Jack and jack stand advice?

I'm looking into buying a new floor jack and jackstands for the 5. The previous, crappy jack and stands I had were not up the job. The jack was too tall and couldn't reach the main lifting points in the center, while the jack stands bent the pinch welds when I tried to the rest the car on them. I'm looking at these two jacks:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned)

The racing jack is much cheaper and lower profile, but it also lifts less weight and to a lower height, and I'm worried it would be long enough to reach the center lifting points. The other one is long enough but might be too tall to fit under the car to get to the front center point.

As for jack stands, I don't know what to do, as it looks like there aren't any built specifically for holding cars up by pinch welds. I see adapters for jacks, but not jack stands, for pinch welds. Any advice?

I have used these for years, from everything to my MS3, M5 to my Elise and Miatas

http://www.walmart.com/ip/14560047?...=pla&wl6=56587016329&veh=sem?reviews_limit=7&

No issues ever

I have used this for last 4 years for my DD cars

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/to...i_sku=144236&gclid=CMuA8dr23ccCFZRffgodVN8OXA

How do you keep the pinch welds from folding on jack stands?

For couple of my cars I use hockey pucks

However for the Mazda 5 the dent in the stand matches perfectly for pinch weld
And nothing bends at all

Anybody here own a Unijack? Got any impressions from long term ownership?


It's a combination bottle jack and jackstand. Makes it quick and easy to get something up in the air with only one step. I've used one before and I really like it, I'm just curious how they hold up over time.

I've never seen one of those before. (boom01)

I think as long as the lifting load is on top of the jack and not cantilevered solely on the jack stand, that jack ought to last as long as any hydraulic jack.

However, that thing would never fit under my 5 without using a low floor jack to get the 5 up all the way first.