My dad had a '68 Chrysler Newport with the filler behind the plate too. A real pain to keep the nozzle in.
Costco members are some if the most highly educated consumers in the USA, but why is pumping their own fuel so foreign to most of them?
- Thread starter GON
- Start date
The line is shorter.
The lock generally works fine.
#1 They think the line is faster.
#2 They are unaware they exist or don't trust it works with their vehicle due to a bad experience.
*shrug*
- Joined
- Aug 14, 2020
- Messages
- 773
1. As stated - there are signs telling you this is possible. The entrance to my Costco Fuel Center favors the right side of the station, so the left-most line is usually the shortest. My fuel filler is on the driver's side, but if that's the pump that is open, it's no problem to stretch the hose.
2. Within the past year or two, our Costco had new pump handles installed (see pics). They have an accordion-style cover over the dispenser. The cover must be compressed a certain amount before fuel is allowed to flow. Sometimes I can compress the cover, wedge the nozzle into the filler hole, and lock the handle in place. Other times, the accordion cover wants to keep pushing the nozzle out and stops the fuel from flowing, so I have to stand there and keep everything in motion.
Old style handle
New style handle
Any of you who haven't noticed EXACTLY what GON posted about in his OP are as clueless as the people being described. It goes on at EVERY Costco.
Why is Costco Fuel being singled out? Well you have to have a Costco membership to buy fuel there. This limits the number of people who can be there in the first place. Second, yes, if you can't decipher that Costco members are most likely the upper echelon with regards to intelligence of the sector of society that goes out and buys their own goods, then you're behind the curve. There's no debate that Costco carries products that are superior to most found on any retail shelf because the members demand a high level of service from the products they buy at Costco. They've come to expect it.
Costco processes the check-out lines 10-15x faster than any other retailer, including Sam's. I bet the time spent in Costco can be the least, even with using Sam's phone scan/pay method. The most I've spent in a cash register line at the Costco near my house in the last 24 months is about 3 minutes. This was when each line had heavy back-up. The slooooooowest lines at Costco? Self-Checkout. It's why I don't use them unless 2+ Costco employees are working there with scanner guns. I place all my UPC labels up, they can scan and I swipe my card and I'm gone.
Like GON, I have never seen anything like what I observe at the Costco fuel island. It's complete chaos and idiocy....UNLESS you are there between 6-8 am. That is usually when I buy fuel there, close to 6:00 am and I've NEVER seen anyone there at that time fumble around, act clueless, etc., like I do at other times. I think that speaks volumes for the clientele that are buying gas on their way to WORK.
Anyway, I'm always surprised at the number of people who think they are on top of things but are clueless about what goes on around them...
Why is Costco Fuel being singled out? Well you have to have a Costco membership to buy fuel there. This limits the number of people who can be there in the first place. Second, yes, if you can't decipher that Costco members are most likely the upper echelon with regards to intelligence of the sector of society that goes out and buys their own goods, then you're behind the curve. There's no debate that Costco carries products that are superior to most found on any retail shelf because the members demand a high level of service from the products they buy at Costco. They've come to expect it.
Costco processes the check-out lines 10-15x faster than any other retailer, including Sam's. I bet the time spent in Costco can be the least, even with using Sam's phone scan/pay method. The most I've spent in a cash register line at the Costco near my house in the last 24 months is about 3 minutes. This was when each line had heavy back-up. The slooooooowest lines at Costco? Self-Checkout. It's why I don't use them unless 2+ Costco employees are working there with scanner guns. I place all my UPC labels up, they can scan and I swipe my card and I'm gone.
Like GON, I have never seen anything like what I observe at the Costco fuel island. It's complete chaos and idiocy....UNLESS you are there between 6-8 am. That is usually when I buy fuel there, close to 6:00 am and I've NEVER seen anyone there at that time fumble around, act clueless, etc., like I do at other times. I think that speaks volumes for the clientele that are buying gas on their way to WORK.
Anyway, I'm always surprised at the number of people who think they are on top of things but are clueless about what goes on around them...
JHZR2
Staff member
I drive up, the attendant takes my CC, and the car gets fueled. I don’t even need to leave the car if I don’t want to. Whats the issue?
Those are vapor recovery nozzles. I thought that style of vapor recovery nozzle was obsolete. They went the way of the do-do bird around here at least 15 years ago.
The Costco members around here are most certainly not the upper echelon of anything. As I said in a previous post, the Costco members here (well, there--Costco is 11 miles from where I live) by and large reflect the lower to middle class area that it's in.
That's funny. What's lower to middle class in Northern VA? Under $500k/year annual household income?
Northern Virginia consists of a lot more than just McLean, Alexandria, and Arlington.
Median household income in Manassas, VA is $86K. And many of those households consist of a lot more than mom and dad and two kids.
But what do I know? I mean, I've only lived in this area for 34 years. Someone who might have visited some place 20 miles from here a few times ought to know better than I do (or who makes assumptions that everyone who lives in Northern Virginia has a 6 figure job as a lawyer or a lobbyist or a politician).
EDIT: You think the landscapers, janitors, fast food workers, etc. all make $500k a year household income too? Where do you think they live? Where do you think they shop?
Last edited:
Nick1994
$100 site donor 2024
The issue is in the other 48 states that we peasants have to pump our own gas
I would rather pump my own gas than have some mutants do it. DIY is faster and putting in another 42 cents to round it up to an even dollar is not going to damage the vehicle at todays prices.
I almost always pull up to the opposite side, the pumps are designed for it but don’t tell anyone. Here is the perfect example literally one hour ago. (I do this at Costco and Sam’s Club, 1 mile from each other)
Typically we get gas in the evening but today I got it mid afternoon soooooo pull into Sam’s Club, look at the gas pumps and thought about the OP here.
Wow it was busy, must have been at least 6 cars at each pump waiting for their turn, lined up like DUCKS!
So I do a quick scan with my eyes and YUP open pump on the opposite side of my truck fill.
COOL and as do many times before I pass lines of cars and trucks waiting for the “right” side, get out my cell phone, scan the pump QR code and fill up my tank.
It’s comical how human nature is to “follow” Costco and Sam's Club Pumps (at least here) are designed with sort of long hoses on a retractable cable.
I’m used to gas being cheap but didn’t know it was back down to this so I took a photo too.
No.
No consideration, and they want to be noticed.
Similar threads
