jauguston
Bellingham, WA
Senior Member
Joined: 07/03/2005
View Profile
 Offline
|
A lot of pumps have a "Pay at Window" option. That option will bypass the dollar limit most places.
Jim
2005 Coachman Sportscoach Elite 402 40'
350hp Cat C-7 w/MP-8
7500w Onan quiet diesel generator
6-Kyocera 130w solar panels SB3024i MPPT controller
Pressure Pro TPMS
1987 Suzuki Samurai tintop Toad w/VW 1.6 turbo diesel power
|
almcc
Ontario, Canada
Senior Member
Joined: 01/15/2006
View Profile
Offline
|
Last winter, I found that "the zip code issue" was dramatically reduced, stations that required a zip code entry in the past accepted my CC after going through an "authorizing" routine, no code input required. Something changed over the past year.
On the ones that required a zip code, using the numbers on your postal code followed by 2 zeros worked in virtually all the cases. For example if your postal code is L6W3G6, you would input 63600
|
JesseJ1826
Barrie, Ontario, Canada
Senior Member
Joined: 03/08/2002
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
Entering two zeros after entering the numbers from my postal code worked about 95% of the time for me last winter. The $75 limit can be overcome by processing two transactions one after the other. A minor inconvenience.
J J
2001 Four Winds Chateau 31N E450 V10
2006 Saturn Vue V6 AWD, drivetrain by Honda, body by Tupperware
Aventa II, Brake Buddy
|
robatthelake
Vancouver Island
Senior Member
Joined: 08/24/2003
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
Well entering the 3 Numbers on My Canadian Postal code plus 00 didn't work anywhere that I stopped for Fuel. My Numbers are 999 which isn't good.Like in V9X 9Z9
This winter may be different as the New Credit Cards are the PIN Chip variety. In any event We will be using the DW goes inside while I Pump method this trip.
For those times that I have prepaid a set amount in the past I have learned that it is cheaper to under estimate than to Over estimate the amount required. Each time that Your card number is entered the Card company adds a transaction charge so if You estimate $200 and the Tank only takes $195 there is a second charge to get the $5 reversed! Yes You can phone the CCC and they will reverse the charge but it is a real PITA to have to do that for more than one or two, and the person on the phone always seems to be having a bad day whenever I "bother"them with such a small request!
Rob & Jean
98 Dutch Star Diesel Pusher ..92 Tracker 4X2
|
Mootpoint
Brentwood Bay, B.C.
Senior Member
Joined: 07/31/2006
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
I have used just about every method stated. If I am that concerned about a few extra minutes at the pump or having to go inside I figure I should not be travelling. It is supposed to be a relaxing time and a few extra minutes stretching the legs doesn't hurt after several hours behind the wheel. Keeping track of your cards is a must everywhere you go not just the gas station.
|
|
|
Lorne&Lorraine
Ottawa, ON
Senior Member
Joined: 04/14/2003
View Profile
|
The ZIP code thing has annoyed me for a number of years now. And my experience is that the practice has become almost ubiquitous in many places. Initially I left an “old” debit card with the clerk inside and then switched cards when it was time to pay. But I much prefer to pay at the pump. You can do so with some (but not all) CDN debit cards (pump asks for PIN instead of ZIP) but the banks charge a fee ($1 to $2) for each use (ZIP work around ).
Last winter during our usual circumnavigation of South Florida I experimented with several other approaches. The three numbers in my postal code followed by two zeros worked sometime (but not always) with my US Bank issued credit card with CDN address but never with my CDN Capital One (CDN$) or BMO (US$) credit cards (tested at the same stations).
My US bank issued debit card with PIN worked everywhere (and no fee like the CDN banks charge for debit).
My CDN BMO MasterCard (US$) with US address worked everywhere (I used this the most. You can change your CDN address temporarily to your US address on BMO’s web site).
We fueled at Flying J’s to and from Florida and they still did not ask for a ZIP at the pump. But two years ago we did encounter at least one Flying J that requested a ZIP on our way to California. Now that Pilot has purchased them maybe the practice has changed to all requiring ZIP?
Lorne Ross
2003 Pleasure-Way Ford Excel TD
Camped the lower 48 states and 9 provinces
Most multiple times and now on the repeat!
|
Lorne&Lorraine
Ottawa, ON
Senior Member
Joined: 04/14/2003
View Profile
|
Last time I checked the US had no plans to introduce micro-chipped credit/debit cards like we now have in Canada.
It's nice that some don't mind standing in the "slurpee" line to pay for their fuel but I prefer not to and like to hear about possible solutions.
|
almcc
Ontario, Canada
Senior Member
Joined: 01/15/2006
View Profile
Offline
|
robatthelake wrote:
This winter may be different as the New Credit Cards are the PIN Chip variety. In any event We will be using the DW goes inside while I Pump method this trip.
I think that the US are way behind Canada in adopting this technology, you probably won't see many machines down there that accept chipped cards, you will be swiping your new card as normal.
I thought that I would have a problem with the zip code work around as my "zip code" would be 01000, but it worked!
* This post was
edited 09/06/10 11:47am by almcc *
|
bstark
Ontario, Canada
Senior Member
Joined: 05/02/2004
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
|
While still RV'ing with a truck that held 200gals of fuel we always used cash or traveller's checques with no problems at all. This "instant" requirement that a lot of people are running their lives by today is just not necessary. I'd do the fueling and chat with the truckers and D/W would do the store routine and chat with the staff and other drivers, walkie-talkie the final amount and move out of the pumps while D/W pays the folks and returns to truck with a hot drink. In this fashion everyone gets a little "out of the seat time" and stretches their legs a bit. Highway stress fades and you get to meet new people, if just for a 2 minute chat.
This coming winter will be the first in many years of us travelling south for the winter without the RV and I'm sure our routine will very likely remain the same.
Today is just the tomorrow you worried about yesterday!
|
2oldman
Near The Slabs
Senior Member
Joined: 04/15/2001
View Profile
Offline
|
Canadian zip code fuel thread
|
|
|
