yep around black friday and for christmas the tools sales are the best typically, but they have sales all year. sign up for them to find out when they are on sale at ridgids site and hd's site.
most of the time, they just give you a choice of a free tool and not a price break.
some thing to consider is what if a tool goes down. you have to wait for it to get repaired. after a few years if you use your batteries a lot, they will fade away and you'll want to replace them when your not needing them as much like spring maybe.
here's the only/cheapest kit that offers 4 amp batteries for now. you want to buy the batteries in the kit to get the life time service agreement/warranty. batteries sold singly will only have three years on them, but the tools will have the lsa. just enroll all the tools when you buy them because you only have 90 days to enroll them. you can return them even if you enrolled them so no problem with that. you also have 90 days to return or exchange tools at hd and is hassle free. they only ask if any thing is wrong with them.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-GEN5X-Brushless-18-Volt-Compact-Hammer-Drill-Driver-and-3-Speed-Impact-Driver-Combo-Kit-R9205/206127587i have used the lsa and brought all of my tools in (they asked me to when i called ahead to see if they fix ridgid tools) and they replaced all the batteries even tho many didn't need new ones. they replaced trigger switches that didn't need replacing. they want to make sure your tools don't break when they have any one of them in for service. that's what i call service. just use a local authorized repair shop to get it done, if and when you need service or parts. batteries do fade away and will always need replacing over some years. so your smart thinking ahead.
milwaukee does make the strongest of the tools, if you need that, they are the ones to use, but you have to pay if you want to play using their tools. i have a few of them that ridgid doesn't make or doesn't make strong enough for the jobs i use them on. such as an 1200 foot pound 1/2 driver and a 3/8 inch ratchet. i don't like buying batteries, but that's what they will have you do just to be able to use those tools.
the only issue i have had was one of my 12 volt drills (early model) had a problem from day one, but i knew it would be okay if i kept it. when wire wheeling, i often change directions of the tool to get more bite from the wires and in reverse mode the drill acted like it was not as fast. so it finally burned out. they replaced the motor and trans and switch and batteries for it.
and then my 24 volt equipment needed new batteries , so i got it all done at one time.
what they do is change any parts that have been updated since you bought your tools like switches and batteries while they have them. even when they don't need them yet when you bring them in for service.
