!! Warning at the gas pump!!

[lildreamer316]

Demgurl posted this in our Frugal Living group and I thought maybe it would be good point to make to all.
She said that some gas stations rearrange their gas grade buttons on the pump so as to catch you unawares and get you to spend more money. This happened (actually on the inverse)to me the other day. To use her example; they will arrange it like this:

Premium ----> Low grade -----> medium grade

INSTEAD of like this:

Low grade -----> medium grade---->Premium

OR

Premium ----> medium grade----->Low grade

Then you will be in such the habit of pressing the end button to get the cheapest one that you will do that and get the expensive one instead!
I actually had caught on to the fact that they did this and had been in the OPPOSITE habit of pressing the middle button. I did this a few days ago at a station I do not normally frequent and got the medium grade instead. My inattention cost me .10 more a gallon at a time when I had to BORROW MONEY TO PUT GAS IN MY CAR.
$3.09 Reg,I paid $3.19.OUCH.(I'm in NC)
I know this seems to be simple but if you are in a hurry or have ADD like me, it'll get ya. Just a heads up...........


Original Thread: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=353&topic_id=42&mesg_id=42

[goclark]

1. I totally understand ADD - me too

[lildreamer316]

5. Imagine

The fact that I have it, but not severely. My Husband, however, is quite severe. Makes daily life very interesting indeed.I really have to do the remembering for both of us. LOTS of lists and sticky notes; and I am very organized.It's the only thing that helps.

[HulaChicken]

10. O/T the best ADD books ever

have been written by Thom Hartmann... a progressive genius...He is my hero! HUNTERS UNITE!

[electricray]

19. If anyone wants a really good ADD/ADHD book go here.

Secrets of Success

[lildreamer316]

21. Thanks to both of you for the recs.

I've just been muddling along and making my own solutions. Always helps to get the skinny on it.

[OrlandoGator]

2. Gas stations have been doing that in Florida for years.

But I almost was thrown off when I visited Illinois recently and saw that the "Regular" unleaded (10% ethanol) had a higher octane rating than mid-grade.

[lildreamer316]

3. Really?

Interesting. I'll have to keep that in mind....thanks.

[nosmokes]

13. very, very few autos need any higher octane than 88

high performance sports cars and maybe some older V-8s. but other than that you're simply wasting money by using higher octane gas. it doesn't help the engine burn any cleaner and it doesn't help gas mileage. if your car is diesling, still running after you turn it off, or if there is excessive knocking while accelerating higher grade gas will help the symptoms but it doesn't fix the underlying problems.

[napi21]

4. Crooks wo;; try anything to sucker you.

WE stopped at a station last week and they had a paper sign taped to the pump saing "NO PAYING AT THR PUMP". I have to guess they've had problems with drive-offs! Why else would they make everyone go inside?

[OrlandoGator]

7. Doesn't "Pay at the Pump" prevent drive-offs?

The pump isn't turned on until the credit card is authorized.

[GreenPoet64]

6. I JUST noticed that today . . . almost said something to

my daughter about the buttons being in a different place. Thought I was having one of those fuzzy memory moments. (Happens a lot as I get older!!) Hehe

[lildreamer316]

8. Nope.

It really isn't you. (isn't it good to know that?:) )

[OrlandoGator]

9. Always check the octane rating, it must be clearly marked.

But be aware that if you live in the midwest, ethanol additives can raise the octane rating of "regular" gasoline (example, regular might be 90 and cheaper than mid-grade at 89).

[tom_paine]

11. Credit that to some marketing genius, I would imagine

"If we reverse the placement of the graded buttons, in the first year, I expect a temporary increase of $3.6 million due to consumer error."

[rocktivity]

12. Lawsy, Miz Scarlett, I'm a Jersey girl!

I don't know nuthin' 'bout pumpin' no gas!

Which is why, on my way back home from the Sept 24 protest in Washington DC, I sat in my car for five minutes waiting for someone to come up to the gas pump!

:rofl:
rocknation

[hyphenate]

14. I did notice tonight

that the Regular was on the far right at the station I went to. I think it's normally on the far left. That's terrible about the price, too. I noticed that the Exxon, where I often fill up on Mondays and Wednesday for 6¢ less than the normal price, was $2.779, while the "discount" station (a Gibbs) was $2.829. I found that kind of odd.

[LizW]

26. Same with the Exxon near me

What's up with that? I always avoid the Exxon, even though it's convenient, because it has ALWAYS been several cents higher. But for the last three days or so, it has been lower, even lower than Racetrac.

:shrug:

[NV Whino]

15. I encountered that little scheme a while back

way before prices hit the highs they are now.

I read very carefully before I punch the button/lift the lever these days.

[Lorien]

16. Might want to post this in the Economic activism and progressive living

group (which means frugal and green):

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=255

[INdemo]

17. Another trick they pull..

The price you pay may be 2 or 3 cents higher than posted. Next time you gas up, pump exactly 1 gal. and check the pump to see if the price is the same as posted.

[lildreamer316]

22. Reaaaaaaaly?

Thanks for the heads up. I should have guessed; but things like that slip my mind easily.

[no_hypocrisy]

25. I always keep a calculator ready when I fill up.

I divide the gallons into the final price to make sure the price I pay matches the "big numbers" that lured me into the station. And I have given hell to the stations that try to get away with this shit.

[FlaGranny]

31. Some years ago, that happened to me.

I never would have noticed except one day I nearly ran out of gas and was running on fumes and I filled the tank with MORE gas than the tank actually could hold.

Edit: I had to wait to get home to get out my manual to see how much gas my tank could hold.

[LizW]

27. That is so illegal

They are supposed to have a sticker on the pump that tells when it was last inspected and calibrated by the state. The state should be checking to be sure the pump is actually pumping what it says it is, and that the price calculated is the same as the price advertised and shown on the pump. Of course, it is usually months out of date in my state due to lack of resources.

Report them if they do this AND write a letter to your paper telling people that they did it!

[INdemo]

29. Yes but.......

After the weights and measures depart. check for accuracy..they change them..W&M usually check about every 3 months and they (owners) ususally know when their coming..

[caduceus111]

18. Yep...another scheme to screw the consumer.

Ever notice on many pumps, after it validates your card, before you choose which grade, the price disappears from the LCD screens?

It's intentional, I'm sure.

Not to mention that they give the different grades names other than the usual "regular", "premium", etc. Stuff like "performance grade" and so on. Unless you know something about octane numbers, you can't tell which is the cheaper one, or which grade you're buying.

What's even sadder is that they get away with it.

=caduceus=

[frogbison]

20. Welcome, Caduceus!!

:hi:

[lakemonster11]

23. I've been driving for about 8 years

and I've found that to be more the rule than the exception.

Still pretty lame, but since almost none of the stations around here (Seattle area) have them set up in a logical way (regular, medium, premium), I don't think it tricks too many people. You have to actually establish a pattern before deviating from it to trip people up.

I don't even pay attention to the name of the gas, I just look for that good ol' "87."

:shrug:

[Swamp Rat]

24. I've always read the octane rating every time I pump.

Then again, I usually ride a bike. :)

[LostinVA]

28. Using diesel, I can't make that mistake!

One station I go to has diesel pay-at-the-pump !Yay!), but every other one has their diesel in some antiquated pumps(s) off by themselves.

[ewagner]

30. Yep!

Got caught once on that little scam...I'm more careful these days.