Howdy all!!
Y'all should go check out http://www.priceline.com for discount online
prepaid gasoline.
I put in an offer of $1.13/gallon for 50 gallons of Amoco Premium (92 octane
here in KC) gasoline. It got accepted at the 75th & Metcalf station!!!
WOOHOO!!! That's $56.50 for 50 gallons of premium gas.
It works like this. You make an offer for either "regular", "mid grade" or
"premium" gas at whatever price you want to pay for it. They suggest 4
different prices. I picked the lowest suggested price but you can put in
your own bid of an even lower amount. You pick at least 3 area gas stations
(sorry Eric P, it's not available on the Missouri side of the line but it is
available in Kansas). I picked all Amoco stations (they offer Texaco,
Citgo, Conoco, etc) and premium gas since that's the only grade of gas I've
ever put into my Neon.
You give them your credit card or debit card # and they then go "ask" the
gas stations that you listed as your preferred pumping stations if they'll
accept your offer. Either they will or they won't. If they do not you
simply rebid at a slightly higher price and pray for the best. I'm guessing
that purchasing in higher quantities will get you a better chance of having
your bid accepted.
You can choose to buy in increments of 10 gallons with up to a 50 gallon max
at each purchase. You can repurchase gas online every 14 days but may never
have more than 100 gallons prepaid on your account at any one time.
You do not have to pump all 50 gallons (or whatever amount you purchased)
all at once. You have 90 days to pump it all or you forfeit anything left
at the end of the 90 days. Each time you again purchase gas your 90 day
period starts over again.
When you get the end of your 50 (or whatever) gallons of gas you may pump
"over" your limit up to 5 gallons and still pay your bid price. If you pump
over 5 "extra" gallons you get charged market rate plus a $1.50 charge. You
cannot purchase food, smokes, oil, etc or you'll get charged market rates
for those items and pay another $1.50 fee. You must only pump your bid-upon
grade of gasoline or you pay a $1.50 penalty. Are you starting to see a
pattern here?
Once they accept your first offer they send you a blue Priceline gas card
that you activate online, you simply "pay at the pump" with the Priceline
gas card and enter your ID# that they send you via e-mail. Ignore the price
on the receipt as you've already prepaid for the gas at your bid price.
Just save your receipts and match them against your online account.
PLEASE read the "terms and conditions" very carefully though. After your
initial 90 day period they charge you a $3 fee in any month that you make a
purchase, but only once per month.
By purchasing 50 gallons at once I basically saved $17.50 over the current
KC pump prices by using Priceline.com. That's a couple of pizzas folks!!!
So go check it out and for cryin' out loud, bid low at first. You never
know.
Eric Linnhoff in KC
#69DS TLS #13
'98 Neon R/T
<eric10mm@qni.com>
"I ask sir, who is the militia? It is the whole people...
To disarm the people, that is the best and most
effective way to enslave them..." - George Mason
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