Most people will have to use a car jack at some time; if you are out driving and
you get a flat tire then you will probably have a scissor jack in the boot of the car to assist you in changing your tire.
Scissor jacks are the standard fit in most normal sized cars, they are very useful as they do not take up too much space in the boot and will normally fit inside of the spare tire in the boot of the car.
Another type of car jack which is easy to store in the boot of the car is hydraulic jacks these are also good for heavier types of vehicles such as pickup trucks and large automobiles. Lots of people prefer the Hydraulic jacks to the scissor jacks as they find them easier to use.
Although these car jacks are good you will probably not find them in most garages or people who like to mess with vehicles, as they are really just for emergencies and occasional use.
If you have a garage or like to work on vehicles then you will want something quicker and more stable to jack your vehicles up. Most garages and people who work on vehicles will use either aluminum floor jack or trolley jacks as these are more stable to raise your vehicle.
Not only will an aluminum floor jack raise your vehicle quickly and safely but they are very easy to use all you have to do is slide it under the axles of the vehicle and pump the handle the jack will do the rest. These jacks can normally be bought for about $65 and above depending on how much you want to spend and the type you want.
If you are going to be working on heavier vehicles such as large cars, pickup trucks or trucks then you are going to need trolley jacks such as the 3 ton trolley jack or even the 4 ton trolley jack. These jacks are very similar to the floor jack but are more substantial for the heavier weight they need to hold.
These types of jacks are normally for the very serious mechanic or garages. If you are planning to buy a trolley jack you need to make sure that the jack will fit under the vehicle you are working on, some trolley jacks are quite big and bulky and will not fit under some low clearance vehicles, this means you cannot get the jack under the vehicle to jack it up, however there are low height versions of both trolley jacks and floor jacks for use on all vehicles.
If you are going to be working on your vehicle for a while and want complete safety if you are working underneath the vehicle then a good investment is to buy some auto jack stands this will allow you to raise the level of the vehicle you are working on and allow you to safely work underneath the vehicle with no danger of the jack rolling away or moving.
This means you do not have to have a pit to drive your vehicle over to work on the underside.