  Birwood Member Username: Birwood Post Number: 108 Registered: 10-2007 |
I was involved in a Gas Gouging incident yesterday afternoon at the Marathon Station located at 25337 W. Warren near Beech Daly The advertised Cash Pre-pay Price was $4.13 gallon. I entered and Pre-paid $45.00 for a fill up but as I got to the pump I noticed the price was listed as $4.20 gallon. I went thru the procedure of selecting the grade and removed the nozzle from it cradle. The price didn't change to $4.13 as it should have. I did this procedure 2 more times before going back into the building to ask the clerk to reset the pump. He told me to go thru the procedure again and the price will automatically change, it didn't. I went back into the station and told the clerk his pump was malfunctioning he began to get testy as I kept asking for him to reset the pump or return my money. I returned to the pump after watching him manually reset the pump price from his control panel and the price was then set for the advertised cash $4.13 gallon. I began fueling setting the nozzle on automatic flow and as the pump stopped flowing fuel at the $45.00 limit, I noticed the price on the pump panel jumped back to $4.20, but the nozzle was still in my gas tank filler....Hmmmm strange I placed the nozzle back in the cradle went back inside got my receipt, and departed. Later on after I got to my destination, I did some quick math, $45.00 divided 10.8 gallons equals a price of $4.16 gallon. I theorize that the clerk reset the pump price while fuel was flowing and it caught at $4.16 instead of the $4.20 he wanted. True he only got .03 per gallon from me but how many other times has this happened and customers haven't noticed and he got them for the full .07 difference ? Those pennies per gallon do add up over the course of the business day/week. I did file a complaint on the Michigan.gov Gas Gouging page but I like everyone who reads this post to be aware and pay attention when you buy gas, the price you see listed on the sign, may not be the price your paying at the pump | ||
Buyamerican Member Username: Buyamerican Post Number: 621 Registered: 02-2007 |
Thanks for the heads up. You have to protect yourself at all times and be your own advocate. WHAT YOU DRIVE, DRIVES AMERICA! | ||
Raptor56 Member Username: Raptor56 Post Number: 375 Registered: 05-2007 |
I've noticed in the past couple weeks that a bunch of the BP gas stations on my side of town (Madison Heghts/ St Clair Shores) all changed their signs from showing prices for Regular/Mid/Premium to Regular Cash/Regular Credit/Premium. Be aware of the lower price on the top of the sign that you think you are paying isn't really the price at the pump when you use your credit/debit card. | ||
Retroit Member Username: Retroit Post Number: 275 Registered: 04-2008 |
Birwood, thanks for the heads-up. Gas stations must be getting desperate. I've seen several go out of business lately, and now many are listing prices for "Regular-Cash" and "Regular-Credit Card". | ||
Retroit Member Username: Retroit Post Number: 276 Registered: 04-2008 |
Great minds think alike! | ||
Raptor56 Member Username: Raptor56 Post Number: 376 Registered: 05-2007 |
lol... apparently | ||
Raptor56 Member Username: Raptor56 Post Number: 377 Registered: 05-2007 |
I've noticed another new thing at the pumps. Instead of the usual 10 cent difference between each of the fuel grades, stations are starting to charge one price for regular, then there's a 20+ cent jump to the midgrade price. | ||
Professorscott Member Username: Professorscott Post Number: 1426 Registered: 12-2006 |
They can charge whatever they want for midgrade and premium, since there is almost no vehicle made that actually needs anything higher than 87 octane. High-end sports cars perform slightly better with higher-grade gas, but don't require it. | ||
Lilpup Member Username: Lilpup Post Number: 4596 Registered: 06-2004 |
It sounds as though he changed price on you while you were pumping - the first few gallons were at the lower price and the last few at the higher price, averaging out to the $4.16. The cash/credit situation is really a hassle for dealers. With prices were they are the dealers really don't have much choice because credit card fees are a percentage of the total sale and usually, when a station is a major brand, the dealer is contracted to using the credit card processor the brand specifies and isn't free to shop around for better rates. When I did books for a branded station the fee was almost 3%, which figures out to over 12 cents cost per gallon at $4.13 retail per gallon. That's more than a dealer earns on a gallon. | ||
Rid0617 Member Username: Rid0617 Post Number: 206 Registered: 03-2008 |
What happened to the agreement merchants sign with Via/ MC, etc that states you are not allowed to charge more for a credit purchase? | ||
Courtney Member Username: Courtney Post Number: 175 Registered: 06-2004 |
They get around that by the cash/credit difference not being a "credit surcharge". Instead, it's a "discount" for paying cash. | ||
Ggores Member Username: Ggores Post Number: 162 Registered: 10-2007 |
Things certainly are getting slightly out of hand these days. People raising monkeys in place of actual humans, no elephants at the Detroit Zoo (or so I've been told), and yesterday, on the news, was this lady out in California going banana's because her 40-year old chimp escaped and the whole police force was out in search of it, helicopters scouring the mountains and everything. My hometown, my homestate, and my homeland, is run by a buncha baboons, and two more are waiting in the wings to take over the whole enchilada. To relieve stress and get some intelligent discourse from the outside world, I come here - only to find this matter of price gouging our already depleted pocket books. It's almost like living in Planet Of The Apes - a world gone topsy turvy. The first half of 08 has been topsy, so get ready for turvy folks. Why, just the other day, I stopped by a local filling station to uppity up the ol' 4-door DeVille and observed that the sign read: 407 REGULAR CASH ONLY What could this mean? I did not know. I made a deduction which would've made Sir Conan Doyle proud, but that which I deduced seemed kind of ridiculous to me. So I just shrugged my shoulders and beat feet into the place and, jerking my head towards the direction of that sign, said to the clerk, "Regular caysh only? Superstitious, eh?" Oh, he mumbled something under his breath, "jerk", "asshole" or something like that, I don't know. But I flipped him some money and said, "Four on Five please. Oh, and by the by, this here is "regular" caysh". See, I figured it meant no Canadian or something like that. Or perhaps it meant no bills without the threadmark enstitched in it, what with all the paper money crime activity going on these topsy turvy days. Now I know what's REALLY going on with this. It is unethical, it is petty, and it is simply not right. You'd need a force of fifteen million armed men to counter all the different ways in which this country, this State, and most spectacularly, this City, is being played. We're footing the bill for the Dubai amusement park, eh? Eh boy. And I spent the whole bus ride home from work conjuring up this little tale of dough. "Regular" dough. | ||
Zrx_doug Member Username: Zrx_doug Post Number: 277 Registered: 03-2008 |
"They can charge whatever they want for midgrade and premium, since there is almost no vehicle made that actually needs anything higher than 87 octane. A true statement, except for the "almost no vehicle" part..lotsa cars & bikes that'll hammer themselves to pieces on 87 octane fuel..be careful what you feed your baby, especially in this era of well-insulated interiors..you won't hear the pinging until it's time for a new set of pistons.  | ||
Texorama Member Username: Texorama Post Number: 247 Registered: 12-2006 |
A station in Ypsilanti was recently busted for a more direct approach--they just covered up the price on the pump and charged more than they were displaying on the sign. I guess this is preferable to having station owners gun each other down. | ||
Ggores Member Username: Ggores Post Number: 163 Registered: 10-2007 |
A first, or second, generation Mazada RX7 requires at least a 97 octane. Funny thing is, is that the rotary engine requires an oil injection to get started - not gasoline. Quite contrary to the four-stroke internal combustion engine, which was what once called a gas hog. And also a collossal misnomer. | ||
Digitalvision Member Username: Digitalvision Post Number: 944 Registered: 11-2003 |
Most older cars I've been around prefer 89. Put 87 in there more than once in awhile and they knock like a Jehovahs witness on a door-to-door mission. | ||
Civilprotectionunit4346 Member Username: Civilprotectionunit4346 Post Number: 730 Registered: 06-2007 |
I drive on M-59/Hall rd everyday and ive seen those 2 prices that everyone mentioned about the cash/credit different pricing. I filled up one day at the Citgo at the corner of M-59 and Van Dyke I went inside to pay cash and the price for gas was supposed to be cheaper, I got the shaft as well from that whole deal. | ||
Bongman Member Username: Bongman Post Number: 1584 Registered: 12-2003 |
Do you think that .9 cents might have lost it's marketing effectiveness by now ? | ||
Retroit Member Username: Retroit Post Number: 279 Registered: 04-2008 |
Here's three theories for the Cash/Credit Card issue: 1. As mentioned earlier, with cash, the gas station doesn't have to pay credit card fees. 2. The gas station gets their money quicker if it's in cash. 3. By forcing the customers to come inside to pay cash, they may buy some goodies, which is how gas stations make most of their money. Anyone have any "inside knowledge"? | ||
Jjaba Member Username: Jjaba Post Number: 6861 Registered: 11-2003 |
Digitalvision #944, loved the door-knock analogy to cars. Rack it, HOF post. jjaba just got gas for less than $2.00. (Freddy's Taco Stand on Seven Mile Rd.) ((Use that one at the office; they jump out their seats fucking asking "WHERE, WHERE"?)) jjaba, on the Dexter Bus LOL. | ||
Jimaz Member Username: Jimaz Post Number: 5728 Registered: 12-2005 |
Civilprotectionunit4346, that Citgo station at M-59 and Van Dyke has some kind of "please prepay" signs on its pumps. That's how they know to give you the cash discount. Once you prepay they knock the displayed price down on your particular pump. That has been my experience there. It must get annoying for the operator to reset the price for each and every sale. | ||
Lilpup Member Username: Lilpup Post Number: 4604 Registered: 06-2004 |
"It must get annoying for the operator to reset the price for each and every sale." It's usually written into the POS software. | ||
Jimaz Member Username: Jimaz Post Number: 5729 Registered: 12-2005 |
All I know is that once when I didn't prepay he had to ask me whether I was paying cash or credit before he could set the price and turn on my pump. There's another station in that area that had different prices displayed on the north and south faces of their road sign. I wouldn't think that would be even possible. I guess they're not up on the latest technology. | ||
Zrx_doug Member Username: Zrx_doug Post Number: 298 Registered: 03-2008 |
Heh..I stopped in at the local Speedway a couple weeks ago. The price on the sign read $4.29 for regular..I just figured I'd missed the latest price increase and went about filling up. Then I noticed the actual price at the pump was $4.09..I went & told 'em their electronic sign was FUBAR'ed, & they said they knew, couldn't do anything about it, and were enjoying the afternoon off..that place was DESERTED. | ||
Otter Member Username: Otter Post Number: 241 Registered: 12-2007 |
ZRx, Most newish cars (just about everything sold here in the last, maybe, 5-6 years or so) have engine-control software that will back off spark advance when it detects from the knock sensor that you're using low-octane gas or bad gas. Power output will be reduced by a few percent but nothing much else will happen. | ||
Zrx_doug Member Username: Zrx_doug Post Number: 306 Registered: 03-2008 |
Sorta true..continually retarding the timing due to insufficient octane will eventually lead to O2 sensor & cat failures from all the raw fuel you're pumping out the tail pipe..but you're correct, it won't melt pistons & valves on a knock-sensor equipped car. Sorry 'bout that..I tend to think in terms of hi-perf bikes these days, many of which are still carbureted & run steep compression. | ||
Scottr Member Username: Scottr Post Number: 888 Registered: 07-2006 |
Retroit, I'll add: 4. No disputed charges. As for the entire situation, I used to be a manager of a gas station, and at that time, with our system, only management could actually change the price that you were shown on the pump. Now we did have a 6 cent discount on tuesdays with your shell card if you paid inside and it was a full moon and you sacrificed your first born to the credit gods, but that was taken 'manually' in the sense that i had to multiply the gallons by six, and used the 'coupon' key. I could not actually adjust the price per gallon until i became a manager, and then, it was every pump or no pump at all. Now, that was in 1997, systems and situations have changed, it may be different these days. Also, our system wouldn't change the price on someone still pumping - that was set at the beginning of the transaction, it would NOT under any circumstance change the price. Other pumps would switch prices, one in use would wait until the ongoing transaction was finished, and then switch to the new price. If, for some reason, this station is able to change prices mid-transaction, Lilpup is right, 4.16 is the average, not what he switched it to. Now, what do I think really happened? look again at how much you pumped. It should be more accurate than just '10.8'. If you actually pumped 10.872 gallons, you paid 4.139 a gallon - exactly what you saw advertised. And the reason the clerk got testy? People bitch about gas prices all day, and when at the pump, they don't take it out on the oil companies, they take it out on the poor minimum wage clerk. At best, it's the owner of the store, who honestly has no more control than you or i over the price, except for a few cents difference. Whoever it is, they're already on edge from dealing with this all day, every day. Now you come in and complain about something outside of his control and demanding money back, meanwhile he's bracing himself to deal with this 'asshole customer' whether you meant to be or not. Remember he thinks the system was supposed to do it automatically, right? For some reason it didn't work, whether he doesn't know the system or it's broken, it doesn't matter. You're pissed off and yelling at him, and accusing him of gouging. Who's not going to get testy? So, take another look at your receipt, using a calculator with the exact amounts and not 'quick math'. | ||
Gannon Member Username: Gannon Post Number: 13326 Registered: 12-2003 |
Great post, Scottr. Thanks. | ||
Birwood Member Username: Birwood Post Number: 109 Registered: 10-2007 |
Scottr $45.00 divided by 10.802 gallons equals $4.1658952....Now You Figure It! Secondly, you explain to me how when nozzle is still in the filler neck with the trigger auto-flow set and as the fuel mark reaches and stops flowing at the $45.00 mark, how and why pump price jumps to $4.20 gallon. The Wayne County Ordinance Weights and Measures office told me that that price should NOT RESET until the fuel nozzle is back in the cradle on the pump. A TURD...whether you paint it, dip in wax, wrap it in tin foil, or have it bronzed...is still a TURD. The same thing applies to this place of business at 25337 W.Warren, Dearborn Heights Michigan | ||
Lilpup Member Username: Lilpup Post Number: 4611 Registered: 06-2004 |
Take a look at your receipt and see if it gives the per gallon price anywhere, along with gallons pumped and the total $ of the sale - see if all the math works. You can complain to the state easily enough (1-800-MDA-FUEL), but if the math on the receipt doesn't work out it'll be a slam dunk. | ||
Birwood Member Username: Birwood Post Number: 110 Registered: 10-2007 |
Hey Pup Dude...re-read the original post, then re-read my last post...already filled out the complaint form on Michigan.gov, already talked with the Wayne County Ordinance Weights and Measures office The posted price on Warren Ave said CASH $4.13 per gallon....I prepaid cash. The price on the pump read $4.20.....nowhere anywhere was the figure $4.16 posted on either the sign out front or on the pump panel. The $4.16 is the price I actually paid after doing the math $45.00 divided by 10.802 gallons equals $4.1658952 per gallon A TURD anyway you look at one is still a TURD | ||
Lilpup Member Username: Lilpup Post Number: 4612 Registered: 06-2004 |
but what does your RECEIPT say? | ||
Bigb23 Member Username: Bigb23 Post Number: 2128 Registered: 11-2007 |
Sometimes, the trade-off for great mileage is paying for priciest fuel. For example, Smart recommends that its Fortwo, the smallest new car sold in the United States, use premium gas. Mini Cooper sucks gas | ||
Retroit Member Username: Retroit Post Number: 315 Registered: 04-2008 |
Sneaky, sneaky! Automakers should be required to post fuel economy for each octane. | ||
Faygoredpop Member Username: Faygoredpop Post Number: 11 Registered: 03-2008 |
In June I went on a vacation Up North. It seems that the Detroit Metro area is the only area that is doing the cash one price and credit another price. Every place up there was all one price whether it was cash or credit. The amazing thing was there was a small Clark station in Traverse City that still had full service. I couldn't believe it. Here this guy pumped the gas, washed the windows and asked if I wanted anything from inside the store. I did a double take. You don't see full service stations anymore. | ||
Alsodave Member Username: Alsodave Post Number: 1123 Registered: 10-2003 |
quote: There's one in Franklin. Drive past it occasionally to/from work, but can't see paying a quarter more/gallon for full serve. | ||
Bigb23 Member Username: Bigb23 Post Number: 2142 Registered: 11-2007 |
Full service in Mio too. It shocked the shit out of me. A man at your window to ask what you need? Go to hell, Bluetooth talkers.here in Detroit. For the PC crowd. |
