Topic: Paying Before You Pump

[RunsinLight]

Something I have never understood. How do you pay for something when you don't know how much it's going to be? Or do they just force you
to pay at the pump? Is that what they mean by paying before you pump?

[tpl]

I always pay at the pump, usually by CC or with an RFID.   The gas station I go to most often has 4 out of 8 pumps that have to be used with Debit,Credit or an RFID. Seems like a good plan to me... If I had a gas station I think I'd want all the pumps to do that and only take cash for purchases made inside the station.

  I have seen notices that cash payers have to go inside and pay first. I presume this means they have to buy a certain amount and the pump then cuts off at that amount.  Obviously ( to me anyway) if you did that you'd only pay for an amount bthat you knew would fit in the tank or I guess you'd have to trek back inside and get change.    The gas station I go to that does this, its a long walk over to the cash and back.

[The Mighty Duck]

  If you go inside to pay, you buy $X and the pump dispenses $X worth of fuel.  If you pay at the pump, you swipe your credit card first and the machine charges you after you're finished pumping.

[Marc_]

When you swipe your card at the pump they are pre-authorizing a certain amount on your card, and then when finished pumping they charge the actual amount.

I remember the pre-auth being $100 but with current prices they may increase the pre-auth to $150!!!

[2JDM]

Most stations in the US do this...I haven't seen places here do it yet.

[RunsinLight]

So basically if you want to fill it right to the top you have to pay at the pump. That is really what I wanted to know.

[The Mighty Duck]

Most stations in the US do this...I haven't seen places here do it yet.

BC recently passed new regulations requiring all fuel purchases to be pre-paid.  There was a particularly nasty incident in which someone tried to steal gas, and the station attendant was killed trying to stop them, that prompted that change.  :/

[vdk]

first time I had to do this I was puzzled... I wanted to fill up my tank and had to prepay... like how am I supposed to know how much it's gonna cost me? 45.01? 45.02? Maybe .03? seriously... Ended up giving the guy $20....

[RunsinLight]

So you always pay at the pump with a credit card then nothing has changed?

[Sival]

A gas station on my way to work has recently adopted the policy of paying before filling up. I went there exactly once, since I fill up and pay inside, I went before filling up to the cashier, I told him that I wanted to fill up but I didn't know the amount I'd put in, so I wanted to know what to do... he told me to fill-up and come back pay later...

Anyway, I haven't been there again since, and I've noticed the gas station is generally a bit cheaper than the nearby other gas stations, but it's also more often empty than the others. Looks like I'm not the only one avoiding the station because of that policy.

[ovr50]

So you always pay at the pump with a credit card then nothing has changed?

Despite BCs new regulations, I pay with a CC at the pump always, and there is absolutely no change in that procedure. I think it impacts only cash payers.

[Schmengie]

So basically if you want to fill it right to the top you have to pay at the pump. That is really what I wanted to know.

If you're going to pay cash the trick is to know how much, more or less, it costs to fill your tank then add ten bucks for good measure. Pay the cashier, and if you've over-paid after your fill-up just go back and get your change. It's not that hard and the extra walking's good for you.

[Ex-airbalancer]

I can not understand not paying with a CC. Easy way to get travel points

[sirAQUAMAN64]

I dislike pre-paying - whether in the US or Canada 'after dark' / at the further pumps. Understand why they do it though.

I'm one of those people who opt to pay inside more for the social aspect. Yes, you read that correctly. But I'm slowly paying at the pump more often.

[johngenx]

I started using pay-at-the-pump when I had my daughter in the car seat.  It meant I could get gas without the massive hassle of taking her out of her seat and dragging her into the station to pay.  And NO, I would NEVER have considered leaving her alone in the car.  That's called "negligence."

So, I have become accustomed to it, and now just do it all the time.

[TopGun]

When you swipe your card at the pump they are pre-authorizing a certain amount on your card, and then when finished pumping they charge the actual amount.

I remember the pre-auth being $100 but with current prices they may increase the pre-auth to $150!!!

You're correct Marc...I misplaced my CC last week...and when I called it in to "suspend the account", they went through the last couple of transactions...and the last one was at PetroCan for $150...pre-auth.

[dr_spock]

I always pay at the pump with the gas card.   It's more convenient than going inside and waiting in line. 

I guess pre-pay is a way for gas stations to stop the pump and run technique of filling up.   

Do you guys lock your doors when you go into the station to pay?

[PJungnitsch]

I never liked paying at the pump in Alberta, I didn't understand the 'pre-authorized' procedure at first, and then half the time the pumps didn't work and you had to go in and get the tellers involved anyway.

Went to BC for a trip this summer though with the motorcycle (fill up a lot) and there I got so I quite liked it. No standing in line to pay behind someone going through their lottery tickets or whatever, just pay and go outside, no need to go in the station at all. IIRC this is how it always was in Europe.

A difference from Alberta is that since BC made it mandatory the system generally works quite well, the only fiddle is with the rare older style pumps that are not set up for it, then you just give your debit card to the cashier ahead of time, pump until full, then go back in and run it through.

[UmroAyyar]

I started using pay-at-the-pump when I had my daughter in the car seat.  It meant I could get gas without the massive hassle of taking her out of her seat and dragging her into the station to pay.  And NO, I would NEVER have considered leaving her alone in the car.  That's called "negligence."

So, I have become accustomed to it, and now just do it all the time.

+1 

Life is so much easier that way.

[random006]

first time I had to do this I was puzzled... I wanted to fill up my tank and had to prepay... like how am I supposed to know how much it's gonna cost me? 45.01? 45.02? Maybe .03? seriously... Ended up giving the guy $20....

That was my conundrum with the whole "pre-pay" thing at first.  Add to that the experiences of many people who had their bank card's data ripped off at gas stations before the wide spread use of pumps with built-in ATM functions and it is easy to understand why I kept paying cash until it became unreasonable to do so.

Now I pay at the pump almost exclusively, using my bank card while in town and my credit card when on the road.  Using the credit card while traveling is a great way to document the "hidden" costs of vacations; something that gas has certainly become for many people.