Be wary of the latest tactic used by gas stations.

['97ventureowner]

http://www.abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=5338007&page=1
Be certain of the price per gallon you are paying BEFORE you fuel up.

[MagicRat]

If this happens to anyone, especially an extra fee for a credit card, call their credit card company right away.

The news report suggest that both cash and card prices be displayed. I do not think this is valid; a customer complaining to the credit card company may get you the cash price regardless of whether you use their card.

Every vendor's agreement I have ever seen with Visa, Mastercard and Amex explicitly prohibits an extra charge of any kind for customers who wish to pay by a card.

Chances are the card company would refund the difference and might cancel the vendor's agreement, so the gas station would not be allowed to accept any of that company's cards, severely impacting their business.

[72chevelleOhio]

I seen this on the news, what a rip off.
The stations near my house have always displayed both cash and credit prices on the signs.

When I had a diesel pickup, I filled up at a truckstop once and the sign out front said whatever price. I went in to pay cash and they lowered the price per gallon. I was happy....

However, about a year ago I was talking to the Matco tool guy. He was telling me about how he has fees and such for the card reader machine. He said that even though he charges me X amount for an item he gets less than that due to the credit card services. He also told me he is able to write that off on taxes as a necessary business expense. Why cant a gas station write that off as a necessary business expense? I sure dont want to carry a couple hundred dollars cash around just for gas.....

['97ventureowner]

I remember years ago at many service stations, there were signs at the pump with both cash and credit prices posted. The different prices were even posted on the main sign at the road. Over the years that practice of charging two separate prices lost popularity and some stations started dropping that practice, By the early/mid '90s all but a few stopped doing it. Mobil one was of the last to stop charging different prices and when they stopped, they made a big deal out of it complete with an advertising campaign. I guess they lost business to other stations that didn't charge extra for credit use ?That was a great motivator for stations to stop that practice of separate charges.
Now it appears we may be headed back in time with stations resuming the practice of charging extra to use a credit card : The use of credit cards, specifically "pay at the pump" technology has made life easier for countless numbers of people, including parents of young children who don't want to get them out of the car and haul them in the store just to pay for gas. Now they are being penalized for it. Plus as the story said it is a boon for store owners as now they have more traffic coming into the store and that can add up to extra sales.

Another thing the credit card companies have done to gas stations to make our lives a little bit harder is to impose a $75 limit on gas purchases made with a card, They mainly are doing this to help prevent fraud. This is hard on those vehicle owners who have large fuel tanks and need to fill them. I ran into this a few months back and I think we'll see more consumers affected by this as the price of gas continues to rise and the limit is kept at $75. ( If this occurs to me I just complete my first transaction, then re-swipe my card and fill the rest in a second transaction. Here is a link to a story about that: http://www.syracuse.com/poststandard...200.xml&coll=1

[YogsVR4]

Its silly to restsrict the purchase on a CC to seventy-five. All you need to do is start fueling again - on the same card.

[72chevelleOhio]

We need gas price wars again......
I remember hearing on the radio, so and so has gas for X amount and the DJ said wait so and so called back and said they lowered it to whatever....

['97ventureowner]

I've noticed some of the stations in my area are starting to offer discounts to customers who use their branded credit card for purchase. At first they teased customers with a discount for a certain length of time, now they are doing it for any customer who carries one of their cards, no matter when they signed up for it, or how long they've had the card. Valero offers a .05 cent discount and Kwik-Fill a .07 cent discount.

[fredjacksonsan]

Originally Posted by 72chevelleOhio

... He also told me he is able to write that off on taxes as a necessary business expense. Why cant a gas station write that off as a necessary business expense? ....

I wouldn't be surprised if they do, and just use this scam as another way to gouge us on gas.

Originally Posted by '97ventureowner

Be certain of the price per gallon you are paying BEFORE you fuel up.

And check your receipt after.

[battalinia@bellsou]

I'm thinking I am going to give this convert your car to partially burn water a try...I've been reading about this alot and researching it. Apparently it is really sweeping the country right now...Also It increases horse power, increase the life of your engine, burns cleaner, alot more mpg's and is easily installed and un-installed. BUt best of all it's pretty cheap to do for the amount of money you would be saving...

[2.2 Straight six]

Originally Posted by battalinia@bellsou

I'm thinking I am going to give this convert your car to partially burn water thing.

Oh look, a fundemental flaw in your plan. Water doesn't burn.

['97ventureowner]

Originally Posted by 2.2 Straight six

Oh look, a fundemental flaw in your plan. Water doesn't burn.

Obviously, you haven't been around my wife's cooking .

[battalinia@bellsou]

well technically it's not my plan. It's a system/technology that's apparently been around for some time and until recently has been dormant. But due to the increasing prices of fuel it's being resurrected and is gaining momentum (fast) in popularity. I was just exposing this alternative fuel for anyone who may be interested. Aslo when installed in a vehicle it somehow transforms into Hydrogen which does burn...But I DEFINETELY am no expert on this subject so far-be-it for me to give advice, I'm just sharing my opinion and letting anyone who's interested in this economic alternative to investigate themselves and make their OWN informed decision.