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Be sure to check the gas prices
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shortride
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PostPosted: Sat Sep 06, 2014 5:36 am    Post subject: Be sure to check the gas prices Reply with quote

I ALWAYS check the first gallon before pumping more – simply to MATCH
the PRICE (advertised) against the ONE gallon pumped into my car. – I
“caught” a SHELL station (here in Mesa , Arizona ) that had the price
12 cents per gallon HIGHER than the advertised price on the pump AND
the sign out front. – I called the local Department of Agriculture
(weights and measures division) from my cell phone immediately –
waiting for them to show up. They did, some 20 minutes later. The
Department taped all the pumps – stopping ALL traffic from using the
pumps. They (two men) checked all 6 pumps, finding them all “rigged”
at a higher price (by 12 cents) per gallon than advertised.

PS – That particular SHELL station was being
operated by 2 men from India .

This is especially prevalent at places owned by
foreign born entities.
In some case, they even have counterfeit Department
of Agriculture stickers to put on the pumps when they re-calibrate.
The State seldom physically inspects the pumps as it is very labor
intensive, so it often goes overlooked for months or years. I usually
buy all my gas at Sam's Club, but always get receipts wherever I have
to get fuel. Often, I will pump exactly ONE GALLON and check the pump
pricing before continuing the fill up, and even then, I am aware of
how much fuel I should get within a couple of tenths of a gallon from
experience.
This is true. It happened to them three weeks ago
somewhere in Pomona on our way to Penchant. The pump should have
totaled @ $68.00 (and change). When the receipt was printed, and she
checked it was $77.00 (and change). She got mad, went inside the
store, asked for a calculator and let them do the math.
They refunded her, she told them that if they
cheat, they had better make it right.Normally, her husband would skip
printing the receipt. Not her. We saw on the news the other night that
this is happening everywhere.

Brian pumped exactly one gallon of gas. The price
did not match the cost of one gallon. It was higher. He went inside
and complained, got a refund.

There is also a number on each pump that you can
call and complain.

This is a true story, so read it carefully.

I stopped at a BP gas station in GA. My truck's gas
gauge was on 1/4 of a tank. I use the mid-grade, which was priced at
$3.71 per gallon. When my tank is at this point, it takes somewhere
around 14 gallons to fill When the pump showed 14 gallons had been
pumped, I began to slow it down. Then, to my surprise, it went to 15,
then 16. I even looked under my truck to see if it was being spilled.
It was not.

Then it showed 17 gallons on the pump. It stopped
at 18 gallons. This was very strange to me, since my truck has only an
18 gallon tank. I went on my way a little confused, then on the
evening news I heard a report that 1 out of 4 gas stations had
calibrated their pumps to show more gas had been pumped than a person
actually got.

Here is how to check a pump to see if you are
getting the right amount:

Whichever grade you are using, put EXACTLY 1 (one)
GALLON in your tank, then look at the dollar amount. If the dollar
amount is not EXACTLY the price of the fuel PRICE ADVERTISED, then the
pumps are rigged.

In my case, as I said, the mid-grade was $3.71 per
gallon; my dollar amount or 1 gallons should have been $3.71.

I wish I had checked the pump. It doesn't matter
where you pump gas, please check the 1 gallon price. If you do find a
station that is cheating, contact the state Agriculture Department,
and direct your comments to the Commissioner, the info is on the gas
pumps.
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Mike Fisher
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PostPosted: Sat Sep 06, 2014 7:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm gonna check the 1 gallon measurement at a few places here!
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PostPosted: Sat Sep 06, 2014 9:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Interesting, I might check that sometimes.

We usually get gas at Costco though, I don't think they would screw with the pumps.

I remember one time I was pretty low in my Double Cab years ago and it took over 11 gallons at a truck stop pump. The tank is 10.6 so it should have stopped at around 10.
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gt1953
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 07, 2014 10:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

At one time in my career they tasked me with control of 6 fuel sites. I was able to see how easy it was to change a few settings and wham there ya go. So it does and will happen. Probably at a smaller independent stations.
Just be advised.
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[email protected]
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 07, 2014 9:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am pretty sure I only got 3/4th of a gallon per gallon when I filled up in Illinois. The only way to check that would be to bring an approved container, a measuring cup and a funnel. Dispense into the approved container per federal regulations. Measure with the measuring cup and use funnel to get gas into car. I know my gas milage and know how many gallons it should take to replace what I used since the last fill up. I have been shocked/disappointed in Illinois several times.

The next time I cross that state I will carry the approved container, a measuring cup, a funnel and the correct phone number to call.
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pondoras box
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 08, 2014 10:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

On the opposite side of that coin when I worked at a gas station in SC, all the employees knew what pump to use to get "a better deal" on gas. The manager set the pumps and let us know so no one would rat him out on all the other shady stuff he did. I am sure it was made up for somewhere else.

But seriously good advice, my math skills are not the best, never have been, and have always wondered how to figure out if I was getting ripped or not when it seemed like I was putting in more fuel than what the car should hold.

Thanks for the heads up!
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PostPosted: Tue Oct 14, 2014 2:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Most people know that a Beetle gas tank holds 40 liters. The Germans, being as anal as they are, will actually test the tank's volume, so we know 40 liters is right.
In my cars I have only been able to pump in a max of about 38.5 liters. You can't get that last bit out, even though you may have run out of gas.
I was cruising south on the new autopista north of Mazatlan, and getting worried because my tank was very low and there were no stations seen on the entire section of the road. After driving slow to save gas, I finally saw a station. The guy comes out and fills it up with 40.6 liters!
I said nothing....because of the remote location, he had a small machine gun strapped over his shoulder!
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PostPosted: Tue Oct 14, 2014 2:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

[email protected] wrote:
The only way to check that would be to bring an approved container, a measuring cup and a funnel.

That may not work. Gasoline changes it's volume significantly when it warms up. The fuel in the underground tanks will be cold, causing it's volume to be less than if you left it for an hour on a warm day.
Around where I live, the gas pumps all have labels on them stating that the fuel's volume is "Corrected to 15*C".
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 13, 2016 4:58 am    Post subject: Re: Be sure to check the gas prices Reply with quote

dude I still remember when I got so pissed about a gallon of gas... I was at a station filling up a U.S. Gallon can, I pumped the 1.0 gallon as advertised on the pump gauge and it only filled maybe 3/4 of the can... I went into the store and flipped on the guy who barely spoke English, telling him I'm calling weights and measurement and turning him in..... This is easily over 15 yrs ago and gas in CA was still $1.20 but it's the principal of getting ripped off.....
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