Stories when filling up at "gasoline station"

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

WOWOWOWOW!!!!

The purpose of my post was not to insult anyone (I didn't and try not to do). Do not take it so seriously...

Just was to add different points of views from the other side of the pond.

Of course I am jealous... I wish (aahhhhh) I could have one of those BIGO TRUCKOS (read Mr. Arnold Schwarcheneger's Hummer, or those F350, F450 pickups...)

Here, they are another world wehicles... compared like "offroad" ferrari's... remember that Lamborghini "offroad" project?? I think it was LM002 or something like that... anyway.

In case someone misunderstood my post, I will explain myself.

>Americans...
Yes, YOU Americans (did someone think I am insulting you?)

>Did you stop and think?
Please...

>This funny scenes (I am reading them from Spain) are >because there in the USA fuel is cheap. I mean, GAS vs. >DIESEL, there is not much diference.
This explains why, from the whole world, only Americans (=US citizens living in the Mainland) can write funny stories...

>Well, in the USA GAS is cheap.
Isn't it true? Read it as a jealous comment.

>Why? You guys have plenty of it. And you steal it from >Iraq. And as I heard today in the news, you (Americans) >are already acusing IRAN of having more weapons...(AL >QAEDA MOVIE: PART II)
I was brought by my pacifist thinks... but you can (YOU MUST) see an ironic comment in the "AL QAEDA MOVIE: PART II"... By the way, I must admit Spain also made a pathetic paper on the International issues. Lets see the three most important countries in the "Iraq war": USA, UK and... wow... SPAIN!!

>We (Europeans), have around 40% of the cars DIESEL.
(Just a mere statistic. Didn't mean to insult anyone...)

>I do not want to start another thread, but make you think >about it. Every funny thing has it's turnabout.

>I've been in the USA and HECK!! GAS is cheeeap!!!

Well guys. You judge. If someone thought I was insulting them, I please apologize for the misunterstanding... I have been in the USA, have USAns friends , had friends working in the "Torrejon de Ardoz" military base in Madrid...

If I wasn´t telling the truth, I would just change the nick, create a new profile stating that I am from Southern USA, and started talking (writing) like HEYE YEE ALL!!

So. Please apologize me from Spain, and sorry for my sense of humour. If you come to Spain someday, be aware that we have a very fun sense of humour... do not take it serious!!

See you all, and of course, thanks for helping a jerk like me in many issues like my wiring, MAF and chiping upgrades.

Whatever you think, I will hang on the news, and try to help others, as others helped me...

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

Your accusations on this board only serve to piss off potential supporters of your ideas.

David

Click to expand...

AKA: Your begining to piss me off!!!

My same thoughts exactly.

Now lets get back to those stories!!!

I have one: I recently got a Halron card last fall. Halron is a fleet fuel distributor for large trucks, have good fuel and all you see is the big boys getting fuel, anyhoot, I was filling up and a truck pulled in and this guy has the guts to say "you know your little D isnt nothin campared to this engine" I proceeded to say "well my fuel bill last month was under $90 for about 2700 mile worth of road, what was your bill?" He smiled and said "well at least you got that going for you".

We talked a bit and I determined he was tring to be funny, but it ticked me off (a little). All he owns is diesel's and I told him I am working on that solution also.

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

Boone, I also had a run in at the Halron on Broadway. Now remember you need a special card and account to fill up at these unmanned truck fueling stations. The guys said "You know this is diesel right?" I was just thinking to my self, “how does he think I am getting fuel if I don’t have a card, and why on earth would a gasser stop at a place like this?” I told him chuckling, yes, I know, it takes diesel. He then came over and started asking questions and wanted to see the engine. He was impressed, I think he might buy a TDI for his wife now. So in the end all was well.

The only other time anything said something was on my first fill at a truck stop to top it off. Fortunately he heard me drive in and immediately said in an impressed voice, "Wow that is the smallest diesel I have ever seen". I just smiled and told him I really liked it too.

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

I once had a guy bark, "Yo bud, you'd better check the oil in that thing!" as I edged up to the pump. After seeing I was pumping diesel, I'd swear his sunburn got a little worse before he drove off...

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

After paying for a fill one time, the cashier says "You do know you just filled up with diesel, right?" This coming from a guy who has the ability to stop the pump anytime, and speak to me through intercom, had he thought I was making a costly mistake, but waits until I'm filled to the brim and I've already paid.

So I tried to look distressed, and replied "OH MY GOD! You're just kidding, right? Tell me you're kidding!" Then I told him, I'd have to take it home and drain the tank. He tells me I won't make it out of the lot and he'll call for a tow truck. I told him "Don't worry about it, I'll just drive it until it dies. Hopefully, I can get close enough to home, that I can push it the rest of the way."

He probably thought I was nuts.

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

I have never had anyone tell me anything while fueling our jetta yet. But one time while traveling we had to stop and fuel up at a Love's that had only one diesel pump. It was comical to see our little jetta with a line of 3/4 and 1 ton trucks behind it with all the drivers glaring at us for being so stupid as to fill up at "their" diesel pump. At least they didn't say anything, or too bad they didn't. I had a whole list of comebacks ready that were gleaned from reading these posts!

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

I have owned a Scout turbo diesel for about a year and a half now, and never had any issues refueling. Then I read this post. I warned my wife to be careful filling up in Oregon, since they pump your fuel down there, and the Jetta TDI is hers (you technically can pump your own diesel down there, but that's another story). She still hasn't had any issues, but she's ready for it. About a week later, I stop to refuel my Scout at Safeway on 97 outside Bend. After telling the guy three times to fill it with diesel while he's scanning my card and so forth, he still picks up the gas handle and says "You want gas, right?". I say "No, diesel", as I pick up the pump handle and do it myself. He then says "Wow, I didn't know they made any of those with diesels." We had a brief conversation on how many were built, etc. Sad thing is, the sticker saying "DIESEL FUEL ONLY" is right next to the filler opening on the side of the truck, in an even more prominent place that inside the fuel door. Can't be too careful.

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

Dave, I had a '80 Scout Traveller with the Nissan Turbo diesel. Loaded with A/C, tilt, etc. Ran awesome. The body was sooo rotted I finally sold it for parts (export to South America). Three weeks later, my local "buy book" had for sale a rust free Scout traveller diesel from CA, blown engine $1,000. Talk about crappy timing. I had the complete engine service manual but gave it to a friend who runs a truck garage. Might get it back if you had a need.

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

One question:

You guys over there, what percentage of "normal cars" (not trucks, or machinery) are diesel over there in the US?

I think I read something like 4% or 7%, but it would mean aprox. one out of ten/twenty cars is diesel, what seems to me not so unusual to find a diesel car over there.

Here in Europe, I think we have 40% of our fleet on diesel...

What are fuel (gas and diesel) prices over there right now?

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

I have one curious history (from SPAIN) about gas-stations, though it hasn´t nothing to do with "diesel". Hope you have fun...

Once, I had to fill up my car at night (might me 1:00AM or 2:00AM on sunday morning).

In Spain, from aprox. 10:30PM, some gas stations close, others are open on a "pay-first-serve-yourselve" basis.

Therefor, I went to pay for some gas (now I have a TDI ;-) and...

Inside the gas-station, the clerk was with a bunch of friends, playing some "rally-games" on a couple of Playstations, and inside the room they where smoking so much...(didn´t think it was just tobacco) if was hard to see inside...

I hope I could work like that (playing a Playstation with friends) and still be paid...

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Another one.

Now (summertime) in Spain, it is very usual to see Morocco people going back to their homeland from all over Europe. They are emigrants, who work during the year, and on their vacation they go back and bring things they bought to their family... Gosh, how do they load their cars... many of them go with "BEDS!!!" (sleeping beds) over the car... it's incredible.

Also, in the gas-stations, and in some roads, Spanish Government put arabic signs, what is pretty funny though (at least for us, Spaniards...). It is just in the summer season, I repeat.

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Hope no one felt insulted.
Hope you guys like to read curious things...

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

You guys over there, what percentage of "normal cars" (not trucks, or machinery) are diesel over there in the US?

I think I read something like 4% or 7%, but it would mean aprox. one out of ten/twenty cars is diesel, what seems to me not so unusual to find a diesel car over there.

What are fuel (gas and diesel) prices over there right now?

Click to expand...

Your percentage isn't too far off. I think it is closer to the 4% or 5% point. The problem is that this percentage includes things like SUVs and pickup trucks. They are still considered 'passenger vehicles' even though they are 'small trucks'. So, it isn't uncommon to see a diesel 'vehicle' here, it is harder to find a diesel 'car'. Where I live, the TDI engine is all over the place. To be honest, I see more VWs with engine badges than without (meaning more TDI and 1.8T engines than 2.0). Shows that people are coming to the conclusion that if you want a normal driving car, pick the TDI, for sporty, go for the 1.8T. I am not saying that the TDI is slow, but it sure isn't fast.

As for the price of diesel...I just paid 61.9 cents/litre. I would say in my area it is usually around 60-65 cents per litre. Means I fill up for $30 and get 1100 km out of that tank.

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

__. Dunno what's going on in my life, but you guys must be leading sheltered lives ... I get quizzed on my TDI about every other fillup. Once it was by a Pontiac Grand Prix driver "I heard them things get good gas mahlige" -- "Yeah, I have done a couple of tanks that figure out to 60 mpg and the last four tanks that I've done have taken me more than 900 miles" -- "Dayum ..." But mostly it's from the drivers of diesel delivery trucks -- the trucks with six wheels on the ground and the big box cargo compartment on the back, not the 18-wheelers. They're amazed at the mileage, too. Probably because I fill at "segregated" pumps ("auto diesel" at truck stops or the pump at a gas station where you wouldn't see a big truck), I rarely get comments from 18-wheeler drivers (although you do get some raised eyebrows when you grab a 92 oz bottle of Power Service from the "Driver's Section" of the truck stop) but once I was at a truck stop where the "auto diesel" was actually the "reefer fuel" pump for the 18-wheeler lane next to it. As I put the nozzle back in the pump and am writing down the gals. etc, the trucker standing on the other side of the pumps says "15 gallons - is that full?" "Yeah, I was pretty much down to the red line when I pulled in - last few tanks have taken me over 900 miles, too". For a second, you can almost see the calculator wheels going around behind his eyes ... as he says, wearily, "Well, anytime you want to swap fuel tickets, you just let me know..."

__. Some of my most fun times with the TDI have been at the fuel pump.

Bruce Henderson, S Coast NC

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

</font><blockquote><font class="small">En respuesta a:</font><hr />

Your percentage isn't too far off. I think it is closer to the 4% or 5% point. The problem is that this percentage includes things like SUVs and pickup trucks. They are still considered 'passenger vehicles' even though they are 'small trucks'. So, it isn't uncommon to see a diesel 'vehicle' here, it is harder to find a diesel 'car'. Where I live, the TDI engine is all over the place. To be honest, I see more VWs with engine badges than without (meaning more TDI and 1.8T engines than 2.0). Shows that people are coming to the conclusion that if you want a normal driving car, pick the TDI, for sporty, go for the 1.8T. I am not saying that the TDI is slow, but it sure isn't fast.

[/QUOTE]

I do not agree...

I have a Jetta TDI, although my previous car was a gas opel.
My father has a diesel Mercedes.
My best friends have a diesel renault, gas nissan, diesel fiat, diesel audi, diesel ford, diesel volvo.
My wife has a gas jetta...

All of them 'passenger vehicles', of course...

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

Dunno how I forgot to share this one of me making an ass out of myself. I was filling up at Texa-ho when a guy with a NB tdi pulls up. He says hello and asks how I like my tdi, what do I do for a living etc etc.. So I ask him if he knows about venting...he hadn't heard of it. This was before I had done my ventectomy, and was somewhat new to venting, probably only done it 3-4 times at that point. Anyway I was telling him, 'yeah it's great, you can squeeze in about 2 extra gallons' etc etc.. So I bring him over to demonstrate, have the button pushed in with the nozzle etc, and the damn nozzle auto shut off didn't work for some reason, and the fuel came up and out, and literally drenched my shin, ankle, and foot! OH SH!T I yelled, and he politely walked back to his car, probably trying to stifle the huge laugh he had to let out. It was funny, he then gave me his business card and told me to call him if I ever was looking for a different sales job, lol. He probably thought to himself that I sure presented the idea of venting enthusiastically, even though I had no clue what I was talking about. LOL. It was pretty funny and hard to drive back with a slippery diesel foot, doh!

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

While picking up my brother as the Catalytic Convertor place he works at, one of his co-workers who is going to night school to be a mechanic comes out and says to me, pop you hood. I thought he wanted to check out the TDI technolody under there, Instead he said that it was making strange loud noises and wanted to find the propblem for me... note to self never take TDI to any shop i don't know. Wacko mechanics could be waiting!

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

While picking up my brother as the Catalytic Convertor place he works at, one of his co-workers who is going to night school to be a mechanic comes out and says to me, pop you hood. I thought he wanted to check out the TDI technolody under there, Instead he said that it was making strange loud noises and wanted to find the propblem for me... note to self never take TDI to any shop i don't know. Wacko mechanics could be waiting!

Click to expand...

If I were in your shoes, I would have gone ahead and popped the hood for him and let him have a look, but not allow him to touch anything. I'd also have a few good comebacks ready, depending on what he says and thinks is "wrong" with my engine.

"Yes! It's a TURBO DIESEL!"
"Real cars don't have spark plugs!"
"I like the sound. It's actually pretty quiet for a DIESEL!"
"Have you ever worked on a DIESEL engine before?"


And my favorite:

"Could my engine be sounding like that because it's 'burning oil'??? It's been burning 'oil' since the day I first drove it off the lot!"


I'm sure you could come up with other good comebacks. You could have a lot of fun with this one! LOL! I bet some good conversation would follow afterwards.


~ n1das

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

I've owned my Jetta TDI for 13 months now. 16,700 miles of joy.

I was at the local (5 miles) Mobile station (40 cetane, $1.759/gal). I just started to fill the car when the attendant came running out, and asked "is that a diesel?" I said "yes, it is." Much relieved he then went back in and I finished filling my car.

Stuart

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

I had a slightly different story yesterday. I waiting in line for the pump behind a couple big rigs at Halron. One left and I pulled in. The guy in the dump truck looks at me kind of funny and asks if I've run Bio Diesel. That totally took me off guard. It turns out he was at the BioDiesel event this past weekend and saw a VW running on B100 and it smelled like a french fry. Not a "gas" story but it was one comment I wouldn't have guessed in a million years.

Tim

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

I've got a story to beat ALL your stories! Here in Oshkosh, there are quite a few places to "diesel up". One of my compatriots at work said there's one place just outside the city limits that consistently has lower priced fuel. Never having gone there, I drive up to one of the truck islands, stick the hose nozzle in the filler tube and press the "start" button. Nothing happens. Next, the intercom blurbs at me to come into the station. I do, and the clerk informs me that "Those are the truck islands; please pull around to one of the two diesel pumps at the auto islands." OK, I can deal with this, or so I thought. Turns out, the two diesel pumps at the auto islands are on the same island that also has two gas pumps. And naturally, those two islands are filled with "gassers". I was never questioned about my Passat being a diesel, just told to "move" to another island where I wouldn't tie up the truckers! How's that for an insult!

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

well it hardly beats any of the other stories but interesting. I've had that happen to me too, but once I told the attendant it was a diesel, she let me continue filling. Screw the trucks!

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

This one is kinda in reverse.

I had just paid for my diesel at the window when this young boy, maybe 10 or so, goes up to the window and says "$20 on pump number 5, diesel, thanks". I look over to pump 5 and see a new Ford Excursion and a lady talking on her cell phone. Hmmm, I didn't know Excursion's had diesel engines. I sauntered over looking for a diesel badge or something. She is pushing the diesel button but nothing is happening. I see the diesel only tag on the inside of the fuel door. She looks at me so I say "pump not starting?" "No" she says. I go back inside and ask the attendant if he turned on the diesel for pump 5. He says "Diesel? Oh, OK". So I go back over to the lady and tell her to try again. It works. So I say "I didn't know Ford put a diesel in SUV's." She says "Yeah, it's a LIMITED." So I ask "What kind of mileage do you get?" She thinks for a second and says "TWO WEEKS"
I nod and smile and leave quickly before I burst out laughing.

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

Ha, so there are good reasons the station attendants are suspicious when ya try to get diesel fuel, Huh?

Gee, I didn't realize that the best way to get better mileage would be to put a barrel in the trunk . . . .

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

I've noticed a few interesting things about this "stories" thread over the past year.

The popularity and longevity of this thread clearly demonstrates a Diesel car owner truism: Unless you pump your own BD at home, sooner or later, you will eventually have a fillup story that will be worth sharing. It's not a question of IF, but WHEN.

Experiencing the "Diesel Thing" while fueling up seems to be a univeral experience, something all Diesel owners can relate to. It's sort of due to human nature. Ever wondered what keeps you reading this thread and making it one of your favorite threads? It's because these are real-life experiences we can ALL relate to! It doesn't matter whether you're a veteran TDIclub member, a "newbie", or a "lurker" (non-member). There is definitely something universal about the "Diesel Thing" experience, for lack of a better name for it.

The "Hey you, that's Diesel" and the "Hey dumb chick, that's Diesel you're pumping" threads in the General VW Discussion and Non-VW Group Diesel discussion forums are separate threads but also deal with the Diesel Thing. These may have been started there because the original posters may not have seen this "stories" thread and wasn't sure where to post their story.

I also noticed that this "stories" thread went dormant for several months because there were no new postings for a while. A lot of new forum members who probably had good fresh stories to share never posted them because they never knew such a "stories" thread existed. Somebody recently found it and posted to it, causing it to be bumped up to the top again, giving it new visibility. The flood of fresh new stories that we've seen recently are what followed.

I've thoroughly enjoyed reading these stories over the past year and it quickly became one of my favorite threads. I know it also tops other TDIclub members' lists. I check it regularly because I know there will always be more to come. Somebody else also started a "Good Comebacks" thread a while back to capture witty comebacks to say to people who innocently try to warn us about putting Diesel into our Diesels. It's definitely a Diesel Thing!

I think we should create a new TDI Discussion Forum Area dedicated to experiencing "The Diesel Thing" to better capture these stories. The increased visibility will help keep new stories coming and more people will get to enjoy them. While these stories are great and many of them are hilarious, there are still many more untold stories out there that would be told if there were a more common area to post them. I think it should be placed under "Miscellaneous Areas", like where the "Road Trips" Discussion Forum is placed.

Some examples of what a proposed "Experiencing The Diesel Thing" discussion area should be allowed to include are:

1. Fueling up stories exactly like what we've been reading. -- This should also help remove some clutter in other discussion areas.

2. Good comebacks to say to people who innocently try to warn us about putting Diesel into our Diesels. -- One of my favorites was given to me by a friend who grew up around diesels is "somebody told me my car was 'burning oil', so I decided to find out if its true!" I haven't had an opportunity to use it yet, but I'm ready.

3. Stories about people innocently thinking there is something "wrong" with your TDI engine because of the way it sounds. -- I've had this happen to me twice. One was from a friend's neighbor who drives a Chevy Suburban gas-guzzler and believes anything Diesel = bad. This guy seriously thought I needed a new "gasoline" engine, and wouldn't believe my friend after he told him it was a Diesel. Oh well. The second incident came from a friend/co-worker who at first thought I had a valve lifter problem. Cute! The next time somebody says my car is sounding funny, thinking there's something wrong with my "gasoline" engine, I'm prepared to say "yeah...and it's also been burning a lot of 'oil' since the day I first drove it off the lot!" TDI owners could have lots of fun with these. It could lead to some great conversation afterwards.

4. Stories about how owners of gas guzzlers just about faint after you tell them about your great mileage and tank range. And stories about "Is that a Diesel? Wow!" experience when quizzed about your TDI are also fair game.


These are just a few examples. This is just my $0.02 worth and I'm curious what other forum members think of the idea. All I'm proposing is that a new TDIclub Discussion Forum Area be created to better capture these stories so that they can be better enjoyed by all and so that there will always be more to come. I think any topics directly related to the experience of getting the "Diesel Thing" from other people is fair game.


These stories are great! Keep 'em coming! A lot of these experiences would make GREAT TDI commercials on TV!


~ n1das

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

Well, it wasn't at a 'gas station' but here goes:

I was in the drive thru at a local Taco Bell. I was telling the guy my order in the intercom and before he gave me the price, this Mercedes pulled up behind me. It was an older one....(thinking maybe one of the 300D...SD??). Anyways, I pull up to the window to get my food and he places his order and pulls up behind me. As I'm getting my change, he gets out of his car and comes up to my window. "Excuse me...sir....How do you like this car?...being a diesel?" I tell him how it runs, drives...just absolutely love it....you know, the works. He tells me that the Mercedes behind me has over 200,000 miles on it and has another one at home that has 285,000 miles on it. He says that he doesn't think the 285,000 mile one is going to last that long and he was just curious about the VW diesel and the reason he was asking me about it was that he might be getting one soon.

He also asked me how the air conditioner worked. I said that I've had no trouble out of it. If memory serves me right, I seem to remember reading a thread on here somewhere about air conditioning in our cars. Could it be that he may have heard something about them?

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

Decent comeback to the "hey, you're pumping the wrong fuel !!" comments:

<act surprised and clueless>
"Oh wow, thanks !! I was wondering why it was only getting 50 miles per gallon. Is that normal ?"

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

I think everyone would like another shot at the scenario, lol. I'd probably act surprised and play dumb, like 'oh my gosh is that going to hurt my engine to run diesel?' watch them laugh, and then start it up. Rev it a bit, "hmm, it sounds like a diesel now, thats really strange".

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

Another good one.

"Ya, I know it's diesel, but when I put used to put in gas it didn't get good mileage, with diesel I get more then 50mpg"

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

I accidentally put about 10 gal of diesel in a '66 Mustang 289 at a combined pump a few years ago. It was about empty when I started. Went down the road about 3 or 4 miles and then it started acting up. At first I thought something was really wrong... then I got to thinking that the pump nozzle was kinda big looking... So, I turned it around and went back. Funny thing was that the car idled OK. It had very little power though and smoked a bit. To get up a few steep hills I had to rev it up and throw it in gear (auto trans.) repeatedly. My max speed on level was maybe 35mph or so. The fuel was siphoned out and replaced with gas. After 5 miles or so all was well again.

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

Well today was my first encounter at the fuel pump. I drove out to the Arco in Hayward to get the ECD-1. I went to the pay island, put in my powerservice and started pumping...11.8 gallons to be exact. When I went back to the pay island this older 30's family man was filling up his Sunbird. He said to me "That thing take diesel?" I reliped "Yup" and he said "How long can you go?" and I just smiled and said "Well I went 540 miles on about 11 gallons" and went on my way. The look on his face was absolutely priceless.

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

Well today was my first encounter at the fuel pump. I drove out to the Arco in Hayward to get the ECD-1. I went to the pay island, put in my powerservice and started pumping...11.8 gallons to be exact. When I went back to the pay island this older 30's family man was filling up his Sunbird. He said to me "That thing take diesel?" I reliped "Yup" and he said "How long can you go?" and I just smiled and said "Well I went 540 miles on about 11 gallons" and went on my way. The look on his face was absolutely priceless.

Click to expand...

My answer to the same question would be:"About 1250 miles with 25 gallons."

They usually don't respond: you cannot speak when your jaw is all the way to the floor!!!