Opinions please

[Parts Ed]

For all you folks out there, what is your opinion of the Flying J fuel card?? We have a trip coming up and the wife was talking about enrolling in the program. Somewhere here on the message board I had seen discussion about the card/program and would appreciate your input both positive and negative about it.

Thanks,

[bigred715]

We used it numerous times during our trip thru the South this past spring. You will get at least 3cents off the cash price of diesel. Ther prices aren't always the cheapest but the speed of fuel delivery and the ease of entry and exit make it worth it. Some diesel stations along the freeways are hard to get into and out because of the location of the pumps. Not all the states have Flying J or Pilot stations.

[Parts Ed]

Keep the opinions coming..
Thanks

[DQDick]

We just use their RV Advantage card and our own credit card. The Good Sam thing was too intrusive and the benefits compared to getting rewards on our credit card plus the discount from the RV Advantage card didn't make it worth doing IMHO. On the other hand, when we travel we look particularly for Flying J's. Most of them were built with bigger rigs in mind and easy in, easy out is worth something.

[steelpony5555]

We use Flying J's when we travel too for all the reasons already listed. But now even if we have the car we still stop at Flying J's out of habit I guess. So if you're gonna stop there may as well use the card. Besides their fuel is not that much more expensive and most times is cheaper unless you wanna go exploring the local area.

[Hooker]

Trying to save a few pennies is not worth the hassle. We avoid ALL big truck stops.

[DQDick]

Hard to get a Monty thru a local gas station. Just saying.

[Flymutt]

I also think going through the truck stops is a hassle but I've learned to remain calm (afterall, I did just retire). Two things that wake me up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat are; A, the thought of having to back up in a crowded local gas station where I'm boxed in and B, a plugged up black tank pipe. I use the Flying J card but have yet to use the Loves "perc".

[CmdrDewey]

IMHO there are several advantages. 1. You get the cash price. 2. you get an extra .03 cents off (up to .09 I believe if you are a life member of good Sam) 3. you pay at the pump in the truck lanes. 4. they use the bigger nozzles. 5. You don't have to wait for some guy to get propane, dump his tanks, get water and go inside for lunch. Truckers fuel and pull forward. YMMD

[mhs4771]

It's a personal preference thing. We've been waiting to get to the Diesel pump while someone is finishing there shopping in the store only to be cutoff by a Rice Burner coming in from the opposite side before we could move up. So for us, GoodSam Life Members, with the new card we get 8 cents off the cash price, swipe the card and enter your code, starts the pump and when finished we're done, don't have to go in and stand in line to pay. Yea you have to work thru the trucks, but it beats getting hung up trying to get to pumps in the gas lanes. I've seen Flying J/Pilot prices being lower than local stations, others higher, so it probably all averages out if you use it enough. Now with our 40' SOB it will be only Truck Pumps.

[seahunter]

quote:Originally posted by Hooker

Trying to save a few pennies is not worth the hassle. We avoid ALL big truck stops.

I'm new to diesel and still learning - can I ask why you and a couple others above avoid the big truck stops?

[c214dick]

We got rid of ours. More times than not we had problems at the RV pumps with the reading of the card or being able to read the screen. When we questioned any employee we always got a stupid answer and/or a stupid look.

[KathyandDave]

We frequently use the Flying J in Napanee Ontario because we travel to Montreal regularly. They have two dedicated RV lanes with diesel fuel and dump pipes, which we have used. We take the discount and we've never been charged to dump, although a sign says there's a fee. Also, the restaurant is a Denny's which is a bit inconsistent.

[Hooker]

quote:Originally posted by seahunter

I'm new to diesel and still learning - can I ask why you and a couple others above avoid the big truck stops?

Be happy to:
- Very crowded, normally some kind of a line.
- Very dirty, with diesel fuel all over the ground.
- Very noisy, none of the truckers shut down their engines.
- Many of the big rig drivers, who are very courteous on the road, turn into total jerks when refueling. I asked a driver about that, he admited it was true...they aren't moving sitting in line, thus not making any money.
- The prices are inflated, you don't save any more than at a mom and pop big rig stop that sells lots of diesel.
- Not all have pay at the pump, D/W goes inside, stands in line to start the pump, and stands in line again to pay, plus they hold your CC.

[Mrs. CountryGuy]

Something else to pay attention to, as we found out, also newbies to diesel.

20 % Really?

I did post this before, and there was some discussion, might want to do a search on it. Would have been about April 17th, give or take a day or so.

We ended up fueling up in the NON truck lanes.

[seahunter]

Thanks Hooker - all makes sense and good reasons - appreciate the response.

Thanks too Carol - I remember seeing your thread on the the bio content and appreciate the reminder.

[RickW]

I use my Flying J - RV advantage card. With pump start enabled it starts the pump and gives me the cash price minus $.03. (In Cheyenne WY this past Saturday I only got $.02 off the cash price but most Flying Js in WY are not company owned). In order to get the RV price you must insert in the RV card at the pump first, otherwise you may or may not get the discount. I always pay at the desk, allows me to walk around a little before getting back on the road.

[Parts Ed]

Thanks for the input.

[dieselguy]

This reply is in reference to the Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Nebraska area I call the midwest. If you're looking to save money only, the Flying J's and Pilot stores are so much higher than another say Phillips 66 within 1/4 mile that even the "discount card" won't beat the other guy down the road's price. Just for example ...most gas stops (Coastal I believe) on the Kansas Turnpike and the Muskogee Turnpike for instance have easy access to the diesel pumps and prices that flat beat Flying J's or Pilots. Most Phillips 66 stations along just plain ole highways have reasonable access to diesel on the outer islands that are pretty much inline with the drive entrance. I use them all the time and I pull a squirt boat behind my fiver.

[RJI47]

I use the FLying "J" card and have no problems with it. With Good Sam lifetime members, it gives you $.08 off the cash price. They send you an invoice by email which gives you 10 days or so to pay, and now they provide an address to send a check. It's true that the diesel price is a little more than down the road, but the 8 cents makes a difference. It was a little confusing at first, trying to put the numbers in correctly, but after that, a breeze. I'm happy with it.