Fuel pumps - More difficult to get 'on the money'?

eob

Prominent Member
Joined
Nov 16, 2006
Messages
2,205
Reaction score
799
Points
577
I was partially filling up today at local supermarket.
Only wanted to put in £35 and was concious of the fact that I always end up going a penny over.
Stopped dead on £35. Took out and parked the nozzle, turned round to put the fuel cap back on, turned back and it had jumped up to £35.02! :mad:

I mentioned to the cashier (because complaining doesn't really achieve anything) and she said that sometimes there is a bit of fuel in the pipe.
She didn't really have a response when I said that it should be in my tank! :D

With the latest report on the news about the OFT saying that the UK fuel market is working well, I can't think of another event or experience in my day to day life that is as expensive or as painful as filling up at the pumps.
Except maybe a rectal examination by a doctor wearing a jewel encrusted glove!
 
It's a Swizz A few time now I have put in £10 and it to trickle over to £10.01. I just walked in the Petrol station and gave them the £10 and walked off. They never said a word.
 
I generally pay by Switch so thats not an option but maybe I should.
I rarely use Tescos but I noticed that their pumps have value buttons in multiples of tens. The pump stops at the selected value. That would be a much better system.
 
I was speaking with the wife about this, we've definitely noticed pumps seem to 'jump' now, to varying degrees.
But it is becoming increasingly difficult, almost nigh on impossible, to get fuel in at a round figure (£10/£20)
My theory about this is that if someone goes over their intended figure, they are more likely to just carry on and put in even more.
Round-figure-refuelling is more the wife's thing.
I have a fuel card, I just fill up until it clicks and ignore the readout.:D
 
Last edited:
This has also been happening to me a lot recently - never used to be a problem but now it always stops at one penny over. Is there a conspiracy I wonder??
 
Didn't you used be able to dial in the amount you wanted before it was dispensed?
When you paid by CC?
 
TechyBoy said:
This has also been happening to me a lot recently - never used to be a problem but now it always stops at one penny over. Is there a conspiracy I wonder??

Exactly the same for me.

I used to joke with SWMBO about her never being able to get it to the nearest pound. I never had a problem and I like my fuel receipts to be easy to add up in my head, so always aim for the nearest pound. Haven't been able to do that for ages. It always goes a penny over!
 
I don't even bother to try and get it to stop at a particular amount anymore, just fill until the nozzle clicks and remove.
 
Yep had this too on a few occasions been on the money only to go and pay and find it's a penny over. Complained and they relented.
 
Now I am no mathematician (about to be proved perhaps), but is it simply due to the rise in fuel prices, meaning that 1p worth of fuel is just such a low amount (in millilitres) that its too hard to get a penny's worth now?
 
Garage near us has a box of pennies donated by customers on the counter, for people to use in emergencies.
Who said Scots were tight? :cool:
 
My theory about this is that if someone goes over their intended figure, they are more likely to just carry on and put in even more.

I do this :rolleyes: If I miss the exact £'s I'm aiming to put in the tank, I try and hit the next 50p. If I miss that then I stop. Its a bit of a game between me and the pump :p

It does seem these days, that the slightest 'blip' on the trigger and you end up putting another 15p worth of fuel in your tank!
 
Ive had it jump a few pennies when shaking the nozzle to make sure it doesn't drip over my car when putting it back!
 
Ive had it jump a few pennies when shaking the nozzle to make sure it doesn't drip over my car when putting it back!

This keeps happening to me, done it twice in the Elise when trying not to spill petrol down the side of the car.
 
Now I am no mathematician (about to be proved perhaps), but is it simply due to the rise in fuel prices, meaning that 1p worth of fuel is just such a low amount (in millilitres) that its too hard to get a penny's worth now?


I think you have it spot on there, and the problem will only get worse.
 
FZR400RRSP said:
I was speaking with the wife about this, we've definitely noticed pumps seem to 'jump' now, to varying degrees.
But it is becoming increasingly difficult, almost nigh on impossible, to get fuel in at a round figure (£10/£20)
My theory about this is that if someone goes over their intended figure, they are more likely to just carry on and put in even more.
Round-figure-refuelling is more the wife's thing.
I have a fuel card, I just fill up until it clicks and ignore the readout.:D

Really? I have no problem at all putting the amount I want in my car each am everytime. I've only gone over a few times and it's normally from half looking at something else.

I only use a few different places tough so maybe it depends on the company?
 
whatsupdoc said:
I think you have it spot on there, and the problem will only get worse.

I suppose the pump manufacturers could just change the pumps to use 2p increments, instead of 1p.....but we'd all lose out as they would be rounding up to the nearest 2p 8-(
 
Was something on watchdog a few months ago irc about this
 
I physically press the lever on the pump (as if I were hanging up the nozzle) that stops the pump, then tip whatever is still in the nozzle and hose into my tank. This prevents that annoying (wasteful) dripping, which can be a safety issue on the forecourt floor.

Once saw a car pull out of a petrol station, turn right at the very nearby roundabout, only to spin as his right rear wheel lost grip as he had a huge run of petrol onto that wheel - probably overfilled the tank and didn't put the cvap on correctly!!
 
Happened quite a lot to me too. I ease down when it gets near to rounding to a pound. Inevitably stopping at .99.

Despite being as careful as i can, it then jumps to 0.01 at the faintest touch:facepalm::laugh:

I actually got it to 20.00 today yet when i went inside to pay, i was charged 20.01:eek:
 
You should not fill up watching the money dial, you should fill to nearest full litre otherwise the pump will round up the cost.
 
Del45 said:
You should not fill up watching the money dial, you should fill to nearest full litre otherwise the pump will round up the cost.

You've lost me...
Let's say the nearest full litre under £20.00 is £19.96.
You seem to be saying the pump will round that up to £20.00?
And if you only have £20.00, how can you go to the nearest full litre if that means it's £20.09??
 
Definitely believe this is occurring. I noticed a change in the way the pumps operate at my local Morrison's garage about a year ago. First noticed it when I made sure I put £10 in but by the time I reached the teller he said £10.01. I mentioned that I'd made sure it was bang on a tenner and he just shrugged.

OT - There are some genuine idiots in garage forecourts. Just the other day I watched a guy fill up his Vauxhall to the point where it was overflowing. He pulled the nozzle out with the fuel still spraying out. Didn't do a damn thing to clean it up.
 
Now I am no mathematician (about to be proved perhaps), but is it simply due to the rise in fuel prices, meaning that 1p worth of fuel is just such a low amount (in millilitres) that its too hard to get a penny's worth now?

This.
 
My local garage has attended pumps so whatever they go over is their problem (and my slight gain). If I ask for £50, that's what I pay, even if it's by card.
 

The latest video from AVForums

TV Buying Guide - Which TV Is Best For You?
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Back
Top Bottom