[lancer_rit]

Originally Posted by Jaggu

Had a bad experience today at IOC after Manipal Hospital/In front of Diamond district. Went in to tank up the Swift, Petrol out of stock board was placed and the place was deserted. I was about to leave when the boys came out and informed diesel was available.

I have been regular to this pump and was saying hello to one attender when the other asked me how much to put. I okayed full tank, seeing the 0 displayed, continued the chat when the person said done and showing me 300 bucks on the counter. So i told him i wanted full tank and not 300 bucks.

Now the person whom i was chatting took over and from reset started filling up. I know how much my car would take (approx 18-19 liters since it had done 300 kms), but inspite of the first 300 it went to 18 liters. I didnt say anything and went in to swipe and when the guy entered 1000 i stopped and questioned him The first boy informed me that it was the total bill since he had put in 300 bucks earlier.

I just tapped his shoulder and informed him to keep his smart *** trick to himself and charge only 708 bucks, since i know how much my car drinks The second boy spoke just one line in kannada to the first boy and immediately changed the billing to 708 which i paid and walked out.

So i guess how much ever you trust a dealer, you have to keep your eyes and ears open and be smart! And i realized that these fuel gauges which switch off completely, when one shut downs the engine, really doesnt help also. Since one cant show the dealer if the fuel has really gone IN or NOT! With the static ones its easy, since the gauge will climb up, from the last fill mark once we switch ON. Which can be a proof of fill or NO fill or even infer approximately how much fuel went inside the tank, if something like today happens!

I have had same experience with this IOC pump 2-3 times. Ask to fill for Rs. 1000/-, they will first fill for 100/- only and then say sir will fill another 900 (w/ actually filling 100-900). First time, I didn't notice, 2nd time I challenged them, and they quietly filled 100 more.
The honest pump in the locality is the BP opposite Manipal hospital. Never had any such trouble with them.

[jassi]

my behaviour at bunks is
1) stop car and close windows
2) just tell attendant at the window i am coming out
3) walk out and tell attendant(s) to fill petrol full tank auto stop
4) keep eye on 0 and don't answer the attendant(s) asking you if its credit card payment or cash
5) once auto stopped, neglect any requests for further top up and check reading and give credit card.

this seems fool proof and distractions like step 4/5 are not even worth responding to. At times i feel sad because the attendant maybe honest/friendly and may not like my strange behaviour, but i am ok to live with the feeling and i hope the attendant also thinks of me just another wierdo and moves on :-) Trust/emotion is not recommended in a situation where you are most likely to be cheated!

[sdp1975]

I've been tricked a few times, and since then have always been careful. These days I take fuel from Nagpal's garage ( Residency rd ) or Shell's (next to Lalbagh).

I haven't had a problem with either of these two outlets so far.

[ampere]

I have solution for this issue (maybe the crooks figured that out as well!)

What I do is never pay cash for filling. Pay only by card. So in that case the attendant has to give the bill. Then I check the fuel gauge before I start.

If you notice all the attendants ask if you will pay by card or cash. The trick I think starts only for cash payment.

[sabsubs]

I fill petrol at Shell near whitefield. I exactly do what jassi has mentioned. Never top up your car beyond the auto cut off. Never talk to the attendants, they would be very keen in diverting our attention. Keep your eyes on the meter. Always fill for larger amount and never fill for below 500rs, thats when they try to cheat us.

When you are filling petrol for your bikes the ask the attendants to hold the nozzle above the petrol tank so that you can see the flow of petrol. Usually when you are filling petrol for your bike, the attendants insert the nozzle into the bikes petrol tank and play with the trigger so always ask them to hold the nozzle above the petrol tank.

[gpa]

Originally Posted by Gansan

During my five year stint at Bangalore, I always filled at the Jalahalli Service Station (IOC).

Gansan, saw your post only today. I used to frequent the bunk next to this one. It's called Lakshmi Service Station, a HP outlet and was cheated by them a few months back which is when I shifted to Shell.

The HP pump right next to IOC was really good a few years ago and since I lived in Mathikere, it was close for me as well. But after this incident, I lost faith in PSUs.

Originally Posted by Jaggu

Had a bad experience today at IOC after Manipal Hospital/In front of Diamond district. The second boy spoke just one line in kannada to the first boy and immediately changed the billing to 708 which i paid and walked out.

Jaggu,

You have been hit by this menace too! Thankfully, you managed to escape. Many other have fallen prey to this trick at this bunk and also other bunks in and around Bangalore.

I wonder when the authorities will sit up and take notice of these errant bunks!!

[amith.2974]

I had quite a terrible experience(s) a few months ago in devdas petrol bunk near mount carmel college. I go there almost every other day, and back then i used to fill only 500Rs worth of petrol into my baleno at a time. I am a regular at the bunk as i live just down the road and that is the closest petrol bunk from my house. Every time I went to fill in, one attender would come up to me and engage in a quite meaningless conversation, while the other filled the tank. Since I always fill Rs 500 worth of fuel, I know exactly where the needle on the meter is supposed to point once it is at reserve. I noticed a couple of times after filling. that the reading was lower than usual and assumed that i was just imagining it. This continued for about 2-3 times and thats when i decided that i need to catch them in the act. I went home and told my dad about the incident (He is good friends with the then owner of the bunk) and he decided to come along with me that evening to fill my tank for Rs 500. I went to the bunk as usual and asked them to fill in for Rs 500, as usual one attender came over to greet me and another started punching in the numbers on the machine not knowing that my dad was also in the car. As soon as the attender started to fill, my dad got out of the car to see the reading on the machine. I was shocked to see that they had only punched in Rs 400. My dad was furious and gave them a piece of his mind. Other customers also decided to back my dad and . My dad then decided to inform the owner about the incident, but the attenders asked him not to do so and instead agreed to fill in an extra Rs 500 worth of petrol which they did. My dad anyway informed the owner about the incident.I do not know what action has been taken against the attenders because it is not a one man scam, all the attenders are in it together. The owner expressed his helplessness and that he is infact selling off the bunk because he is unable to manage it. I vowed never to go to that bunk again and learnt a valuable lesson to always get out of the car to ensure zero, and to ensure you are getting the right amounts worth of fuel.

[Gandhi]

I get the petrol filled only at Shell Petrol Bunks.

I enter the Bunk. The attendant promptly says Namaskara and asks me the amount of fuel I want. He/She then asks me to get off the bike and shows me the meter is at 0, the type of fuel, and the amount he entered. He puts the nozzle in the tank and leaves it till it stops automatically.

My experience with Shell is AWESOME.

[Gansan]

Originally Posted by gpa

Gansan, saw your post only today. I used to frequent the bunk next to this one. It's called Lakshmi Service Station, a HP outlet and was cheated by them a few months back which is when I shifted to Shell.

The HP pump right next to IOC was really good a few years ago and since I lived in Mathikere, it was close for me as well. But after this incident, I lost faith in PSUs.

I know the bunk you are talking about but never went there even once. I lived at Vidyaranyapura and this IOC bunk was recommended by many of my neighbors. Tried it the very first day I landed at Bangalore and never looked at another bunk for the entire five year period.

[shyamhegde]

whomever i discuss this 'stop at 200 bucks and reset to fill the full tank (or 1000Rs.) trick' at petrol bunks, 80% of people felt they were cheated like this multiple times. i wonder how much money 'they' might be making this way!

[ampere]

Originally Posted by sabsubs

I fill petrol at Shell near whitefield. I exactly do what jassi has mentioned. Never top up your car beyond the auto cut off. Never talk to the attendants, they would be very keen in diverting our attention. Keep your eyes on the meter. Always fill for larger amount and never fill for below 500rs, thats when they try to cheat us.

When you are filling petrol for your bikes the ask the attendants to hold the nozzle above the petrol tank so that you can see the flow of petrol. Usually when you are filling petrol for your bike, the attendants insert the nozzle into the bikes petrol tank and play with the trigger so always ask them to hold the nozzle above the petrol tank.

I do something similar. The main points are never pay cash, unless very urgent, and always stand next to the attendant to have a clear view both the meter and the nozzle. Never sit inside the car while filling.

[jassi]

Originally Posted by ampere

I do something similar. The main points are never pay cash, unless very urgent, and always stand next to the attendant to have a clear view both the meter and the nozzle. Never sit inside the car while filling.

you guys are forgetting, in addition to paying by credit card, ask for a proper bill/receipt with car number.

[Gandhi]

Originally Posted by jassi

you guys are forgetting, in addition to paying by credit card, ask for a proper bill/receipt with car number.

Shell gives me the bill every time without even asking .

[Tempelhof]

• I always fill with Shell
• always early in the morning
• always super unleaded
• always almost-empty-tank to full tank
• always credit card
• always the same Shell pump (Whitefield)
• always I come out
• always stand in front of the pump from the time it says to zero till the tank is full
• always check my indicator once I'm inside the car
• always never look anywhere else

[sabsubs]

Originally Posted by Gandhi

Shell gives me the bill every time without even asking .

Yes they give the bill always. Thats a good thing from them. I feel very comfortable with shell. I always make it a point to fill petrol for my car and my bike from shell whitefield. I think their service is good through out Bangalore. They respect whoever comes to fill petrol by saying Namaskar, which we can't expect from other petrol pumps.