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Toronto Start-Up Will Send a Mechanic To Your Driveway To Repair Your Car On Demand (techcrunch.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the uber-like-experience dept.

Toronto-based startup Fiix, part of Y Combinator's Winter 2017 class, has built a platform to send a mechanic to your home to fix your car within hours of being requested. TechCrunch reports: Customers request service by calling or chatting with the company on the website. Interestingly, Fiix prefers to deal with customers over the phone so they can accurately diagnose the issue. This lets them send the right parts and mechanic without actually seeing your car, and make sure the issue can actually be fixed in a driveway and doesn't need a full garage. That being said, the startup says over 80% of repairs done in a shop can be done in a driveway as long as you have an experienced mechanic. All of Fiix's mechanics are independent contractors -- some who are generalists and some who specialize in foreign cars like Mercedes. In fact many are mechanics who work during the day in dealership repair shops and work for Fiix to make some extra cash on the side. Since the startup has no fixed overhead they can pay their mechanics more than most shops or dealerships can. TechCrunch notes that it's not the only on-demand mechanic startup -- YourMechanic, for example, launched in 2012 at TechCrunch Disrupt SF. What do you Slashdotters think of this start-up? Would you trust an on-demand mechanic to visit your home and work on your vehicle, or would you prefer to take it to a local shop?

90 of 160 comments (clear)

  1. Condo rules by Dunbal · · Score: 1

    A lot of people live in condos nowadays. And pretty much all of them state clearly in the HOA rules that you cannot repair cars in your driveway or on common property... wonder how they'll get around that.

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    Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
    1. Re:Condo rules by PhantomHarlock · · Score: 1

      Many entire cities also have the same rules.

    2. Re: Condo rules by dougdonovan · · Score: 1

      we call it AAA who brings a rental at no cost and tows the car to a garage. i dont want a "start up" mechanic anywhere near our home. good luck to them.

    3. Re: Condo rules by Dunbal · · Score: 1

      On the contrary - I WANT to live there if they have rules like that.

      --
      Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
    4. Re:Condo rules by ogdenk · · Score: 1

      wonder how they'll get around that.

      By offering their services only in places where people don't willingly submit to tyranny? Not everyone lives in "upscale" places full of rich douchebags who think it's their right to impose their will on you just in case you might drop their artificially inflated property value $0.50. A lot of those places are full of people that think doing your own lawn work or fixing your own car is low class and trashy. Or try to get you booted because your car is old and ugly. Those people can afford to have their car towed to a shop and use their spare.... not the target market.

    5. Re:Condo rules by ClickOnThis · · Score: 1

      There's an app called BribeHOA. Lets you bribe your HOA anonymously.

      Un-possible.

      In all seriousness, if you have ever tried to deal with an HOA, you'll wish you had never bought a condo.

      --
      If it weren't for deadlines, nothing would be late.
    6. Re: Condo rules by ArylAkamov · · Score: 1

      Why would you want to live in such an authoritarian area?

    7. Re: Condo rules by fnj · · Score: 1

      He's a sellout with no pride or self respect. A good citizen for the nazis.

    8. Re:Condo rules by rfengr · · Score: 1

      Yeah, but the 0.1% have their cars fixed at home. I often see this big truck with Maserati, RR, etc symbols in it pulling into this high $ gated community. It's only the HOA snobs that think they are rich, that enforce those rules.

    9. Re:Condo rules by Slashdot+Junky · · Score: 1

      It probably will be your neighbors that report the infraction to the HOA. It is these folks that, while coming and going, will see the work being done in a shared parking lot. Your neighbors likely know that the navy blue Accord belongs to Condo 2B even if they don't know you.

      HOA have the ability to fine home owners here, and the fine doesn't have to be administered while the car is in service. A reporting neighbor only needs to take a photo or two for proof for including with the submission. HOA also have the ability to kick the owner out. Granted, this wouldn't be easy or cheap, legally, so it probably won't happen most places.

      Rules don't only exist to annoy and inconvenience. A rule not followed is a step by the group toward chaos. People should either stick to the rules or work through the system to change the rules. This is a pretty basic tennant of community living.

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      .
      Landfill Mining Co.
      Managing the (Un)natural Resources of Tomorrow
    10. Re:Condo rules by geekmux · · Score: 1

      Many entire cities also have the same rules.

      Uh, entire cities?

      Care to bring an example of where I cannot do work in a driveway of a house I own?

    11. Re:Condo rules by BarbaraHudson · · Score: 1

      Toronto, the city that is the subject of this article, is one such city. Anti-noise bylaw prohibits repairing vehicles in residential areas. Here's the bylaw. Go to page 8, item 9. Vehicle repairs are prohibited in residential areas at all times.

      --
      "Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
    12. Re:Condo rules by BarbaraHudson · · Score: 1

      Good catch, but the bylaw also states that where there are two or more rules, the most restrictive one applies (section 591.8, page 10). Section 591-2 (on page 5) is "the most restrictive."

      No person shall make, cause or permit noise or vibration, at any time, which is likely to disturb the quiet, peace, rest, enjoyment, comfort or convenience of the inhabitants of the City.

      So forget that air compressor and air gun to change tires, zip gun or hammering to loosen parts, etc.

      --
      "Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
    13. Re: Condo rules by Dunbal · · Score: 1

      Yes compare someone who wants to live in a decent, tidy community with nazis. Then tell yourself I am the deranged one.

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      Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
    14. Re:Condo rules by geekmux · · Score: 1

      Good catch, but the bylaw also states that where there are two or more rules, the most restrictive one applies (section 591.8, page 10). Section 591-2 (on page 5) is "the most restrictive."

      No person shall make, cause or permit noise or vibration, at any time, which is likely to disturb the quiet, peace, rest, enjoyment, comfort or convenience of the inhabitants of the City.

      So forget that air compressor and air gun to change tires, zip gun or hammering to loosen parts, etc.

      Regardless of the cited minutiae here, this restriction is pretty much all related to a noise ordinance, and since I don't need to run a loud air compressor or hammer away on parts to change my oil, my original point stands. One can perform general vehicle maintenance during reasonable hours in your own driveway.

    15. Re: Condo rules by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      No, because he does not like monkeys and white trash blaring music all day and all night long.

  2. Illegal by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Illegal where I live by contract agreement. Besides, nothing you can do without a lift I can't do myself. So there isn't any reason to call you, since you can't do the real work like replace my engine mounts, work on the suspension, replace the water pump, even an oil change is a pain in the ass without a lift. I go to my buddy's with a lift to do that... Then again, I don't think much of Uber either, so maybe I am not the audience... heh like so many things... Slashdotters just are not the audience.

    1. Re:Illegal by Nagaru · · Score: 1

      Just say you don't work on your car, no need to beat around the bush.

    2. Re:Illegal by Austerity+Empowers · · Score: 1

      nothing you can do without a lift I can't do myself.
      so maybe I am not the audience

      Yes.

    3. Re:Illegal by digitig · · Score: 1

      Maybe you can do all that stuff yourself, but I no longer have the physical strength to do anything but the easiest jobs. Fortunately here in the UK such services are commonplace, and useful when it's not convenient to drive to a mechanic and either wait around or get public transport back.

      --
      Quidnam Latine loqui modo coepi?
    4. Re:Illegal by BarbaraHudson · · Score: 1

      Oil change without a lift? Just drive one side onto the sidewalk, and the other part on the road. Plenty of clearance to change the filter and pull the drain plug.

      --
      "Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
  3. Re:Old tech by youngone · · Score: 1
    I've also been using a mobile mechanic off and on for about 20 years.

    The summary says the mechanics are all independent contractors, so they will be poorly paid and poorly motivated until they can find a better job, whereas the guys I use all seem to be highly skilled. (At least they've always done a good job for me).

  4. /* TODO: Add subject */ by m0hawk · · Score: 1

    This kind of service exists for trucks and farm equipment, so it is possible that it would work for cars too. There are caveats though, which I'm sure /.'ers will point out.

    1. Re:/* TODO: Add subject */ by Gravis+Zero · · Score: 1

      What do mean will? It was the first post rated above 0!

      --
      Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
    2. Re:/* TODO: Add subject */ by m0hawk · · Score: 1

      Since you nit-picked on the single word 'will', perhaps you didn't notice 'caveats'.
      But just in case you are not being deliberately obtuse, pointing out that ./'ers will point out problems is a dig at how negative some posts are.

    3. Re:/* TODO: Add subject */ by Mashiki · · Score: 1

      Only works for trucks and farm equipment because in many cases they're designed for field repairs. If you're driving down the highway and manage to strip out a CV joint, or snap a tie rod or have a ball joint fail, the guy who's coming to fix it isn't going to have accessibility issues on your truck or tractor. You blow a transmission gear, or strip a gear on a diesel? That's getting towed in just like a car because it requires a partial disassemble to fix or fully replace. On the other hand with a car since many are front wheel, you need a hoist, half-shaft puller, likely a specialized hub puller as well, depending on whether or not the vehicle has other features like traction control, AWD, and so on you might require other stuff. Doing a tie-rod or ball joint without a hoist isn't impossible, just very difficult on cars because of the 6-11" standard ground clearance and the hazards of knocking the car off whatever you're using to keep it in the air. You sometimes need a lot of force to get that part of the drivetrain appart.

      Your run-of-the-mill stuff like oil changes also require a lot of room, trucks? Tractors? Nope it's just much easier to have a pit that you can get in to get at the filter and drain plug, but you can do them at the side of the road just like cars. They're pretty easy, unless everything is jammed in some spot that requires your arm to bend the wrong way aka "vehicle should be on a hoist." Failed fuel pumps on cars? Almost impossible unless the vehicle has a "inside" vehicle service hatch to access the top of the tank and almost no car has them. And no one wants to haul around a giant fuel storage tank to pump out then try and pull the tank with low clearance. Trucks and tractors on the other hand, most don't use in-tank pumps. Stuff just goes on and on.

      The idea isn't bad, but you're gonna have to convince mechanics to not work indoors too. Especially the guys who are unionized and get fancy perks like air mist cooled shops and so on. Or the small guys who don't want to work outside while it's pissing down rain, or laying in the snow to do repairs like they were when they were apprenticing. And having been an apprentice in the 90's and did all the shitty jobs like laying in a mud pit for 3 hours to do a field repair on a truck, you could make me do it again. If you paid 4x the market rate per hour aka $380/hr in labor plus parts.

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      Om, nomnomnom...
  5. Looking forward to electric cars! by Gravis+Zero · · Score: 4, Funny

    Every part in your car exponentially increases the chance of failure. Electric cars have significantly lower failure rates because they have significantly fewer parts. Not only that, when the new solid-state batteries that are nearing commercialization go into production, the battery damage issues and the runaway thermal reaction problems will be a thing of the past. It's good news for electric cars and anyone with a Samsung phone. ;)

    --
    Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
    1. Re:Looking forward to electric cars! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Electric cars have significantly lower failure rates because they have significantly fewer parts.

      Statement not supported by facts.

    2. Re: Looking forward to electric cars! by fluffernutter · · Score: 2

      Electric cars are simple until they become mainstream, at which point they become just as interested in planned obsolescence as they are with gas vehicles today.

      --
      Laws are rules for the court, but merely a bottom bar to hit for life. Think beyond laws in your actions always.
    3. Re:Looking forward to electric cars! by Mashiki · · Score: 2

      Around 90% of the problems my buddy sees at his shop are directly tied to either emission controls or senors used to make sure the vehicle is running the best it can(MAF, O2, knock, Cam/crank PoS/TPS and so on). Mechanical failures are pretty rare these days especially after the initial break-in period, hell seeing a vehicle with all original parts and 200k-300k mi isn't even rare anymore. That other 10% is usually something like a mechanical/electronic hybrid device like an EGR valve, or component of the gas-vapor recycling system not working properly because a tube wore through because a clip that held it in place broke and it's allowing air in. Or in newer cars the all-in-one ABS-wheel hub fails in a mechanical way like the ratches snapping. Something that would still happen with an electric car.

      When I retired my '96 saturn I had 597k mi on it, and it's only major repairs had been a battery, alternator, radiator and a new clutch at 281k mi.

      --
      Om, nomnomnom...
    4. Re:Looking forward to electric cars! by fnj · · Score: 1

      Good luck getting 300,000 miles out of your brakes and battery. There's also a damn good chance you'll be on your second (or later) alternator or starter by then, too. As you yourself actually pointed out.

    5. Re:Looking forward to electric cars! by RubberDogBone · · Score: 1

      Good luck getting 300,000 miles out of your brakes and battery. There's also a damn good chance you'll be on your second (or later) alternator or starter by then, too. As you yourself actually pointed out.

      Is it SO bad to have replaced an alternator even twice in 300K miles? That's a LOT of miles. Some repair expenses to reach that number are perfectly reasonable and should be expected.

      Oh I know, people want to reach 300K just having put in gas and never spending a dime on maintenance or parts or tires. But that's not realistic. Things wear out. Things break, especially if people drive like idiots on bad roads and neglect maintenance.

      --
      Sig for hire.
    6. Re:Looking forward to electric cars! by swb · · Score: 1

      How did your suspension last so long? Shocks, struts, bushings, etc? All of that stuff is pretty wear intensive unless you're lucky enough to only drive on new asphalt in a non-freezing climate.

      Transmissions these days also seem to be pretty tightly engineered, it seems like a lot of cars I've looked into have sub-par feedback on transmissions.

    7. Re: Looking forward to electric cars! by AmiMoJo · · Score: 1

      Only cheap, shitty manufacturers are interested in planned obsolescence in terms of making a long term reliable car. If you buy a Toyota, chances are it will still be running fine with parts available at 200k miles.

      Those manufacturers rely on other things to make people buy new cars. Inevitable cosmetic damage, non-essential updates for in-car tech, credit deals that make continuing with the same vehicle unattractive etc.

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
    8. Re: Looking forward to electric cars! by hackertourist · · Score: 1

      Number of moving parts in an ICE+transmission: hundreds, including a large number of wear parts subject to regular replacement.
      Number of moving parts in an electric motor+transmission: 1.
      That won't change when electric cars become mainstream.

    9. Re: Looking forward to electric cars! by fluffernutter · · Score: 1

      Why does that matter? If the manufacturer wants it to break at a certain rate, it will.

      --
      Laws are rules for the court, but merely a bottom bar to hit for life. Think beyond laws in your actions always.
    10. Re: Looking forward to electric cars! by fluffernutter · · Score: 1

      Also, I have seen way more electrical problems in cars than transmission problems. It almost seems like they cannot make circuit boards that can stand up to many seasons of freeze and thaw. Once a module is gone, it seems to be at least $500 just for the part, never mind the labor to get to the part which is usually buried somewhere in the dash board. I hope electric cars are simpler electronically as well, and thus less prone to failure.

      --
      Laws are rules for the court, but merely a bottom bar to hit for life. Think beyond laws in your actions always.
    11. Re:Looking forward to electric cars! by Mashiki · · Score: 1

      Actually it was the alternator that cooked the battery, the voltage regulator flaked out and I didn't notice it--something I should have but it can be easy to miss. The battery replaced in 2009 was factory and suffered through numerous winters with the temperatures dropping to -40C. Batteries normally fail before an alternator though, not the other way around. And in turn cause the alternator to pump out more juice at a higher peak that damages the alternator. Remember with starters 99% of the time it's the solenoid that fails, buy a car that doesn't have a all-in-one design and it's not a serious repair. Then it's a $30 repair.

      --
      Om, nomnomnom...
    12. Re:Looking forward to electric cars! by Mashiki · · Score: 1

      How did your suspension last so long? Shocks, struts, bushings, etc? All of that stuff is pretty wear intensive unless you're lucky enough to only drive on new asphalt in a non-freezing climate.

      Factory. Take proper care, properly lube them, keep an eye on them as long as they're not "sealed by design" and you can do spot repairs like replacing a bearing without replacing the entire wheel hub assembly. Not quite so easy these days, modern cars? The hub and bearing assemblies are designed as an "all in one" piece with the ABS sensors built in as well. Which is why they're around $500 each. Considering it's mostly highway miles it's not a surprise, and if by non-freezing climate you mean down to -40C in AB, and heavy use of rock salt(since I live in SW Ontario). I guess. Seeing old Saturn SW series cars in central florida(away from the ocean), TX or AZ and so on where it's heavily dry though, you'll start bumping into 1m mile cars on occasion with a lot of factory components.

      Transmissions these days also seem to be pretty tightly engineered, it seems like a lot of cars I've looked into have sub-par feedback on transmissions.

      That's because of the design, not much more can be done on automatics for example except band performance tuning, and the design of stick hasn't changed in 20 years. But if you go stick there's almost no points of failure besides mechanical as long as you do the very rare fluid change.

      --
      Om, nomnomnom...
    13. Re:Looking forward to electric cars! by Mashiki · · Score: 1

      I nearly forgot that I'd never replaced the rare shoes on that car either. Front pads on the other hand? Every couple of years, those cars chewed through them until I went to ceramic. That was 100% to do with the vehicle design, 80% of the vehicle weight on the SW series cars were weighted towards the front of the vehicle which caused heavier wear on the front pads. But the brakes on them are so easy to do you could change them in your driveway in a couple of hours. And that has to do a lot with the cars themselves, when your doors weigh under 100lbs each because their skins are plastic-composite, it heavily cuts down on vehicle weight.

      Great cars, had an incredibly loyal fanbase too. Same that GM killed the division off, especially since they were incredibly profitable. Even up here in the land of salt and cold you see the rare early 90's saturn that looks in great shape.

      --
      Om, nomnomnom...
  6. Would you trust yourself to describe the issue? by MrCodswallop · · Score: 1

    I wouldn't trust myself to accurately describe, let alone diagnose a vehicular system fault or failure, apart from the common cyclic replacement of consumables (battery, brake pads, rotors, bulbs).

    1. Re:Would you trust yourself to describe the issue? by Swave+An+deBwoner · · Score: 1

      I dunno, but it sounds like this:'

      http://www.freesound.org/people/lonemonk/sounds/123686/

      Oh, yeah, it's the fuel pump:

      http://www.automobilemag.com/news/cling-clanger-automotive-diagnostic-app/

  7. Re:Old tech by TWX · · Score: 1

    Or they're just like any other contractor that pays to be on the list. They pay for referrals.

    --
    Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
  8. Re:who's time are you paying for? by MBGMorden · · Score: 1

    I get your point, but for this particular case I think it warrants the business model.

    Sometimes if your car is broken it's simply not capable of being driven to a service shop (either it simply won't do it, it's not safe, or doing so would cause further damage to the car).

    In those cases you either have to 1) use a service like this, or 2) have it towed to the shop.

    While a mechanic's time may be valuable, towing cars can be rather expensive too. If it's cheaper to pay a mechanic to bring the tools out to the driveway than to have the car towed, then it's a financial win.

    Also - very few mechanics are going to make $100 per hour. A full shop might be able to CHARGE $100 per hour for their time, but they're not paying the labor that. Remember the mechanic typically isn't the business owner. If they can do this on the side for extra money then they could still make more per hour than at their regular job.

    Which - BTW - if you get in good with mechanics in a shop, is a good way to get things done cheaper anyways. I've known guys who work a regular 8 hour shift at a garage. The price at their job for something might be $500 . . . but if you are willing to bring it by their house they'll do it that weekend for $200. On a 3-4 hour job they weren't going to make much of that $500 price anyways.

    --
    "People who think they know everything are very annoying to those of us who do."-Mark Twain
  9. Hmmm... by wtfbill · · Score: 2

    Experienced mechanic here (35 years)...a mobile mechanic who's well-outfitted can do well for a lot of jobs, but the whole "accurate diagnosis over the phone" thing is a bit disconcerting. We have 10's of thousands tied up in diagnostic gear (scan tools, oscilloscopes, dvoms, etc) and it can still be pretty tough on some jobs to get the car to glitch and figure it out. The folks who make you jump through the most hoops to help them ("can you come to me?", beat you to death haggling, etc) are generally the hardest to please, too. I wish these guys the best, but unless they're cherry picking, it could be a pretty tough gig. As for me, no thanks; I have plenty of work as an independent, and an excellent reputation that I don't want to jeopardize...I can serve the customer much better in a full-on shop.

    1. Re:Hmmm... by wtfbill · · Score: 1

      Oh, and as for the expense of towing to a shop, AAA can be your friend, in the US at least...10 bucks a month well-spent.

    2. Re:Hmmm... by demonlapin · · Score: 1

      As a corollary, if you don't have AAA, your shop probably has arrangements with some local towing companies that will get a much better price than you will. Had to do that once for my wife's car (dead fuel pump while she was at work).

    3. Re:Hmmm... by wtfbill · · Score: 1

      Excellent point...we have such arrangements. On very rare occasions, for long-standing customers, we have retrieved/returned cars. It hurts a bit at $100/hr, but that sort of customer is well worth it. Some even stop by the shop for the ocasional good-natured session of giving us a hard time and receiving the same in kind. Our clients are a great bunch! Loyalty to your shop, and they to you, is priceless!

    4. Re:Hmmm... by wtfbill · · Score: 1

      BTW, we eat the 100/hour when we deliver, we don't charge the customer...

    5. Re:Hmmm... by demonlapin · · Score: 1

      I haven't been with my shop long enough for them to cover it gratis, but considering that what I paid for the tow was about 1/3 of what I would have paid as Joe Shmoe, I don't care if they made a few nickels on it.

      And I really wish that my preferred mechanical and body shops weren't 20 miles apart, but...

    6. Re:Hmmm... by wtfbill · · Score: 1

      Doesn't take long to decide we like ya, especially if you have special needs (little old church lady, hard-pressed single mom or retiree, just all-around decent person)...of course, we're a small shop. A person who's friendly, not foul-mouthed (remember, professional environment, sometimes with kids around) and shows some self-respect and respect of others gets put on the short list...and bringing Krispy Kremes or the like is always a plus!! ;-)

    7. Re:Hmmm... by dryeo · · Score: 1

      Depends on the problem. Last time I needed help, it was a leaking caliper, easy diagnosis, pretty easy driveway fix but as I live a dozen miles out of town, I needed a buddy to bring me the parts. A proper mechanic could have had me going in short order and would have had the wheel bearing tool to change the thin rotor as well. May have cost more for parts as I'd assume the mechanic would have automatically changed most everything, but brakes are important and my case of having a truck where someone had previously only replaced one caliper+rotor is hopefully rare.

      --
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inverted_totalitarianism
    8. Re:Hmmm... by darkmeridian · · Score: 1

      I will bet you that these guys will be doing oil changes and brake jobs and leave the complicated stuff to "real" mechanics.

      --
      A NYC lawyer blogs. http://www.chuangblog.com/
  10. Yet another Uber by manu0601 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Yet another Uber, that handles labor like in the nineteenth century: no employee, no duty.

    The trend really deserve a law to fix the broad issue.

    1. Re:Yet another Uber by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      Yet another generalisation that doesn't realise that just because a model that exists everywhere else suddenly gets a phone app doesn't automatically make it Uber.

    2. Re:Yet another Uber by PPH · · Score: 1

      The whole anti-Uber movement stems from the idea that people have to be slaves to someone, either the state, a union or an employer (who can be made to be slaves of the state).

      We simply can't have sole proprietors running around as contractors, dictating their own terms of work and compensation. Where do you think you live? In a free country or something?

      --
      Have gnu, will travel.
    3. Re:Yet another Uber by manu0601 · · Score: 1

      Laws like what you're talking about just make you a slave to your government

      As Lacordaire said "Entre le fort et le faible, entre le riche et le pauvre, entre le maître et le serviteur, c’est la liberté qui opprime et la loi qui affranchit." (Translated: "Between the strong and the weak, between the rich and the poor, between the lord and the slave, it is freedom which oppresses and the law which sets free.").

  11. Proper tools by Archfeld · · Score: 1

    The idea of having a shop was to house all the proper tools. Hard to bring a car lift to my driveway, or a tire balancer or any number of other bulky and expensive tools a shop has to expedite repairs, and I sure as heck aren't paying more for them to then have to haul my car back to the shop to continue repairs...

    --
    errr....umm...*whooosh* *whoosh* Is this thing on ?
    1. Re:Proper tools by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      So you set the system up so that you get a credit - maybe not 100%, but a credit - for the diagnostic fee. You'd be amazed how much people don't know about cars.

      I mean, I'm no car guru, but I can figure out the basics of when the car needs a repair, and have a reasonable suspicion about what generally is wrong, and understand what it is that they want me to pay to fix. My wife OTOH: she's at work trying to leave for lunch, and the car won't start, so she calls me. "Well, honey, when you try to start it, does it make a loud clicking noise, or does it sound like the entire engine is turning over?" "I don't know, what do you mean by 'clicking'?" - this is the level of understanding most people have about cars. They're utterly ignorant.

      After teasing a few details out of her, I told her she had a dead battery, she needed to call security to jump her car off. Then immediately drive it to my workplace, where I would meet her and give her my car so she could go about her day. "No! Those guys are creepy!" Fine. I'll be there in a couple of hours. Can't leave work right now. Drove up, jumped it off. Maybe five minutes, counting the time it took me to park on the grass in front of her car and get mine back onto the parking lot. She asked "how did you know?" I'm wrong about things from time to time, and I'm no car guru, but I've had a lot of dead batteries over the years, and it isn't exactly the hardest diagnostic challenge with cars. If I'd remembered that her car had a battery gauge, it would have been even easier (as it turns out, the battery was putting out about 10.7 V under no load...).

      Drove back to my work, backed into a parking spot, called security to jump me off when I was done for the day, and went straight to buy a new battery.

      Anyway, like I said, I don't know much about cars. I've never even changed my own oil (and never will; I'm a surgeon - burned/damaged hands = no income, so paying for oil changes is basically just another insurance payment that keeps my main income stream flowing). It still surprises me how little people know about basic stuff like jumping off a car and changing a tire. My parents didn't let me drive until I showed that I could do those things on my own (pre-cell-phone era; if you got in trouble in the boonies, you'd better have had a CB radio or someone willing to let you hitchhike to the next gas station).

      Still have my CB even though I haven't plugged it in in ages. That's where I learned trucker light etiquette - something I see less and less of, lately, but that really was a great thing. You'd get the respect from the big rigs even if you were driving a shitbox, as long as you knew how to wait for the single flash (brief lights on in day, brief lights off at night) and reply with a double, if you wanted to move over in front of them. And then everybody who could see you ahead of them would know that you knew the code, and (after passing you) wouldn't pull over until they got the nod.

    2. Re:Proper tools by wtfbill · · Score: 1

      As a professional, I wish more folks knew a few basics like you've mentioned. Word to the wise...you can get an OBD2 dongle on ebay for less than $10US that can talk to an android phone via bluetooth. If you have a program like Torque installed, you can read/clear trouble codes and look at live engine/transmission data. Even if you don't know much, information is power. All you have to do is plug it into the diagnostic port (usually under the dash by the driver's knee), turn the key on (start the engine if you like). A bit of research as a savvy consumer is a wonderful thing. If you have an IDevice, you'd need a wifi-capable dongle, as opposed to bluetooth (a bit more expensive, but readily available too), but the software is available and the final result is the same.

    3. Re:Proper tools by ls671 · · Score: 1

      "Well, honey, when you try to start it, does it make a loud clicking noise, or does it sound like the entire engine is turning over?" "I don't know, what do you mean by 'clicking'?" - this is the level of understanding most people have about cars. They're utterly ignorant.
       

      Work colleague here, I am relaying you this message as a courtesy for your beautiful wife who has just invited me to your house tonight:
      -------
      No sex for you for six months. Don't bother to come home tonight either.
      -Your wife

      --
      Everything I write is lies, read between the lines.
  12. independent contractors do they set there own rate by Joe_Dragon · · Score: 2

    independent contractors do they set there own rates or they forced to take the apps rates and the apps' parts rates?

  13. Re:Not new by Bandraginus · · Score: 1

    Yep, got on here to specifically mention Lube Mobile. So where's the invention in this new-startup? Really, seems like a case of: X, but on the Internet!

  14. It's been tried before, in the 90s. by Baron_Yam · · Score: 1

    It's not a profitable model.

    1. Re:It's been tried before, in the 90s. by ras · · Score: 1

      It's not a profitable model.

      Err, one of biggest car repairs on the planet have been using this business model (and only this business model) for 20 years. They can claim to be the biggest because the mechanics are employees, not contractors or franchises. I gather numerically others are far bigger.

    2. Re:It's been tried before, in the 90s. by wtfbill · · Score: 1

      Quick-lube outfits can sure cause problems, though. Poorly-trained kids pushing as fast as they can...loose drain plugs and leakage, etc. We've had to do a lot of follow-up repairs after oil changes...make sure the people you use are thorough in what they do. There are good lube shops out there; choose wisely...

  15. Re:Not new by ras · · Score: 1

    Really, seems like a case of: X, but on the Internet!

    Not even that. Lube Mobile is on the internet. In fact using their web site you can book the service / repair, get a firm price (even for some repairs!), confirm a date and time, even select your favourite mechanic if you want to. Someone does have to be there though when they start - they do require a signature before starting work, and someone has to provide payment when it's done, although this is usually via EFTPOS on the spot.

  16. Tow trucks out of commision?? by Neuronwelder · · Score: 1

    As a former mechanic I know I can do a lot better job at the shop. And the customer knows a brick and mortar place is more likely to be legitimate. Sorry, no dice on the spot repair scheme.

  17. Re:Dumbest article. Why is this on slash? by dryeo · · Score: 1

    Is it that hard not to click articles that don't interest you? It's what I do and if I make a mistake, well that's what the back button is for.

    --
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inverted_totalitarianism
  18. Well by n3r0.m4dski11z · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I've used a craigslist plumber, as well as other craigslist services. Did the job, no leaks years later. Paid cash, was happy.

    If this has a rating system, it is far better than craigslist.

    Bring on more person to person direct services trade facilitated by the internet! Sure you get the odd unqualified lout, but a ratings and reward system would correct some of that. If the company gave refunds, i would start looking at what i can farm out personally on a cold canadian day when i dont want to get under the vehicle.

    --
    -
    1. Re:Well by mjwx · · Score: 2

      I've used a craigslist plumber, as well as other craigslist services. Did the job, no leaks years later. Paid cash, was happy.

      If this has a rating system, it is far better than craigslist.

      If (and only if) the mechanic gets to set their own rates. Otherwise it's just as shady as Uber.

      --
      Calling someone a "hater" only means you can not rationally rebut their argument.
  19. How is this new? by whatteaux · · Score: 1

    I don't get it; what's the big deal? I was getting my car serviced at home 30 years ago ("Lubemobile" was just one of the outfits that did this). Is this model only now just getting to the USA? Welcome to the 1980s, Seppos.

    1. Re:How is this new? by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      I was just about to say this. I had to check I hadn't give back in time today. First a story about dead pixels on LCD screens then a story about this fantastic be idea of a mobile mechanic! I fully expect to hear an announcement of a record breaking 1GB HDD being released by Seagate before the day is out.

  20. Re:Not new by fnj · · Score: 1

    And the windshield replacement guy who comes to wherever you are.

  21. How old? by Oxygen99 · · Score: 1

    Eh? I've been phoning mobile mechanics to come and fix my car at home for at least twenty years. This is just a clear case of affixing "ah, but on the internets!" to an existing service.

    --
    I had a dream, bright and carefree, but now there's doubt and gravity
    1. Re:How old? by Jerry+Atrick · · Score: 1

      Pretty common here in the UK but we don't have housing associations to stop us doing what we like on our own property.

      My neighbour has repaired Landrovers on his drive constantly for the last 20 years or so, did most repairs on mine on the drive.

    2. Re:How old? by Frederic54 · · Score: 1

      Yup, I'm in Canada and here various mobile mechanics are on Kijiji for instance, some do only tires, some do full mechanic and even tow a lift!

      And this is nothing new, you rarely see trucks hauler being towed, they are all repaired on the road/highway by a mobile mechanic.

      --
      "Science will win because it works." - Stephen Hawking
    3. Re:How old? by boskone · · Score: 1

      the same one for the last 20 years (car)? is it almost fixed?

      couldn't resist... love landrovers but hear too many troubling things about reliability

  22. Sketchiness raised to a another power. by sethstorm · · Score: 1

    Not only do you have sketchiness of a random person, you also have the precariousness on the person visiting you.

    --
    Twitter supports and protects racists - by smearing their critics with the "Hate Speech" label.
  23. Uh, car associations? by trawg · · Score: 1

    My local car association in Australia also does this. I paid some trivial amount like $80 a year, for this service.

    My grandfather worked for one of these associations for most of his life.

    How can a startup disrupt this? By putting it in an app?

  24. I am not investing by houghi · · Score: 1

    Fiix prefers to deal with customers over the phone so they can accurately diagnose the issue.

    If you work in IT, you know how difficult it is to find out an issue over the phone and you can ask people to do certain things and you have remote access.

    And isn't this what you local AAA is for? I had my car not start, called them and they fixed it. Was a broken belt and they did not even ask me to do their diagnosis and I would not have known anyway.

    --
    Don't fight for your country, if your country does not fight for you.
  25. How inovative! by throbber · · Score: 1

    1982 just called, they want their business model back.

    https://www.lubemobile.com.au/...

    I guess becuase "It's on the Internet" its new?

  26. Maybe most repairs can be done at a house by Zontar_Thing_From_Ve · · Score: 1

    But I work in IT for a Fortune 500 company and every now and then my job requires me to work with customers who have problems getting files from us or decrypting them. I can tell you that customers often do a very bad job of describing their problems and often come to erroneous conclusions about what the problem is. I can just imagine that fun of this job where a customer leads the mechanic to think the problem is one thing and it's actually something else completely unrelated that the mechanic didn't bring the parts for because they believed the customer was accurately describing the problem.

    I live in the USA and I can tell you that the vast majority of my male friends can't even do as little as change their own air filters in their cars. So I can see how a lot of simple tasks could be done in a person's driveway. I just wonder what happens if the problem ends up being much more complex than anticipated and the car has to go into a shop.

  27. There are 2 problems with this... by Not-a-Neg · · Score: 1

    1.) I have never had a problem with finding a mechanic, the problem is with the cost of the mechanic ($70/hr labor is typical where I live)
    2.) If I had a driveway which a car could be worked on, I would work on the car myself. Unfortunately, I live in an apartment that does not permit vehicle work to be done on premises. I still do the basics anyways like changing bulbs and O2 sensors.

    The best startup I have seen is in Gurnee, IL called: I Can Fix This! (http://www.icanfixthisshops.com) They rent space in a garage for an hour that includes access to lifts, tools, and an on-site expert.

    --
    -==- Buy a Mac and leave me alone!
  28. Re: Not new by Quirkz · · Score: 1

    Hah-ha! Wait, you wouldn't download a car, would you?

    --
    The Quirkz Handbook of Self-Improvement for People Who Are Already Pretty Okay
  29. Garages that rent space are not a new idea.... by Ellis+D.+Tripp · · Score: 1

    They used to be fairly common, until lawyers and liability insurance rates put an end to them. I did a few engine swaps in those places during my younger hot-rodding days. They provided a garage bay, overhead lifts, air tools, and engine hoists. Hand tools were strictly BYO.

    Wondering how the new startup is getting around the liability issues inherent in allowing the general public access to tools, equipment, and working situations that could easily kill or injure someone who isn't careful or is just generally clueless, though...

    --
    Remember "News for Nerds, Stuff that Matters"? Help make it a reality again! http://soylentnews.org
  30. Re:independent contractors do they set there own r by tlhIngan · · Score: 1

    independent contractors do they set there own rates or they forced to take the apps rates and the apps' parts rates?

    Probably a rate set by the mechanic themselves when they sign up for the service.

    There's no such thing as a "mechanic" - they all specialize. Some are generalists and will be able to do basic tasks like brakes, tires, oil changes, etc. Common everyday tasks. Then there would be more specialized mechanics - one may only work on transmissions, another on electrical systems, etc.

    And by their nature, they all have varying rates. This app is really more of a way to get people's car fixed in a convenient way.

    Hell, there has to be provisions for when the mechanic may need more help, or to bring it to a garage, etc.

    It may be a great way to also not get completely bamboozled by your garage - it's rather common for women to be preyed upon by their lack of car knowledge into signing away for expensive unnecessary repairs. If this app can help screen out the shady, then people may even be willing to pay more knowing they'd get an honest guy over taking a chance.

  31. Men trying to give women advice. by PPH · · Score: 1

    Dear John.

    I hope you can help me. The other day, I set off for work, leaving my husband in the house watching TV. My car stalled, and then it broke down about a mile down the road, and I had to walk back to get my husband's help. When I got home, I couldn't believe my eyes. He was in the bedroom with the neighbor's daughter!

    I am 32, my husband is 34 and the neighbor's daughter is 19. We have been married for ten years. When I confronted him, he broke down and admitted they had been having an affair for the past six months. He won't go to counseling, and I'm afraid I am a wreck and need advice urgently. Can you please help?

    Sincerely, Shiela

    Dear Shiela

    A car stalling after being driven a short distance can be caused by a variety of faults with the engine. Start by checking there is no debris in the fuel line. If it is clear, check the vacuum pipes and hoses on the intake manifold and also check all grounding wires. If none of these approaches solves the problem, it could be that the fuel pump itself is faulty, causing low delivery pressure to the injectors. I hope this helps,

    John

    --
    Have gnu, will travel.
  32. Your mechanic by greywire · · Score: 1

    Had my car die (water pump broke off) and I limped it a mile to my driveway. What were my options? Call an expensive tow to the nearest repair shop? I found your mechanic and they had a guy out there the next day and he fixed my car right there in the driveway. The guy was awesome, very honest and cheaper than the shop and no towing needed.

    I will use them again for changing my sparkplugs (stupid modern cars make this hard..). I've used it a second time for replacing my alternator.

    Great service. This is not a paid advertisement. Just a really happy customer.

    --
    -- Senior Software Engineer, Attorney appearance services, locallawyerapp.com.
  33. Re:Not new by Caedite+Eos · · Score: 1

    What ...