Beware of being ripped off@ diesel pump!

[roperteacher]

I was coming back from a rodeo this weekend and stopped at the Station @ Stockdale Hwy off of Hwy 5 Near Bakersfield, CA. I was only going to top off ( Diesel was 1. 99!!! LOLOL) Cheaper than anywhere else. After I topped off, I thought my truck had taken quite a bit of diesel for the amount of miles I had gone on flat , level ground ( I usually get between 14 and 17 pulling lately)... well my hand calc said I got 12 MPG!!!!! I thought this couldn't be true!! So I drove a few hundred miles further and sure enough, got what I expected 15 MPG. So... their pumps must be screwed up!!! It said I put in 8 gallons, when in actuality I only put in probably 6. . My mom is the Head of Weights and Measures for a neighboring county. . she said she would sick the county on them!!!

 

[GregTaylor]

too bad she can't get the fat cats gouge us consumers at all the pumps

greg

 

[Whiskey]

WE had the same problem here in the Tuscon AZ area.

Several stations wern't giving all of the fuel that you paid for.





Whiskey

 

[GFritsch]

I know the feeling. . Asked one station manager to explain how I got 7 gallons into a 5 gallon Jerry can. I know these cans hold 5. 5 gallons to the rim, but not 7. Amazing how defensive he got right away---

 

[Cooker]

I thought it was a little odd the other day when I put 2. 3 gallons of gas in a 2 gallon can that wasn't even empty to start with

 

[roperteacher]

Holy cow guys! This is a far more serious problem than I anticipated! I thought maybe I would warn some of you of a common truck stop on that route, didn't know this was happening everywhere! Yikes!

 

[wcjp]

Every once in a while the local news will do a segment on you and your money. From what I remember the old pumps were mechanically controlled. They were set to be dead on at 5 and 10 gallons. This is where the government tested. The newer pumps were all computer controlled. The computer controlled units were much easier for the service station to manipulate and harder for the government to prosecute.

 

[EEdmondson]

I was getting diesel about a year ago from a station that gave lower MPG. I reported it to the county weights and measures. They did a surprise measure and didn't find anything wrong. I don't buy there anymore since I get better MPG from other stations. I guess with the new pumps, they don't get caught.

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

Very interesting.



The two stations I generally fuel up have mechanical pumps . . . at least they have the old mechanical "odometer wheel" readouts, so hopefully I shouldn't have to worry about any "ripoffs" at the pump.



Vaughn

 

[Dean Upson]

Big stink here in CT about many of the pumps not being checked in years.



Dean

 

[MCummings]

I heard of some sort of scam that was going on was that there were "chips" that could piggy back the Digital readouts, and manipulate the $$, and gallons.



It was Dead On Accurate at 5 and 10 gallons, but in between 5 and 10, the numbers were all screwed up. Some people got a good deal, but most got ripped off.





Merrick

 

[Cummins Pilot]

I'd just about burn the station down. Its bad enough that fuel prices are sky high, now to short change us on what we have paid for.



There are some things you just don't do to people and cheat them is one of those things.



I've got a 90 gallon tank in the bed of my truck and I ussually put in 80-85 to top it off. So if my local pump is off I'll see it. I'd be real skeptical if I ever got more than 87 into it since I can't pick all the fuel out of it to start with.

 

[JohnE]

Sometimes its is an honest error.

I live next door to a filling station that has mechanical pumps with electronic readers inside. Every so often the two reading don't agree. They always use the lower number for your charge. These folks are as honest as they can be.



I log ever gallon in the truck and never had an "off" mileage except when the head gasket let go.

 

[drrhoades]

I think I had that happen here in Ohio. I filled up at a station that I dont normally go to and got 15. 5 mpg. I had been getting about 19 mpg and nothing has changed. So we will see on the next fill up what I get at the station I normally go to.

 

[NVR FNSH]

Originally posted by roperteacher

I was coming back from a rodeo this weekend and stopped at the Station @ Stockdale Hwy off of Hwy 5 Near Bakersfield, CA. I was only going to top off ( Diesel was 1. 99!!! LOLOL) Cheaper than anywhere else. After I topped off, I thought my truck had taken quite a bit of diesel for the amount of miles I had gone on flat , level ground ( I usually get between 14 and 17 pulling lately)... well my hand calc said I got 12 MPG!!!!! I thought this couldn't be true!! So I drove a few hundred miles further and sure enough, got what I expected 15 MPG. So... their pumps must be screwed up!!! It said I put in 8 gallons, when in actuality I only put in probably 6. . My mom is the Head of Weights and Measures for a neighboring county. . she said she would sick the county on them!!!

The sort of run down looking truck stop by the CHP station? I've heard they have bad pumps or that they pump 'hot' diesel so it's density is off gives bogus volume. Not sure about the hot diesel story... .



Brian

 

[GFrance]

Originally posted by Dean Upson

Big stink here in CT about many of the pumps not being checked in years.



Dean

The oil co. I drive for has eight stations. The weights & measures agency has to check all pumps every year for complience of accurate delevery. If the pump is out of complience it is red taged & put out of service, until fixed. There is a visable sticker on the pump with the date of last test & expireation date. I don't know if all states are regulated in the same maner.

 

[roperteacher]

NVR FNSH, Yes, you are correct. Thats the one!!! The cheapest diesel but bad wrap! Anyway, I think my fill up there actually screwed up my next fill up as well. Anyway, thats the one!! Hadn't heard any stories about them. I got diesel there tons of times but never bothered to hand calc until I got the new truck!

 

[mmi]

I told the members several months back to watch out for this more so ,as the price goes up. It was wide spread in '73-'75.



the old pumps were/can be adjusted but caught on a test.

Standard 5 or 10 gal.

Computer dispensers can be set ,to be accurate for test day.

Or scim a few tenths from each gal. Buy 1 and 23( odd #) gal. then do hand calc. to see how accurate it is. ( still don't know actual gal. unless empty 20 gal. tank. )

Some have test day override switches inside( flip it when the measuring cans show up) so random gal. tests will pass also.

We delivered fuel,some stations allways sold more than delivered.

Stay away from the fleet pumps. Accounting rarely checks mpg for 20,000 gal a month. ( Driver does not pay for 2-4%overcharge) Pull in with a 5er they will chase you.

Pull in hauling equipment with CTD, a name and icc # on door no problem.

Go to a know station or try to buy 10/20 gal. can still be off but much less chance.

Gas is just the same think 1 tenth gal or less. per customer

199. 9 as 200. 00 x 15 gal. x 2000 customers X 365 days

Nothing can be 100% temperature/delivery pressure can make a difference but it still adds up.

As long as (highway tax) is paid on gal. station purchased.

W & M is too busy,unless may complaints.

 

[BrandonF]

Being a station owner here in California our county requires tank testing 2 times a year and boy are they strict. They will shut you down immediately. . 91 to 1. 1 on the roots meter and your flow has to be regulated between 7. 5 to 10 gallons a minute.

We always passed with flying colors. It would be really tricky to screw the customer like that out here.