the next step model with the Li battery might be a better choice. So I upgraded... I'll give a full report when it and I are in the same place at the same time. Maybe a week or two.

 

Ratchets are for lugnuts. Unless you like continually buying new Alloy nuts at what, $80/set?

Torque wrenches are for real work. If you're considering a low-powered impact, save the money and take your wife out. You'll be spending your money more wisely.

On the list, don't forget shocks, impacts make removing the top nut a cinch. There are many fasteners on the rear supension of a 911, I can't count all the times I've used my monster.

 

Wheel lugs are indeed the only common use I have for an impact wrench. I use a cheap ($29, on sale) Harbor Freight corded electric. It'll break loose the lug nuts, but will only undertighten; I snug them up with the torque wrench.

 

Looked into the cordless, but the only one that seemed to have the guts was the snap on (their ad says 620 ft lbs breakaway torque), which was >$500. So, I bought a dewalt corded DW292 for $120 online. 350 lt/lbs electric, works fine, considering that I have no place for a compressor, but can run a long cord from my apt window.