Stories when filling up at "gasoline station"

vwestlife

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 1, 2004
Location
central NJ, USA
TDI
1997 B4 Passat TDI sedan (sold)
the reason gas stations price the way they do is that 1mill difference between what the actual cost and what you actually pay is pure profit!
Gas stations do round up and round down -- for example, if your total comes out to $20.284, you pay $20.28, and if the total comes out to $20.285, you pay $20.29.

Fractional pricing dates back to the Great Depression, when gasoline was selling for as low as 10 cents per gallon, and 1 cent increments weren't enough to adjust for differing fuel prices and fuel tax rates.

Fuel prices used to end in various fractional amounts -- such as .2 or .6 cents -- until the 1970s when .9 became standard.
 
Joined
Jan 16, 2014
Location
Oregon
TDI
Jetta MKVI, Golf MKVII
Got my first story today.

Waited a few minutes in line for my fill up at the local store affiliated station. I pull up third in line and wait my turn, until finally I'm the next one in line, ready to pull to the pump, and a service guy puts out a cone and starts taking a panel off the pump I have to use. He then lifts the green diesel nozzle and empties the contents into some sort of special container. Since not every pump has diesel, I grumble at not getting warned and pull around to the go to the back of the line at the other island.

About three minutes later the service worker comes around (having seen me turn around and exit) and tells me "you should have waited - you'd be first in line". Turns out he was changing the filter in the pump. I found out why as I'm waiting in the second line for even longer while the Porsche Cayenne at the pump in front of me takes way, way too long to fill. The guy tells me the flow rate on the diesel pumps was down to about 3 gallons a minute. After hearing that, I figure it's better to let him do this pump before I start my fill (after I decide whether or not I want a tank full of whatever is fouling the filters).

So he finally finishes while the lady behind me is trying to figure out why I don't just pull into the open island in front of me which I'm blocking (no choice) that doesn't have a diesel pump. The whole thing took probably 20 minutes from the time I pull in until I drive out. All of this could have been avoided if I hadn't tried to fuel at a station on Friday that had a gasoline size nozzle on their diesel pump that wouldn't engage the safety flap.

Bad week for fillups for me.
 

Sinner

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 6, 2002
Location
Greenville, NC
TDI
none
Today I went to fill up at $2.61 (RUG at $2.57) at a BP that has a diesel-only pair of islands.

At the other island there's a US truck fueling up, sees me with the glove and nods and smiles at me.

Then a gasser stops at the other side (an Oldsmobile sedan with a young driver on the phone). I want to tell him, "son, this is a deesel-only island" but he doesn't even acknowledges me.

So I finish up, start recording my fuel data and he finally gets out of the car, looks at the island (1 handle! Big DIESEL ONLY sign!), he looks at me all confused and leaves.

Oh well.


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romad

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Joined
May 27, 2011
Location
Prescott, AZ
TDI
2005 Jetta GLS Wagon "Cranberry"
Gas stations do round up and round down -- for example, if your total comes out to $20.284, you pay $20.28, and if the total comes out to $20.285, you pay $20.29.

Fractional pricing dates back to the Great Depression, when gasoline was selling for as low as 10 cents per gallon, and 1 cent increments weren't enough to adjust for differing fuel prices and fuel tax rates.

Fuel prices used to end in various fractional amounts -- such as .2 or .6 cents -- until the 1970s when .9 became standard.
Unfortunately, the rounding in your second example is not following the rules: if it ends in 1 through 4, you round down; if it ends in 6 through 9 you round up; if it ends in 5, you round to the even number. So your $20.285 should be rounded down to $20.28, while a total of $20.275 should be rounded up to $20.28. That way it is balanced; unfortunately merchants tend to go for what gives them more money so we have the improper rounding of 5 to the next highest full number even when it is an odd number.
 

vanbcguy

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2013
Location
Vancouver, BC
TDI
'93 Passat - AHU mTDI with GTB1756VK
I pulled in to a truck stop 2 days ago and filled my car with the great big high pressure nozzle. Took about 15 seconds for 11 gallons. I love having an old diesel that's easy to put fuel in!
 

vwestlife

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 1, 2004
Location
central NJ, USA
TDI
1997 B4 Passat TDI sedan (sold)
Unfortunately, the rounding in your second example is not following the rules: if it ends in 1 through 4, you round down; if it ends in 6 through 9 you round up; if it ends in 5, you round to the even number. So your $20.285 should be rounded down to $20.28, while a total of $20.275 should be rounded up to $20.28. That way it is balanced; unfortunately merchants tend to go for what gives them more money so we have the improper rounding of 5 to the next highest full number even when it is an odd number.
Is that New Math? :) I was never taught the odd/even rounding on the 5's thing in school; we were taught that 5 always rounds up. Thus my fictitious example was based on my understanding, not on actual data I've recorded.

I tried looking it up, but unfortunately the latest information I can find online is from 1979 (!) when the National Conference on Weights and Measures, who sets the standards for gas pumps, was considering requiring odd/even rounding, but had not mandated it yet.
 
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That Guy

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 23, 2009
Location
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
TDI
2001 MKiv Golf TDI
oK heres my story...

Locally, we have a station called Rotten Robbie. I dont know why its called that, it just is.

Well I finish up pumping my TDi and I have been chatting with this guy about his car. He finishes up topping off his tank and he turns to me and without realizing what he is doing, he points the fuel nozzle ( gasoline ) and squeezes the trigger and unleashes a torrent of fuel that hit me mid chest and soaked my entire body in fuel. I was simply at a loss for words... It was also hot as hell out as it was in the middle of summer. I moved away from everyone and had someone call my friend to come and get me in his truck where rode in the bed to my house to change.
Trust me Johnny Flame from the Fantastic Four was very much on my mind..
He wasn't a male model, was he?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnZ2XdqGZWU

- skip to 1:40 to get to the relevant part :)
 

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.
Is that New Math? :) I was never taught the odd/even rounding on the 5's thing in school; we were taught that 5 always rounds up. Thus my fictitious example was based on my understanding, not on actual data I've recorded.
As a scientist, these were my exact thoughts. 1-4 round down, all else round up. Same way my wife teaches grade school math.
 

romad

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 27, 2011
Location
Prescott, AZ
TDI
2005 Jetta GLS Wagon "Cranberry"
Is that New Math? :) I was never taught the odd/even rounding on the 5's thing in school; we were taught that 5 always rounds up. Thus my fictitious example was based on my understanding, not on actual data I've recorded.

I tried looking it up, but unfortunately the latest information I can find online is from 1979 (!) when the National Conference on Weights and Measures, who sets the standards for gas pumps, was considering requiring odd/even rounding, but had not mandated it yet.
No, that is what I was taught in elementary, junior high, and senior high school. The only math class I took in college was a trig course. It maybe "old" school as with the advent of things like the "New Math" some 40 years ago, the majority of of high school graduates seem to be functionally math illiterate. I was also taught that if there are several digits after a decimal point to start rounding at the last digit and continue until you get to the require final digit position. Or the "always round 5 up" may be from the IRS requirement to round $0.50 up to the next dollar.

Whatever the reason, I've been rounding this way for the last 50 - 60 years. BTW, when someone asks me what is a fuel price, I usually round it to the nearest full cent.
 

cascade7997

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2008
Location
Pickens, SC
TDI
2005 Golf TDI sold, 2015 Golf SE TDI 6MT
I was also taught that if there are several digits after a decimal point to start rounding at the last digit and continue until you get to the require final digit position.

Never, ever heard it that way.
x.49999.... is still less the 4.5 - so x.49999.... get rounded down
 
Joined
Jan 16, 2014
Location
Oregon
TDI
Jetta MKVI, Golf MKVII
It's called banker's rounding or gaussian rounding, compared to standard rounding. It is used to unbias rounding results which otherwise have more than half of the values rounding up instead of a roughly equal proportion up and down.
 

scooperhsd

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 19, 2003
Location
Kansas City KS
TDI
NB, 2000, RED(5 Speed conversion) 2015 Golf SE
I pulled in to a truck stop 2 days ago and filled my car with the great big high pressure nozzle. Took about 15 seconds for 11 gallons. I love having an old diesel that's easy to put fuel in!

I guess I'm not the only one still driving a "porn star" :)
 

Sinner

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 6, 2002
Location
Greenville, NC
TDI
none
Today I went to fill up my Passar (45mpg, calculated) and found out that "my pump" was taken

Fortunately it was another Passat, driven by a Fly Boy from a near AFB.

We exchanged nods and smiles, as DD was cheaper than RUG

And the best part, the diesel island was in the shade, while the gas island was under the sun, at 97F and heat index of 105F.

I call this a good moment ?


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Old Navy

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Joined
Jun 15, 2001
Location
Ozark Hill's in Missouri, USA
TDI
None now, .
I pulled in to a truck stop 2 days ago and filled my car with the great big high pressure nozzle. Took about 15 seconds for 11 gallons. I love having an old diesel that's easy to put fuel in!
Damn I miss my '00 NB and old MB's for that reason. In my truck your SOL if required to fill by anything with a spout larger then about 1 inch. I might see if dealership can do something about that at up coming 20,000 mile service....oil & filter, fuel filter, engine air filter and probably cabin filter. At least I have bought the fuel and engine air filter, if paying all at once close to $300 outlay.

A friend with 5.7 Hemi gasser says that's five oil changes at about $130 and just 1 oil and filter change for the ECO Diesel that runs about $115 with tax, said his air filter was about $20 best he remembered where mine was $36.xx with tax. But having the fuel filter replaced is $45 for the 3 micron filter and done by diesel tech and not some HS kid on oil change rack, but at $65 hourly rate with 1 hour allowed I would guess. So add about an extra $100 to 20k mile cost of diesel service, but at 25 cents a mile it will cost him close to $5000 to drive 20k miles and me at 12 cents a mile about $2500....so guess I'm $2400 ahead. :D
 
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D_Squared

Veteran Member
Joined
May 24, 2013
Location
Burlington, WI
TDI
2012 Golf 2D 6M
It's called banker's rounding or gaussian rounding, compared to standard rounding. It is used to unbias rounding results which otherwise have more than half of the values rounding up instead of a roughly equal proportion up and down.
This is correct. Hand calculated artillery shots are done this way in order to improve accuracy.
 

turbobrick240

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 18, 2014
Location
maine
TDI
2011 vw golf tdi(gone to greener pastures), 2001 ford f250 powerstroke
I was extremely pleased to see diesel prices dip 3 cents below RUG at my preferred local gas station last week. I can't remember the last time that has happened in this neck of the woods. Years, I would say. Hopefully it'll stay that way for a little while at least.
 

VincenzaV

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 25, 2015
Location
New Hampshire
TDI
2004 Jetta Wagon
scooperhsd-I got verbally shoe'd away from the "truck pumps" because of the nozzle size and high pressure. This was my regular gast stop. I guess they could not fathom:

1: VW was considerate enough to allow us the adaptability to choose large or small.

2: Some men, actually have control of their hands...
 

No More Buffalo

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 31, 2012
Location
Greenville, NC
TDI
Current: 2015 Golf SEL 6m Sold: 2012 Golf 2dr DSG
Jealous of some of these prices. Filled up here yesterday, D2=$2.79, RUG=$2.74. Still, beats the days of not-that-long ago when I was paying a few cents more than premium.
 

Tom Servo

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2000
Location
LA (Lower Alabama)
TDI
2005 Gol TDI, blue and falling apart
scooperhsd-I got verbally shoe'd away from the "truck pumps" because of the nozzle size and high pressure. This was my regular gast stop. I guess they could not fathom:

1: VW was considerate enough to allow us the adaptability to choose large or small.

2: Some men, actually have control of their hands...
At one time VW was considerate enough to make the opening large enough to accommodate the trick nozzle without an adapter.

Mine's like that and it has saved me at least once, when I pulled into a truck stop that had no auto diesel pumps.

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biopete

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Joined
Apr 4, 2005
Location
Nashville, TN
TDI
A3 Jetta 1998, A4 Jetta 2001
Ha ha

Frank:

In retrospect, my experience was a lot of fun. Wouldn't it make a great TDI commercial?
This was probably mentioned in the 500 plus pages of this thread I didn't read but it's funny they did make this a commercial 12 years after chrisb posted this. I alwYs thought VW was way too slow to promote and advertise their diesels. In 2002 with all the hype of hybrids they could have been advertising the same fuel economy without the environmentally unfriendly batteries and complicated system plus being able to run on renewable fuel. It baffled me why they didn't advertise that. A Tdi on b20 or b5 even is way more eco friendly than a hybrid I'm pretty certain.
 

biopete

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 4, 2005
Location
Nashville, TN
TDI
A3 Jetta 1998, A4 Jetta 2001
My latest gas pump story in my 1999 e300d Benz An old man said hi and that he had the same car and got over 800,000 miles out of it. I thought that was cool. Mine has 223000 on it. He probably had to spend 100000 total to do that in repairs and maintenance over the years.. I like the mindset of keeping a good car on the road as long as possible. Reduce, reuse, recycle ... But I like the tech of the newer cars too. Maybe my Passat wagon will be my keeper for life. I just sold the 300d to a friend. This story was a good selling point :)
 

smee907

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 4, 2014
Location
Alaska
TDI
09 Jetta Sedan
Whenever I go to the pump I can't remember which side the filler neck is on, because of how infrequently I fill it....
 

romad

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 27, 2011
Location
Prescott, AZ
TDI
2005 Jetta GLS Wagon "Cranberry"
VW is always on the passenger side (this tends to be European, whereas Japanese cars are on the left; US are either left, right, or behind the rear license plate). Also, check your fuel gauge as some of them have a small arrow showing the location.
 
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