Back when I'd use a breaker bar on every stuck bolt vs now grabbing the impact gun first

I used to fight with rusted suspension bolts for what felt like forever. Spent 2 hours on a single control arm bolt on a 2003 Ford Focus about 4 years ago. Then I bought a cheap electric impact from Harbor Freight for $60. Now that thing pops loose stuff in seconds that I'd normally snap bolts on. Still keep the breaker bar around for torquing stuff down though. Anyone else find themselves reaching for power tools way more than they used to?

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roses691mo ago

Oh man, you're speaking my language! I had this old Chevy truck where the lower ball joint bolts were basically welded on by rust. Spent a whole weekend with a breaker bar and a pipe for leverage, ended up breaking two bolts and had to drill them out. Finally got a cheap impact last year and it's like night and day. I still grab the breaker bar for tight spaces or when I need to feel how stuck something really is before I go at it with power. But yeah, these days I'll take that impact over cussing at a bolt any day of the week.