PrePay SUCKS! Name and shame the gas stations.

[Nasty]

Mobil Paremata in Wellington is fine till it turns 9ish .. then the staff employed have no ideas .. and it goes only prepaid .. and they have eftpos at pumps turned off ... what a waste of good time I thinks ... avoid them after 9 at almost any expense ... besides four other stations within 5 kms.

[JimO]

dont think there is any preepay only pumps in Dunedin

[Monkeyboy]

Why don't you go to the bank and ask for $20 worth of 20 and 50 cent pieces, mix them up and pay the gas stations like that! Every time they see you pull up their faces will turn white. I used to work in a bank as a teller and trust me, nothing used to piss us off more than a school tuck shop or pub coming in with a million dollars worth of coin all mixed up, well that and the local fish shop who's money used to stink the whole place out!!!

[cowpoos]

I've just sent an email to Gull as below. Twice now Gull, Gt Sth Rd Manurewa/Takanini have demanded that we prepay fixed amounts of $10 or $20 when we wanted to fill up. Prepay is bullshit!

Prepay SUCKS big time!

As a motorist in New Zealand and particularly as a motorcyclist, I despise prepay. This odious system is NOT primarily designed for security: it is designed to maximise profits by reducing staff numbers and by forcing motorists to enter gas stations more often and sometimes several times on each fill. While there they are expected to purchase products on impulse; and they do (this is not opinion, it is fact confirmed by an industry insider).

By forcing motorists to decide on how much they want to put in their gas tanks on a dollar basis, fuel retailers (mainly the oil companies), ensure that cars are rarely filled up and must therefore return more often to gas stations. In addition, if you do want to fill up, you are usually required to swipe your card at the station, fill up and then return to approve the final amount bought; a double entry into the station and another opportunity for the station to tempt you into buying some junk on impulse that you don’t need and probably wouldn’t have bought otherwise.

Some gas stations have eftpos at pump available but often these are not switched on (Mobil Wiri Station Rd). The idea of eftpos at pump is perfect: we can fill up and pay at the pump with the least fuss. However, for the reasons above, gas stations then don’t get to maximise profits and they often don’t enable this system.

For a motorcyclist prepay is even more of an imposition. Many motorcycles have quite small tanks and even a large tank on a bike is just 25 litres. However, for many bikes, 8-15 litres is more often the capacity. With prepay, it is virtually impossible to guess how much fuel you will need and given that motorbikes often get just 100-200 kilometres per fill; we often want to fill up and maximise the distance traveled. My wife’s bike for example, takes just 11 litres. It gets pretty good mileage but we are never able to guess just how much fuel it will take and we always want to fill up before a trip. A Ducati Hailwood replica (newish model) takes just 8 litres and with it’s 1000cc motor, might only get 100km from that fill. To guess whether the tank needs 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 litres is virtually impossible and the rider is left having to enter gas stations twice to fill up under prepay at it’s worst. The worst offending gas station in my area is Gull Gt South Rd Takanini (near the top of Mahia Rd, Manurewa). This gas station has refused to allow us to fill up our bikes on a number of occasions demanding that we specify exactly how much we intend to use and prepay exactly that amount: their ‘suggestions’ were $10 or $20. My wife’s bike took about half a tank the first time (5.5 litres) and less the next time (about 4 litres). You can see that demanding a $10 or $20 prepay is ridiculous.

Now some gas stations recognise that motorcyclists are an issue and they release pumps when they see a bike arrive. It is not unreasonable for them to require us to take off our helmet for security reasons however. I applaud these gas stations and their awareness.

My suggestion is that we, as motorcyclists AND often car drivers too, name and shame the worst offenders and boycott them completely both for motorbike and for car purchases. I also suggest we name and praise those stations that DO recognise that prepay is an imposition and release pumps for motorcycles. Those gas stations should be promoted and pat5ronage should be encouraged. Likewise gas stations that have pay at pump AND turn it on.

As a start I offer the following:

DON’T use Gull Gt Sth Rd near Mahia Rd Manurewa. These people are ignorant and arrogant and don’t deserve our business.

DON’T use Mobil Wiri Station Rd as this station uses prepay even though it has pay at pump which is usually turned off.

DO use Mobil Hill Rd Manurewa. These people are wonderful and even when pumps are switched to prepay, they release pumps every time they see a motorbike pull up.

IMPORTANT! Make sure you make a fuss whenever possible if you encounter prepay ignorance and tell them you will boycott their gas station on your bike AND in your car because of their ignorance and arrogance. Send emails to the oil companies and tell them to get their act together and stop the callous disregard they have for customers.

I wave fuel card at the camera...they soon get the hint!!

[pritch]

there is a common theme here. All these stations are in lower socioeconomic areas full of thieving scum.

Yes, it's called Auckland!

And your welcome to it

But seriously, this would be a real pain in the arse if you were travelling. Sure there are work arounds, but far better to give someone else the business.

Does that mean I'm agreeing with I 3 again?:

[Little Miss Trouble]

Some gas stations have eftpos at pump available but often these are not switched on (Mobil Wiri Station Rd). The idea of eftpos at pump is perfect: we can fill up and pay at the pump with the least fuss. However, for the reasons above, gas stations then don’t get to maximise profits and they often don’t enable this system.

Another thing about eftpos at the pump, if you use a creditcard Mobil reserve $100 over and above what you pay for and leave it reseved for two days which isn't a big deal most of the time but if your sailing a bit close to the wind...

Mobil Constellation Drive do unlock the pump for bikes though

[idleidolidyll]

Postec or Provenco?

yep, one of the two

[MotoKuzzi]

I use Gull Takanini from time to time and never had a problem, but generally if you use one servo regularly you get known.

[davereid]

Another thing about eftpos at the pump, if you use a creditcard Mobil reserve $100 over and above what you pay for and leave it reseved for two days which isn't a big deal most of the time but if your sailing a bit close to the wind...

Are you saying they reserve the right to debit another $100 Later if they wish ?

[Renegade]

i find that the GAS (gasaline ally) stores the best, small owned companys that have joined GAS because the other suppliers shafted them, was on tv the other week aswell, they usually have the best friendly service.

still mobil prepay drives me nuts, never works, yet pak n save always works, they dont have problems with their eftpos at pump devices, mobil is full of shit about the machines being faulty, also caltex on old hutt road is 24/7 unattended prepay and they dont have issues with thier pump devices,truckies wouldnt be happy if they did clap out.

[MidnightMike]

I've only ever had that happen to me once, but that was at a station I rarely use.

My regular one, Caltex Greerton, Is great!, whenever I pull up and its on prepay, either ill just look toward the counter inside and give them a wave/ point at the pump, and they will switch it over, or, I look over and get the thumbs up because they have already done it for me, mint.

They also dont mind me wearing my helmet inside aswell.

[Little Miss Trouble]

Are you saying they reserve the right to debit another $100 Later if they wish ?

something like that, not entirely sure though thats just what I got told when I rang the bank freaked out that someone had stolen my details!

[discotex]

Wow.. I don't have a problem with pre-pay at all now. It was shocking when they first started converting every gas station to pre-pay but as far as I can tell most have got the message and have switched to pump authorisation instead.

Basically you just pick up the pump and stare at them until they unlock it. Does help if you have the helmet off so you don't look like you'll do a runner.

Most BP stations seem to do that now as well as the Gull's I frequent (New Lynn, Rosebank, Browns Bay). Mobil aren't as good but they're usually ok. Hardly ever stop at Caltex so no idea there.

If you really get stuck you just prepay more than you want on your card and they must legally refund you the difference in cash. Handy way to get cash out on your credit card

K-Rd Mobil is fine too. They almost always unlock the pump for me when the EFTPOS at pump isn't working. Takes about 20 sec for them to realise it's not just a cage wanting to nick gas. If they don't I just stroll up to the door and ask and it's never been a problem.

[Sollyboy]

Mobil St lukes is now prepay , i noticed its effecting their bottom line , people are voting with their wallets.
Btw , one station owner told me they turned pay at the pumps off because it was reducing shop sales particularly impulse items , hes probably right cause everytime i go into the gassy i have to get 4 icecreams or even more if the kids are with me

[Lteejay]

If I see the Pump on Prepay signs I just roll on to the next one... within the city there are generally lots of options. But if we're naming and shaming, Mobil at the corner of Krd and Ponsonby are a DON'T, but BP Jervois will turn the pump on for motorcyclists when it's on prepay.

Mobil on krd/ponsonby rd always turn their pumps off prepay when I wave at them from the forecourt. Never had a problem with them. Maybe its because I'm a chick