Any interesting promos concerning gas prices in your area?

['97ventureowner]

With the price of gas creeping up practically everyday, some businesses have found a new way to capitalize on it. In our area, a local supermarket has a promo going on where for every $50 you spend in groceries, you can get ten cents off a gallon of gas at area Sunoco stations.(http://www.news10now.com/content/top...sp?ArID=104531 )You are limited to 20 gallons, and the "credits" expire in 90 days. It may sound like a good deal to many, but after doing some math, I figured you're only saving 4%,( spend $50 save only $2 on gas.) There aren't many of these groceries stores in our area, so how many customers are going to travel out of their way, eager to save some money on gas, (by wasting that or more just traveling to and from the store.) There are better ways to save on gas such as shopping near where you live and work. There are a number of other stores in our area where the groceries can be cheaper, thus saving more than the $2 you would save on the gas. Using internet sites that track fuel prices and are usually updated daily. We also have warehouse clubs in our area, (Sams Club and BJs) and yesterday their price of gas was $2.94/gal about nine to twelve cents cheaper than Sunoco. A nearby Valero gas station was selling their fuel for $3.09/gal, fifteen cents more than BJs, while a half mile down the road, Citgo had it for ten cents less. So by comparative shopping, you don't have to spend $50 to save on your gas purchases.
Are there any promotions in your area that are tied in to saving money on your fuel purchases? If so, list them here, and if you think they are worth it.

[lakwo]

I haven't really seen any gimmicks. Just the usual spots that offer discounted prices like Sams Club. King Sooper grocery stores have a store card that you can use for 3 cents off at their store pumps or you can use the card at the local loaf N jug convenient stores. Safeway grocery has their own pumps where you can also get 3 cents off if you have their card. The gas on post is outrageous (well not really, its the same price as in town but you don't get any discounts) cheaper in town with the 3 cent discounts.

[stieh2000]

On the news last night there was a local tire shop that will fill your tires with nitrogen for $10/each. Its supposed to help with fuel economy by about 8% and never deflate, as the nitrogen molecules are too big to permeate the rubber.

I'm kinda skeptical, first air is 70% N2 to begin with, so does 30% more really make a difference? That, and when your do the math, 8% seems a little too good.

[mike1224]

stieh2000, I know some people that swear by having nitrogen filled tires.

Where I live they just re-started doing a 10cent discount on gas, with a $50 minimum (one transaction) purchase at safeway and $100 (between 2 transactions) at King Soopers. I figure its a joke to just save $1.40 when I fill up, I don't even attempt to try.

[2.2 Straight six]

Originally Posted by stieh2000

On the news last night there was a local tire shop that will fill your tires with nitrogen for $10/each. Its supposed to help with fuel economy by about 8% and never deflate, as the nitrogen molecules are too big to permeate the rubber.

I'm kinda skeptical, first air is 70% N2 to begin with, so does 30% more really make a difference? That, and when your do the math, 8% seems a little too good.

from what i understand, the benefits of filling tyres with nitrogen lies in pressure changes and tyre heat. the moisture in air causes larger pressure changes with haet changes, but pure nitrogen will expand less with the heat changes tyres experience. whether it actually makes a difference, i don't know.

['97ventureowner]

A local tire chain in our area was heavily promoting the nitrogen fill for tires claiming a ten cents a gallon savings in gas. I don't know anybody who had it done and last year was considering posting a thread over in "Tires and Wheels" inquiring about it. That chain hasn't been advertising it lately,(maybe they don't do it in the winter?) but with the price of gas continuing to increase, I'm sure those ads will soon reappear.

[2.2 Straight six]

there will always be adverts about increasing fuel economy. very very few of these things work.

they range from the "turbonator" to nitrogen-filled tyres.

[eversio11]

Some larger area gas stations (Gas City, Thorntons) offer 10 cents off when you purchase a car wash with your fillup. Not a bad deal if you're pressed for time and need to get your baby clean.

[fredjacksonsan]

Originally Posted by 2.2 Straight six

from what i understand, the benefits of filling tyres with nitrogen lies in pressure changes and tyre heat. the moisture in air causes larger pressure changes with haet changes, but pure nitrogen will expand less with the heat changes tyres experience. whether it actually makes a difference, i don't know.

Correct; high performance airplanes have had their tires filled with nitrogen for many years for just this reason.

Pure nitrogen doesn't expand at all with temperature changes.

The 8% savings in mpg is probably a statistic from the government about underinflated tires...since most people never check their pressure until they have a flat, most folks have underinflated tires.

But think about the nitrogen issue this way (theoretically):

You pump up your tires with regular air, which is 78% nitrogen. They leak down after a time, and now have nearly 100% nitrogen. You refill the 22% back up, and now that 22% is 78% nitrogen, making the overall percentage of pure nitrogen about 95%. Repeat. After a time, you will have approaching 100% nitrogen, for free.

opcorn:

As far as gas gimmicks, we've got the same deal here...for every $100 in groceries at Kroger, you get 10cents off per gallon at their pumps. Their gas is usually about 5 cents higher per gallon so it's not so big a deal, and it is out of the way a bit. But we shop there frequently anyway so take advantage when we can.

[turtlecrxsi]

Not a gas saving gimmick but maybe just the opposite. I got gas yesterday at the local Spinx. The "cash" price was 2.79/gal and the "credit" price was 2.82/gal. I swiped my debit card and it automatically went to the "credit" price without asking for my pin number. So I'm guessing that their definition of "cash" is you going inside and paying with paper money. Some places ask for pin numbers and some don't. My understanding was that when given a choice between credit and debit, a pin would be required for debit and not credit. Last night at the Spinx I was not given this choice...

[fredjacksonsan]

Ahhh, the old trick from the 80's is returning....cash price less than credit/debit price.

[eversio11]

Originally Posted by turtlecrxsi

Not a gas saving gimmick but maybe just the opposite. I got gas yesterday at the local Spinx. The "cash" price was 2.79/gal and the "credit" price was 2.82/gal. I swiped my debit card and it automatically went to the "credit" price without asking for my pin number. So I'm guessing that their definition of "cash" is you going inside and paying with paper money. Some places ask for pin numbers and some don't. My understanding was that when given a choice between credit and debit, a pin would be required for debit and not credit. Last night at the Spinx I was not given this choice...

I'd rather spend the extra 42 cents and not have to walk in and waste my time with old people haggiling over newspapers.

[turtlecrxsi]

Originally Posted by eversio11

I'd rather spend the extra 42 cents and not have to walk in and waste my time with old people haggiling over newspapers.

Me too... LOL

[beef_bourito]

Originally Posted by fredjacksonsan

Pure nitrogen doesn't expand at all with temperature changes.

ALL gases expand with temperature increases. i could give you the real gas law but it's long and i'd have to look through my chem textbook, but the ideal gas law works for up to about 3000PSI. anyways for ALL gasses T1/T2 = V1/V2, the change in temperature is directly proportional to the change in volume.

['97ventureowner]

Originally Posted by turtlecrxsi

Not a gas saving gimmick but maybe just the opposite. I got gas yesterday at the local Spinx. The "cash" price was 2.79/gal and the "credit" price was 2.82/gal. I swiped my debit card and it automatically went to the "credit" price without asking for my pin number. So I'm guessing that their definition of "cash" is you going inside and paying with paper money. Some places ask for pin numbers and some don't. My understanding was that when given a choice between credit and debit, a pin would be required for debit and not credit. Last night at the Spinx I was not given this choice...

Does it give you the option to select "credit" or "debit" before you swipe your card? If it does and you don't enter anything but rather just swipe your card then it might automatically default to "credit". At a lot of gas stations in our area you have to go through a literal maze to pump gas. First you have to say whether you are paying inside or out, then you have to select credit or debit, then you have to tell them whether you want a receipt or not. Some even go further and ask if you want a car wash too. There was a push a few years back by many banks and credit unions to dump the "PIN" and have their customers select "credit" on any transactions. By doing that it avoided any associated fees with using the card as a debit card. I use a debit card for some transactions and select the credit option. The money is still taken out of my account like it was a debit transaction, but any fees are avoided by the retailer and credit union. ( My credit union even went as far a few years back to reward their customers who selected credit instead of debit.)

Originally Posted by fredjacksonsan

Ahhh, the old trick from the 80's is returning....cash price less than credit/debit price.

That's understandable. I read where the fees associated with processing a credit card transaction is a lot higher than a cash transaction. One "economist" they interviewed a couple of years ago when this gas pricing debacle began blamed a lot of the price hikes on an increase in use of credit cards to pay for fuel and the retailers were increasing prices to make up for it. He even went as far as saying that if we all went back to paying cash for our gas purchases, we would all see a decrease in the price of gas.(That would be extremely hard to do in today's society.)