I just filled up @$5.05 per gal. diesel both tanks $181.00 every week. Now try to pass that along to your customer. Thats just for my truck!

Why I have a Shell card to use just for fuel. $5.03 in Oakland yesterday. 14.9 gal in the Audi for $75 !!!!

I always like to run all the old gas out of the tank that's been in there all winter. I went to fill up with fresh stuff and it cost me $19.11 That's the most I've ever spent for fuel for the Mini.... so far. I'm not complaining about the price because we still got it pretty good here in the good old U.S.A.

Mark

"That's the story of my life....no respect".

True that, I am a total deadbeat these days. 

Lots of crdit card transactions have reserves.  When the hotel desk clerk swipes your card at check in there's a reserve until you check out.  Rental cars have a huge reserve.  I agree with Wade - it.s not a problem unless your card is close to its limit

Unless your credit card is already "maxed out" this should not cause you any problems? The biggest issue I had is that some pumps cut you off when the card reached 50 bucks. That just doesn't cut it any more...except in a mini!

wt

they only use that procedure for deadbeat Canadians.

Debit cards work much the same way: a hold is placed on a "pre-auth" amount when you swipe your card in order to ensure sufficient funds for final payment. The main difference with debit cards is that the hold is released much more quickly since funds are withdrawn for the final sale amount. The debit cards can be denied if the "pre-auth" amount is more than what is available in the account even if you plan on spending far less. Example: if the "pre-auth" amount set in the fueling system is $100 and you have $99 in your account and plan on putting $20 in your tank. Because there is not the $100 in your account, the "pre-auth" will most likely be declined. Unfortunately for some folks, their banks will authorize the hold and cause a temporary overdraft resulting in an additional fee. When the sale finalizes for the smaller amount, the customer is still held responsible for the "overdraft" fee even though they have funds.

Where I use cash, I lock my Mini when I go inside to prepay and again when I go back for my change. I have never had any issues with leaving it briefly (always locked). I have often come back to people politely checking it out. I then spend a few minutes chatting and answering their questions, smile and wish them a good day.

I have all kinds of courage, but I have yet to use a debit card at either a U.S. or CDN pump.

It would be nice to just pay cash all of the time, but there is a lot to think about when you are on the road, alone, with a mini.  Leaving the car doesn't have too much appeal.

Did you try your debit card at the pump? I am hearing conflicting stories about our ability to do this.

Terry 

If you're not on the edge............ you're taking up to much space.

I used to work in the automated fueling business doing tech support and development for the "pay at the pump" systems. They always put a "reserve" on your card for a variable amount. It used to be the common amount was $35.00. With the gas price increases the reserve amount has apparently also gone way up. (I always pay cash.)

The way those system work: When you swipe your card, a "pre-authorize" request goes up to the card network for the reserve amount. After you finish pumping, a completion request goes up with the pre-auth code for the final sales amount. The network is then supposed to issue a "reversal" of the reserve. Unfortunately, the different card networks and issuers have different policies as to how quickly they actually release the reserve amount.

We used to create loads of issues on the corporate cards when doing pump tests in the field. We would have to do $0.05 to $0.10 transactions per grade, per pump to verify proper operation. Each transaction would put a separate "reserve" amount against the card. That really adds up fast and would sometimes disable our cards. We got to where we had direct contacts for the cards to get the holds released in order to finish testing.

wow. that sucks. i learned today that while in corsica i got a speeding ticket (camera) with the rental car... 58km/h in a 50km/h zone. they have a wierd rate going, its 90 euro if i pay in 14 days, then its 135 euro for 45 days and then after that its 375 euro. oh, and the rental company charges 20 euros for processing...

bastards! 

 

Shirts for the Corporate Masochists < new designs!

 

I just learned today that when you use "pay at the pump" in the U.S. there is a hold placed on your credit card for $100.oo that lasts a few days after the $15.00 fuel purchase.

That isn't cool.