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Launch HN: Fiix (YC W17) – Same-Day Auto Repair at Your Home

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Re: Launch HN: Fiix (YC W17) – Same-Day Auto Repair at Your Home

#41

Post by packeted »

pmcollins wrote: post #25

Here's what I want: To take my car to a gleaming, state of the art repair facility with every tool I could ever need, staffed by auto mechanic "coaches" who will help me repair my car myself.

These places do exist, I worked on friend's car at an awesome place called Lifted in Fremont. They had all the tools you could want and a knowledge crew to get you out of sticky situations. It looks like there are a few other places throughout the Bay Area too. I think the challenge was inexperienced people coming in and underestimating the task they were taking on or screwing things up and having to leave their cars at the shop for what was originally a day job.

Re: Launch HN: Fiix (YC W17) – Same-Day Auto Repair at Your Home

#42

Post by overcast »

chpmrc wrote: post #34
pmcollins wrote: post #25

Here's what I want: To take my car to a gleaming, state of the art repair facility with every tool I could ever need, staffed by auto mechanic "coaches" who will help me repair my car myself.

This is incredible! I have just thought about doing the same thing with chefs. As in: you order a (not the Michelin-star kind) chef who'll come to your house and teach you how to cook some tasty meal, without worrying about buying ingredients, tools etc. We learn from plumbers and technicians, why not learn from chefs?

There was a few offerings around this idea in the past few years. Kithensurfing being another one of them. They've all burned out due to lack of demand.

http://www.eater.com/2015/12/7/9852106/kitchensurfing-privat...

Pretty much explains it.

Re: Launch HN: Fiix (YC W17) – Same-Day Auto Repair at Your Home

#43

Post by jacquesm »

khallil wrote: post #32
jacquesm wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd hate to be a mechanic working outdoors in winter Toronto. Just thinking of handling steel tools with un-gloved hands (otherwise you can't grasp much) makes me feel sorry for those folks.

The winter is definitely hard in Toronto, and we work closely with our mechanics to make sure they're warm and safe. We try to maximize the number of bookings inside a garage, and they're all equipped with both heated jackets and portable heaters. When it gets way too cold, we prioritize mechanic happiness and reschedule all the jobs for the day.

Another reason why you really do not want to work outside in Canada in the winter:

Metal gets brittle when it is cold. This will lead to tool breakage (health risk) and bolts snapping rather than turning. You really should not work on a car at temperatures Being a car mechanic is hard enough on the body when working in the best possible setting.

Re: Launch HN: Fiix (YC W17) – Same-Day Auto Repair at Your Home

#44

Post by masor »

packeted wrote: post #41
pmcollins wrote: post #25

Here's what I want: To take my car to a gleaming, state of the art repair facility with every tool I could ever need, staffed by auto mechanic "coaches" who will help me repair my car myself.

These places do exist, I worked on friend's car at an awesome place called Lifted in Fremont. They had all the tools you could want and a knowledge crew to get you out of sticky situations. It looks like there are a few other places throughout the Bay Area too. I think the challenge was inexperienced people coming in and underestimating the task they were taking on or screwing things up and having to leave their cars…

There's also Pit Row in Santa Clara. Search for terms like "DIY".

Re: Launch HN: Fiix (YC W17) – Same-Day Auto Repair at Your Home

#45

Post by mtreis86 »

What have the legalities been like for you to do this in Canada? As a mechanic in the USA (ASE a decade ago) I was told multiple times that repairs cannot be at a customer's residence due to both EPA regulations on fluid contamination and various local or state zoning ordinances.

Re: Launch HN: Fiix (YC W17) – Same-Day Auto Repair at Your Home

#46

Post by cjensen »

packeted wrote: post #41
pmcollins wrote: post #25

Here's what I want: To take my car to a gleaming, state of the art repair facility with every tool I could ever need, staffed by auto mechanic "coaches" who will help me repair my car myself.

These places do exist, I worked on friend's car at an awesome place called Lifted in Fremont. They had all the tools you could want and a knowledge crew to get you out of sticky situations. It looks like there are a few other places throughout the Bay Area too. I think the challenge was inexperienced people coming in and underestimating the task they were taking on or screwing things up and having to leave their cars…

Being in Fremont, I immediately searched to learn more. It's permanently closed.

Re: Launch HN: Fiix (YC W17) – Same-Day Auto Repair at Your Home

#47

Post by pbhjpbhj »

jacquesm wrote: post #27
sergiotapia wrote: post #14

This service is only available in Toronto, Canada. Seems like a good idea if the price is right. I'd love this for regular car maintenance.

I'd hate to be a mechanic working outdoors in winter Toronto. Just thinking of handling steel tools with un-gloved hands (otherwise you can't grasp much) makes me feel sorry for those folks.

>Just thinking of handling steel tools with un-gloved hands //

Nearly all the mechanics I see working now in the UK have gloves, tight fitting "latex" ones. I suspect it's in part to do with evidence suggesting used engine oil is strong carcinogen, and also because most garages have open fronts here. There are plenty of other fluids knocking around you don't really want to be in contact with a lot; also even light latex gloves will stop some scuffs and nicks. I've used them myself occasionally, when it's very cold (just above 0degC/freezing) they help a lot.

Gloves seem more common the more expensive the service is too, so it might be a company mandated 'health and safety' protection.

Re: Launch HN: Fiix (YC W17) – Same-Day Auto Repair at Your Home

#48

Post by pbhjpbhj »

Danihan wrote: post #18
overcast wrote: post #17

Let's get serious for a moment here. Beyond relatively simple home garage fixes, how do you plan on addressing larger issues that a mobile service could never handle. Something that requires a lift for example? Exhausts, transmission, basically anything under the body. Are teams available? How did you handle mounting / balancing with TireSwap?

The mechanic shows up in a tow truck.

Does anyone make a mobile car lift, like a truck with an embedded hydraulic lift. Seems doable, just not sure if it would be worth selling because you can tow to a lift and that lift would be [much] cheaper?

Re: Launch HN: Fiix (YC W17) – Same-Day Auto Repair at Your Home

#49

Post by jacquesm »

pbhjpbhj wrote: post #47
jacquesm wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd hate to be a mechanic working outdoors in winter Toronto. Just thinking of handling steel tools with un-gloved hands (otherwise you can't grasp much) makes me feel sorry for those folks.

>Just thinking of handling steel tools with un-gloved hands // Nearly all the mechanics I see working now in the UK have gloves, tight fitting "latex" ones. I suspect it's in part to do with evidence suggesting used engine oil is strong carcinogen, and also because most garages have open fronts here. There are plenty of other fluids knocking around you don't really want to be in contact with a lot; also even light la…

Interesting. I've never found gloves I could comfortably work with, especially when the area I'm working on is out of view (which is more often than not with cars). Which inevitably leads to lots of scrapes so I can totally understand why gloves would be mandatory.

Re: Launch HN: Fiix (YC W17) – Same-Day Auto Repair at Your Home

#50

Post by mattsolm »

This looks exactly like YourMechanic (also YC company), with a far less refined product. Actually there is no product. It is just a chat interface. Also, your pages seem to be broken; for example: https://www.fiix.io/estimates/Audi/A4/Coolant-Flush-cost shows estimate of $0. In fact almost all the Audi A4 estimate pages have $0 (at least all the ones i opened).

What exactly would you say is the differentiating factor, other than the fact that they don't service Canada?

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