Shopping Discussion

$1 for air at gas station?

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  • Sep 21st, 2010 5:56 pm
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Deal Addict
Oct 18, 2007
4378 posts
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$1 for air at gas station?

Really... are the gas company losing that much money to charge people $1 for air?

In July, I went to a Shell gas station on Major Mac near 400 and you didn't have to pay for air. My dad told me it's a $1 at the Petro-Canada and I didn't believe him, so I drop by on in Markham and there it was, a stupid little coin machine that needs $1.

anyone know of a gas station in markham/scarborough that doesn't require money?
RFD is bad for your wallet's health 😂
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35 replies
Deal Addict
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Apr 25, 2006
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Etobicoke
most stations will just activate the machine for you if you ask. if you pump gas then they don't care they'll do it for you
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Nov 9, 2008
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thepersianguy wrote: most stations will just activate the machine for you if you ask. if you pump gas then they don't care they'll do it for you
That's my experience as well.
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Aug 12, 2007
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GTA
All other gas stations charges 50 cents to $1 except SheLl which is for free from my experiences
Deal Guru
Sep 9, 2003
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Burnaby
The 2 Chevrons near my place are still free
Deal Addict
Oct 18, 2007
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thanks! shell it is! lol
RFD is bad for your wallet's health 😂
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Jul 5, 2004
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The Petro Canada near my place is free. Not only that, but they put in a new digital air pump. You put in the PSI that you want and it automatically stops pumping air once it reaches that PSI. In the new pump at Petro, there's no slot for money, so they won't be able to charge for it in the future even if they wanted to.
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May 1, 2003
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Toronto
Don't be so sure of that, the Petro Canada near my house installed one of those fancy digital pumps. They had it for exactly 6 months before they actually ripped it out and replaced it with the much crappier ones where you have to pay for air.

I couldn't believe how stingy and dumb they were and I haven't gone back to petro canada since...except for one emergency fillup.
Member
Feb 22, 2007
272 posts
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jedijome wrote: Don't be so sure of that, the Petro Canada near my house installed one of those fancy digital pumps. They had it for exactly 6 months before they actually ripped it out and replaced it with the much crappier ones where you have to pay for air.

I couldn't believe how stingy and dumb they were and I haven't gone back to petro canada since...except for one emergency fillup.

In the good ole daze there were "Service Stations" that repaired cars, and pumped gas as a sideline. Since they needed an air compressor for the hoist, it was no big deal to run a line outside and let customers pump up their tires. Now that (most) businesses have stopped being nice to their customers and no longer try to hide their naked greed, and with the demise of the Service Station, we have Gas Bars, often in conjunction with a "convenience" outlet where you can buy an incredible assortment of junk food at three times the grocery store price.
Instead of feeding coins like a zombie at a slot machine, you can buy a little compressor, for as little as $10
or $20, that plugs into your car's cigarette lighter, and give the finger to the gas bar machine. You have to
be patient though, these little things need a while to pump up a tire.
If you're the impatient type, you can buy a Campbell Hausfield (made in Taiwan) air compressor (avoid the oil-less
ones, they don't last), wire up your garage for 220 volts, and have fun with sandblasters, spray guns, impact wrenches, and all sorts of pneumatic tools.
WE have to fight back against these corporate conspiracies. The deck on my $99 twelve year old Woolco lawn mower cracked, and a replacement part cost $50! That's half the price of the mower! No way I was gonne get ripped off like that!
So, I bought a MIG welder (only $800) and repaired the cracked deck! It's kinda crude - it takes a while to learn how to weld, but it works.
You have to be diligent to avoid these ripoffs, and it felt good to save $50. I always did good in math at school.
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May 25, 2009
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Shell's still free as far as I can tell, I haven't run into one that charges, Esso used to be hit-and-miss and dependent on the station owner but now they all seem to charge, even the ones that used to offer it for free. Petro seems to always charge, I haven't found that doesn't. I'm not sure if I've seen 1 dollar ones, 75 cents for sure and 50 cents is pretty common, I'm okay with 50 cents in general, my tires are small so it doesn't take more then one round to pump up all my tires if I prep ahead of time (i.e. remove all the caps and uncoil the hose before I put money in).
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Deal Addict
Oct 18, 2007
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I think from the "safety" standpoint (they, the save energy people, suggests that you keep your tires pumped), it's like $1 for safety...

I did email a complaint to Petro-Canada and I got a responds... although, it's reallyy a joke but it's still a respond
Thank you for contacting Petro-Canada online.

The air pumps are now owned by Air Serv, not Petro-Canada.

The new Air Serv Pumps charge customers $1.00 for each use (approximately three minutes of air).

The main benefit to customers is consistent, reliable service. Turnaround time on maintenance calls is significantly improved - a matter of hours compared with up to several weeks.
Petro-Canada no longer owns the air pump at their locations. The $1 charge helps to cover the administrative costs, as well as the maintenance costs associated with keeping a reliable air pump in good working order.
Esso and Shell were the first to charge for air since they did not have a reliable working air pump and customers were unhappy with the service. Now that we have also changed our processes, Petro-Canada is confident that our customers will now be able to get air for their tires all the time without any problems.
The next time you arrive at the station and you require to use the air pump immediately, please see the gas service attendant and ask for complimentary free use of our air pump. It would be our pleasure.
Really? how can you not own your own air pumps? this is a ridiculous decision...

when I emailed them, I made no mention of other gas station brand, just "other stations" and somehow, they decided to throw in Esso and Shell. who actually complained about air not working?

asking for a complimentary use? i find that hard to believe it since it'll be up to the gas attendent to decide whether or not they want to do that... and i highly doubt that happens.

jan_db, i tried the air compressors... those take eternity! lol i will take a look at the other brands you mentioned.
RFD is bad for your wallet's health 😂
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Deal Addict
Apr 8, 2010
1307 posts
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Burlington
CrazyJo82 wrote: Really? how can you not own your own air pumps? this is a ridiculous decision...

Just like with cars for some people it makes more sense to lease then to own. There are plenty of other benefits to the company as well, like not having to worry about maintenance training, stocking spare parts, etc.
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Jul 23, 2005
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this benefits crappy tire the most.

buy those air pumps when they're on sale.ranging from $6 to $15

done.
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Dec 19, 2001
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Fernando Poo
jan_db wrote: In the good ole daze there were "Service Stations" that repaired cars, and pumped gas as a sideline. Since they needed an air compressor for the hoist, it was no big deal to run a line outside and let customers pump up their tires. Now that (most) businesses have stopped being nice to their customers and no longer try to hide their naked greed, and with the demise of the Service Station, we have Gas Bars, often in conjunction with a "convenience" outlet where you can buy an incredible assortment of junk food at three times the grocery store price.
Instead of feeding coins like a zombie at a slot machine, you can buy a little compressor, for as little as $10
or $20, that plugs into your car's cigarette lighter, and give the finger to the gas bar machine. You have to
be patient though, these little things need a while to pump up a tire.
If you're the impatient type, you can buy a Campbell Hausfield (made in Taiwan) air compressor (avoid the oil-less
ones, they don't last), wire up your garage for 220 volts, and have fun with sandblasters, spray guns, impact wrenches, and all sorts of pneumatic tools.
WE have to fight back against these corporate conspiracies. The deck on my $99 twelve year old Woolco lawn mower cracked, and a replacement part cost $50! That's half the price of the mower! No way I was gonne get ripped off like that!
So, I bought a MIG welder (only $800) and repaired the cracked deck! It's kinda crude - it takes a while to learn how to weld, but it works.
You have to be diligent to avoid these ripoffs, and it felt good to save $50. I always did good in math at school.

[IMG]http://cdn.mos.totalfilm.com/images/f/f ... 800-75.jpg[/IMG]
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Jul 7, 2003
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T dot 6
Tomy wrote: this benefits crappy tire the most.

buy those air pumps when they're on sale.ranging from $6 to $15

done.

+2

$15. Keep in your car. Any time you need to use, you break it out. Also has the tire pressure on it. Keeping your tires at the correct pressure saves on gas.

Ive help people with a flat tire as they didnt have a spare. Filled their tire with air and it gave them enough time to get to a service station. Saved them a tow.

http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/4 ... ?locale=en

If you have a Mercedes, you should already have one beside your spare tire.
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Jun 14, 2003
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CrazyJo82 wrote: I think from the "safety" standpoint (they, the save energy people, suggests that you keep your tires pumped), it's like $1 for safety...

I did email a complaint to Petro-Canada and I got a responds... although, it's reallyy a joke but it's still a respond



Really? how can you not own your own air pumps? this is a ridiculous decision...
Why should they want to own one? Besides no income generated, there is a cost to fix it.
when I emailed them, I made no mention of other gas station brand, just "other stations" and somehow, they decided to throw in Esso and Shell. who actually complained about air not working?

asking for a complimentary use? i find that hard to believe it since it'll be up to the gas attendent to decide whether or not they want to do that... and i highly doubt that happens.

jan_db, i tried the air compressors... those take eternity! lol i will take a look at the other brands you mentioned.

I did because the one in the Shell nearby was broken over a month and that one was like 40 years old. That one that you roll the dial on the side.
No, I am not willing to pay either and my van has a built-in pump.
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Sr. Member
Nov 13, 2007
881 posts
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Toronto
They used to offer free air. And they even replaced the old pump with the new fancy digital pump.

But some idiots keep breaking it by driving over the host and/or bent the host. So they have to repair it. After the repair, they put in the coin.
Deal Fanatic
Jul 4, 2004
9473 posts
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superping wrote: They used to offer free air. And they even replaced the old pump with the new fancy digital pump.

But some idiots keep breaking it by driving over the host and/or bent the host. So they have to repair it. After the repair, they put in the coin.

I used to love the free all digital air pump that we had at our Petro-Canada. Just dial up the amount of air tha you'd like and the pump did the rest. Then one day, whamo - they got rid of it and put in a coin operated manual one.
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Dec 19, 2001
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Fernando Poo
Jaytee wrote: +2

$15. Keep in your car. Any time you need to use, you break it out. Also has the tire pressure on it. Keeping your tires at the correct pressure saves on gas.

Ive help people with a flat tire as they didnt have a spare. Filled their tire with air and it gave them enough time to get to a service station. Saved them a tow.

http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/4 ... ?locale=en

If you have a Mercedes, you should already have one beside your spare tire.

That's the one I have. You'd better have a good tire gauge too, its hard to get an accurate reading with that pump. As I recall, I got it for $10 at Walmart.
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Sep 24, 2007
424 posts
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Kelowna
jedijome wrote: Don't be so sure of that, the Petro Canada near my house installed one of those fancy digital pumps. They had it for exactly 6 months before they actually ripped it out and replaced it with the much crappier ones where you have to pay for air.

I couldn't believe how stingy and dumb they were and I haven't gone back to petro canada since...except for one emergency fillup.

Exactly the same experience at the Petro Canada near my house. I was really happy with their new digital pump and then quite disappointed when they took it out after only 6 months. I wonder what the story is behind that? It can't be just coincidence that the same thing happened here as it did there.

The joke is on them though. My truck has a really slow leak which requires me to refill the tire once a month, which is also roughly how long it takes me to burn through a tank of gas (it has a big tank). I started going to Shell near my work so that I could use the free air pump and also collect some Air Miles. As a result, Petro Canada has completely lost my business over a measly $1.

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