Family-owned · Quality Tool & Equipment, Inc.
Built in the Garage
For more than thirty years, a one-man operation that started in a home garage has grown into Best Buy Auto Equipment. This is our story — told by the two kids who grew up under the office desk while our parents built it.
Featured on Motorhead Garage · Discovery Turbo
On the road
It started behind the wheel
Before there was a company, there was a territory.
Our dad spent his early career as a road salesman for Hunter — driving shop to shop, learning exactly what techs needed from their equipment and building a reputation for knowing his stuff.
Eventually the obvious thought caught up with him: if he could sell this well for someone else, he could do it for himself — and do it better.
The home garage
The first headquarters had a garage door
He named the company Quality Tool & Equipment, Inc. — still our corporate name today — and set up shop in the family garage. Dad ran sales, our mom ran the books (pregnant with our brother Max at the desk), and a first employee or two squeezed in around the filing cabinets. In those early days, the two of us would sometimes fall asleep under that office desk while our parents worked late into the night to get the business off the ground.
To grow, they loaded lifts and tire changers into the truck and hit the automotive trade shows, meeting shop owners face to face under the Quality Tool & Equipment banner.
The bet paid off. Forward — one of the lift lines he now sold as an independent distributor — recognized the young company among their top dealers.
The first warehouse
Out of the garage, down the street
The business outgrew the house and moved into its first real warehouse — just down the street from where we are today. The team grew into a company, and the company grew into a family: Christmas parties under the Quality Tool & Equipment sign, and people who stayed for years.
Weekends meant the track. Company tailgates at NASCAR races, trips to Laguna Seca — and the two of us, Max and Jake, growing up around the equipment and the sport. That’s us on a Barber Dodge race car at Laguna Seca in 1996.
Breaking ground
A field, a shovel, and a toast
In the spring of 1997, the whole team drove out to an empty lot and broke ground on a warehouse of our own. A shovel in the dirt, a toast to everything built so far — and everything still ahead.
Where our values come from
Generations of hard work
We grew up in this shop, surrounded by hard work and dedication, and today we’re proud to help run the company our parents built from scratch. The values that guide us go back further than the business itself.
Our dad’s side
He learned his work ethic from his grandfather, who came to America alone at just eight years old from Italy and spent his life giving back to the community — literally building walls through his local church.
Our mom’s side
She learned the same from her father, a U.S. Air Force Colonel and engineer who grew up on a multi-generational farm in Oklahoma.
Those roots shaped who we are and how we run this business — with integrity, perseverance, and a commitment to doing the job right.
Our motto
“Big enough to deal, small enough to care.”
Big enough to deal. We leverage our buying power, industry relationships, and nationwide reach to give you competitive pricing and access to the best brands in the business.
Small enough to care. We take the time to understand your needs, answer your questions, and stand by you long after the sale.
Why choose us
Pricing, guidance, and service you can count on
Plenty of companies will sell you a cheap piece of equipment and disappear when something goes wrong. We’re different.
Expert guidance
Our team knows the details that matter — bay layout, ceiling height, slab thickness, power requirements — and we make sure your equipment fits your shop and your workflow.
Service after the sale
From installation help to replacement parts, we’re here long after checkout to keep your shop running smoothly.
Competitive pricing
We leverage our scale to offer excellent prices while still delivering the quality, service, and expertise you deserve — no compromise.
What we offer
Thousands of products, the brands you trust
We stock 2-post and 4-post lifts, tire changers, wheel balancers, aligners, brake lathes, jacks, presses, and more — from the most trusted names in the industry. Whether you’re a small garage or a large-scale operation, we have the equipment and the expertise to help you succeed.
Let’s build something
Ready to build or upgrade your shop?
When you work with us, you’re not just buying equipment — you’re gaining a partner committed to your success. Gear up and get going.