Fuel cards? Are they worth it?
Submitted: Thursday, Apr 03, 2008 at 10:22
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Anglo
Hi all,
I'm a member of the API and they provide fuel cards for either
Caltex or
Shell which offer 3c a ltr off the price. Now as we're going on a big loop of Oz in about 3 weeks time (for 8 months) do you think it would be worth it to get one?
Also which one would be more available? I'm thinking
Caltex, but the diesel from
Shell does have more additives to perform better.
Any suggestions, thoughts gratefully received.
Cheers,
Chris
Reply By: Wizard1 - Thursday, Apr 03, 2008 at 10:39
Thursday, Apr 03, 2008 at 10:39
Let me get this right, your asking if a fuel card that guarantees 3c a litre off the pump price is worth getting....Derrrrrr.
Once you hit the road you'll find very few
places that take shoppa dockets.
I have three, BP,
Caltex and
Shell as my car is on a lease. I have that many because you will arrive some where to fuel up to find it doesn't take your card or that fuel provider isn't there. So to lenghten the odds we have 3. Lets call it insurance.
When your out there you don't have the choice, a lot of the time, especially based on which has additives or not. All your interested in is getting diesel into your tanks and there might only be one servo in the town that can do that.
AnswerID:
296329
Reply By: Truckster (Vic) - Thursday, Apr 03, 2008 at 10:40
Thursday, Apr 03, 2008 at 10:40
I find
shell is usually much more expensive than any other..
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296330
Reply By: Anglo - Thursday, Apr 03, 2008 at 10:44
Thursday, Apr 03, 2008 at 10:44
if only it was that simple, there is a monthly charge of $1.50, and the
shell card only says 0-4c per litre guarranteed, the
caltex one is a straight 3c per ltr, plus there is a service charge every time you fill up (50c or so).
AnswerID:
296332
Follow Up By: Member - Davoe (Yalgoo) - Thursday, Apr 03, 2008 at 19:39
Thursday, Apr 03, 2008 at 19:39
OK forgive my maths if im out BUT say you drive 15,000km a year and use 15 litres per hundred that means you will buy
2,250l of fuel.
saving 3cpl means you will save $67.50 over the course of the year
Hmmm
then say you fill up 100l at a time that will cost you $11.25
there is a yarrly card charge of $18
which means over the course of a year you would save
$38.25
most of which would be negated by driving round looking for a
shell and by passing servos which have cheaper or only marginally dearer fuel
I say NO - out of principal at least savings should be just that not mickey mouse crap
FollowupID:
562486
Reply By: Anglo - Thursday, Apr 03, 2008 at 10:46
Thursday, Apr 03, 2008 at 10:46
I'm guess I'm also asking which company has the most servo's out there, to maximise the chances of using the card.
Cheers,
Chris
AnswerID:
296333
Follow Up By: Wizard1 - Thursday, Apr 03, 2008 at 13:35
Thursday, Apr 03, 2008 at 13:35
Go to thier webistes which usually list all the suppliers outlets.
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562418
Reply By: howesy - Thursday, Apr 03, 2008 at 11:02
Thursday, Apr 03, 2008 at 11:02
One of my cars is on lease and checking the statement it would seem
Caltex charge me full pump price plus a $2.75 monthly fee for the priveledge.
I spend an average of 620 to 650 a month on that card so where is the reward for loyalty.
Get a BP citbank credit card and use it only for fuel and pay it out each month or better still pay it into credit before you use it and then no fees at all for credit. They give %5 off,.
AnswerID:
296334
Reply By: Kiwi & "Mahindra" - Thursday, Apr 03, 2008 at 11:18
Thursday, Apr 03, 2008 at 11:18
They are good, as long as you dont mind getting another bill. It does make it harder when your outback and they dont accept them. You are also ablr to change the purchace preferences on your card, ie, to just allow fuel; fuel and oil, fuel, oil and
services; or the entire lot - ie include
shop purchaces.....like drinks, coffee, smokes, chips....
If they offered you Motorcharge Id take that but they aren't...if you really feel like one Id go
Caltex purely cos they were my boss! Ive always had performance issues with
Shell but that was only with ULP, not diesel - i dont use theirs....
But more available....
Caltex.....
Laura
AnswerID:
296338
Follow Up By: nickoff01 - Friday, Apr 04, 2008 at 07:37
Friday, Apr 04, 2008 at 07:37
Then you get to
places in Australia where it doesn't matter which provider you use for fuel,
Shell, BP,
Caltex or
United.
It all arrives on the same ship, and is stored and supplied from the same bulk storage depot.
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Follow Up By: Kiwi & "Mahindra" - Friday, Apr 04, 2008 at 07:52
Friday, Apr 04, 2008 at 07:52
and its even refined at either place too...but they are all refined differently to what the company wants.....
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Reply By: Mr Pointyhead - Thursday, Apr 03, 2008 at 12:39
Thursday, Apr 03, 2008 at 12:39
I have a
Caltex as my primary fuel card for my leased vehicle. However I find that there are so few
Caltex outlets in regional Australia (Where I live) that it becomes next to useless. The value of the fuel discount I get can be quickly burned up trying to find the nearest outlet, and they charge me a per fill fee as
well. Also, on the Woolworths/Safeway outlets they usually have only one slowflo diesel pump and they have removed the catch that holds the pump open, so when I am filling both tanks it becomes a real PITA standanding there holding the pump open for the 15 or so minutes it takes to fill up.
I have since got BP and Mobile cards (
Shell wanted to charge me $5.00 per month for their card) as
well. In regional areas it seems mobile is the most common. However, I only have these cards as I have a lease vehicle and it gets charged back to the leasing company.
If I where paying for it directly I would not waste my time with the fuel card as they are not worth the trouble. Just get a Visa/Master card and buy the fuel where ever you can get it cheapest when you are traveling. The days of fuel companies having any sort of customer loyalty is long gone.
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Muddy doe (SA) - Thursday, Apr 03, 2008 at 13:19
Thursday, Apr 03, 2008 at 13:19
Caltex cards can also be used at
AMPOL outlets which seem to be much more prolific in rural areas than
Caltex.
Muddy
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Follow Up By: SKP - Thursday, Apr 03, 2008 at 14:56
Thursday, Apr 03, 2008 at 14:56
Use a tennis ball to hold the pump open, works for me.
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Follow Up By: Mr Pointyhead - Thursday, Apr 03, 2008 at 15:13
Thursday, Apr 03, 2008 at 15:13
The Tennis ball is a good idea. Only problem is that it is against the policy of Wollies/Safeway petrol to allow people to "chock" the pump open. A lot of their operators will turn the pump off if you do it.
I went as far as sending a complaint to Wollies/Safeway about it (My better half cannot hold the pump open long enough to fill the car). But as usual with companies like Wollies/Safeway, it was ignored.
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Follow Up By: SKP - Thursday, Apr 03, 2008 at 15:46
Thursday, Apr 03, 2008 at 15:46
Just make sure that your vehicle blocks the attendants view.
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Follow Up By: Scubaroo - Thursday, Apr 03, 2008 at 17:48
Thursday, Apr 03, 2008 at 17:48
Most pump nozzles in Australia actually have a mounting point for a clip that holds the handle open - in the US every service station has the clip in place. You squeeze the nozzle, flick the clip and it holds itself open.
Funny how in a litigious place like the US they are permitted, but I've never seen one in Australia. Just a couple of holes in the nozzle where it mounts...
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Follow Up By: Member - Davoe (Yalgoo) - Thursday, Apr 03, 2008 at 20:32
Thursday, Apr 03, 2008 at 20:32
Go to the truck fill bays they still have them
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Follow Up By: Col88 - Thursday, Apr 03, 2008 at 20:55
Thursday, Apr 03, 2008 at 20:55
SKP,
Do you really think they won't be able to work out that the pump is chocked open when there is fuel flowing and you are not beside the pump.
The rule is there for safety! When you car burns to the ground because something went wrong and the fuel kept pouring everywhere, who will you blame, not yourself I bet.
Why are there so many people either lazy or intent on having a whinge about everything?
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Follow Up By: SKP - Friday, Apr 04, 2008 at 14:12
Friday, Apr 04, 2008 at 14:12
Col88,
The reason that I use the tennis ball is that I have arthritus in both hands and it hurts to hold the nozzle open for the time it takes to put 80L in my tank.
I stand next to it the whole time, I know approx how much diesel my vehicle will take to fill, and I remove the tennis ball with at least 10L to go, (in case the click-off isn't working).
As Davoe said, I could use the fast fill, but I usually find that the fast fill does cause a mess.
Maybe when you get older, you might find you have to find ways to alleviate pain as
well!
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Reply By: Rut Tearer - Thursday, Apr 03, 2008 at 12:40
Thursday, Apr 03, 2008 at 12:40
Cards are an attempt to lock you in to buying one brand of petrol . Can be valuable, can also be bad if
Shell is 5c dearer than everyone else and you have a
Shell card etc etc. I don't trust petrol companies,
Easter fuel prices are a classic example.
AnswerID:
296360
Reply By: John R (SA) - Thursday, Apr 03, 2008 at 13:19
Thursday, Apr 03, 2008 at 13:19
I looked at a couple the other day for business use (
shell & mobil I expect), and couldn't see any benefit in a fuel card.
I don't recall the specifics, only that it seemed an expensive card to be carrying about.
The only benefit may be access to 24hr fuel - not sure how it works, but do those swipe gadgets only take proprietary cards, or credit cards too?? I must pay attention next time I'm at a servo.
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Kiwi & "Mahindra" - Friday, Apr 04, 2008 at 07:41
Friday, Apr 04, 2008 at 07:41
ours up the hwy takes cc too but have never heard of a debit card going through them...never actually used it...
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Reply By: Steve from Top End Explorer Tours - Thursday, Apr 03, 2008 at 14:58
Thursday, Apr 03, 2008 at 14:58
We are getting Mobil cards for two reasons, 1: there is only Mobil in
Jabiru and 2: A Mobil card can get you up to 8 cents per litre on volume, and my monthly bill from May to November is about $7000 per month, that was at $1.55 and at the moment it is $1.70.
Mobil out here also accept Motor charge.
Cheers Steve.
AnswerID:
296388
Follow Up By: Member - Axle - Thursday, Apr 03, 2008 at 21:34
Thursday, Apr 03, 2008 at 21:34
Hi Steve, Suprised to hear that Mobil are still out there!.
Have used Mobil for years over here on the East Coast, But slowly but sureley,
United have taken over most outlets, and aren't they ars...les, to deal with when wanting quanity!.
Cheers Axle.
PS Bought any c/w cds lateley :))).
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Reply By: Motherhen - Friday, Apr 04, 2008 at 01:11
Friday, Apr 04, 2008 at 01:11
Chris, We have a
Caltex card for convenience (they are open only weekdays, 7 - 5). We can use it after hours at our local supplier if we are caught short, and it can be used at other
Caltex outlets but we don't. It does seem to cost us a couple of cents a litre more than filling through the regular bowser in office hours. A
Caltex card my son and daughter in law had came with a $5 per month fee - charged whether the card was used or not.
The only card i use when travelling is my trusty MasterCard. Some smaller fuel outlets pass on the 'bank fee' (eg the infamous Nanutarra), but most don't. It can be used at any fuel outlet, and for every $3,900 i spend on the card, i get enough Brownie Points to get a free $25
Caltex Card. Much better idea.
Motherhen
AnswerID:
296533