Community Forums

wackymac · 07-14-2011, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rf4

I live in Southern California...

I fuel up at Vons/Safeway grocery store gas stations. I have a discount card with them (you sign up online with your phone number). I automatically get .03 cents off of each gallon, plus they run specials every so often that if you spend $50 you get an additional .10 cents off every gallon. This makes more sense to me as this is where I shop most of the time anyway.

If you get .03 cents off per gallon it wouldn't be worth fooling around with the card. Now, if you get 3 cents per gallon off, that would be worth it.

Wanabee FTer · 07-14-2011, 06:53 PM

I prefer stations that you can pay at the pump with a credit card. Arco I believe is debit or cash only. I have heard of add on card readers getting your debit card number and PIN to drain bank accounts. I feel much safer using a credit card with buyer/fraud protection.
Just like the sign says on a truck door "driver carries no cash"

Gadget Man · 07-14-2011, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by macnkat

Bad fuel once could happen anywhere.

True, but that bad fuel cost me time and money and made my engine run sick. If I eat bad food at a restaurant and get sick, chances are I won't return there either...

bluepill · 07-14-2011, 07:09 PM

I use a rewards mastercard that gives me 1% back on everything, sometimes they have a 3% deal on fuel for three months. At 4 bucks a gallon, that gives me back either 4 or 12 cents per gallon, so it mostly offsets the bump at the pump.

Chuck 1935 · 07-14-2011, 07:09 PM

I know how far I can go on a tankful of fuel. I then go on MSN Fuel prices and see who has the cheapest fuel in that area that I am heading, I also pay with cash to get the lowest price.
If I see a lower price in route I will fill up there.
I also try and fill up before coming back into California, that way I rarely have to buy fuel in California.

CarlGeo · 07-14-2011, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedneckExpress

I've repeatedly had bad experiences with Arco stations and bad fuel at a number of different stations in different cities and in different states.

Between the B.S that the card reader at the pumps don't work, "Must prepay in side" plus the little tack on charge, I don't touch Arco's with a 10 foot pole.

What you experienced has been the norm in California since the first fuel crisis in 1973. I believe the state law is the merchants cannot charge more for use of a credit card, but can reduce price for a cash purchase. Therefore, they post the credit price and offer the lower price for cash. Generally, the differnce is ten cents per gallon at the main line stations, ie: Chevron, Shell, etc.
I don't like it but that is the way its done.
CarlGeo

dieselclacker · 07-15-2011, 09:36 AM

I no longer reside in California, but used Arco gasoline for 30 years or so when I did live there, and never experienced bad fuel. What I don,t like about Arco is the dollar amount on card purchases is not enough to fuel my motorhome with out swiping the card a second time to complete the fill up. This action costs an additional .45 cent card fee, sometimes for only pumping a few gallons more. You can go inside and have leave your card and have the clerk start the pump, but this defeats the convienence of pay at the pump. What I do like about Arco, is thier price, usually several cents lower per gallon than Chevron, Shell, Texaco, Mobil etc brands. Large gallonage fillups in the motorhome, more than offsets the .45, sometimes .90 fill charge for using the card. True, only debit card, or company card is accepted at the pump. I only wish they would expand to Montana.

Dieselclacker

jimcumminsw · 07-15-2011, 09:59 AM

I live in the mid-west and mainly fill-up at the Meijer gas/diesel stops at their grocery stores. I get a nickel off the posted cash price for every gallon purchased. An then after so many points charged we get a 20 % in store coupon.
I pay the card off every month, so there is no interests. To me this is the best way to save on the cost of fuel.
Jim W

scenic route · 07-15-2011, 11:27 PM

Florida used to be notorious for water in their fuel. For those who may run into this problem, I ALWAYS receive and keep the receipt until the next fill up. This way, if I get a load of water, I have PROOF of the time and place I filled up. Just say'n...Bob

BTW, if there's a tanker at the station filling and stirring up the sediment/gunk/water in the storage tanks, I go somewhere else. Injectors don't like that stuff.

Ann n Gene · 07-17-2011, 04:15 PM

Perry, that is in Oregon and New jersey. The law does not ALLOW you to pump your own gas and the attendants take you card, swipe it and pump the fuel, seems crazy but that is our government looking out for us poor taxpayers casue everyone knows if we were dumb enough to elect them, we have no business pumping a hazardous fuel into our rvs! All just my opinion.

macnkat · 07-17-2011, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ann n Gene

that is our government looking out for us poor taxpayers casue everyone knows if we were dumb enough to elect them, we have no business pumping a hazardous fuel into our rvs! All just my opinion.

Yep, pretty much.

LadyFitz... · 07-17-2011, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rf4

I live in Southern California...

Arco Stations charge .45 cents for using a credit/debit card - so while their gas prices look good, you have to factor in this charge also.

Circle K and Valero stations also charge for using credit/debit cards - that might be the .10 cents.

I fuel up at Vons/Safeway grocery store gas stations. I have a discount card with them (you sign up online with your phone number). I automatically get .03 cents off of each gallon, plus they run specials every so often that if you spend $50 you get an additional .10 cents off every gallon. This makes more sense to me as this is where I shop most of the time anyway.

Where in SoCal are you (that area is bigger than most States). The Circle K on El Norte Pkwy on the west side of Escondido, CA doesn't charge extra for using plastic. Neither do they in AZ.

LadyFitz... · 07-17-2011, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedneckExpress

I've repeatedly had bad experiences with Arco stations and bad fuel at a number of different stations in different cities and in different states.

Between the B.S that the card reader at the pumps don't work, "Must prepay in side" plus the little tack on charge, I don't touch Arco's with a 10 foot pole.

Same here.

Forest Grump · 07-18-2011, 12:15 PM

If you have a problem with the quality of fuel immediately report it to the states weights and measures. BTW most fuel for all brands comes from the cheapest closest refinery rack. Shell, Mobil, Chevron etc. will add their additives as they load the truck. So when fuel leaves the refinery, at the sales tank, it meets ASTM specs. Each refinery in the West tests monthly their ASTM procedures including weights and measures.

So if you get bad fuel it is either the transport truck or the storage tanks at the station. Either way weights and measures will follow up starting within the station and then working backwards. BTW the fines for selling off spec fuel are very high.

If you are buying diesel look for the yellow sweet smelling product. If it looks like root beer and stinks it is from a low gravity crude that has been cracked. Cetane improvers are added to make it up to grade.