If the price is within, say, 20 cents of a good price, I just go with convenience. I drive a diesel that I fill like every two weeks, so the price of not driving around looking for the perfect gas station is maybe like $15 a year. Well worth it.
Can’t vote from my phone. I don’t have any criteria for choosing a gas station but I’d say location. I usually get it near work or home and pick the station that is most convenient with preference to any station with a good looking female also getting gas, of course. I thought that’s how everyone picked!
I never understood worrying about price with most vehicles. My Jeep has a 13 gallon tank so if it’s 10 cents more expensive (which it never is), that’s only $1.30 if I’m running on fumes. I think of things in terms of time. It’s not worth any of my time to worry about a dollar that I may or may not save.
I typically choose the next one when I see I’m low on gas.
I shop for groceries once a week, and the have discount card good at their gas station.
Where do you buy gas? I haven’t seen a gas station in at least 15 years that doesn’t require payment first.
This. Absolutely. For me that means Chevron, Shell, Union or Mobil.
I miss being able to pay at the pump. The closest petrol station to the house here is a Shell, so it’s convenient. I avoid supermarket filling stations as the fuel isn’t always as good.
Yeah, i was wondering this too. I’ve seen a couple of places in small, rural towns where you can pump and then go inside and pay, but everywhere that’s not Mayberry wants some form of payment before they’ll turn on the pump.
I voted other because a local grocery chain gives “fuel points” based on your purchases. For every onehundred points you get 10cents per gallon off at certain stations. Also, when you fill out replies to the grocery’s customer surveys, you get fifty points. So I use the chain of stations that take those points.
Almost automatic is no go to any station that charges more for credit cards. Just seeing the double pricing means I drive on most of the time (unless really needed) - totally regardless of the actual price, as once seeing that I never look at the price.
A Valero station near me which I used to go to put in a car wash. They have four tiers of prices - car wash cash, car wash credit, no wash cash, no wash credit. I can’t figure out the prices even when I walk past the place. So I don’t even consider them - though the best I can tell they have gotten more expensive than other places.
“Whatever diesel is closest…,” thus “whatever is closest…” plus “other.”
Cheapest gas station that’s along a route that I regularly travel.
Price and location with a preference for those locations operated by my employer. Even though my employee discount does not apply to fuel I figure it’s good job security and we are typically priced on the low side of normal.
Whichever one I pass by when my warning light comes on.
But there are two on my commute I won’t use for a somewhat weird reason. They don’t have those little things on the pump handle that automatically fill the tank while you walk away and clean your windshield or go in and buy some candy. I find it annoying to have to stand there and hold the pump. I don’t know why they don’t have them.
Main factors: on the right side of the street and cheap. If there’s a Phillips 66/Conoco, it’s a bonus.
About ‘top tier’ stations- I have been driving since '76 and have always only used the cheapest gas (or diesel, for 7 of those years) I could find.
Outside of the '66 VW bug that vapor locked in hot weather, I have never had any fuel-related problems.
Need to be able to pay at the pump
Must be able to lock the nozzle on so you can clean your windows
Must have squeezes and fluid for window cleaning
Good coffee is a plus
If the price is reasonable, would like to make sure the windows are clean, the trash is emptied and I’m ready to go. This is from driving about 40,000 miles a year.
I live in Cook County where prices for fuel and cigarettes are high. But I live basically half a mile from Lake Cook Road - the dividing line between Lake County and Cook County. So I go to Lake County for gas and get my cigarettes there too. I save 30 + on a carton, and .40/gallon on gas. By driving a total of a mile and a half or so.
Isn’t BP or Exxon, doesn’t charge more for credit card than for cash, good price, doesn’t require me to cross oncoming lanes of traffic.