AA use powerful magnet to retrieve socket
 

Had to use AA today to help my son who'd borrowed my Diesel Tourer that suddenly belched out black smoke. Very helpful AA man was there by the time I arrived and found broken Jubilee clip on turbo hose. Anyway he managed to drop a socket into the depths of the engine - and under-tray. I thought that was it and said don't worry I'll post you on a new socket when I get it back home. "No sir I've got a Magnetron." and proceeded to produce a three foot long steel tube to which he clamped a bunch of four extremely strong magnets. He waved the other end down into the car and speedily produced the socket. Most impressive. He had to use all his strength to get the magnets off the tube. He said if you use six then you could tow a car but they had to stop using them as some agents were damaging their fingers.

probably neodymium magnets vicious little blighters :D

Not in the same league as the AA one, but I bought a magnet on a telescopic stick from the NEC classic car show a few years back. Its specific purpose was for retrieving nuts / bolts dropped in the engine bay.

First time I used it, I dropped it in the engine bay :o.

Cliff

I used my telescopic magnet stick to help get the rear spark plugs out (after undoing them!) as my socket doesn't grip them. Wonderful things.

Many years ago my Dad's best friend accidentally dropped his car keys into the fuel tank of his VW Beetle! Quick as a flash my Dad got a wire clothes hanger and a horseshoe magnet and proceeded to make a pickup tool to retrieve the keys. In just a few minutes he had fished the keys out much to his friend's astonishment and relief. :D

A good source of extremely strong magnets is an old rotational hard disk drive. I've performed similar tricks as the AA man by using a couple of these on the end of a log screwdriver or other long bit of steel in the past.

Extracting the magnets is also a very good way of ensuring that nobody gets hold of your data. The drive plates can make attractive coasters, as long as you don't mind them conducting heat very readily.

It's a wonder the AA man only pulled out one socket!
I'm sure most ZTs have a few miscellaneous tools hidden in them.
I once found a 15mm wrench in the subframe of my MGF that had been missing for 3 years. Made my day!

I did see a documentary about an automated car dismantling operation in the USA. They had a big shredding machine that destroyed the car bodies after the mechanicals were removed and it had a chute where all of the coins lost in the cars came out. A surprisingly large amount!