Here in Nova Scotia, Canada, sticking out in the Atlantic ocean & subjected to salt-infested slush six months of the year, I don't think there's a decent mechanic in the province who tries to use 12-pt for anything under the car. Due to the corrosion problems our cars are subjected to here, using a 12pt socket is virtually guaranteed to strip the bolt head - they're all corroded to about 1/2mm smaller than their original size. 6pt Snap-on flank drive sockets are worth their weight in gold to me - a mere backyard mechanic - and even more so to professionals. I'd suggest a good quality set of lifetime-warranty thin-wall 6pt sockets (Craftsman, Snap-on) and as you need them, get the 12pts. I don't recall a situation on VW, Mercedes, or any of my 240/740/780s where I have needed to use a 12pt because my Snap-on 6pts wouldn't fit. Plenty of times where an impact socket wouldn't fit due to clearances, but no problems with the 6pt stuff. I VERY strongly recommend the 3/8 drive Snap-on semi-deep sockets, if you've got a budget that allows just one full set to start out. They're shallow enough to fit where a deep socket won't, but deep enough to work on exhaust & intake studs where a shallow socket bottoms out. Then get a set of Craftsman 1/2 drive 6pt non-impact deep sockets for the suspension stuff when they go on sale. The bigger the bolt, the larger the margin for some imprecision, and I haven't broken one yet.