The two pump fillup

This thread has turned into the "I hate gas stations and gas prices" thread! :flipoff2:

Another thing that upsets me is that a lot of the diesel pumps don't have pay-at-the-pump. Since I got my Cummins, I've been visiting the pump cashier a lot more.

And lastly, there are at least 2 new Sheetz stations in Greensboro, one in Walkertown...
 
There's a Sheetz off of 40 just inside Mebane wher we got gas for 2.79 on Sun. They have a huge LED sign you can see from the highway.
The Shell across the street was 2.82, and the BP up the road on the other side of the highway - 2.94.
At first teh wife and I were like, How the heck can they afford this.
Then it was obvious, every pump filled w/ a 2 car line. I bet in 1 hour they serve more cars than that BP does in a day. per-day income easily exceeds what the more expensive places do. Capitolism in action.
Sorry for more veer o/t. But I've never hit a limit, 'cause our 3 vehicle has 10, 12, and 15 gallon tanks.

Re: Why there is a limit. Many CC companies have therir own limits anyway, to get more you have to call and tell them. This is to prevent me from stealing your card, then going to the gas station and filling up every car there in exchange for people's cash at say $.75 per $1 or whatever, and rackin up a $400 bill. The gas stations set their own limits b/c they get in trouble w/ the CC comp. if it goes over.

When we first got our BP gas card, it had a $100 limit. This is for both of us. We called many times trying to explain that these days $100/mo in gas is unrealistic for any regular 2 driver American family. They wouldn't raise it 'cause it was a new account, even though my credit score is like a 780. Rediculous. After 60 months, we finally got it up to $150...
 
rattlecanpaint said:
it's good to have cheap (not really) gas close to the house. Sorry, but $50 is too damn much to pay for a tank of gas when the oil comapnt posts a 3rd Quarter profit of $20 Billion. I think they can still make money at $1.50 a gallon.
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Don't take this the wrong way: Do you still not understand that it is completely due to volume that oil companies make the money that they do? That if, for one day, no one purchased a drop of fuel that they would take a beating? Did you consider that in our wonderful state we pay some of the highest per-gallon fuel taxes in the Nation?

Reference this link: http://auto.howstuffworks.com/question417.htm

If you read that first page, then do the math (using their consumption example and your rough profit figure): $20Billion/146Billion Gals/4 (per quarter) = $0.548 per gallon profit. Take out the 30-40 cents of taxes and then do the profit margin: ($2.80/gal - $0.40 = $2.40, then $.548/$2.40 = 22%) Most companies would have a heart attack at the thought of less than 30% margins, but not all of that was gasoline profit either.

I'm not justifying it but look at the numbers. Let us not forget either that gasoline is not the only thing they sell, most oil refiners also use their oil to make olefins, esters, ethylenes, etc. And they make part of their profits on those too.

I worked for four years in Houston doing electrical maintenance. When the money starts rolling in at chemical companies, they start spending money on maintenance and upgrades. Outside firms made more money and stayed busier, and the employees (including myself) made more money and were able to "enjoy" life more, even though we had to spend a little extra at the pump. It's all a viscious cycle, but the fact remained that my own money made it back around to myself again. Most people can't make that connection, there lies some of the discontent with it all.

Look at it this way, at least the refiners are in the US and we aren't importing finished oil products the way that we import everything else. I've even heard talk of building more facilities in the US to handle the demand.
 
OnlyOneDR said:
When the money starts rolling in at chemical companies, they start spending money on maintenance and upgrades. .
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Yeah, because BP has been spending SO much money on preventative maintenance.. :shaking:
 
Rich said:
Yeah, because BP has been spending SO much money on preventative maintenance.. :shaking:
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You're replying to a guy that has worked at both of the facilities near Houston that had issues. In fact I was there the day before the Texas City refinery had the explosion march of last year, my luck I was on another job that day. Then the fire at the Chocolate Bayou facility was in a coke oven that, frankly speaking, is always on fire anyway. I got to see the remains of that oven later, what a mess.

If you weren't there you wouldn't know.
 
Try filling up a generator on a trailer with a 125 gallon tank...
...$50 at a time.
125 x $3.00 a gallon
$375 dollars
Run card 8 times...:fuck-you:
 
Bringing this back from the dead. Most pumps I frequent seem to shut off at $75 or $100, and the tank still isn't full. Raise the fawking limit! I'm not leaving without a full tank, so the two pump fill up continues...
 
^^^It was explained to me that the policy was implemented to minimize losses accredited to drive-offs. I haven't been to a station that doesn't require prepayment in a few years...so it makes no sense as to why this is still enforced. Most places around Salisbury seem to shut off between $60-75...unless you're driving an econo gas sipper/hybrid, I can't think of many vehicles with less than 16-20 gallon tank. So I agree, with gas right at 3.75, it's ridiculous to think I'm right at the limit of not being able to fill my mustang.
 
Blkvoodoo said:
There are 2 Sheetz on US1 north (Capital Blvd) in Ral, one across the highway from Mallinkrodt, the other basically in Youngsville just south of Hwy 96 , the there is one on Newbern Ave at Rogers lane (Hwy 64 East Business)

And then there is one in Fuquay Varina on North main ( where 42, 55 and 401 converge ) They seem to usually be lower in price than the major oil theives as well.

These are the ones I know of, I'd be willing to bet there are more
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There is one in Durham on club blvd/tw alexander
 
$50 and $75 limit on CCs? Thats rough! everyone I go to is $100 and I still have to pump twice...


Sheetz in Zebulon, Wilson, and I know of 3 in Greenville :)
 
UTfball68 said:
^^^It was explained to me that the policy was implemented to minimize losses accredited to drive-offs. I haven't been to a station that doesn't require prepayment in a few years...so it makes no sense as to why this is still enforced. Most places around Salisbury seem to shut off between $60-75...unless you're driving an econo gas sipper/hybrid, I can't think of many vehicles with less than 16-20 gallon tank. So I agree, with gas right at 3.75, it's ridiculous to think I'm right at the limit of not being able to fill my mustang.
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When you use a credit card the cc processor places a hold before the pump transaction begins.

They ahve to ask for some amount of money to see if the funds are available. They can't say how much is in there and then pprove at 100% of your balance.
Basically this is how it works from a real basic principle.
Gas Pump: Mr. Bank will you approve a $125 transaction
Bank: Yes
Gas Pump: Fill up Mr. Customer.
When you reach $125 your approval is cut off. So the pump starts. If they didn't stop the pump you could buy a $50 pre paid visa and fill up a tanker truck. So then the question is aksed why dont they just ask for more money...the rb here is it depends on how your bank is set up. For yars our small time credit union took 24 hours to post any credits. So if you playd close to the edge and had say 200 in your chcking account, you got gas and it approved say 150...you only put 50 in. Now it owes you 100 but it ill not post until tomorrow AM. Now you go to dinner and buy a $75 dinner and you are over drawn because there is only $50 in your account. Yet tomorrow AM another 100 will be deposited that should have ben there all along.
 
It takes 80 bucks to fill my Silverado, but at Marathon, Murphy's, or Raceway I haven't had a pump cut off on me yet.
 
The KW I used to own held 450 gallons. My camper holds 150 and I wish it held at least 200 or 250. I topped it off April 3rd at $3.65, now it's $4.15 at the same station 17 days later!
 
pump diesel on the big rig side. The downside is that you have to shoeleather it to the cashier both before and after you pump, but the actual 30 gallon fillup only takes a couple minutes.
 
My ZJ takes between $75-80. A lot of the places I go cutoff at $75. I always make sure to top it off even if its only $1-2 more because that costs the station a transaction fee, and eventually they will get the point.
 
jeepinmatt said:
My ZJ takes between $75-80. A lot of the places I go cutoff at $75. I always make sure to top it off even if its only $1-2 more because that costs the station a transaction fee, and eventually they will get the point.
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Please see post #36.

What he didn't explain is if the limit was say, $150, then you would have to have at least $150 in available funds to be able to get any fuel at all. Also, why do people (not necessarily you) always want to take it out on the "Mom and Pop" stores?
 
GimmieBoost said:
Please see post #36.

What he didn't explain is if the limit was say, $150, then you would have to have at least $150 in available funds to be able to get any fuel at all. Also, why do people (not necessarily you) always want to take it out on the "Mom and Pop" stores?
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I don't see how the limit on the pumps has anything to do with available funds or available credit, as it varies from place to place, regardless of how much money is in my account. Also, I'm not "taking it out" on mom and pop stores, I'm speaking with my checkbook. All they have to do is change the limit on their pumps. I see how you could interpret it like that though.
 
RenegadeT said:
pump diesel on the big rig side. The downside is that you have to shoeleather it to the cashier both before and after you pump, but the actual 30 gallon fillup only takes a couple minutes.
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careful there on the big rig side. Its usually 3-4 cents more than at the auto pumps...
 
GimmieBoost said:
Please see post #36.

What he didn't explain is if the limit was say, $150, then you would have to have at least $150 in available funds to be able to get any fuel at all. Also, why do people (not necessarily you) always want to take it out on the "Mom and Pop" stores?
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If the dollar amount was set by the bank, then why does it vary from store to store? I too do a second transaction even if I suspect it will only be for a couple of more dollars. Screw em, I'm going to cost them for the second transaction hoping they get the point. I'm not leaving without a full tank.
 
rockcity said:
careful there on the big rig side. Its usually 3-4 cents more than at the auto pumps...
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I think you're talking about the cash vs credit prices...?

I've been buying at Sheetz ($100 to cutoff, still can't get a full tank) or the truck stop. Those fawkers with $50 and $75 cutoffs don't get my business anymore. :lol:
 
drkelly said:
If the dollar amount was set by the bank, then why does it vary from store to store? I too do a second transaction even if I suspect it will only be for a couple of more dollars. Screw em, I'm going to cost them for the second transaction hoping they get the point. I'm not leaving without a full tank.
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The limit is set by the store or the payment processor not the bank. The bank holds the amount of money requested..it is up to the bank how soon they return that money.


All modern CC processors charge a flat % you are not hurting the store by making a second transaction, they make the same % on that transaction as they would on a single one.

I have gotten two stores to change their limit by asking for an email address to the owner and sending him a note...its pretty easy for them and if they think they are losing my business...
 
Ron said:
All modern CC processors charge a flat % you are not hurting the store by making a second transaction, they make the same % on that transaction as they would on a single one.
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How does that work? %on the amount charged? If so, then I see what you are saying, but I thought debit cards worked off of transaction fees every time you swiped your card.
 
Great info Ron...but I'm thirding what available funds or available credit has to do with where the pump shuts off. Say I have $77 dollars in my account one day and the pump shuts off at $75. The next time I go, and have $500 in my account, the pump is still gonna shut off at $75. Then the next fill up, I go to a different station and now have $1000 in my account, but this pump shuts off at $60. Those pumps have always cut off at the same dollar figure regardless of what I had in my account or what kind of cc balance I was carrying.

So I understand the transaction processing side of it (I think). What I don't understand is why those limits aren't raised or lifted? Regardless of funding you have available to you, the station is protected.
 
UTfball68 said:
Great info Ron...but I'm thirding what available funds or available credit has to do with where the pump shuts off. Say I have $77 dollars in my account one day and the pump shuts off at $75. The next time I go, and have $500 in my account, the pump is still gonna shut off at $75. Then the next fill up, I go to a different station and now have $1000 in my account, but this pump shuts off at $60.
So I understand the transaction processing side of it (I think). What I don't understand is why those limits aren't raised or lifted? Regardless of funding you have available to you, the station is protected.
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The station is NOT protected...it is not a signature transaction as such it has totally different rules that apply. BTW Visa/MC do not protect merchants the same may they do consumers.

Each station in their CC processing sets the "hold" amount. If it is 75 it will always be 75 so long as you have 75 in your account. The pump doeesnt know you have 76 or 76000 it only knows you have at least 76. It asks can this guy pay 75..if the answer is yes then the pump turns on.

the processor has to verify an amount that it does not yet know. an alternate solution would be to have the customer key in the amount they expect to purchase and have the hold be for that amount...but that would wear out touch pads faster.

Also MOST gas stations really dont want to sell you gas, They want you to come inside and buy high margin goods...fwiw
 
RenegadeT said:
pump diesel on the big rig side. The downside is that you have to shoeleather it to the cashier both before and after you pump, but the actual 30 gallon fillup only takes a couple minutes.
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I do remember reading that the high flow rate on the big truck side can damage the fuel level senders on the Dodge if run wide-open..

Fortunately, even the first click on those nozzles is pretty dang quick.
 
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