Buying Petrol,in USA

[bad company]

Has anybody found an easy way yet?

For those who haven't tried of late American's put their credit card & zip codes into the pump but tourists with no zip code. . . . .

[davepoth]

All gas stations will allow prepay with a credit card inside the store which doesn't require the Zip code. Doesn't take much longer, and you can pick up unhealthy snacks while you're there.

Also, outside of urban areas the Zip code check doesn't seem to actually check anything - typing 10001 when it asked seemed to do the job most of the time. I got my card blocked twice while I was there in November, but a quick call to my bank always sorted it out.

[Ross1988]

Yep, go to new Jersey, give the guy who comes to your window 80 dollars. 3 mins later, you drive off.

Else where you may need to leave you car, either give cash to cashier to open pump to a certain limit, which it will stop at, or give them your debit card, select checking when offered and open the pump that way.

Older station may require you lift the pump handle lever to allow pumping.

[bad company]

Yes prepayment works but it is a pain having to que to pay and again to collect any 'change'.

[davepoth]

bad company said:

Yes prepayment works but it is a pain having to que to pay and again to collect any 'change'.

Change? I worked out how much gas the tank on the car would take and only paid that much. I did misjudge it once and spilled a bit on the forecourt, but since it's cheaper than Pepsi I wasn't especially bothered.

[Nickyboy]

Give them the card, they charge the amount you want and the pump automatically refunds the difference if you put less in, we're 10 years behind in this country.

[davepoth]

Nickyboy said:

Give them the card, they charge the amount you want and the pump automatically refunds the difference if you put less in, we're 10 years behind in this country.

I especially like how the pump has a latch on the trigger, so you can sit in the car, or go to the toilet, or buy a burger, while it's filling. Very useful when your car has a 15 gallon tank.

[tvrolet]

bad company said:

Yes prepayment works but it is a pain having to que to pay and again to collect any 'change'.

Assuming its on a credit card they automatically refund the difference to the card. You can just drive off.

The ONLY thing US petrol stations have that I like is pumps that 'lock' on. Payment system is archaic. Vapour recovery milarky on the pumps are horrid. But being able to lock the pump on and then just wait till it clicks off is useful. I recall some pumps in the UK used to lock years ago, but I assume it breaks some health and safety law here nowadays

[B17NNS]

Weird. You can sit in a bar and drink all night and settle up at the end. Try to buy fuel and you have to pay in advance.

We're the exact opposite.

[S 8 GRN]

I just tell them how much I want to put in and then pay that on the one trip. The machine then cuts out at the right amount.

[megaphone]

Nickyboy said:

we're 10 years behind in this country.

What you mean we're still trustworthy enough to pay after we fill up?

[Super Slo Mo]

Last time I was there, which was only September, there was only 1 filling station that I had to pre-pay. All the rest I had to hand over my card, but they didn't charge anything to it until I'd filled up.

[jmorgan]

The pre pay was fine as long as you guessed the amount. Never got the pre paid dollar card nor the credit card to get even as far as a zip code on any we visited (Yellowstone, so some stations on satellite feed as they are out of the way). Either cash, as some stations could not take the cards in store, or pre pay. One station I think took it.

[Nickyboy]

megaphone said:

What you mean we're still trustworthy enough to pay after we fill up?

Strangely most American states had less drive offs before pre pay than we have, mainly because they actually have patrolling police officers

[GCH]

Never had any issues using prepay putting 00000 as zip code.

Edit- yes i have, in june. Gas station near me in LA, just north of hollywood. Pay at pump wouldnt work, moron in kiosk refused to accept foreign amex without seeing my passport(?). Walked out and went to the 76 2 blocks away which always works fine. His loss!

[bad company]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

As I have explained several times to our American friends we English don't have accented, they do!

[telecat]

Had to refuel the Camaro as we went down to Tampa this year. Asked for $30 worth and the clerk put $50 on the pump!! Just noticed as it hit $30.08 and stopped it. As it was just got back to the Airport to return the car as it went to "fill Now".

[steveo3002]

i just pay cash at the desk..if its the first fill up take a guess and give em 50-60 and then pop back for the change

[durbster]

I was there last month and prepaid with cash each time but some of the machines had stickers on stating that a postcode was not required so that would probably work.

Btw if you go to California then beware the vapour lock thing. You have to make sure you push the nozzle far enough in to create a seal or it won't send any fuel out. Somehow I accidentally got it right a couple of times but after an embarrassing couple of minutes on the third fillup, the attendant had to come and explain to me what was going on.

He said it was to do with Californian emissions regs but it may be the case in other states too.

[2fast748]

GCH said:

...moron in kiosk refused to accept foreign amex without seeing my passport...

Every time we used a credit card in the states recently they asked for photo id. Ended up prepaying with cash whenever I filled up with juice.