Team-BHP - Petrol Pump scams

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Quote:

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno (Post 162555)

I am not sure about the pumps at other places, but the ones in Chennai try all the tricks in the book to cheat you. The onus is on you to be careful.
Some tips that I use :
1. Always use the newer pumps where you can specify the amount of fuel or money.
2. Do not be distracted from the meter while fuelling. Here in Chennai,they try lots of things - like asking for the cash / card, trying to sell polishing liquids etc. I do not even look at them, let alone reply till the fuelling is complete.
3. Ask him to fuel it in auto-mode and to remove his hands from the nozzle.
This is because what I have noticed is that if you ask to fuel for Rs1000, he will initially fill normally and then when it reaches Rs700 or so, he will (without any reason) stop the flow and restart. I am not sure how this reduces the amount of fuel put into the tank, but I am pretty sure that it does. Otherwise why unnecessarily cut and start the flow when it is set to automatically stop on reaching Rs.1000/- ?

Totally agree with it. I been using a Petrol Bunk in Chennai LB road, thats the only one available in the stretch.

Case 1: Me and my cousin went to fill petrol in his Santro, it was late in the night and i guess the attendant didnt realise i was sitting in the back seat. We had one att who asked us how much n stuff and took cash for 400rs of fuel and started engaging him in a conv while asking him to take a look at the zero. At 163 he stopped and punched in 400 on the display and closed the tank and showed it to my cous. Finaly when i downed the window the other guy claimed the meter tripped.

Case 2: 200 rs fuel on my pulsar. The second attendant kept first showed me the Zero and then said i need to switch off the fuel and kept on talkin to me. I knew this bunk hence never turned my eyes off meter

Case 3: My bro had to fill his scooterete. This guy kept on asking my bro abt the bike and its front head lamps . This time the guys were making a desperate attempt to get the attention diverted.

Planning to record it some day with my phone cam. Every guy who fills fuel at this bunk makes it a point to stand infront of the dispenser even if he drives a merc or a jeep.

Am not sure if its a IOCL or a BPCL. Will check it out.

One of my colleague reported that Gaikwad Petrol Pump Aundh added 25 rupees as tip without his knowledge to cc slip.

It only came to his notice when he saw the card statement. On asking them they simply denied. The manager there is useless fellow.

Be ware while filling with these guys.

^ that CC slip thing goes half way. you as the customer are supposed to fill the tip amount. or slash it and then sign.

Quote:

Originally Posted by haithereitsme (Post 485821)

Every guy who fills fuel at this bunk makes it a point to stand infront of the dispenser even if he drives a merc or a jeep.

Exactly.... I almost face this situation every where. Then I realized and would not park my car near the dispenser. I will Park it 3 feet away from the Dispenser and ask the guy to bring the Hose near my car. Even if he urges to bring my car nearer I wont. I would immediatelty get down and ask him with a :Shockked: face and ask "whats your problem?".

Thats it no more comments from him.:Cheering:

Guys an important news for all is that "Fill petrol only in the early morning timings". Say 5-6 am. I read it somewhere stating petrol condenses and since the quality is better or some stuff. Can someone through lights on this.

Quote:

Originally Posted by vinod_namakkal (Post 2009431)

Guys an important news for all is that "Fill petrol only in the early morning timings". Say 5-6 am. I read it somewhere stating petrol condenses and since the quality is better or some stuff. Can someone through lights on this.

This was discussed on the forum sometime back and I guess there were 7-8 fuelling tips.
Some of them being: Fill in the early mornings or late evenings when the temperature is cooler and there is less vapourization and more of fuel.

Do not fill when there is tanker filling the fuel storage tank as it might stir up the muck into your car fuel tank.
And many more like these.

Had another experience a few days back. Asked the guy to fill rs500 worth of fuel, he says ok and stops at 100 feigning ignorance while the other guy tries to distract me.
Before he could reset the counter, I told him not to move and continue from 100 until he reached 500. One look at me and he know his bluff was caught. He meekly filled the required amount and quietly moved away from there .
Its impossible to fill fuel without getting out of the car unless its a Shell.

I am always on alert on pumps. Somehow i still got duped couple of days back. (i feel) Asked for 1000/- and some guy approached me with some stupid indian oil points scheme. I got distracted :-(. Planning to use my handy cam (always stays in my car) .. to avoid such mistakes.

Newbie question:
How do you identify COCO outlets? I'm particular about HP/BP.

Any COCO will have a big board mentioning "Company Owned and Company Operated". Earlier it was that COCO persons will have BP/HP/IO Shirts and T-shirts but now everyone has these shirts/t-shirts. Even My IO guy in my village has IO printed T-shirt. Few years back they use to wear a Dark blue Shirt and Pant.

In my opinion I think BP COCOs are really doing well. 'Pure for Sure'

Quote:

Originally Posted by prince_pervez (Post 2009531)

Do not fill when there is tanker filling the fuel storage tank as it might stir up the muck into your car fuel tank.
And many more like these.

Most of the new dispensers in use have a Fuel Filter installed on similar lines to those in cars. Hence muck isn't going to be stirred straight into the tank, it gets caught in the filter.

Quote:

Originally Posted by prince_pervez (Post 2009531)

Some of them being: Fill in the early mornings or late evenings when the temperature is cooler and there is less vapourization and more of fuel.

This is true that cooler ambient temp causes less vaporisation BUT it in no way changes the quality of fuel (significantly) because the fuel dispensed is in liquid form always and vapours remain at the top of storage tank never entering the dispensing pump

cheers

Reviving an old thread rather than starting a new one.

I have a trusted COCO HP pump near my house and I always fill from there.

Location: Napeansea Road, South Mumbai

Atleast 5-6 times a year I've noticed that whenever I go to fill fuel, there is a fuel truck there and when I ask them to fill regular petrol they will say, sir the truck is filling petrol so we can only give you premium petrol. Once you have reached the pump, you are like, hell with it, just fill it up!

3 days ago, I went with my wife's i10 to fill petrol and got the same answer. Sir the truck is filling the petrol underground tank and we can only give you premium fuel. This was at ~2pm.

I asked how much time will it take, to which they replied, 1 hour.

My wife has a bad habit of letting fuel run really low so I just filled 500rupees of premium and said I'll come back later. Then on a whim I asked, how about diesel, is that functioning? yes sir, the diesel tanks are full.

Ok I say and leave.

2 hours later, I take my Pajero to the same pump. Truck is still there.

I say fill up with regular diesel. Surprise surprise, well actually no surprize I get the answer that the truck is filling the diesel tank and you will have to only fill hi speed diesel. With the facemask in place they did not know I had come few hours before and had asked the same question.

Demand to see the manager, who conveniently wasn't available. So I just left fuming.

Late evening, was going to fetch some refreshments to carry for the next day's offroading and took the Polo GT this time.

The truck was still there and I had 3/4 tank of fuel but I just went to see if they fill her up.

Same answer, sir - the tank is being filled, please fill premium petrol!

So, is this a scam to get you to fill premium fuel and make more money?

I can "understand" this practice with a private pump but a COCO doing it is shocking!

Has anyone seen this modus operandi before?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tejas@perioimpl (Post 5257704)

So, is this a scam to get you to fill premium fuel and make more money?

I can "understand" this practice with a private pump but a COCO doing it is shocking!

Has anyone seen this modus operandi before?

I was in the similar situation couple of years ago at Shell Bunk at Old Madras Road Bangalore. Same reason or some times normal petrol is over please fill V Power. I have stopped using Shell fuel hence not sure if the practice continues.

There will be a complaint log book at the bunk, please ask for it and pen down a complaint. Oil companies take written complaint seriously.
I have given written complaints at 2 different petrol station, once at Shell and once at HPCL, each time there were prompt follow up from their respective customer centres.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tejas@perioimpl (Post 5257704)

Has anyone seen this modus operandi before?

On several Sundays at a nearby IOC COCO pump, they inform that regular petrol is out of stock, only premium petrol is available. I usually refuse and move on to the next petrol pump.

Not sure whether it is a trick or genuinely out of stock.

I just came across this on Twitter. Apparently a pump refueled 63 litres in what the owner says is a 50 litre Fuel Tank (Duster)

TWITTER LINK

Errant Fuel Station-
Shri Krishna Petroleum Udupi (Indian Oil)