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Old 14th July 2006, 20:52   #1
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Petrol Pumps - Are we getting what we are paying for?

Those who are old timers may remember how many of Petrol Pumps use to cheat motorists by adultaring petrol or short changing.

With the advent of electronic filling machines and new monitoring methods by Oil companies, one would think everything is fine now. However a recent news coverage on TV channel made me rethink this. TV channel claimed that Petrol Pumps are cheating customers by not filling for what customer is paying for. However, they were not thorough in their investigation and it did not become a big news.

This effects all of us.

I thought about this issue. What if someone in the company which is manufacturing electronic filling station, reprogram the chip and made it skip numbers. He makes this chip available to outside vendors or sell himself. I feel chip can be easily programmed to skip digits and thereby showing incorrect amount of petrol filled.

This technique can be almost fool proof. How, let us say, we watch the meter showing liters filled, we see the digits being skipped, we call the petrol pump sales person, ask him for an explaination, he press a button of remote hidden in his pocket to reset the programming and then ask you to re-check. Now you will not see meter skipping. In fact no one could detect this stealing.

Then I thought it further, what if, when we see such pilferage, we immedaitely cover the elctronic filling machine with some material which makes remote useless and stop it from resetting electronic filling machine?

What thought you have one this. When you go to petrol pump, please check if digits skips. Please provide your input here.
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Old 14th July 2006, 21:41   #2
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Hey, I know for sure that petrol pumps still do cheat their customers though maybe not all of them !! For example I usually top up my tank everytime I go to a pump and its noted in the log book and I have noticed that when u fill from a certain pump it gives me an average of about 14 kms but some pumps give me 11 and all under the same driving conditions .

Infact I too was gonna post a thread regarding this and wanted to know if there is any way that we can put in a cdomplaint regarding such issues . I now make it a point to fill up at the pump that gives me a better average and avoid the ones I have noted that give me a low average . A difference of about 3km/ltr is hell of a lot ....

Cheers
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Old 14th July 2006, 21:59   #3
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I have run a petrol bunk as a family business and no matter what you do, you are still going to get cheated. As long these machines are made by man, it can be fiddled with.

Last edited by mail4ajo : 14th July 2006 at 22:01.
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Old 15th July 2006, 09:53   #4
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Adulteration and meter tampering are a frustrating reality, especially keeping in mind the exhorbitant fuel prices. I have had a terrible experience with adulteration from several Bharat Petroleum certified "pure for sure" outlets.

I would suggest sticking to a petrol pump where you have consistently had a good experience. That, honestly, is your best bet.

GTO
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Old 17th July 2006, 20:39   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GTO
I would suggest sticking to a petrol pump where you have consistently had a good experience. That, honestly, is your best bet.

GTO

Yes GTO, I agree with you on this note.

az
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Old 22nd November 2009, 13:58   #6
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cheat petrol pump

Not sure if this is the right place to post this:

Yesterday, I filled 500 bucks of fuel (regular) in my i10. That should take the needle just over the half-way mark (starting from half-way of the first quarter). But it didn't come anywhere even near the middle point.

but the pump indicator clearly showed 500 bucks/11.18 litres.

It was clearly rigged. I'm never going to that pump again, but is there anywhere I can file a complaint?

It was an Indian Oil station in IP Extention, Delhi
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Old 22nd November 2009, 14:28   #7
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You should also consider checking your float.
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Old 22nd November 2009, 14:40   #8
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Originally Posted by beejay View Post
You should also consider checking your float.
how do you check that?
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Old 22nd November 2009, 14:43   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by naru View Post
how do you check that?
Fill up at other places. See if the indicator behaves normally.

P.S. At first, I thought this was a new way for us to cheat petrol pumps. Darn...
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Old 22nd November 2009, 17:43   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by McLaren Rulez View Post
..... At first, I thought this was a new way for us to cheat petrol pumps. Darn...
Same here mate!!
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Old 22nd November 2009, 20:47   #11
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Try filling in another place, and see if its normal.

I am sure you are aware that you can verify the quantity at the petrol station. And they should be more than willing to oblige.

Else check your float for malfunction.
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Old 22nd November 2009, 21:07   #12
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Aren't all pumps supposed to have a 1 ltr glass container where the customer can check if the reading on the meter is the same as the amount of fuel dispensed?

You should have asked for it at the pump itself.

But its also possible that the fuel guage in the car could be showing a wrong reading.

Quote:
but the pump indicator clearly showed 500 bucks/11.18 litres.
Man fuel is real cheap there!!! For 500 i only get 9.9ltrs.

Shan2nu

Last edited by Shan2nu : 22nd November 2009 at 21:12.
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Old 22nd November 2009, 21:17   #13
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It is usual on Indian Oil fuel station. Even I had such bad expericen when I filled the fuel in Pune Inidan Oil fuel station oppsite to ESquare.
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Old 22nd November 2009, 21:20   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by naru View Post

but the pump indicator clearly showed 500 bucks/11.18 litres.

It was an Indian Oil station in IP Extention, Delhi
Is petrol so cheap in delhi??? or does i10come in diesel variants too
I mean I get only 13 litres of diesel here in bangalore for 500 that too from shell.How can petrol be even comparable?
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Old 22nd November 2009, 21:21   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by beejay View Post
Try filling in another place, and see if its normal.

I am sure you are aware that you can verify the quantity at the petrol station. And they should be more than willing to oblige.

Else check your float for malfunction.
Float's fine. cause i fill 500 bucks worth of petrol every week.
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