High cost of gas on the road

[1boomer]

With the high cost of gas, when using a credit card, has anyone encountered the pumps shutting down when a specific dollar amount has been pumped? We usually stop driving when the needle is at 1/4 full and it takes about 20-21 gallons to fill up, which means the cost is going to be upwards of $70. If the pumps are programmed to shut off at $50, how do you handle it? Is having two credit cards the answer?

We'll be leaving on a two month trip soon and surely don't want the hassle of worrying about getting gas and having to stop more often ....... paying for it is going to be bad enough

[Sunline Fan]

Yep, happens all the time, especially when filling up a 44 gallon tank. One place I filled up not too long ago had a $50 limit and my mom had to put her card in twice. I let it go a little longer than usual (it was down to 1/, and after two times of inserting the card (it was the same card both times), my mom said that's enough. It was pretty full at that time, just not all the way. I can't imagine how many times it will happen now that gas is $3.60 here, and I'm sure it will go up more by tomorrow.

Jon

[Tweety]

Isn't it convenient that every year the oil companies have SOME compelling reason that they just have to raise gas prices just in time for the summer !!! grrrr

[PTHutch]

It's happened to me a couple of times. What I've done was complete the sale when it shuts down, get the receipt and then start over with a second filling. Same credit card, just 2 different sales.

Though now that I have a Diesel, the diesel pumps don't seem to have the $ limit. Not sure if that's good or bad

But now that diesel is less than gas, I guess I have bragging rights , though I'm still broke after a fill-up like everyone else .

[emam]

I must agree with Hutch, I've never had the problem with one single tank so far, but then I have diesel and most of the stations we stop at are small Mom & Pop's type, that dont even take a credit card at the pump...LOL

I walked into a General Store where the town station was also the feed shop, liquor store, video rental and bait supply, and asked if she wanted my card first because I was going to fill it up. She looked at me like I was some kind of Dumb A$$ and said "You think you're gonna get away from me with that thing behind you?"



I just laughed and shuffled my feet out of the store as all the locals were laughing pretty hard at my honesty.

[Sunline Fan]

Originally Posted by PTHutch

It's happened to me a couple of times. What I've done was complete the sale when it shuts down, get the receipt and then start over with a second filling. Same credit card, just 2 different sales.

Though now that I have a Diesel, the diesel pumps don't seem to have the $ limit. Not sure if that's good or bad

But now that diesel is less than gas, I guess I have bragging rights , though I'm still broke after a fill-up like everyone else .

Hi Hutch,

Some diesel pumps have a limit, but I don't think it's as low as the limit on regular gas. We took the MH to a local station a long time ago and it took at least two times to fill the tank...but that one is 150 gallons.

Jon

P.S. Sorry if I didn't clarify the last post, I did mean two different sales.

[JohnB]

Here in Ohio the shut down limit seems to change based on the price and from brand to brand of gas. Some do some don’t.

It use to be $50 and last was $75, now I have no clue.

One time I wanted to fill up the Suburban, dropped $75 on the card, it stopped and then I just redid another transaction for $5 bucks and it was full. The receipt printer was all jammed up so I went inside and talked to the clerk.

Said I have a $75 and a $5. He looked at me weird and I said I wanted to fill up, he said yup and gave me 2 receipts.

I have not filled up since we hit $3.60 yet. Will end up doing after this weekend. I hope the limit is at least up to $100 or else I may be on a few receipts again...

How gas can go up $0.52 in 3 days is beyond me. The gas in the tank in the ground at the gas station has not yet changed… .. My step farther use to be an independent gas station owner back when garage mechanics had pumps and they actually pumped the gas for you and checked your oil. Remember then?

He never use to change gas prices until he bought another truck load of gas. Now that most of the stations are owned by the gas companies, the price changes in a heart beat at allmost 10:00AM. The gas in the tank in the ground at the station has not changed???

Well unless we are into buying an old diesel engine and changing it to run on French fry oil, I guess we do not have a whole lot of choice at the pump. I’m not giving up camping yet, maybe just closer camp sites.

John

[emam]

For us full-timing, we've noticed the cost between staying in a campground longer or moving non-stop and using more fuel balances itself out at the end of the month.

We've been keeping track of our expences to the cent, and one month we moved around the entire month, and our fuel expences were very high, then the next month we stayed put in only a few different campgrounds, and our fuel costs were down, but the cost of the campgrounds was much more.

Now we've figured out if we stay out doing stuff all day long, and then find a parking lot to sleep in and not have to pay a campground, it saves us lots of money. I know not everyone can do this, but this is why we set up the Camper with the solar panels and bank of batteries, so we dont have to worry about being plugged in.

In the long run, it all seems to balance out. Remember back when gas was $.99 and the gas stations used to have a sign on the door saying "Cashier doesnt have change for $100 bill" Now it costs that much to fuel up, now they need to put a sign on the door saying "Cashier doesnt have change for a $1000"

Pat

[Tweety]

You're showing your age ! I remember when gas was .29 cents per gallon. And later, sitting in gas lines during high school...which of course was a GREAT excuse to be late for school

[AprilWhine]

We drove from VA to NV in January and bought so much gas that it triggered a fraud alert on my main card! Luckily I had a back up card that got us through the trip.

When we returned to VA, I accepted offers for two more cards with good reward programs just to make sure we would never get stranded.

Now currently in NV, driving out this time didn't trigger the fraud alert. I guess once you have that pattern set in the system, it won't be viewed as fraud again.

[emam]

THAKS GUYS!! I Jinxed myself by saying in a post a few days back that I had never reached a limit while filling my Diesel.

The next darn day while filling up at a Pilot station just outside Memphis, the pump stopped at $50!! I had to go and open my big mouth didnt I!?!?...LMAO

Pat

[Poor Man Campin']

The limit on the pumps around here is $70 for gas; not sure what it is for diesel. I generally have to run my card twice for one fill up if I get down to a 1/4 of a tank.

My Dad finally has a smile on his face again now that diesel is cheaper than gas. He keeps telling me I need a diesel, but we don't travel enough yet to justify the payments on one.

I like my truck, but that Hemi sure can get thirsty!

[Galaxiedriver]

Here in Columbia, MO we call it the Columbia Cartel. All the stations in this town of about 100,000 people have the same price to the 1/10th of a penny. The ones close to I 70 usually may be a few cents higher. They all change their prices at exactly the same time by the exact same amount.

I posted this link on another forum subject but here seems more appropriate. A few hints on saving fuel. I rarely if ever go over 60 mph when towing the Sunline.

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/question477.htm

Paul

[tinybluetj]

[quote="Poor Man Campin'"]

My Dad finally has a smile on his face again now that diesel is cheaper than gas. [quote]

Yep! My Daily Driver is a VW Turbo Deisel. 50 mpg baby!