Stories when filling up at "gasoline station"

aja8888 · May 17, 2008

Whoever is paying 21% interest on a credit card has the wrong card. My credit union's rate is 9.9% but I pay in full when I get the bill.

I read an article in the town paper I get online (Waterbury, CT) that detailed a local gasoline station shutting off the pumps (for good) because they are not making *any* profit off the sale of gasoline. One of the reasons they stated was that consumers are using credit cards more often and the fee amount the station pays the credit card companies is getting out of hand.

Old Navy · May 17, 2008

Not exactly a fuel station story, but say a friend Friday at Wal-Mart and he had made a trip to see some friends just east of Memphis (50 mi) and was bragging about his Ford Focus getting 30 mpg for the trip. This guy is my size, for those who don't know me that is 6'5" and 300 lbs, I bet he had to be pried out of the car after 3 or 4 hrs on the road.

Anyway today cruising down the interstate on a road trip to the city shopping I looked at my MPG display and started laughing, waking the wife up, the MPG reading was 38.8 MPG and I was locked in at 70 MPH and 3100 RPM and w/o my set all the way back had my leg's straight out and was extremely comfortable listening to the stereo. The though of him and his 220 lb wife in a Focus cruising the interstate like sardines in a tin can just got to me guys.

Old Navy · May 17, 2008

Bob_Fout said:
Not if you pay the balance in full though. I only use the CC because of the cashback, and I don't normally carry more than $20 on me.

*sigh* $20 used to fill the tank

Hey great minds think alike Bob. I just had a $20 deposit made to my checking account by Discover this Friday. Nothing like getting cash back for you fuel purchase. and like you I pay it in full when the bill comes.

El Dobro · May 17, 2008

aja8888 said:
Whoever is paying 21% interest on a credit card has the wrong card. My credit union's rate is 9.9% but I pay in full when I get the bill.

I read an article in the town paper I get online (Waterbury, CT) that detailed a local gasoline station shutting off the pumps (for good) because they are not making *any* profit off the sale of gasoline. One of the reasons they stated was that consumers are using credit cards more often and the fee amount the station pays the credit card companies is getting out of hand.

With what it costs to fill up nowadays, do the stations think we're all going to start carrying that kind of cash around?

Bob_Fout · May 17, 2008

Old Navy said:
Hey great minds think alike Bob. I just had a $20 deposit made to my checking account by Discover this Friday. Nothing like getting cash back for you fuel purchase. and like you I pay it in full when the bill comes.

ON, look into Pentagon Federal's Visa platinum card, they pay 5% unlimited for pay-at-pump fuel purchases. Discover limits you on how much cash back.

https://www.penfed.org/productsAndRates/creditCards/RewardCards.asp

Bob_Fout · May 17, 2008

El Dobro said:
With what it costs to fill up nowadays, do the stations think we're all going to start carrying that kind of cash around?

Lots of folks just top it off every few days. $10 here, $20 there. They never actually FILL the tank from E or 1/4 etc.

Old Navy · May 17, 2008

Bob_Fout said:
ON, look into Pentagon Federal's Visa platinum card, they pay 5% unlimited for pay-at-pump fuel purchases. Discover limits you on how much cash back.

https://www.penfed.org/productsAndRates/creditCards/RewardCards.asp

Lots of folks just top it off every few days. $10 here, $20 there. They never actually FILL the tank from E or 1/4 etc.

Thanks for the look-see, I have a NFCU account and CC's but they don't have much of a C B program so I will look into the PFCU for sure.

As for as the $10 here $20 there thing, people have been doing that forever. Most people only do fill-up's when traveling from what I have seen. Most can not tell you how much they actually spend per month, I know none of my friends can. Only people I know that track their fuel for their family car are diesel car owners.

Most buy a car based on highway MPG's when most of their driving is by far city, and most of these folks could not tell you an accurate MPG for city driving for some reason.

eli · May 17, 2008

chase rewards card pays 5% back for fuel. $300 yearly max is usual for the rebate cards.

aja8888 · May 17, 2008

El Dobro said:
With what it costs to fill up nowadays, do the stations think we're all going to start carrying that kind of cash around?

I agree, and that will become a problem for service station owners. The station I mentioned in my post said they used to cover the CC cost by selling "twinkies and coffee", but those days are behind them as people are just buying fuel and not as many in-store goodies.

Story in this link:

http://www.rep-am.com/articles/2008/05/15/news/340783.txt

Tony

n1das · May 17, 2008

Keeping this thread on-topic of 'Stories when filling up at "gasoline station"' and not about interest rates and cashback rewards on credit cards, I had a rather cute one tonight....

I stopped at my local favorite station to fuel up at, Haffner's Kick Stop "It Kicks!" on 3A in Hudson NH to top off my 05 PD Jetta Wagen. The diesel pumps are in the middle of the gasser pump islands, so I often have to squeeze by a mob of gassers to get to a pump. It wasn't busy tonight so I pulled up to my favorite pump. While I was fueling up, a guy in a Ford Taurus POS gasser pulls up to a gas pump on the other side of the island and begins fueling up.

I finish topping off the Wagen and as I'm walking inside to get my change (pre-pay only for cash purchases at this station), the guy with the Taurus gasser tries to get my attention.

Him (with an annoyed tone of voice): "Seven dollars a gallon by the end of the summer!"

I suspected he was about to give me a hard time about driving a DIESEL car, given the current price situation.

Me (smiling): "Glad I drive a DIESEL car! 700 miles between fillups!"

Him (w/priceless and confused look on face): "What...you get about 40 (MPG) with that?"

Me: "Actually I get around 50 MPG with it!" (I get 48 MPG consistently)
Him (with a MORE priceless look on face): "Oh WOW!"
Me: "That's right...and 700 miles between fillups!"

I purposely made sure he got the 700 mile tank range part, LOL.

When I came back out and walking to my PD JWagen, I heard him talking with his 2 passengers and I caught a couple of tidbits of what he was saying. I heard something about "....Europe....drive diesels over there....cars we can't get here.....40-50 MPG....700+ miles between fillups".

Edit: The Taurus driver had a rather PO'd and angry tone of voice as he was talking to his passengers as I walked back to my car. I didn't talk to him and got in my PD JWagen and left.

owr084 · May 17, 2008

aja8888 said:
Whoever is paying 21% interest on a credit card has the wrong card. My credit union's rate is 9.9% but I pay in full when I get the bill.

That interest rate is way too high too! My USAA card is 5.25% right now

Course, it's always paid in full, so the interest rate matters little...

velociT · May 18, 2008

yeah n1das, definitely cant get those cars over here...

NarfBLAST · May 19, 2008

Okay, i've been reading this thread for days for days and I am at post #1100 or so. I will finish, but I have to share my stories: I hate full serve. I have only EVER had someone else put fuel in my vehicle twice: once when I bought it new at the dealership, and this time:

Filling up at a full serve BioDiesel place in downtown Toronto 5 years ago: kindof a dirty place (carboard on the floor inside the kiosk) and as I'm pulling in the attendant is grabbing for the nozzel, I unlock the fuel lid and figure I will have time get out and tell him "No thanks, I will do it myself" but he starts unscrewing the cap and I have to SPRINT around the car and he allready has the nozzel in! MY CAR HAD BEEN VIOLATED! I stopped him and said, "I would rather do that myself" He said, "Its no problem." I said, "No, nobody puts fuel in my car but me. Please stop." He stopped. I was fuming as I filled up. I went inside to pay and the same guy was giving away free chocolate bar with ever fillup. I looked at the grimey cardboard on the floor, then looked him in the eye and said, "No thanks, just the fuel and I would like to get going". I think they were trying to be extra curtious but they stepped over a line when when they stuck their hose in my tank without asking. I hate full serve. Never again.

I filled up at gas stations for a while, but always hated that most don't post the price for Diesel and don't offer pay at the pump... except for one Canadian Tire Gas bar in Kitchener Ontario, always had best price, always had pay at the pump, even got Canadian Tire bonus money on top of the best price... one day I was filling up and opened my trunk and was looking for something when I felt the whole car shake! I thought, "wow, I've never felt a nozzel click off that hard before?" When I looked up there was a old dodge caravan full of kids and and a mom in the passenger seat and the van was stuck half way into my right front fender... a few seconds later, Dad comes running over and jumps in the drivers seat and takes the van out of gear and shuts off the engine. APPEARANTLY he had left the engine running and one of his NOT BUCKLED DOWN kids put it in gear. What a moron! Leaves his car running and doesn't buckle in the kids. LUCKILY the van crashed into MY CAR and not the GAS/DIESEL pump four feet to the left or missed my car four feet to the right it would have gone right into a four lane busy street! The gas bar attendant called the police and they arrived quickly and took our statements and I pulled the fender out and it was drivable. I kindly explained to him that he is very lucky that the van with his wife and four kids crashed into a nice soft volkswagen instead of the pumps or the street. The obviously over burnded stressted out family man pleaded with me to get the repair done without calling in the insurnace companies. I said I would consider it. I never spoke to him again. The next day I called my insurance company. Woudn't have mattered anyway, my insurance paid for my repair, not his insurance, becaue it was on private property. I wonder if he still leaves his engine running and kids unbuckled?

n1das · May 19, 2008

velociT said:
yeah n1das, definitely cant get those cars over here...

Agreed. Funny how those cars always end up on my "most wanted" list!

I had a gut feeling that the Taurus guy was trying to set me up so he could harass me about the high price of diesel to make himself feel better. He had an annoyed or scornful tone of voice when he yelled "Seven dollars a gallon by the end of the summer!" That sort of turned me off right from the outset. The thought of $7/gallon didn't bother me at all. It was his general attitude toward me that rubbed me the wrong way. I think he thought he could succeed at irritating me but instead I simply sang nothing but praise about DIESEL and TDIs.

Blue_Hen_TDI · May 19, 2008

This was not at the gasoline station, but rather at a Wawa convenience store down the road right after I filled up two weeks ago. I saw a guy sort of hanging by the front of my car (my B4V w/ ~25gal tank) as I shut down, took off my seatbelt, and put away my sunglasses.

He must have either heard the diesel engine or was somewhat educated about TDIs, because he immediately says "What kind of mileage do you get in that thing?"

As I had just run the calculations on my GPS calculator and still had the receipt in my wallet with the trip odo reading and calculated mpg pencilled on the front, I pulled it out and showed him and said, "Oh, I just got 50 mpg and 1,200 miles to the last tank."

The guy literally did not say a word and just had a disbelieving grin on his face, made a little grunting "mmm, mmm, mmm" while shaking his head, and walked away to his Superduty.

Priceless.

velociT · May 19, 2008

Blue_Hen_TDI said:
This was not at the gasoline station, but rather at a Wawa convenience store down the road right after I filled up two weeks ago. I saw a guy sort of hanging by the front of my car (my B4V w/ ~25gal tank) as I shut down, took off my seatbelt, and put away my sunglasses.

He must have either heard the diesel engine or was somewhat educated about TDIs, because he immediately says "What kind of mileage do you get in that thing?"

As I had just run the calculations on my GPS calculator and still had the receipt in my wallet with the trip odo reading and calculated mpg pencilled on the front, I pulled it out and showed him and said, "Oh, I just got 50 mpg and 1,200 miles to the last tank."

The guy literally did not say a word and just had a disbelieving grin on his face, made a little grunting "mmm, mmm, mmm" while shaking his head, and walked away to his Superduty.

Priceless.

Quite a few of the members here are former super-duty owners. I used to own a 2002 7.3L Crew Cab Ford 4x4.

gforce1108 · May 19, 2008

velociT said:
Quite a few of the members here are former super-duty owners. I used to own a 2002 7.3L Crew Cab Ford 4x4.

Many of us are current super duty owners - we just can't afford to drive them! $75 for a half tank last weekend and I paid 'only' $4.39 a gallon in NJ. I used to run the 7.3 all weekend and the Jetta only to work, but now I only run it when I need to haul/tow something. My wife uses hers for everything - that is until I get the Beetle up and running. Then there will be two 7.3s sitting in the driveway. I'd sell off the older one if I really felt like mounting the plow on a crew cab dually.

TonyJetta · May 20, 2008

velociT said:
Quite a few of the members here are former super-duty owners. I used to own a 2002 7.3L Crew Cab Ford 4x4.

Many of us own Cummins and multiple diesels too!

n1das · May 20, 2008

n1das said:
Just BUMPing this TDIclub favorite thread to the top on its FIFTH anniversary!

I've said it before and I'll say it again: This thread should be made a sticky at the top! It is definitely a TDIclub favorite thread and a universal favorite among TDI owners.

This awesome thread is now 5 years old!!
Keep those fillup stories coming!

SIXTH anniversary BUMP!

This awesome thread is 6 years old today!

Old Navy · May 20, 2008

n1das said:
SIXTH anniversary BUMP!
This awesome thread is 6 years old today!

Made my first post on 7/11/2002, wonder how many original posters from the first few months are still members and posting?

N_D_v_22101 · May 20, 2008

Old Navy said:
Made my first post on 7/11/2002, wonder how many original posters from the first few months are still members and posting?

Original poster checking in here! I am surprised on how this thread goes quiet and usually after 3 or 4 days of nothing, there are some good weekend fill-up stories added!

Buuuump!

mrGutWrench · May 20, 2008

Old Navy said:
Made my first post on 7/11/2002, wonder how many original posters from the first few months are still members and posting?

__. Guilty as charged, you Honor. But, you're right, there are a lot of "oldies" who have fallen by the wayside.

n8ronJ · May 20, 2008

I'm a new poster - wish it had been years sooner. This thread is a great read.

My local Sunoco station has an island of gas pumps and it's lone diesel pump is on the edge of the parking lot. It's pay-at-the-pump so I don't mind the separation. I'm more of a loner anyways. I fill up there maybe every other time and I never have to wait. So, one fine morning I pulled up to the pump and got myself prepared - log book out, start writing the info, get the debit card out... - and I watch this guy from town pull up to the store front and come right back out in a few seconds. After he gets back into his big Chevy truck, he pulls over to the diesel pump and waits for me to get finished. Now, in the meantime I'm having trouble with my debit card working in the pump. Didn't read the card a couple times then I thought it worked cuz the pump was on. So, finally I get pumping. $61 worth of fuel. Since I questioned my card working or not working I headed into the store and explained that I didn't know if it read my card properly. After a minute or so Mr. big Chevy truck walks in and asks why the pump wasn't on. He paid $100 cash. So, I kinda realized that I pumped $61 of his $100 into my car. It was funny and embarassing - no question of putting diesel into a car. He didn't mind my little "theft" as long as he got his $100 worth somehow.

n1das · May 20, 2008

N_D_v_22101 said:
Original poster checking in here! I am surprised on how this thread goes quiet and usually after 3 or 4 days of nothing, there are some good weekend fill-up stories added!

Buuuump!

STICKY!! STICKY!! STICKY!! STICKY!! STICKY!! STICKY!! STICKY!!

The stories keep coming provided the thread is visible and near the top. The thread often sits dormant for a while until somebody posts a new story to it. The thread's new visibility close to the top always triggers a flood of new stories. I've said it many times before and I'll say it again...this thread deserves to be made sticky at the top. The longevity of this thread proves it's a universal favorite thread and something ALL TDI owners can relate to. I guess it's a DIESEL thing.

I think this thread holds the TDIclub record for (1) longevity (6 years!), (2) number of views, and (3) number of replies. It might also hold the record for the largest number and magnitude of side-splitting LOLs and ROTFLMAOs.

Keep those great fillup stories coming!

TonyJetta · May 20, 2008

n1das said:
STICKY!! STICKY!! STICKY!! STICKY!! STICKY!! STICKY!! STICKY!!

DITTO! DITTO! DITTO! DITTO! DITTO!

speed185187 · May 20, 2008

I might have a story or two after this weekend. I'm Driving down to Norfolk. Weeee

Old Navy · May 20, 2008

speed185187 said:
I might have a story or two after this weekend. I'm Driving down to Norfolk. Weeee

Make sure you pronounce it correctly when you get there.

Blue_Hen_TDI · May 20, 2008

Old Navy said:
Make sure you pronounce it correctly when you get there.

So what is the right way? I've heard three ways:

Nore-folk
Nore-fork
and
Naw-fok

Bob_Fout · May 20, 2008

Blue_Hen_TDI said:
So what is the right way? I've heard three ways:

Nore-folk
Nore-fork
and
Naw-fok

What about no-fok?

Old Navy · May 20, 2008

Careful you are on a slippery slope, but let say that when I was there first time I thought the real estate lady was making a pass at me the way she was pronouncing the name.

Stories when filling up at "gasoline station"

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