Stories when filling up at "gasoline station"

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

Nice sticker... for a minute I was going to ask you why your Golf had a Jetta emblem on the hatch... then I realized, DOH! it's a variant. Cool. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

Mel

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

BUMP for this thread...esp the guy who started it (me)!!


/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

I guess I am filling up at all the wrong locations. I mostly drive around Toronto, Ontario and never have had anyone bother me about putting diesel into my car. I was also on a trip to Florida about a year ago, and no one ever bothered me. Guess I was filling up at the wrong pumps. lol

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

I was having my car fueled at the Citgo the other day (I'm in Jersey). The attendant, an older fellow, walks up to the window and I ask him to "Fill it with diesel". "Diesel?" by way of response. "Diesel", an affirmation with conviction.

So I goes in to fuel my coffee cup and he, having started the fuel, attends to other vehicles. On the way out I see that he is back at my car, having timed what he thought the end of the fillup should be. I notice that he is looking at the car to the fuel pump and back again. Repeatedly. Now, I've been running the car down pretty low, none too bright in this kind of weather, really. As the car has its vent innards excised, there was probably room for a good 19 gallons in there. I'm just watching him as the car is clearly around 15 and he expected it to shut off awhile back.

He stops, and I, approaching, notice that the pump says 16 gallons. I know there is more room, but I think he is kind of surprised by the amount of fuel that has already gone in. I tell him to keep going. Around 18.5 it starts whooshing and he really wants to stop--I don't say anything when he kills the fill. It had some more room, but at this point I think the lesson for the day has gone on long enough /images/graemlins/smile.gif

We get to talking about range, compression, etc. and he is pretty enthusiastic about the car. We probably were talking diesel for a good 4 or 5 minutes before the sun-obscuring Dodge pulled in looking for my slot at the trough.

I have to admit that I hold back a (good-natured) laugh when truckers give me the nod at the truck stop. The bond created by a little 45 cetane is remarkable.

Re: Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

Last November, east of Pittsburgh, there was a guy filling up a dump truck next to us, who kept taking peaks at our bug until he just had to cross over to my side and with a soft voice asked: "Is that bug a dieeeesel?" "Yeah" "Umm, what kind of milage do you get?" "Well, after about 450 miles, I put in 10 gallons." "Damn!"

After that, I go into the mini-mart after putting about six gallons in, because I don't know if the pay-at-the-pump worked or not. It turns out it did, and that I did not get a receipt. The lady says: "I think you did pay, did you not get a receipt?" "No" "What was it, $150?" "No!" "Oh..., $9" "Yeah, that's it!" /images/graemlins/cool.gif

Re: Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

It's been a while since we've seen this one, and it's obviously one of our favorites.

Bump.

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

Just BUMPing this thread to the top on it's second anniversary since it's one of our favorites.

The recent spike in GAS prices may lead to some new fillup stories to share.


~ n1das

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

While I was filling up my F-150 (gasser) a little over 3 years ago, I went over to talk to the guy filling his Beetle with diesel. We had a nice chat, MPG, performance, etc. I left the station before he did, and headed up the mountain, (variable grade average 6%), driving slow so I could watch, listen, and smell as the TDI went by. Heard nothing but tires, saw no smoke, and smelled nothing. Starting about 2 months later, I've been having that same conversation with other customers most times I fill at that station only from the other side. Their muttering and headshaking seems to be getting worse the last couple of months.

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

My wife normally drives the TDI. So this is her story re-told.

Now I am a smart ass and with 7 years in the Marines I have no manners or tact. With that being said my wife is worse than I am. + she can give some of the meanest witch killing looks ever.

She had pulled in the school parking lot and passes a young guy. She parks and gets out. The guy says "you women don't know how to change the oil". My wife "dumbass its a diesel and the oil was changed last week". I just wish I could have seen her say that to that young kid!

She allways gets the "helpless women look" when at the fuel pump.

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

All these stories are really great!

But what's better than stories at the pump, are stories away from the pump - that's a good sign for diesel lovers. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

Other day I was asked about my car while parking at a Target store. The guy was telling me how lucky I was to have my car, how I can get great mileage, and that I should take care of it. I smiled in acknowledgment, and said a few things to him, making sure he was aware of the new diesels to be coming in the next 2-3 years.

So, a good sign. /images/graemlins/cool.gif

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

Form the guy filling up his Cherokee on the other side of the pump as he replaced the nozzle and looked at the pump readout with disgust on his face: "wanna buy a Jeep?" /images/graemlins/grin.gif

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

One of my favorite things to do is buy a dollar of fuel to get me to cheaper fuel down the road a wayse.

The gal looks out expecting to see a weedeater or something at the pump, but they all cant quite figure it out when they see a Jetta... /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Re: Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

[ QUOTE ]
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by hayden:
<strong>...I baby the car down the highway till the turnoff, and start going quite a ways from the highway into this SMAAALLL town. I think, at the station, was a good percentage of it's population. It was so southern it hurt (lousiana.) I pull in, and feel like I had just gone back in time.. a black fellow walks up to the car and I tell him to fill it up with Diesel, meanwhile there are old white men inside and one very old black man just sitting by the fan.. one was actually fanning himself with something.. classic! I walk in to pay and the old black man asks "they got a diesel in somethin' that small now?" I smiled and said, "yep!" He, as well as the rest of the station, and I, had quite a moment right then. Kinda like a "awww, shucks, that's so neat" kind of a moment. <tear in eye> He asked what kinda mileage I got, and I told him. Walked out, tipped the very nice man who filled it up (who lit up like a christmas tree when I handed him the money and bowed saying thank ya, thank ya (I mean jeez, I felt like I was in the 19th century or something.) Then I started it up, smiled at my girl and said, "that was so nice" and drove off, weeping willows all around...</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">This sounds like a great idea for a new TDI commercial. <img border="0" title="" alt="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" src="images/icons/cool.gif" />

[/ QUOTE ]

Yep, great story. /images/graemlins/smile.gif /images/graemlins/grin.gif

And great idea for a thread! Keep 'em coming!

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

Here's a story thats not really funny, but a good reason to favor diesel.

I pulled in to park infront of the quicky mart right next to a gas station here in San Diego, while I went in to get some take out food at a nearby Mexican restaurant. The parking area/lot is designed as a closed off area, so that if a semi truck pulls in behind me (and the few other cars parked parallel to me), we are all blocked in. Well, while I went for the food, a gasoline truck came to fill the station tanks. I came back to my car, and noticed that I was blocked in, not so much by the truck, but by the cones the truck operator had set out. While he did his operation, nobody was allowed in or out, because of the ignition hazard of the gasoline vapors. I asked, and he said it would take another 20 minutes, and I said "Your nuts! Just move those cones and I can drive out that way." He said he couldnt do that. I threatened to call the cops, but figured that wasnt worth it, and by the time the cops helped, he would be done. I pleaded with him, explaining that the wind was blowing the fumes AWAY from my car. I told him my car was a diesel with no ignition system. Pissed me off, but he ultimately finished fairly quickly, so it was alright. I will never park there again - that really pissed me off. /images/graemlins/mad.gif I mean, what if I just decided to turn on my car, what the heck was he going to do about it?

So, the moral of the story is, had he been pumping diesel, this incident would never have happened - diesel fumes arent a flame hazard.

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

Aahh, but don't forget your starter motor/relay. Ignition sources are manifold! /images/graemlins/wink.gif

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

[ QUOTE ]
Aahh, but don't forget your starter motor/relay. Ignition sources are manifold! /images/graemlins/wink.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, I know. But still, if he were pumping diesel, there'd be no problem! /images/graemlins/grin.gif

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

My favorite story involves my Nissan Maxima diesel, I didn't have my TDI yet. I was reading that diesels can be run on straight vegtable oil, especially older ones, so I says to myself I gotta try this.

So I wait till I'm really low on fuel and I pull into Stop and Shop. I buy two large jugs of corn oil on sale. I then proceed to fill my tank in the parking lot.

This middle aged gasser pulls in next to me and asks if I have run out of gas. I tell him that I was running really low. He then says you have gas in those corn oil jugs don't you. I reply no it's corn oil that I just bought. He then says no you really have gas in there right. I say nope corn oil as I taste some. The guy comes unglued and yells "what are you doing? You're going to ruin your car" I laugh and tell him it runs on vegtable oil.

He was still flummoxed as I got in started her up and pulled out.

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

Soooo... now's the part where someone (me) is supposed to ask how you got a Nissan Maxima diesel....

Re: Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

[ QUOTE ]
I was driving through Oklahoma and Arizona in my TDI, going for maximum fuel economy by driving 50 mph. At the end of the day, I pulled over for fuel and a couple comes over to me and says, "We passed you several times today, but you still managed to stay ahead of us! How can that be?"

"Yeah, because I didn't have to stop for fuel like you did. "


[/ QUOTE ]

Now THAT is a great TDI commercial right there!

Re: Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

Well here in Quebec VW diesels have been around for ages. Still lots of A2 and A3 TDs around, the odd A1 and A2 straight diesel too. My neighbour has an '02 Jetta TDI (hers) and an A2 Jetta TD (his). So pump stories are pretty rare, except for the odd TD driver asking me what kind of mileage the TDI gets.

But here's my only real "pump story". I pull up to a local station that has both diesel and propane so I can fill up the BBQ tank as well. Start filling. It was my 99.5 Jetta, only about the 2nd or 3d tank I ever pumped into it. The pimply kid filling the tank noticed the car was brand spanking new and was asking all sorts of questions about it. Then he says "anybody show you the little button trick yet?". Then he proceeds to teach me how to vent! How cool is that? I've been getting 700+ mile tanks happily ever after!

Quebec is VW diesel heaven. I'd say at least 50% of A4 Jettas are TDIs. A bit less with Golfs, more of those tend to be base models I think. I've even got a hankering for an old A2 or A3 TD beater just for the heck of it, and my love for things purely mechanical. An engine that can run all by itself with no electrical system just rocks! /images/graemlins/grin.gif

Re: Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

I had a 83 Datsun Maxima diesel several years ago. I sold it (wish I hadn't) and didn't see another one till just a few days ago. Very slow but kinda cool at the same time.
Matt

Re: Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

[ QUOTE ]
I had a 83 Datsun Maxima diesel several years ago. I sold it (wish I hadn't) and didn't see another one till just a few days ago. Very slow but kinda cool at the same time.
Matt

[/ QUOTE ]

Ah, now I see.

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

[ QUOTE ]
Soooo... now's the part where someone (me) is supposed to ask how you got a Nissan Maxima diesel....

[/ QUOTE ]

I saw it on Ebay and I bought it.

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

[ QUOTE ]
I've been working at different gas stations for 5 years as part time job.

I've got a lot of stories to tell, but will concentrate on the "diesel ones".

Around 19:30 yesterday (22nd), a woman parks her TDI besides the diesel pump and ask me to fill it up.

So I put the nozzle in and do what she asked.

It stops at only 10$, and I had a little time so I started venting.

Around 15$ she starts yelling to stop and it's no good to fill up a diesel all the way up and blah blah blah. /images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif

I toll her that applies mainly to gasser because of how gasoline expand more than diesel for every increase in temperature.

I also told her that people had filled up TDI all the way up and parked them under the sun and nothing happened.

By the way it was only 15C or 59F, so not too hot to fill it up all the way.

After every half sentence she was cutting me off saying that is not what she was told. /images/graemlins/mad.gif

I gave her the address of the club here and my screen name, maybe we'll see her soon. /images/graemlins/smirk.gif

She was driving an A4 Jetta Blue on beige leather, 5 spd; very good looking car. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

It's just too bad that some people are misinformed from the start, it takes the fun out. /images/graemlins/shocked.gif



[/ QUOTE ]

Unfortunately, diesel also expands, about half of what gasoline does. Aside from a few anecdotes about leaving a car in the hot sun, I dont see any convincing evidence to suggest complete safety in filling to the absolute top. One thing to be concerned about (and I doubt anyone has debunked) is that VW diesels, especially rotary pump units, use excess fuel to lubricate and cool the injection pump. The excess HOT fuel is returned to the tank at a good rate, warming the tank. On a hot day, filling with cold diesel, and driving on a hot engine, the combination of high exterior temps and hot return fuel could potentially cause problems. Now, it likely isnt a problem for "venters" for a number of reasons, but its false to assume that expansion is only an issue on gasoline vehicles. In fact, you can see the expansion on your fuel gauge - shut down on a hot tank, then watch in the morning how the gauge needle goes down on a cold tank. Subtle, but definitely discernable.

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

RogueTDI The expansion of diesel is so small as to be unmeasureable at the 15 to 20 gal level. The expansion of the 17.3 gallons in my Jetta pumped at 62* F will only expand by about 3 oz when slowely raised to 90*F in normal course of the day. There was a link somewhere here on the forum that had the expansion rate of diesel, gas, and couple other fuels. The expansion problem with gas is not the fluid so much, as it is with the expansion of the fumes.

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

FINALLY I ahve finished reading all 22 pages of this thread. It took me three days to do it all, and here are some of the things that have gone one in those three days. Put first cat fuel filter in Jetta, do a ventectomy, help a friend move, go to church, house gets broken into.
There are some very funny stories in here. I just cant wait until I get my first one.
Dan

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

[ QUOTE ]
RogueTDI The expansion of diesel is so small as to be unmeasureable at the 15 to 20 gal level. The expansion of the 17.3 gallons in my Jetta pumped at 62* F will only expand by about 3 oz when slowely raised to 90*F in normal course of the day. There was a link somewhere here on the forum that had the expansion rate of diesel, gas, and couple other fuels. The expansion problem with gas is not the fluid so much, as it is with the expansion of the fumes.

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually, the fumes are compressible - they arent a problem. And changing the volume of gasoline vapor (the expansion chamber volume) above the liquid will not have any effect on the tank's equilibrium pressure.

Diesel versus gasoline coefficient of thermal expansion - liquid diesel expands about half as much as liquid gasoline:

http://imartinez.etsin.upm.es/bk3/c15/Fuel%20properties.htm#_Toc31620176

Gas: Thermal expansion coefficient=900×10-6 K-1

Diesel: Thermal expansion coefficient=480×10-6 K-1

Not surprising, considering gasoline is just a lighter, more volatile distillate of the same source material - crude oil.

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

My First Time

Here's my first fill up experience story....

I picked up my brand new VW Beetle. It is a GLS TDI-PD with the DSG auto tranny. It is Blue Lagoon and frankly guys, Blue Lagoon is an amazing color. I love all the Beetles, but Blue Lagoon somehow, for me, just really stands out.

So, I get it from the dealer, drive it home and then we decide to do a bit of a shake down cruise, our first road trip, around on winding roads, etc. But . . . I'm headed out and can't help it. I've got to pull up at the station I see with diesel and try this famous "venting" technique!! The fuel gauge showed just about full, I mean, just a HAIR under full.

So, I pull up to the pumps. This is my first time doing this diesel thing. I notice first of all there are actually two diesel pump. One has an ominous warning sticker on it. "Dyed Diesel, tax free use only!!" so I figure, "OK, maybe that's not for me." The other pump was just diesel.

So, I open the fuel cover, really cool on the Beetle, nice to have it so flat.

I start pumping and the thing kicks off pretty quick. I did the vent trick and actually got 3.7 gallons into it.

So, I go inside to pay and the guy at the register looks at me and says, "I'll take you here sir." I say, "I filled up at your diesel pump." He quickly looks out the window and said, "But that's a Beetle, how did you get diesel into it?" I said, "I just put it in. It is a diesel." Suddently, I had four men sort of gravitating to our conversation. One of them said, "That thing's a diesel? Doesn't it smell?" The gut at the register says, "Yea, I thought it was crazy for VW to put a diesel engine in their Beetle."

So, I politely ask, "Do you know about these diesel engines in the Beetles?" He looks sheepish and says, "No." I proceed to say, "Well, first of all, its unlike any other diesel engine in the world today. It is a four cylinder and runs very smoothly. Doesn't smell at all and gets fantastic mileage plus great torgue." The other guys listening say, "Really? How?" So, I proceed to give the men in the gas station a five minute lecture on diesel engine basics, explain the "pumpe duese" whatever technology and then, they all ask, "OK, so how's the mileage?" I say, "Well, it's rate for 36 city and 42 or so highway."

You should have seen the looks on their faces. Priceless. The register guy said, "Awesome."

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

Only 42mpg highway, for a DSG??

Im not familiar with the mileage for a DSG, but shouldnt the mileage be more like 45-46??

Stories when filling up at \"gasoline station\"

Only 42mpg highway, for a DSG??

Im not familiar with the mileage for a DSG, but shouldnt the mileage be more like 45-46??

Click to expand...

Whenever I get into a conversation when fueling up, I always mention that I only have to fill it up every 700 miles. The look on their face is ABSOLUTELY PRICELESS!

Saying that you "only have to fill it up every 700 miles" or whatever your tank range is really puts things into perspective for a gasser driver. I've found that nothing grabs a gasser driver's attention more than mentioning the range on one tank. Gasser drivers readily acknowledge the MPGs a TDI gets, but it doen't sink in like how the range on one tank does. Whether a gasser driver likes or dislikes Diesels, putting the MPGs into perspective for them by mentioning the tank range makes them THINK about it for a minute.

MPGs will improve as you rack up the miles. Diesels take a LONNNNGGGG time to break in, so be patient. There will no doubt be more fillup experiences along the way! /images/graemlins/cool.gif And always be sure to mention your tank range in any conversation at the Diesel pump. /images/graemlins/cool.gif

Good luck!


~ n1das