Brand Loyalty

[formulanone]

Battery powered tools is another area where loyalty is force fed by incompatible batteries.

I believe Harbor Freight Tools sells "house brands" of popular power tool battery packs. They also sell some white-label products which are just as good as several other branded tools, and people claim they're essentially the same item. Though they also have a lot of average to basic-grade stuff which professionals avoid, unless it's a tool they will use once and probably not need again.

It's more along the lines of my first drill being Ryobi - and then every time I need another tool (something like 7 by now), batteries on hand (4 or 5 by now) make me look towards another Ryobi before even thinking about other options. Anything else would require a battery - which isn't really a cheap thing, even generic one.
Another dirty trick is the shape of Ryobi battery - other brands can be adapted for Ryobi tools, but not the other way around.

I have three Ryobi tools but moved over once the battery packs on the Black & Deckers wore out after about 10-12 years. The Ryobi drill has more adjustable power and torque so that also sealed the deal. There's a lot more variety of tools and having a pack to power any of them is nice.

[webny99]

Delta Sonic fuel, for the following reasons:

• Price is reliably a bit cheaper than other generic gas stations, though more expensive than BJ's/Costco. Plus I have a member card that's good for an additional 10 cents off
• Convenience, especially in the winter months. The efficiency of pulling out of the car wash and right up to the gas pump is unmatched
• Trigger locks on the gas pumps. You may be surprised to know that most gas stations in New York don't have these, so you have to manually hold the handle down the entire time.    So going to a station that has them is a huge bonus, especially in the winter months
• The location I frequent most has 10 total pumps, well over average for this area. So there's never a line for the pumps, except maybe on the day before a holiday
• Has a decent C-store with decent restrooms, plus free vacuums and DIY cleaning supplies for members, so it doubles as a "travel center" should any of those things be needed

And my loyalty is despite them not having a location that's super convenient for me. If I'm not going to the car wash, it's a bit out of the way just for gas, but it's still worth it to me.

[Rothman]

Delta Sonic fuel, for the following reasons:

• Price: reliably a bit cheaper than other generic gas stations, though more expensive than BJ's/Costco
• I have a member card that's good for an additional 10 cents off
• Convenience, especially in the winter months. The efficiency of pulling out of the car wash and right up to the gas pump is unmatched
• Trigger locks on the gas pumps. You may be surprised to know that most gas stations in New York don't have these, so you have to manually hold the handle down the entire time.    So going to a station that has them is a huge bonus, especially in the winter months
• The location I frequent most has 10 total pumps, well over average for this area. So there's never a line for the pumps, except maybe on the day before a holiday
• Has a decent C-store with decent restrooms
• Has free vacuums and DIY cleaning supplies for members

And my loyalty is despite them not having a location that's super convenient for me. If I'm not going to the car wash, it's a bit out of the way just for gas, but it's still worth it to me.

Trigger locks on gas pumps were made illegal in NY some years ago.  Have no idea if that law was rescinded.

[1995hoo]

It seems to me it wold make more sense to go to the gas pump first, then the car wash, just in case you drip any gas on the car when you remove the pump.

[formulanone]

Delta Sonic fuel, for the following reasons:

• Price: reliably a bit cheaper than other generic gas stations, though more expensive than BJ's/Costco
• I have a member card that's good for an additional 10 cents off
• Convenience, especially in the winter months. The efficiency of pulling out of the car wash and right up to the gas pump is unmatched
• Trigger locks on the gas pumps. You may be surprised to know that most gas stations in New York don't have these, so you have to manually hold the handle down the entire time.    So going to a station that has them is a huge bonus, especially in the winter months
• The location I frequent most has 10 total pumps, well over average for this area. So there's never a line for the pumps, except maybe on the day before a holiday
• Has a decent C-store with decent restrooms
• Has free vacuums and DIY cleaning supplies for members

And my loyalty is despite them not having a location that's super convenient for me. If I'm not going to the car wash, it's a bit out of the way just for gas, but it's still worth it to me.

Trigger locks on gas pumps were made illegal in NY some years ago.  Have no idea if that law was rescinded.

That's what I suspected.

I've forced a gas cap in the trigger a few times to wash the windshield while pumping.

[SectorZ]

Delta Sonic fuel, for the following reasons:

• Price: reliably a bit cheaper than other generic gas stations, though more expensive than BJ's/Costco
• I have a member card that's good for an additional 10 cents off
• Convenience, especially in the winter months. The efficiency of pulling out of the car wash and right up to the gas pump is unmatched
• Trigger locks on the gas pumps. You may be surprised to know that most gas stations in New York don't have these, so you have to manually hold the handle down the entire time.    So going to a station that has them is a huge bonus, especially in the winter months
• The location I frequent most has 10 total pumps, well over average for this area. So there's never a line for the pumps, except maybe on the day before a holiday
• Has a decent C-store with decent restrooms
• Has free vacuums and DIY cleaning supplies for members

And my loyalty is despite them not having a location that's super convenient for me. If I'm not going to the car wash, it's a bit out of the way just for gas, but it's still worth it to me.

Trigger locks on gas pumps were made illegal in NY some years ago.  Have no idea if that law was rescinded.

I wonder how many states they are still illegal in. They were banned in Massachusetts from 1970 to 2015, and given that, few places have them unless they've gone through a recent renovation.

[vdeane]

There's definitely a geographic element to where they can be found in New York.  Rochester has a fair number of stations that have them, but they're practically non-existent in the eastern parts of the state and downstate.

[LilianaUwU]

Never said I did.  Said I had the option to.  Message boards all over, and YouTube, are full of tight a**es who like to brag about how much money they saved just watching Netflix (or whatever) and how little they miss being a part of the mainstream culture.  OK, you do you.  Life is way too short to sit about and actually brag about how cheap you are.

Considering that most of the trending and popular shows nowadays are on streaming platforms, or even exclusive to them, TV is outside of the mainstream. And good riddance to the ad-filled hell that it is.

Speaking of ads, don't get me started on YouTube and Twitch putting as many ads as TV or more on stuff on their platforms, then wondering why people use adblockers.

[hotdogPi]

Speaking of ads, don't get me started on YouTube and Twitch putting as many ads as TV or more on stuff on their platforms, then wondering why people use adblockers.

Aren't these ads your personal source of income?

[webny99]

It seems to me it wold make more sense to go to the gas pump first, then the car wash, just in case you drip any gas on the car when you remove the pump.

Vehicles around here get so plastered with salt in the winter months that I'd much rather risk a minor gas spill and have a clean car at the pump. Fueling up a salt covered vehicle is just asking for salt smears everywhere, plus I tend to like to lean against the car while pumping gas, which I can't do when it's salt covered.

And half the time my fuel cap cover pops open in the car wash anyways, so fueling afterwards saves a step.   

[Rothman]

Delta Sonic fuel, for the following reasons:

• Price: reliably a bit cheaper than other generic gas stations, though more expensive than BJ's/Costco
• I have a member card that's good for an additional 10 cents off
• Convenience, especially in the winter months. The efficiency of pulling out of the car wash and right up to the gas pump is unmatched
• Trigger locks on the gas pumps. You may be surprised to know that most gas stations in New York don't have these, so you have to manually hold the handle down the entire time.    So going to a station that has them is a huge bonus, especially in the winter months
• The location I frequent most has 10 total pumps, well over average for this area. So there's never a line for the pumps, except maybe on the day before a holiday
• Has a decent C-store with decent restrooms
• Has free vacuums and DIY cleaning supplies for members

And my loyalty is despite them not having a location that's super convenient for me. If I'm not going to the car wash, it's a bit out of the way just for gas, but it's still worth it to me.

Trigger locks on gas pumps were made illegal in NY some years ago.  Have no idea if that law was rescinded.

That's what I suspected.

I've forced a gas cap in the trigger a few times to wash the windshield while pumping.

Hm.  Wonder what the odds are of it making a mess.  Probably fun betting odds...

[LilianaUwU]

Speaking of ads, don't get me started on YouTube and Twitch putting as many ads as TV or more on stuff on their platforms, then wondering why people use adblockers.

Aren't these ads your personal source of income?

On Twitch? I get pennies in ad revenue every month, out of the $50 needed for a payout. It's not worth the constant bombardment.

[formulanone]

Delta Sonic fuel, for the following reasons:

• Price: reliably a bit cheaper than other generic gas stations, though more expensive than BJ's/Costco
• I have a member card that's good for an additional 10 cents off
• Convenience, especially in the winter months. The efficiency of pulling out of the car wash and right up to the gas pump is unmatched
• Trigger locks on the gas pumps. You may be surprised to know that most gas stations in New York don't have these, so you have to manually hold the handle down the entire time.    So going to a station that has them is a huge bonus, especially in the winter months
• The location I frequent most has 10 total pumps, well over average for this area. So there's never a line for the pumps, except maybe on the day before a holiday
• Has a decent C-store with decent restrooms
• Has free vacuums and DIY cleaning supplies for members

And my loyalty is despite them not having a location that's super convenient for me. If I'm not going to the car wash, it's a bit out of the way just for gas, but it's still worth it to me.

Trigger locks on gas pumps were made illegal in NY some years ago.  Have no idea if that law was rescinded.

That's what I suspected.

I've forced a gas cap in the trigger a few times to wash the windshield while pumping.

Hm.  Wonder what the odds are of it making a mess.  Probably fun betting odds...

It hasn't happened so far by jamming it, but I won't do it if it's less than 8-10 gallons, just to be sure. Flow rates are usually about 2-3 gallons a minute, sometimes agonizingly longer. And there's lots of recent cars without a fuel cap, it just seals against the door flap.

I've had three fuel overflows in my lifetime, one caused by a troublesome car (fixed under warranty), one pump problem out in the sticks, and another indeterminate (rental car in Denver).

If it were a massive safety issue, I think we'd hear about much more in the media, because nothing leads like death by fire on camera.

[Rothman]

Delta Sonic fuel, for the following reasons:

• Price: reliably a bit cheaper than other generic gas stations, though more expensive than BJ's/Costco
• I have a member card that's good for an additional 10 cents off
• Convenience, especially in the winter months. The efficiency of pulling out of the car wash and right up to the gas pump is unmatched
• Trigger locks on the gas pumps. You may be surprised to know that most gas stations in New York don't have these, so you have to manually hold the handle down the entire time.    So going to a station that has them is a huge bonus, especially in the winter months
• The location I frequent most has 10 total pumps, well over average for this area. So there's never a line for the pumps, except maybe on the day before a holiday
• Has a decent C-store with decent restrooms
• Has free vacuums and DIY cleaning supplies for members

And my loyalty is despite them not having a location that's super convenient for me. If I'm not going to the car wash, it's a bit out of the way just for gas, but it's still worth it to me.

Trigger locks on gas pumps were made illegal in NY some years ago.  Have no idea if that law was rescinded.

That's what I suspected.

I've forced a gas cap in the trigger a few times to wash the windshield while pumping.

Hm.  Wonder what the odds are of it making a mess.  Probably fun betting odds...

It hasn't happened so far by jamming it, but I won't do it if it's less than 8-10 gallons, just to be sure. Flow rates are usually about 2-3 gallons a minute, sometimes agonizingly longer.

I've had three fuel overflows in my lifetime, one caused by a troublesome car (fixed under warranty), one pump problem out in the sticks, and another indeterminate (rental car in Denver).

If it were a massive safety issue, I think we'd hear about much more in the media, because nothing leads like death by fire on camera.

I'm just saying, fun betting odds are less than 50/50, but good enough to say, "I told you so" in the unlikely event something happens.

[Max Rockatansky]

My old Fiesta once overflowed by two gallons while I was washing the windshield.  The issue wasn't the pump but rather the capless fuel filler sensor failing.  Until I got said sensor fixed the fuel filler would overflow at the pump unless I manually calculated how gas I needed.  The overflow valve dropped the excess fuel a couple inches away from the left read drum brakes. 

[thspfc]

Nike for shoes. That's about it for me.

[Max Rockatansky]

Nike does tend to make shoes for people with flat feet (like me).  I've tried other brands for running purposes but they tend to be hard to break in and cause strains in my toes.

[kkt]

Smith Teamakers - I can't find any other teas I like nearly as well

As a side note - consider following places
https://www.teasource.com/
https://www.uptontea.com/
https://svtea.com/

I haven't tried Smiths, but I like Harney & Sons and Dammann Freres.

[achilles765]

I have several brands I'm loyal to.

For groceries, I generally stick to any of the HEB store brands. They are just as high quality as the big name brands but less expensive and HEB is a big force for good in Texas with all the money and work they put back into the communities.

Other than that, Dr Pepper and Diet Coke for sodas, Remy Martin for my cognac, and simply for my fruit juices.

For cars—Honda all the way. Two door, manual transmission Honda Civics are my choice for cars every time.

PlayStation. I have a PlayStation 3 and a 5. And I have owned every single generation PlayStation system. And will continue to—absolute loyalty there.

And finally, probably the one I'm most loyal to—apple. I won't use anything other than an iPhone and a MacBook. I don't even know how to use an android phone or a windows pc

[kphoger]

As to cars, I have owned or via work had control and responsibility over, many cars.  The "big 3" cars are garbage.  Always have been, always will be.  Every 10 years they tell you the cars they made 10 years ago were bad, but they aren't anymore.  Been saying that for years.  But, beyond that, no loyalty at all.  Toyotas are fine, Nissans are fine, Hondas are fine, VWs are fine, other "German" brands are fine, the "Korean" brands are fine.  Currently own an Audi.  Trade every 5 years, just short of halfway through, next car will be whatever the auto media says is the thing to get in the segment I'm looking at.

Well yeah, if you buy new and then get rid of your car after just five years, then of course you can't tell a difference in quality.  When you get to 140,000 miles, the differences become much more apparent.

[JayhawkCO]

Nike for shoes. That's about it for me.

For hiking shoes, I only wear La Sportiva. They run a bit narrow, specifically at the heel, which is great for me since I feel like they really hug my foot when hiking in the mountains. For flip-flops, I only wear Olukai. Most comfortable pair of shoes I own.

[hbelkins]

Diet Dr Pepper and Dr Pepper Zero Sugar (which, I suspect are the same thing)

Different artificial sweeteners (as well as different marketing - Diet tends to be feminine-coded, Zero masculine) so that the Zero tastes more like the original.

I notice a slight, not significant taste difference between Diet Dr Pepper and Dr Pepper Zero Sugar.

It's funny to me that Dr Pepper is served in some establishments that serve Coke-branded fountain drinks, and is also served in some with Pepsi-branded drinks.

[kphoger]

Diet Dr Pepper and Dr Pepper Zero Sugar (which, I suspect are the same thing)

Different artificial sweeteners (as well as different marketing - Diet tends to be feminine-coded, Zero masculine) so that the Zero tastes more like the original.

Actually, both contain aspartame as a sweetener.  Dr Pepper Zero Sugar also has a second sweetener.  But that's not the only difference in the ingredients list.

[hbelkins]

One thing I haven't noticed here is phones.

I have too much invested in Apple apps to ever switch to Android.

[gonealookin]

Nike for shoes. That's about it for me.

For hiking shoes, I only wear La Sportiva. They run a bit narrow, specifically at the heel, which is great for me since I feel like they really hug my foot when hiking in the mountains. For flip-flops, I only wear Olukai. Most comfortable pair of shoes I own.

Merrell Moab 3s here, both the mid-level hiking boots and the lower-cut hiking shoes that I use as my everyday walking shoes.  They are comfortable right out of the box and the Vibram soles last quite some time (not forever of course).  REI periodically has 20% off sales for members and that's when I pick up a new pair.