Full Service pumps

red-beard · red-beard's Garage

Would you be willing to pay extra for full service gas pumps? I'm not meaning like Oregon and New Jersey where is it mandated by law. I mean that a gas station has a set aside pump that is full service and the attendant cleans your windshield and inflates your tires while they pump you gas.

If an average fill-up is around 15 gallons and they average as few as 10 cars per hours, the increase would need to be around $0.10 per gallon.

How much extra would you be willing to pay?

onewhippedpuppy · 03-31-2017, 04:31 AM

None, we have one local station that is full service and I avoid it. I don't want anyone else touching my cars, especially some grease monkey getting paid $8/hr.

GH85Carrera · GH85Carrera's Garage

My wife's grandmother used to go to a station slightly out of the way to get the full service. She grew up on a farm and married a farmer and lived on a farm for 70 years of her life before moving into the big city of Enid, OK. She felt it was worth the extra cost. I have not had someone pump my gas since I was in Oregon and it was a rental so I did not care. When I drove through NJ from MD I filled up in DE I made sure I had a full tank before I drove across the border and I did not stop until Connecticut.

jwasbury · 03-31-2017, 05:08 AM

I live in NJ, so I am used to having gas attendants pump for me. If you have a special vehicle, they will usually let you handle it...the attendants always hand you the nozzle when you're on a motorcycle, for example.

I actually prefer full service when filling my diesel. The diesel pump nozzles are typically a mess and your hands reek of diesel fuel for the rest of the day...when I am headed to work in a suit, no thanks.

gr8fl4porsche · gr8fl4porsche's Garage

There is a full-service/self-serve station right by my house. I always see cars in the self-serve lanes. Seldom in the full-serve.

speeder · speeder's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by jwasbury

I live in NJ, so I am used to having gas attendants pump for me. If you have a special vehicle, they will usually let you handle it...the attendants always hand you the nozzle when you're on a motorcycle, for example.

I actually prefer full service when filling my diesel. The diesel pump nozzles are typically a mess and your hands reek of diesel fuel for the rest of the day...when I am headed to work in a suit, no thanks.

I rarely buy gasoline the last couple years, driving a diesel car and truck. I've only found nasty diesel nozzles at truck stop type places, most regular gas stations are now selling diesel and the nozzle is on the same pump as the gas and just as clean. On a side note, I find the smell of gasoline sickening but modern diesel w the sulphur gone is like baby oil in comparison.

There is a diesel only station in DTLA with usually the cheapest fuel around where it's full serve only. A kid comes out and pumps it for you, then pulls an old Casio calculator out and figures your cash discount from the pump price, if paying cash.

masraum · 03-31-2017, 07:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

None, we have one local station that is full service and I avoid it. I don't want anyone else touching my cars, especially some grease monkey getting paid $8/hr.

That's it exactly ^

1990C4S · 03-31-2017, 07:20 AM

I only use it in the winter. No one wants to pump fuel at 10F and windy.

When it's warm out I save time and do it myself.

ckelly78z · 03-31-2017, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1990C4S

I only use it in the winter. No one wants to pump fuel at 10F and windy.

When it's warm out I save time and do it myself.

I start the pump, and get back in the car.....sometimes, god forbid, in stupid cold weather, I leave the car run.

dan79brooklyn · 04-01-2017, 01:04 AM

Here in Japan half of the stations are full service. You will expect to pay slightly more, but in return they will wipe your windows (all of them) with a damp towel, collect your trash from your car, give you a damp towel to clean the inside of your windows, and politely thank you profusely and wave you out into traffic. On occasion they have offered to check my tire pressures as well. I suppose they would also look at your oil and check your battery if you asked.

Service is amazing here.

I usually prefer to save a few yen and go to a self serve station though.

WPOZZZ · 04-01-2017, 01:36 AM

In my neck of the woods, full serve is about $1 per gallon. So no f'n way would I go to full serve. Pump 10 gallons and end up paying someone $10 for 3 minutes of work? Hell no.

jwasbury · 04-01-2017, 05:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by speeder

I rarely buy gasoline the last couple years, driving a diesel car and truck. I've only found nasty diesel nozzles at truck stop type places, most regular gas stations are now selling diesel and the nozzle is on the same pump as the gas and just as clean. On a side note, I find the smell of gasoline sickening but modern diesel w the sulphur gone is like baby oil in comparison.

There is a diesel only station in DTLA with usually the cheapest fuel around where it's full serve only. A kid comes out and pumps it for you, then pulls an old Casio calculator out and figures your cash discount from the pump price, if paying cash.

The diesel pumps around here are almost always filthy, and these are regular filling stations, not truck stops. I think its because diesel foams up sometimes when pumping, so it gets all over the place when that happens.

Gasoline evaporates quickly. Diesel, even the modern ultra low sulfur stuff, still has enough lubricity to leave oily residue that clings to the pump nozzle. I don't mind the smell of gasoline or diesel fuel, but diesel's clinging ability means that it stays with you and I'll smell it on my hands, on the steering wheel, etc, even if I washed up thoroughly. That fragrance just doesn't go with a business suit in my opinion.

Nothing smells better than race gas.