DMM that reads RPM and Dwell

The new Fluke 88 kit is running around $559..

In all serious, if all you're going to do is measure chunky volts and continuity then the $20 no name meter is probably fine. The advantage for me with the Fluke 88 is measuring pulse width, RPM, Frequency, Min/Max, and things like that.

At one time I bought the Fluke 88, an IR temp probe, a contact temperature module, a pressure module,  and some other odds and ends. I laid down somewhere in the neighborhood of $1k dollars for all this stuff.

Use what you can afford..

Jim

All of my installs are done in driveways and parking lots for fun, so your theory isn't 100% correct.

You mentioned a shop in a previous post.. what do you do for a living KP?..

Jim

I worked as an installer for Circuit City through college.  After I graduated (BS in electronics and computer technology) I stuck around for a while until I found a job as an automation engineer in the petrochemical industry.  Lots of travel and late nights in hotel rooms let me to start my own company, KPtechnologies. where I am the majority owner and Director of Engineering.  I basically design the hardware and write the software for all of the automation products we sell.  I can't seem to get too far away from cars, although I don't do many installs much anymore, mostly just for family or friends (how fun is that).  The majority of the stuff I install now are things that I have designed and built myself.  Having two jobs keeps me really busy, typically working 70-80 hours a week, but hopefully it will pay off by the time I'm 30.

I started out really big in to stereos and custom installs ( http://www.angelfire.com/oh2/piersonkevin).  There are pics of my first two cars I ever owned and the installations I did on them (not too bad for a high school kid with no professional experiance at the time).  Later the installation in my Cavalier opened up the door to Circuit City (the were very impressed with it).  While working at Circuit City I got burnt out on the stereo side of things and turned on to the alarm/security/convienence stuff.  I've been hooked ever since.

Sorry to go so off topic, but thats my story.  I am not a professional installer anymore, but in my driveway I can still out install any of the guys (still talk to them all) at either of the two local Circuit Citys :)