Paying For Fuel BEFORE You Fill Up. - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

casrms1450 · 10-06-2003, 04:50

Soon in W.A, motorists will have too pay for fuel, before they fill up.

How do you know what your tank will take .before you fill up ? Are we too become psychic ? This is because of drive off's , without paying, after filling up. I don't see it as being such a problem,as to warrant this extreme measure.
How does this work in the eastern states. ?
I might think my car will take $50 but only takes $46, so I will have to go back and ask for a refund. What a waste of my time and the attendents time.
What next will they think up to piss us car drivers off.!!

Tote · 10-06-2003, 04:55

When I was in the states 10 years ago this was common. It had me fooled for a while why the little man in the bullet proof cage wouldnt turn on the pump. You just had to have a guess how much the car would take or give him a 20 and he would give back the change. Still sucks though.
Regds,
Tote

Cobra · 10-06-2003, 04:56

How can they even stop you from filling up first? This is the most stupid thing I've heard in a while. What is their point for implementing this? Is it to stop fill-&-runners? Isn't that what all those cameras are there for?

Devil CV8 · 10-06-2003, 04:57

Don't know why you ask how it works over here, as we still fill up and pay later. I do believe there was a trial in some stations on certain nights, but I have never come across any..

Another americanism to hit, pay before you fill. what a sick joke...

Cobra · 10-06-2003, 05:00

Ahh yeah they'll just not turn the pump on just like they won't turn the LPG pump on if you havn't switched off your engine.

JC-XR8 · 10-06-2003, 05:00

Actually, it works really well. I used to work at a servo and there is no worse feeling than watching someone doing a runner - and you can't do much about it except get their rego and ring it through to the cops. When I was in the states, they had the card machines attached to the pump, so you swipe first, fill the car then it deducts the amount from your account - too easy!

laminge · 10-06-2003, 05:07

JC

Some servos here have the eftpos function incorporated into the terminals

So swipe, pin, account, fuel, receipt and your on your way

Much better IMO

JC-XR8 · 10-06-2003, 05:14

We had one servo (that I know of) with those EFTPOS terminals attached to the pumps. They are no longer operative though- I heard it was because the pumps used to work if you inserted your medicare card(probably an urban myth though).

They were a good idea, but I must admit I never used them in Oz - only in the U.S.

Casper · 10-06-2003, 06:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by laminge

JC

Some servos here have the eftpos function incorporated into the terminals

So swipe, pin, account, fuel, receipt and your on your way

Much better IMO

A few of these were in Brisbane, I used to go to them as a preffered servo cause it's a great idea. Wish they all did it!

Phido · 10-06-2003, 06:09

I never used any of them in the USA, NZ or Europe.

I was there less than 12 months ago. Drive offs are a problem in australia. Also having cash in a petrol station is a problem. Keeping track of customers as they fill up, park somewhere else, fill something else up, wash the windows, walk in and out of the shop 4 times etc can also be diffcult if there is only one person at the console looking after 10+ pumps and 20+ customers.

I can see why, but it completely sucks. It reduces the losses (very critical in a petrol station, margins are wafer thin), reduces the risk of the attendant being distracted and stabbed/shot/robbed etc.

The problem I belive with the EFTPOS terminals was that it would debit $60 from your card and then rebate the diffrence from your petrol and the $60 over a 48hr period.

Some members of the public complained, they needed that $5.78 to buy half a pack of smokes or get 1 can of beer. And they needed it now not in 48hr.

Also this is a great way to get people onto fuel cards. Although I don't know of any particular widely used personal fuel card system (motorcharge and motorpass seem to be less and less common these days), eventually I can see it going that way.

Shell/fleetcards are great for petrol companies, they lock heavy use customers into their servos, and basically give the idea that petrol is essentially free for the user, and only accountants worry about it. They also save a swag on banking charges. They can process them quicker in theory, tie in promotions etc as they please and keep alot of information about purchases.