5 Makita Tools To Help With Your Next Car Project

Power tools are a game changer when working on any vehicle, whether as a professional in the shop or a beginner tackling a DIY auto project. However, it's important to make sure you have the right tools handy before starting. For example, if a car has SAE fasteners, which typically are only used on American-made vehicles, metric sockets are not going to fit properly and will make the job a bit more difficult.

Makita has a wide variety of high-tech tools, and though the company isn't as focused on trade-specific tools as its competitor, Milwaukee, it still pushes out many products to help with nearly any type of undertaking, including working on vehicles. Based on high ratings, positive written comments, and hands-on reviews from professionals, here are five Makita tools that can help with your next car project. The methodology we used to select these tools can be found at the bottom of this article.

Newer vehicles have more sealed components, so a grease gun isn't usually necessary. However, if you're working on a classic car, there may be parts that should be regularly lubricated. Makita has its 18V LXT Grease Gun, which uses the power from the battery to push out the grease. 

It has a variable speed trigger to adjust the flow rate. It also has two modes, low and auto-speed, which match the resistance of the part that is being greased, like a wheel bearing on a travel trailer. This grease gun can deliver a maximum pressure of 10,000 PSI with a maximum flow rate of 10 fluid ounces per minute. It also conveniently comes with a shoulder strap, so you can have it near and still keep both hands on the car project.

This grease gun received a 4.6 rating at Home Depot and a 4.7 on Amazon from over a cumulative 1,000 users. Many were pleased with how much the grease gun produced with one pull of the trigger. However, some did mention that the gun tip needs to be at the same angle as the grease fitting, or else the grease won't go in properly. Pro Tool Reviews gave it a 9.5 score and mentioned that the long hose allowed better access to hard-to-reach places. However, they also pointed out that it was heavier than other 18V grease guns. The 18V LXT Grease Gun can be purchased on Amazon for $175.

Cars come with a lot of nuts and bolts, and it can get exhausting having to loosen or tighten them all by hand. Makita's 18V LXT 3/8-inch and 1/4-inch Square Drive Ratchet is just the power tool to solve that problem. It features an innovative design that allows the anvils to interchange between 3/8-inch and 1/4-inch, so you can attach a variety of sockets to the piece. It's also quite simple to change from forward to reverse with the flick of a toggle.

This ratchet can deliver up to 35 ft-lbs of max torque at a variable speed of 0-800 RPM, or revolution per minute. That said, if the battery does die on you, or you simply wish to tighten the bolt without torque, this ratchet can be used manually in either direction. However, if the motor is engaged, the tool is equipped with Star Protection Computer Controls, which protects it from overloading and overheating, as well as Extreme Protection Technology, which gives it increased dust and water resistance.

On Home Depot for $189, users give it a 4.4 rating, while on Amazon, it has a 4.5 score, and the typical price is listed at $178. Pro Tool Reviews gives it a 9.4 score and was impressed with the speed — they point out that the RPM is higher than the Snap-On version. However, they also mention that the ratchet doesn't come with a brushless motor, which isn't ideal for maintenance down the road. 

If you're looking for a bit more torque behind your tools to keep fasteners on tight, the 18V LXT Brushless 4-Speed 1/2-in.-sq. Drive Impact Wrench is a viable and highly-rated option. It costs $229 at Home Depot — though, you can find it cheaper on Amazon at $206. It comes with a brushless motor, which is great for less long-term maintenance, and can produce up to 240 ft-lbs of maximum torque and 430 ft-lbs of breakaway torque.

This impact wrench comes with a four-speed power selection switch, so you can choose how much RPM and IPM, or impacts per minute which means the number of hammering actions delivered. It also has three forward and three reverse auto-stop modes and a full-speed mode feature to reduce user exhaustion.

With a 4.8 score on Amazon and a 4.9 at Home Depot, this impact wrench is a favorite among many. They love how compact and lightweight it is at only 4 pounds, which includes the battery weight. However, there were some complaints about the minimal torque — it took one user five times to remove an axle nut. Tool Box Buzz did a hands-on test, though, and was able to use the impact wrench to replace rusty U-bolts without any issues, as well as some lag bolts in two inch by 12 inch pieces of wood. They did mention that the tool should provide enough power for most applications unless you plan to work on some serious heavy machinery. 

There are several Makita lighting options for any type of job, depending on what that is and how much light you actually need. An affordable and flexible choice is the 18V LXT 12 LED Flashlight. It can fold up and down with seven position stops and rotation left and right. It can also fold into itself, so it won't take up much space when it's stored away. This light can be found at Home Depot for $69 and Amazon for $65.

Both retailers give the light a 4.8 out of five-star rating from over 7,000 users. Many loved how lightweight and convenient the light was. It only weighs 2.1 pounds with a battery and can hang from a car hood or be placed in an angled position, which proves a better lighting option than someone else holding a light for you. 

However, the light only provides 240 lumens on full brightness mode and 120 lumens on half brightness. Because of that, some users do say that they wish it was brighter. Even in a review done by Tool Review Zone, they mention that the light is compared to that of a soft, 5,000K daylight illumination. However, they did mention that it will hold up to some abuse, so dropping it off the engine bay of a vehicle shouldn't be a problem. Furthermore, it does provide up to 22 hours of continuous light from one battery.

Working on a car can mean multiple things, such as performing basic engine care, replacing the coolant hoses and clamps, or checking the tire pressure. If the tires' pressure is low, though, why not use a portable inflator? Makita has its 18V LXT Electric High-Pressure Portable Inflator that is perfect for standard car tires, along with bike tires and sports balls. It has a three-speed setting and an auto-stop function which will automatically stop the tool once it reaches the preset PSI. It can reach a maximum PSI of 160 and also comes with a 25-1/2 inch hose for a better reach.

This tool can be found at Home Depot with a 4.4 rating for $189 and Amazon with a 4.7 rating for $178. Some consumers have commented on the vast battery life of this tool. With a 5.0 Ah battery, one person was able to top off three cars, one half-ton truck, two spare tires, two temporary spares, and a wheelbarrow tire. Users also liked the deflation button on the side, which can come in handy for any off-roading adventures.

However, some did mention that you do have to hold the trigger button the whole time while using it, which defeats the purpose of the auto-stop function. A user said that it will stop pumping air into the tire at the preset, but it does keep running. At least you won't over-inflate your tires if you space out while holding the trigger.

These Makita power tools were selected based on professional reviews from reputable publications in the industry. These reviews were hands-on, so they were able to determine firsthand how well the products worked. We also looked at high ratings from users. The lowest rating recorded was 4.4 out of five stars. 

Furthermore, we ensured that enough users were casting a rating and comment, so the results were from more than just a handful of commenters who were only doing it for promotional purposes. We also looked at multiple retailers for well-rounded figures in both ratings and price. Many of the items discussed were actually cheaper on Amazon at its retail price and have the potential of being even lower when sales come around.

We also looked at the negative comments on each product. If there was a popular negative comment or something we felt might be of concern to our readers, we mentioned it in the article. We also noticed that some negative reviews didn't have a comment or were for personal reasons that had nothing to do with the tool itself. However, before buying Makita tools, we recommend you do extra research. It's important to verify that you're purchasing the product that best fits your needs.