Door Dash has a vehicle tracking app, too. It's amusing to watch sometimes if I have nothing better to do.

Are the items being delivered perishable food that needs refrigeration? If not, why would knowing the exact delivery time in advance matter?

"why would knowing the exact delivery time in advance matter?"

So you can be sure to be home to receive them?

I rarely use home delivery but on occasion when I have, I time being home at the delivery time I selected so they aren't left lying outside.

We don't often but do occasionally have a porch pirate, aka people who steal deliveries.

" So you can be sure to be home to receive them? "

I don't automatically assume something like that. It's important or thought to be important by some but for sure not by many others.

Many large-ish residential developments have centrally located delivery lockers that residents can use for such purposes.

For Amazon, there are its lockers and other pickup locations where deliveries are safely handled, for people living in places where porch theft is a real problem. Such places are all over in populated areas, less so or perhaps not at all in rural areas.

Today, we're waiting for an expensive piece of jewelry that needs to be signed for. We were told 9PM. All of us would be home then. The window changed to 11:30AM-12:30PM. None of us would be home. Knowing the timeframe, we enlisted our neighbors' help to get it signed. But yes, also to make sure we are keeping an eye out to avoid someone picking it up before us. It's a covered porch (hides things better) with stairs, so that likely deters folks. Also, our neighbors also keep an eye out. As do we, for them. Why tempt folks, though, and leave anything sitting out?

"I don't automatically assume something like that."

I realize that. I was politely trying to explain why someone may want to track the delivery so they can be home. In case they don't have a place where a delivery can be made. The Amazon delivery pick-up locations aren't always convenient. The closest one to me is 6.4 miles away.

rob, there will always be exceptional situations.

I've never purchased jewelry that was delivered but your mentioning a signature triggered a memory. Over the years, more often than not, I've purchased PCs online that were delivered in the normal ways. Ages ago, there was the inconvenience of someone having to be home for the delivery (when a 3 hour or so window was provided). These days, I think signing for PCs is less common. I bought one 4 months ago from Dell, it was left at the door when no one was home. Whether a signature was required or hoped for, i don't know. It was there when I returned home.

If you regularly buy items from Amazon or others that arrive by delivery to the front door, what percentage of them require a signature and what percentage of them do you feel it necessary to be home when the delivery happens?

Deliveries near a door "tempting" people? There will be locations where that's an isssue but many others where it's not. I think people learn from experience what the best approach is for their own home deliveries and there are alternatives for places where packages can grow legs and walk away. I think sellers accept thefts as another cost of doing business and will send a replacement shipment when a good customer informs them of non-receipt. So, there's really no risk or jeopardy for the buyer.

Porch pirates are pretty common in lots of places. Probably not in gated communities, so not everyone is aware of just how common it is.

People follow delivery trucks and pick up packages after they are left. Even if hidden from street view, they know something was delivered. I've seen a couple of videos where the delivery driver, put it down, took a picture to show where it was left, then stole the package themselves. With so many security cameras on homes these days, that would be hard to get away with unless you were sure there were no cameras.

Apple requires a code from the purchaser if a delivery of sufficient value is delivered to a residence so a person over 18 must receive the delivery.

A delivery from Door Dash often includes perishables.

I also order certain items from Target or Walmart that, while shelf-stable, are better if not exposed to prolonged sun and heat.

Personally, I wouldn't mind having visibility of some other types of deliveries, too. For instance, when you are given a 4-hour window for a furniture delivery. It would be nice to know approximately where the truck is at any given time so an errand could be run if necessary or so one could run home from the office to accept delivery without wasting the whole four hours waiting.

My last big $ delivery, wasn't that heavy, was a lawn mower. They set it on the sidewalk right where somebody could drive up and toss it in their car?! That was a hardware store. If they hadn't posted a picture, I would never have known. Since I saw it, I called the house and immediately had the kids (her or her boyfriend, I didn't care which one) go out and get it. That looked so tempting to me. I can imagine what other people thought.

Fortunately that's not been a problem here. But then, I was confident about leaving my cars unlocked until they got rummaged through.

There are times I get antsy about delivery time. For example I’ve got other things on my mind and forgot to order the oil change stuff for my daughter’s car earlier, for before she goes to college. I thoufht it was coming today but it’ll come tomorrow. So once I get a window I’ll be somewhat planning my day around it.

To answer potential questions, I’m particular about using OEM fluids for that car so I won’t take it just anywhere, and I refuse ro patronize the local dealership. That largely leaves me to do it.

I don't know of any automobile manufacturers who operate chemical plants or refineries so likely anything with an OEM label was made by one of the known names in the auto fluids business. Really no such thing as an OEM product.

The important thing with fluids, as I'm sure you know, is to use a product with specs and ratings that conform to the manufacturer's recommendations. As found in the owners manual.

Mobil One has long been a popular and well regarded synthetic oil but opinions vary from one to another.

Most auto shops will do fluid changes with customer supplied fluids. Maybe you just like to do it yourself but there are ways to keep your hands clean. And avoid having to clean-up afterwards and then dispose of used fluids.

Last time I did an oil change was when I was in college, helping a friend who couldn't afford to use a shop. Not something I looked forward to doing.

" Porch pirates are pretty common in lots of places. Probably not in gated communities, so not everyone is aware of just how common it is. "

olychick, I think that varies. Do you live in an ungated community? Do you have this problem?

Some "gated communities" have keypad access with codes they don't bother changing because after awhile they become widely known anyway. Gates are like locks on doors or windows, to keep honest people honest. Someone who wants to get in, can get in.

It's easy enough to do -I've seen it happen before when visiting a gated community - a second car will tailgate one in front of it and get in before the gate closes.

Yes I’m aware of the specific specs, and am aware that even if I find the same mfr, product name, and weight on a shelf somewhere it likely won’t match the spec. Back when we bought the car I found one other oil that was supposedly compatible, but opinions varied. Now there seem to be a couple more, but none of which you’re likely to find at Auto Zone.

I pay for oil changes for my other cars, but for this one it’d be borderline lazy. Oil is sucked out from the top (dealership confirmed they also do this rather than drop the skid plate to access the drain plug) and the filter is also top, front and center. I don’t mind getting my hands dirty here and there but this job hardly qualifies as dirty.

For that car, is the skid plate never dropped to allow sediment and metal pieces to drain through the crackcase drain? That would seem as important if not more so than being careful with the oil brand.

I understand that concern in theory, have thought about it, and don’t disagree with the idea. But. I’m not just dropping a hose in there or connecting to the dipstick tube or something, I’m connecting to the tube specifically there for the purpose. And I’m using the method the dealership tech told me they ”always” use. If I’m missing some sludge it’s either sitting down there undisturbed or it’ll make its way to the filter in short time.

If I’m wrong, so be it. The car’s got 10y/100K on it and in my world it owes me nothing. But I’ll still give her OEM (ahem, manufacturer licensed, branded, or approved) fluids.

But I appreciate you mentioning it. Really. Even if no one else cares.

"So you can be sure to be home to receive them?" - Absolutely!

With 120 pounds of dry cat food and 80 pounds of canned cat food delivered roughly every 2.5 months, we want to be there when it arrives. Chewy specifies on the FedEx labels where to place the boxes. FedEx gives us a window. We always set out a couple of dollies in that spot. If we're not "on the spot" it's about a 50/50 chance that we'll miss getting them on a dolly. If we're waiting for them, they will sometimes be nice enough to help us get the boxes into the garage. Sometimes not. Even though the packages are 40 pounds each, that's a heft for us oldies.

You are buying their food and rassling it into the garage. I think you have a fortunate bunch of kitties, I hope they appreciate their wonderful home and all you do in their behalf.

I have a hunch that more companies might have detailed tracking because many more of their customers like it than do not. I haven't experienced the moment to moment tracking with maps, but I certainly appreciate knowing something's out for delivery and the time window. We recently had a new washer/dryer delivered and installed, for instance. I received emails, texts and a phone call on the day of, which made for a smooth experience.

This conversation mixes apples and oranges. Getting a package of 5 pounds or less delivered, which must be the most common as far as the frequency is concerned, versus receiving 200 pounds of pet supplies or large appliances (that often have to be installed) are very different matters and very different experiences.

Everyone will be glad to know, our expensive jewelry is in hand and we're very happy. There are so MANY reasons to know when something arrives. Who cares what each personal reason is. They caught on, and know, we want to know when. Your reasons are your own.

Awesome, Rob, glad you got it! And I’m sure everyone will be happy to learn that I got my engine oil. I did have a hiccup in that my torque wrench was out of batteries, and I lost track of an O-ring for a while when I got distracted by my phone, but even with that I was done in less than an hour soup to nuts.

I like the tracking on orders I place when I'm lazy and order from Door Dash or some such food delivery service. I don't use these services often but they've come in handy occasionally. I like watching the little car on the app getting closer and closer to my home or wherever I'm ordering from.

Ordering in like that can be expensive but admittedly, occasionally I am lazy 😂

I use Door Dash occasionally too, and through my credit card I get a discount. I suspect many offer that.

I don't order Door Dash when I'm not home, and of course I want to know of the delivery because I order hot food. I see that as being different from "normal" retail buying deliveries of small items of modest value except in areas where porch thefts are common and alternate sites (UPS Stores, Amazon Lockers, etc) are not convenient or available.

I definitely want to be home when I get something delivered. My dog insists on it.

The two regular delivery people (UPS and A mazon) that come to my place have gotten to know Frank (my dog) and always have a treat for him. He adores them!

One of the delivery personnel likes to bang out a little tune on the tongue drum that I have sitting on my front porch. He’s always got something new to play. 🤠

We're dogless now but our dogs were always kept inside. Do you keep your dog outside?

There are enough strange people around that we had the same rules for the dogs as for our kids - no food from strangers unless wrapped in a factory package. Rarely the case for pet treats.

Elmer, I live in the middle of nowhere. One can hear a delivery truck coming up our driveway. Also, I pretty much know to the minute what time the delivery is going to be made. Frank does, too. I go out with Frank, have a nice chat, get our picture taken with the parcel. Frank gets a treat! We’ve know the delivery guy for years.

My dog eats a lot of things that are not factory wrapped. Horse poop, deer poop, frogs,crickets…..I guess that’s the downside of living in the middle of nowhere.🤷‍♀️

Frank lives inside.