Cheaper Creeper

If you're going to work under your vehicle all that much, you're going to need some easy way to slide under there to see what you're doing.

You could just lay on the ground, but sliding back and forth on concrete isn't all that comfortable, especially if you're shirt rides up your back - OUCH!

So, what do you do? Well, you could just lie a piece of cardboard down which will inevitably rip and tear and likely get soaked with oil (unless you're using one of the oil drain valves I've reviewed which really take the mess out of oil changes). I suppose, as long as you've always got a big cardboard box available to break down as a clean replacement, that might work out ok. I've done it and it works in a pinch, but I get tired of looking for a big enough cardboard box to break down.

The alternative is one of those nifty "creepers". You know, the little "flat beds" for people with the small caster wheels on the bottom. As long as the floor is flat, isn't littered with debris and doesn't have any large cracks for the wheels to get caught on, these are great. Easy maneuverability. Perfect.

However, according to Ranger Design, there is another alternative. They call it the "Cheaper Creeper". According to the description on the website:

"Cheaper Creeper" is a unique alternative to raised, wheeled underbody service devices.

Manufactured from durable but very slippery medical grade, high density space age materials, "Cheaper Creeper" safely positions the user closer to the ground and permits unprecendented mobility even on rough or uneven surfaces.

"Cheaper Creeper" is easy to clean and stores on the shop wall until its next use. It is also ideal for tow vehicle hookup and for roadside emergencies.

Basically, in a nutshell, it's a slippery mat that lays under the vehicle that allows you to slide under. When you're done, you hang it on the wall or roll it up for storage.

So, the question is whether the Cheaper Creeper is all it's cracked up to be, and whether it's worth the cash. Let's find out.

What Does It Cost?

About 1/3 less expensive than a decent quality standard mechanic's creeper. Most creepers I found would run you about $20 at the low end, up to $100 or more for a high end model. For most of us, a $30 model would do nicely and would hold up well.

Purchased online, you'd pay some additional shipping, so the price for a decent mechanic's creeper would probably range from about $35 to $45. But, you can get a standard mechanic's creeper at most autoparts stores and might get a decent price and pay no shipping (but you would pay sales tax). I'd venture to say that the price would probably be "a wash".

The "Cheaper Creeper" from Ranger Design costs $20 plus $8.50 for shipping. So, you're paying just under $30 for the unit. Not exactly discount pricing, but you do save yourself about $10 over purchasing a traditional creeper.

So, it is a little less expensive than a regular creeper, but is there good reason to pay the additional $10 or $15 for the traditional style creeper? I think, based on my review of the "Cheaper Creeper", it depends upon your circumstances. Read on and I'll tell you what I mean.

Testing the Cheaper Creeper

Basically, it's pretty simple. How much does this product help you in performing under the vehicle maintenance and how well will hold up. Let's get to it.

Performance Testing:

I don't think that this section has to be all that drawn out. I'll make it very simple. First, understand the "Cheaper Creeper" is not designed to slide along the ground or floor. It is designed to be laid out and YOU slide along the creeper. It's surface is very smooth, and I found it easy to slide on the RD (Ranger Design) unit. So, it worked well in this capacity.

In addition, as mentioned in the RD literature, you could purchase a second unit to use for positioning drain pans and such. A traditional creeper might not be quite as helpful in this regard.

Mobility

The mat is easy to position where you need it and easy to slide on once laid out.

The issue with this unit, as I see it, is that you are limited in mobility to the area of the "mat" itself which, I would say, is about 3 foot by 5 foot. I didn't actually measure it. Depending upon the repair you are doing, this might not be a huge issue, but it can be somewhat restricting. Even during my oil change, I found that I "ran out of sliding room" when trying to move from working at the oil drain plug, to working with the oil filter.

On a traditional style creeper, you are not limited in this regard. You can basically roll your body wherever there is floor space and clearance for you to fit under the vehicle. And, you can roll out from under the vehicle and quickly along your garage floor to any area very quickly and easily. With the "Cheaper Creeper" mat, that functionality is not available.

However, as I see it, the major benefit of the "Cheaper Creeper" mat is its versatility in terms of WHERE it can be used. Certainly you can use it in your driveway or on the garage floor just as with a traditional creeper. But, you can also use it on a gravel driveway, a grassy lawn, any uneven or pitted surface you can think of.

So, whereas a traditional creeper is limited to usage on fairly smooth surfaces, the "Cheaper Creeper" mat is not. Keep one in your vehicle in case you need to perform a repair out on the road or need to hook up a tow cable without getting your clothes filthy. Use it for any number of tasks where a traditional creeper is not a feasible alternative. THAT is its true value and benefit.

Comfort:

Although this unit is far more comfortable than laying on a gravel or rough/pitted surface where some people might have to do their maintenance work, it is not going to be anywhere near as comfortable as a padded mechanic's creeper (which will run you about $30 plus freight at the low end).

So, if you're in an area where a traditional creeper can't be used, this unit will probably be more comfortable than your current working surface. But, if you are working in an area where a traditional creeper could be used, it would likely be significantly more comfortable than the "Cheaper Creeper" unless it was a standard "wood or plastic bed" model with no cushioning.

Durability:

Can't vouch for long term durability of the unit since I've only had it a short time. But, I can say that it appears to be well made, just as the other RD products are. I think it would be tough to cause this mat any undue damage. Oil spills on the mat wipe up VERY easily, so you won't stain the mat.

I would make sure you always put the same side up, because the surface of the mat does scratch. So, I would say you'd be well served to always put the scratched side down on your working surface so that you don't scratch the side you want to slide on.

The Final Analysis

So, whether this unit gets a "one thumb up" or a "two thumbs up" depends upon where you'd be using it and what you'd be using it for. For people who would be using it in an area or for circumstances that are not condusive to using a traditional creeper, I'd say this unit is particularly useful and worth the money - "two thumbs up".

For people who are considering using this unit to replace a traditional creeper in areas where the traditional creeper works well, they might be somewhat disappointed. If you're working on fairly smooth surfaces where a traditional creeper moves easily, it is probably the better bet. BUT, if you want to save money and use something that does the job, you can save yourself about $10 or more by going with the Cheaper Creeper.

All in all, a good product, as long as you pay attention to it's inherent strengths and weaknesses.