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Yoshi (YC S16) launches “set it and forget it” vehicle re-fueling service in SF

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261–270 of 281 posts

Re: Yoshi (YC S16) launches “set it and forget it” vehicle re-fueling service in SF

#261
post #213

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think gas stations will gradually turn into something else. Already in Australia the serious ones are developing beyond just car refuelling.

I think it's similar in America; AM-PM and 7-11 usually have "food" and also sell gas.

Huh? I remember this being the case in the 1990s. In UK at least

Re: Yoshi (YC S16) launches “set it and forget it” vehicle re-fueling service in SF

#262
post #249

Having started driving in the age of 99¢/gal gas, I am highly sensitive to price differences between stations, and I choose between 3 stations that are always within 5¢ of each other. I am typically not so price sensitive (with other purchases), but with gas I make minor schedule/route deviations to save Having a service like this would save me some amount of time, I suspect that if I significantly relaxed my fueling…

You have that degree of decision paralysis over 50 cents?

Probably spends more shopping around than he does saving money.

Re: Yoshi (YC S16) launches “set it and forget it” vehicle re-fueling service in SF

#263

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're missing the point. Most people don't think through this. They stop at "That costs me $15. Not gonna do it."

i think you're missing the point, people spend $15 all the time without thinking about it... hence my examples.

People often pay $15 to avoid doing 40 minutes of work: walking, cooking & cleaning, washing a car.

Much fewer people will pay $15 to avoid 40 minutes of driving or waiting.

Re: Yoshi (YC S16) launches “set it and forget it” vehicle re-fueling service in SF

#264
post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can stop for gas, go in for a cup of Starbucks and be back to my car that now has a full tank in less than 5 minutes. Would I pay $15 a month for this even though my normal routine doesn't suck? Maybe. But what about the actual gas cost? That's more important than the $15 subscription fee if the spread is large enough and I'm guessing it is since they have to pay for the drivers, carry some kind of insurance I pres…

You're not supposed to leave a running gas pump unattended. The auto shutoff doesn't always work.

Some US states require a pump attendant to do it for you.

Re: Yoshi (YC S16) launches “set it and forget it” vehicle re-fueling service in SF

#265

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is such a thing as old gas which you don’t want in your car’s engine.

You probably don't want to use fuel that's been sitting in a jerry can for years, but is that concern really applicable to gas stations? Surely even the worst of them would turn over their entire stock in a matter of days, so you'll never be buying particularly old fuel.

Yes you are right - I was just making the point that gas is not all equivalent.

Re: Yoshi (YC S16) launches “set it and forget it” vehicle re-fueling service in SF

#266
post #234

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> $450-$600/month expenses To be fair, this is probably a trade-off people in SF are already making. I know I am in NYC - if I was willing to spend an extra hour/day commuting (and that's only weekday, of course), I could easily save $500/month or more on rent.

Lets do some more math. Lets fix that figure to something like $600/month. That is $7200/year. Over a decade that is $72,000. Say if you started when you were 21. By the time you are 46- just the savings would be $180,000. Progressively invest that in a good fund. That could mean a home right there or a 401k equivalent, Just on your travel expenses. To me, that's a decent nest egg. I don't believe the parent poster w…

Those numbers actually aren't too compelling.

25 years * 5 days a week * 48 working weeks a year = 6000 hours spent commuting.

Assuming 8 hours sleeping and 8 hours working, those 6k translate to 375 days worth of waking hours and 750 days worth of non-work hours.

Alternatively, you could devote those 6K hours entirely to working and get the equivalent of 3.125 extra working years over that time (6000 / (48 * 8 * 5) = 3.125), which should exceed a nominal $180K pretty easily.

Re: Yoshi (YC S16) launches “set it and forget it” vehicle re-fueling service in SF

#267

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think you underestimate how valuable the vast majority of the world considers their money. All this use of "My". Sorry to be blunt but you are irrelevant. Spend some time outside of the bubble, St. Louis for example. People here ain't gonna pay $15 to reclaim 40 minutes a month. This strikes me like the gig economy spend a $1 to get $0.90 strategy. There are huge costs for physical presence businesses that can only…

> People here ain't gonna pay $15 to reclaim 40 minutes a month are there no hand car washes in st. louis? a full service carwash saves about 40 minutes of labor that you can use to catch up on work or other activities, and costs about 15 bucks. and how about a cheap lunch at the diner for 1 or 2? wouldn't that be about $15? and saves you about 40 minutes of prep, cook, and clean? $15 in a taxi cab or uber would save…

Personally I save 40 minutes of carwashing by never washing the car.

Re: Yoshi (YC S16) launches “set it and forget it” vehicle re-fueling service in SF

#268
post #203

Earlier quoted context omitted.

1. Paint Yoshi sign on Truck so it looks like you're supposed to be there messing with the car's gas. 2. Use something like GasTapper (literally first google hit) on apparently uncrackable gas tanks. 3. Profit?

Interesting, thanks. My understanding was wrong -- I thought the automakers were using actual metal mesh screens to block the passage of siphons. Apparently (according to the GasTapper video I just watched on YouTube) you can just ram the smaller hose right through the obstruction.

And thank you. I wasn't even aware gas tanks had security measures, let alone gadgets to circumvent it until your comment piqued my interest. Pretty interesting.

Re: Yoshi (YC S16) launches “set it and forget it” vehicle re-fueling service in SF

#269
post #234

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Lets do some more math. Lets fix that figure to something like $600/month. That is $7200/year. Over a decade that is $72,000. Say if you started when you were 21. By the time you are 46- just the savings would be $180,000. Progressively invest that in a good fund. That could mean a home right there or a 401k equivalent, Just on your travel expenses. To me, that's a decent nest egg. I don't believe the parent poster w…

Those numbers actually aren't too compelling. 25 years * 5 days a week * 48 working weeks a year = 6000 hours spent commuting. Assuming 8 hours sleeping and 8 hours working, those 6k translate to 375 days worth of waking hours and 750 days worth of non-work hours. Alternatively, you could devote those 6K hours entirely to working and get the equivalent of 3.125 extra working years over that time (6000 / (48 * 8 * 5)…

Makes sense if you wish to work. But most people in this thread talk of spending that time on video games.

Re: Yoshi (YC S16) launches “set it and forget it” vehicle re-fueling service in SF

#270

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree with you and it seems to be a semi-proven model with https://www.yourmechanic.com/ being the leader in that sort of thing atm.

I've tried two of these services and both never responded to my request.

Really?

I've had no trouble with YourMechanic.

I've never used Yoshi...but I have a gas station at the end of my block and I talk to the owner every so often so I'd feel weird cutting him off like that. xD

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