Do You Avoid Buying Gas When...

[Bill Howatt]

the tank truck is filling the station's tanks?

My, B-I-L who is fairly car mechanics literate, says he does because the dumping of the fuel into the underground tank stirs up all the water and whatever that had settled to the bottom. Does seem to make at least some sense.

Do you avoid this?

[Jim Becker]

Not likely a factor in high volume stations like Costco which are constantly pumping gas and constantly getting re-supplied. Since that's the only place I buy gas unless I'm traveling, I wouldn't worry about it and have pumped many, many times when a truck was parked and putting fuel in the underground tanks. For stations that are not high volume, there "might" be more risk. One would hope that filtration between the tank and the pump gets rid of the "whatever"; water is it's own thing and can be a serious issue. A whole bunch of folks in South New Jersey found that out recently...twice...where what was being pumped was nearly 50% water.

[Ron Citerone]

I do based on my father saying it. He worked repairing the tanks on those gad trucks and said the bottom was loaded with gunk and dirt. I suspect truck tanks have come along way and better filtration with the advent of fuel injection. I still listen to Dad’s advice even though he passed 15 years ago.😀😭

[Bill George]

Never buy gas when the tanker is dumping in fuel, one of my rules.

[Brian Elfert]

The whole tanker thing is not that big a deal for me. I have a Costco membership, but I don't buy gas there all that often. The closest Costco is often more expensive than a pair of stations closest to home. When I used to drive to work I would pass by the Costco business center and the gas there was usually a good deal. When the business center gas station first opened about three or four years ago they were selling gas for a super low promotional price for a few weeks. I can't believe it was legal to sell that low because of the eight cent minimum markup law in Minnesota.

I have a diesel converted coach bus that usually takes over 100 gallons per fill. I use truck stops, but it is not uncommon to have a tanker filling. Truck stops sell a lot of diesel when fill ups average over 100 gallons at a time.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

I will avoid entering a gas station while the tanker is there after reading this. Early speculation about the Key bridge disaster pointed to bad fuel. This reminds me that we are advised to fill up before the eclipse travelers pass through our area.

[Edward Weber]

This is one of those stories that's been around for years. Originally it might have had a small kernel of thuth to it but these days it's just not an issue.
Now it's more of a superstition than anything else.

I'd rather people fuel on the side of the car where the pump is, instead of dragging the hose around the car and standing in the middle of the lane.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

I mistook the bad TFI module on my old Ford for bad gas. That thing left me stranded many times.

[Jim Becker]

The closest Costco is often more expensive than a pair of stations closest to home. W.

That's interesting because in my experience, Costco's gas price is generally lower than typical local stations, especially "name brands" that are also Top Tier fuel. Here, the cost difference is as much as twenty cents a gallon lower. I've found advantage while traveling up and down the east coast, too, with using Costco when it's reasonably close to the route. But I'm sure there are areas that are different.

[Jim Koepke]

That's interesting because in my experience, Costco's gas price is generally lower than typical local stations, especially "name brands" that are also Top Tier fuel. Here, the cost difference is as much as twenty cents a gallon lower. I've found advantage while traveling up and down the east coast, too, with using Costco when it's reasonably close to the route. But I'm sure there are areas that are different.

When we lived in California Costco was often the lowest price in the area.

Here it is different, plus there are a couple of other factors in the equation:

Gasbuddy Vancouver WA.png

This is Vancouver, Washington prices. Oregon often has lower prices. This only shows Sinclair for a major's price. Sinclair is new to the area. This chart showed Union 76 and Arco at $4.39, the same as Walmart. Chevron was at $4.55, they are often one of the highest prices around here.

Fred Meyer and Safeway have promotional pricing with their Rewards Card. For every $100 spent in their stores the customer can get 10¢ per gallon off of their fuel prices up to $1. With certain promotions you can receive up to 4 times fuel rewards points. We usually get at least 50¢ per gallon and often we get a whole dollar. That is handy with my truck as it can take ~30 gallons to fill.

Consulted Dr. Google on > when fuel is being delivered to a service station does it cause more muck in the fuel < interesting answers about fuel filters in the gas pumps and liability of service stations if these, required in most states, filters do not trap sediment and ruin people's cars.

Also found something else to consider > https://living.acg.aaa.com/auto/risk...iving-on-empty

jtk

[Bill George]

I don't have to google to use common sense! I have seen the tanks removed from the ground when ownership changed hands and its the state law. Tanks rusted and sometimes leaking.

[Brian Tymchak]

40 years ago I filled my car while the truck was filling the station tank. Got about 300 yards down the road and the car died. I happened to have tools in the car and an empty soda bottle. Opened the gas line, pumped a bit of fuel into the bottle. Almost 100% dirty water. It took a couple days to get the fuel system flushed and plugs changed.

Hopefully these days they can fill those tanks without mixing the water layer and sediment at the bottom. But I still avoid filling up if the truck is at the station.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

I always enjoyed the ritual of starting the John Deere B. When you first look at the glass sediment bowl it almost always has water and dirt in it. Take that off, dump it out, open the fuel valve and wash the glass bowl in the little stream of gas with your bare hands, let a quart or more run out before you put it back together, wipe your hands on your jeans, climb on, close the choke, and look forward to the pop pop pop, Dad's B had electric start. Grandpa's had to be started by hand. The first time I drove grandpas B he sent me to the gravity gas tank to fill it up. Thank goodness he kept an eye on me and stoped me from putting gas in the radiator.

[Ronald Blue]

I would suggest in most places and at least where I am you won't find a steel underground tank still in use at a gas station. Just last year a station completely redid their tanks and gas islands near here and the tanks were fiberglass that went in. I should clarify all the ones I've saw installed were fiberglass. I'm sure steel is still an option with the obvious long term draw backs. I don't how much is determined by the state EPA and how much the federal government. I know any station that closes if it doesn't reopen within a period of time and it may be 12 months the tanks are removed. It's been probably 30 or more years since I got bad gas at a station. I knew it almost immediately as well but a bottle of Heet took care of it. Anyway I haven't let the sight of the fuel tanker unloading deter me from getting gas.

[Jim Becker]

I was going to mention that, Ronald...unless a station hasn't been refreshed (one reason I stay away from "off brand, 'cheap' gas places") there's not going to be an issue with rust and those kind of debris. Water is "more possible" if there's a leak though any of the topside access points for fill and vent.