Sneaky gas gouging?

M

mwerner

Joined
Apr 23, 2002
Messages
5,354
I normally buy gas at Phillips; we have a card. They have those handy pay-at-the-pump things. I pulled in yesterday to one I don't normally patronize and went through the usual procedure. As my tank was filling, I took note of the price-3.09. Wow, that jumped a lot...Thought regular was only supposed to be 3.00. (only...)
Then I looked at the big sign and saw that regular WAS only 3.00 ( 2.99, actually)
Wazzup? Then, I see that the little buttons you push to select the grade have all been re-labled. Instead of the usual regular-plus-premium order from left to right, it was now plus-premium-regular. Hmmmm......

Other pumps were the same way. Each had a small stick-on lable over the usual lighted grade button.

More I thought about it, the more I wondered. How many folks had, like me, just punched the left button out of habit?
When I got home, I called the Attorney General's office (state...) and the gal I spoke to seemed very interested. "Let me send you a complaint form."
Right after 9/11, Nixon (the attorney general) jumped all over anyone accused of price gouging, and collected huge fines from a number of oil companies. As I understand it, the octane is "mixed" at the pump, so putting the wrong fuel in the different storage areas does not seem a likely excuse.
 
Hmm, that is interesting. I have done this myself before only to realize before I started pumping that the price was too high. So, I had to cancel that transaction and try it again. Keep us updated. I'd like to know what happens about this.
 
I don't think the octane is mixed at the pump, Premium grade gasoline is refined differently and burns cleaner than low-octane gas. I could be wrong though.

If the button switch was intentional, it was probably to make the 'cheap' gas last longer, not necessarily just to steal your money.

-Bob
 
So a couple days ago I'm leaving Old Forge (Adirondack vaction town) and i stop at the one gas station on the way out. The signs on top of the dispensers go from left to right,lowest to highest price. I grab the handle under the lowest price and pump away.

But guess what the 3 handles they go from left to right highest to lowest!

I pay and stew a little on the way home. Today I call the Dept. of Weights and Measures and guess what they can't do that! So when you see this call them on it.
 
I have noticed, when filling up, that sometimes one side of the "island" has a different setup than the other, i.e. one side is the reverse of the other. This seems normal to me, considering the 87 Octane comes out of the same end of the pump, all the way left from the "normal" side (tank on left side of car) and all the way on the right when viewed from the other side.

Now, this switching sides thing is definitely not kosher in my book. I'd go in and refuse to pay the price, if it appears they are deliberately trying to trick you. That's just B.S!

Good to hear that you didn't just take it, but went over them to get something done.

I'll make sure to pay attention.

DD
 
The only difference between 87 octane and 93 octane is the amount of the chemical Toulene that is added. The gas is just as 'clean' (well, dirty rather), and has the same amount of cleaning detergents all across the board. Most of todays modern cars have computers designed for 87, and running anything higher is actually gaining you no better performance or gas milage. Unless you have a new chip programmed for higher octane, you will not notice any different (and no, you car wont last any longer or be any cleaner).

With that said, there's been some gas companies who have done the old switcheroo on the buttons here as well (MI). They aren't always in order either (I've seen 89 87 93, 93 87 89, etc). I always pay attention to the button I push now. I caught myself once at one of these places, where I promptly drove to the one across the street and filled up there. I'm sure their security video could see exactly what I did, at least they know they lost one customer (who paid at least $50 in gas that day) because of their tricks.
 
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