Stories when filling up at "gasoline station"

bhtooefr

TDIClub Enthusiast, ToofTek Inventor
Joined
Oct 16, 2005
Location
Newark, OH
TDI
None
It depends on whether you work off of parts prefixes or VINs.

By US VINs, the current Golf and Jetta are both Typ AJ, IIRC.

And, looks like 9B is only for Brazilian-production Mk4 Golfs.

Typ 16 is actually the type code used by the Mk1 Jetta.

Also, the A through E designations actually don't fit into the old (pre-early 2000s) VW platform numbering system - the Up! is A-class, Polo is B-class, Golf is C-class, Passat is D-class, and Phaeton probably skips to F-class (it's comparable to the Audi A8, and the A6 is the E-class car).

Then again, the outgoing system actually did work fairly well there - it assigned the classes to a number. Current Polo is PQ25 (passenger car, transverse, B-class, 5th-gen), current Golf/Jetta (given that Mk6 is a facelift on the Golf, and the Jetta's derived from it still) is PQ35 (C-class), current Euro Passat is PQ46 (D-class), previous Audi A4 is PL47 (longitudinal, D-class), previous Audi A6 is PL56 (E-class), Phaeton is PL62 (F-class), previous Audi A8 is PL63, and the Touareg family is PL72 now.

Edit: And looks like the P designations may still being used internally somewhat, even though all the longi cars are moving to MLB - so the current A4, A5, and Q5 are PL48, for example.
 
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fenderod

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 3, 2012
Location
Boston
TDI
2012 Passat TDI SEL
This looked like the right place to tell the story of my first official US diesel fill-up earlier this week (had filled many a rental tank in Europe on trips with my French wife, but it just felt different now that it was MY car). Found the cheapest diesel in the area via gasbuddy, about 5 miles away. I approached the station and saw a long line of cars, but no apparent diesel signs. I pulled up to an unused gas pump (everyone in line had their fuel door on the left, opposite of my Passat) and asked a guy in front filling his pickup where the diesel was - he educated me that it was around the other side of the station. Made me feel better it was at a dedicated pump in a separate area! Before I moved my car, he asked me how l liked it, how the mileage was, and told me he'd considered "not the Jetta, but that smaller one".."Oh, the Golf" I said, "loved the test drive but needed more trunk space."

I have to add - yesterday I was getting my windows tinted and midway through the guy asked "does this come in a diesel?" I laughed.
 

CrazyWJ242

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 13, 2011
Location
Northern NB
TDI
04 MK4 Jetta Wagon TDI, 03 Beetle TDI
The last time i was at the station, it was to get Gasoline for the cans on my Jeep... anyways i drove the wife's Jetta.... I had seporate people come over and be like your not going to pour that into your car right...

everyone asks about the mileage on it, (well obviously im not filling the car so it must be good right) people that know me and wonder why im not out in my Jeep and ask me what i think about it...
I really havn't spent any SERIOUS time behind the wheel of a CAR, other than my Mk4 Jetta, Everything else felt either too small, slow, or unsafe... and i've driven +400HP Mustangs, Crap like a Hyundai, and Grand Ams... most of them were rentals or borrowed cars to make a quick trip... (really quick in the stangs)

But yeah the fact that i don't let my wife drive her own car when were out together isn't because of how she drives, i actually enjoy driving her car... (especially after the mods) and have entertained the thought of getting my own now... so i can keep the KM's off my jeep... i was spoiled only paying $700 for Her TDI with a "dead turbo" i cant justify paying the price they want for one, even with the high miles...
 

okiebug2006

Member
Joined
May 1, 2012
Location
Tulsa, OK
TDI
2006 NB TDI
I don't have a humorous story yet but I'm already feeling the aggravation at waiting on nondiesel cars occupying the diesel pumps (unleaded and diesel on same island) when there is more than half a dozen empty unleaded pumps.
 

TonyJetta

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Sep 15, 2005
Location
Tucson, Az
TDI
'15 Jetta TDI SE / '06 Jetta TDI DSG Pkg0 / '96 Passat TDI
Last week, there was a combo pump at the local station, that was out of order on the RUG side. As I'm pulling up, this mini van pulls in. Quickly realizing that the RUG was out of order, she waited patiently for the customer at the pump in front to finish. Meanwhile, I'm waiting for her to move, so I can fill up. She even point at the pump, asking if I'm waiting for it. Of course, I nod, yes. So, she continues to wait, blocking the pump. :mad: She finally pulls forward to the pump, so I can pull into the combo pump.

Yet another case of rude gassers!

If the station wasn't so busy at the time, I would have gone to one of the other 3 combo pumps.

Tony
 

El Dobro

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 21, 2006
Location
NJ
TDI
2017 Bolt EV Premier, 2023 Bolt EUV Premier
I don't have a humorous story yet but I'm already feeling the aggravation at waiting on nondiesel cars occupying the diesel pumps (unleaded and diesel on same island) when there is more than half a dozen empty unleaded pumps.
Wait'll you get some guy with a Powerstroke rushing you to finish because he thinks he owns the pump.
 

okiebug2006

Member
Joined
May 1, 2012
Location
Tulsa, OK
TDI
2006 NB TDI
Wait'll you get some guy with a Powerstroke rushing you to finish because he thinks he owns the pump.
LOL that's okay, I'll give the ford peeps a break since there is a powerstroke in the family (which I love to accelerate....I mean drive). It's the cummins and duramax that I'll give a cold shoulder.
 

LA_VW

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 28, 2011
Location
Los Angeles
TDI
2003 Golf TDI Automatic
Wait'll you get some guy with a Powerstroke rushing you to finish because he thinks he owns the pump.
Every time I fill up some mook pulls in behind me in a truck that they leave idling the whole time I'm pumping, I find it very annoying.
 

MKT

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2012
Location
Temecula, CA
TDI
Ford F250 6.0, wifey has 2012 Jetta TDI
Every time I fill up some mook pulls in behind me in a truck that they leave idling the whole time I'm pumping, I find it very annoying.
Especially when you're trying to listen for the rising fuel to be ready in case the pump doesn't shut off automatically!
 

n1das

TDIClub Enthusiast, Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 11, 2002
Location
Nashua, NH, USA
TDI
2014 BMW 535xd ///M-Sport, 2012 BMW X5 Xdrive35d, former 3x TDI owner
Wait'll you get some guy with a Powerstroke rushing you to finish because he thinks he owns the pump.
.......and thinks you are at the wrong pump and just made a huge mistake by pumping diesel into your "gasoline" car.

No new fillup stories to report lately. *SIGHE*
 
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thebigtman

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 2, 2008
Location
San Antonio, TX
TDI
2005 Passat TDI
A couple weeks ago I was filling up at a Murphy USA during their grand opening. Diesel was $3.43/gal, RUG was cheap and they had a full circus going on - DJ, bounce houses, games for kids and free food and drink. It was a small town USA big time event. They had a single file line for everyone regardless of gas or diesel and it was packed. They tried to guide me to RUG and everyone was shocked that my little wagon required diesel. They had never heard of a car needing diesel. The early 20's young man, who was cleaning the windshield for me, saw that I was pumping diesel and he said, "you know your pumping diesel into your car?" I said, "yeah i heard i can get better mileage with this stuff." He realized that i was joking with him and then he asked a lot of questions and seemed genuinely interested in TDIs especially after he heard about 700mi's or more to a tank. I told him about Fred's so maybe we'll see him here one day. The diesel pumps were slow and the fillup took three times as long. There was a farmer filling up two 50 gallon drums since this was cheaper than Offroad Diesel. There was even a semi truck filling up because he was saving .40-.50cents per gallon. He had both hoses going at once. I don't want to know how long it took them to fillup.
 

Powder Hound

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 25, 1999
Location
Under a Bridge, Crestview, FL, USA
TDI
'00 Golf 4dr White 5sp, '02 Jettachero 5sp, Wife's '03 NB Platinum Gray auto(!)
I'm sure that if they are pumping fuel for very close to cost, they don't want the pumps to be running quickly - all that would do is empty their tanks and leave them with nothing to sell.
 

ReadyKilowatt

Active member
Joined
Apr 15, 2012
Location
Aspen, CO
TDI
2012 A3
@eric.mathison, @ReadyKilowatt, et al: be aware that THERE IS NO LEGAL OR OTHER REQUIRED COLOR SCHEME FOR PUMP HANDLES IN THE US. Look around a bit, even just in this very thread, and you will find plenty of horror stories from folks who misfueled their vehicle because they were going by handle color rather than reading the signs on the pump.
True, but in the case of the story I posted, green meant diesel at the station I was at at that time.

geesh!
 

Tom Servo

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2000
Location
LA (Lower Alabama)
TDI
2005 Gol TDI, blue and falling apart
I'm sure that if they are pumping fuel for very close to cost, they don't want the pumps to be running quickly - all that would do is empty their tanks and leave them with nothing to sell.
That's an interesting concept. You think they can slow the pumps down during regular business when supplies run low? I've come across some mighty lethargic pumps in my travels. A local Chevron here installed new pumps and started selling diesel and when I tried them out in that first month, the pump gave me about $2.50 in 5 minutes. Slow pumps are definitely one of my gas station pet peeves (a distant second to thumpy stereos blaring rap music for everyone to enjoy, however.)

What makes it all the odder is that, at least in these parts, Murphy USAs all have stickers on the pumps touting "fastest pumps around!" They are quick — sometimes too quick.
 

Cooper

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 21, 2010
Location
MA
TDI
2011 JSW (traded in 5/2015)
Finally had someone say something to me at a pump. A diesel truck that was a contractor for the USPS pulled on the other side and the driver asked if I get 50 mpg.
 

kjclow

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 26, 2003
Location
Charlotte, NC
TDI
2010 JSW TDI silver and black. 2017 Ram Ecodiesel dark red with brown and beige interior.
I was told at one station that if they run the pumps to low, that they have to manually prime them to get faster flow rate. Of course, the cashiers didn't have time to do it while I was trying to fill up. After ten minutes and about five gallons, I gave up.
 

El Dobro

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 21, 2006
Location
NJ
TDI
2017 Bolt EV Premier, 2023 Bolt EUV Premier
I was told at one station that if they run the pumps to low, that they have to manually prime them to get faster flow rate. Of course, the cashiers didn't have time to do it while I was trying to fill up. After ten minutes and about five gallons, I gave up.
At the Gulf I used to go to, if the diesel was pumping slow, the attendant would pull the nozzle from the filler neck and smack it on the ground. When he put it back in the filler neck, it would pump faster.
 

golftdi140

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 1, 2011
Location
Brockport Ny
TDI
2011 golf tdi
At the Gulf I used to go to, if the diesel was pumping slow, the attendant would pull the nozzle from the filler neck and smack it on the ground. When he put it back in the filler neck, it would pump faster.

i used to fill up in elba ny. they have 4 diesel nozzles 2 are big 2 are just right. so i mad a habit of using the same nozzle every time. when the temps started to get cold out my nozzle started pumping slow one day. like almost a minute for a dollar!!!! so i put a couple dollars in and went to the other small nozzle and it was fine. 2 weeks later i went back to the first one and it was still slow. so now im pissed i went inside and said something. they told me they have had a lot of complaints and there delivery company did nothing to help. so i went to the other nozzle again and it was slow too. so i stopped buying from there all winter and used my local station in holley. just a week ago i used the one in elba and it was fine and i used it last night no issue..... weird
Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF300T using Tapatalk 2
 

Mike in Anchorage

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 4, 2009
Location
Anchorage, AK
TDI
2016 Touareg Lux, 2015 Golf Sportwagen SE, new 4 Sept 2017;2009 VW Jetta TDI Sportwagen (Ruby) sold to VW on 22 SEP 2017
No idea where "Holley" is, but could there be icing on the motor to the pump or on lines feeding the pump?
 

n1das

TDIClub Enthusiast, Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 11, 2002
Location
Nashua, NH, USA
TDI
2014 BMW 535xd ///M-Sport, 2012 BMW X5 Xdrive35d, former 3x TDI owner
TENTH anniversary thread BUMP! :cool:

This awesome TDIclub thread has been going for TEN years! Keep those great fueling up stories coming! :cool:
 

zagato27

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 13, 2009
Location
Savannah
TDI
2012 JSW TDi CW Titan 6MT Pano Nav Interlagos
So I'm at the "fuel station" filling up my 97 Maxima SE.....hold on I'm getting to the diesel part:). I hear a "Oh sh**" from another pump. I stop and look up and there's an older gentleman a couple of pumps over refueling a brand new Mercedes sedan. Don't see any fuel pooling on the ground so I'm wondering what the problem is. Then I notice that he's got a BluTec Mercedes. Well, the pump he's at has a diesel nozzle so no problem there. Then he climbs in and turns the car around and begins plumping. Now I know, fuel receptacle on the wrong side. I chuckled to myself because being new to VW's and diesels I have to remember that the fuel flap is on the "other side". I almost went over to tell him about the little arrow on the fuel pump pictogram that tells/reminds you which side the fuel flap is on but thought he'd had enough. Kind of made me smile, not because the guy had done a minor goof but good to know that I'm not alone. Cheers
 

golftdi140

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 1, 2011
Location
Brockport Ny
TDI
2011 golf tdi
No idea where "Holley" is, but could there be icing on the motor to the pump or on lines feeding the pump?
holley is also in ny on the west side of rochester. the 2 instances i had were around 40 to 45 degrees. i didnt really look into the issue. i just know that the clerk was useless and they said the fuel company said it was normal so i said screw it. i wasnt having problems else where and had more important things to do than argue with an 18 year old girl about how a diesel pump works lol

Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF300T using Tapatalk 2
 

Louczar

Well-known member
Joined
May 9, 2012
Location
New Braunfels, TX
TDI
2012 Jetta
A new "Buckees" opened up in New Braunfels 4 weeks ago (the week before buying my 2012 jetta tdi). I go there for my first fillup. They had pretty cheap prices for gas and diesel. They have 60 pumps total. The last 8 have diesel too. On the first fillup, the pumps were 70% full. My next trip back there had 95% of the pumps full. Diesel had dropped from $3.73 to $3.44. Unleaded was $3.12. I just filled up again this past Monday. Prices are the same as last. Buckees started a gas war in New Braunfels. I have seen 2 other gas stations in town that have unleaded for 3.12 a gal now too. How sad is it that you can drive 5 min down the hwy to San Marcos and unleaded is 3.50 / gal.

2 questions so far at the gas stations. 1. what is your MPG? 2. Can you go through a fast food drive through? (***???) he thought all diesels were loud. Started it up for him. I think he may be a new VW owner soon!!
 

bhtooefr

TDIClub Enthusiast, ToofTek Inventor
Joined
Oct 16, 2005
Location
Newark, OH
TDI
None
Plenty of Cummins and PowerStrokes out there that are so loud, you can't hear yourself think over them.
 

kjclow

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 26, 2003
Location
Charlotte, NC
TDI
2010 JSW TDI silver and black. 2017 Ram Ecodiesel dark red with brown and beige interior.
Plenty of Cummins and PowerStrokes out there that are so loud, you can't hear yourself think over them.
used to be real pleaseant to be laying in bed on Saturday morning when the neighbors fired up their f350 and dodge 3500 diesels. Only thing that would have made it worse was if the kid would have also brought out his harley.
 

Honeydew

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 28, 2006
Location
Florida
TDI
13 Passat DSG
2. Can you go through a fast food drive through? (***???) he thought all diesels were loud. Started it up for him. I think he may be a new VW owner soon!!
Some tuners offer a "drivethru" tune for the 7.3L powerstroke which supposedly quiets the engine a bit. I don't have that tune but typically don't have problems at the drivethru as long as I focus on volume and annunciation.

To keep this post on topic, I've been splashing 3 gallons into the TDI every few days for the past couple weeks as I continue to put off pd lift pump install. It's an odd feeling going to the station so frequently and for such short periods of time, can't recall the last time I didn't top up any of our vehicles.
 

stuebytdi

New member
Joined
May 21, 2012
Location
steubenville ohio
TDI
2002 jetta tdi
turn off the pump

for a few months after i got my tdi the attendant would turn off the pump so i couldnt fuel and come out and tell me i was trying to put diesel in my car and i would yeah i know and give me stares like i was crazy. after about the 5th fill up they realized it was a diesel and made a comment about how they thought i was going to ruin my car. then when i told them my milage they all said they were going to go get one
 
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