Don't Trust GasBuddy.com - Montana Owners Club

JandC · 04-02-2014, 02:56 AM

I have used GasBuddy.com for a few years now. Generally when in another vehicle I use it to get an idea of where cheaper gas is located. When pulling the Monte we use Pilot/Flying J. When we started our winter stay in SW Florida I checked around and found the closest place to purchase diesel, since there were no Pilot/Flying J stations close. There was a Shell station less than a mile away but they didn't carry diesel. Last week a spotter on GasBuddy reported diesel at that Shell station. I was by there on my bicycle yesterday and confirmed that they still do not sell diesel. I guess you can't always trust the information on GasBuddy.

richfaa · 04-02-2014, 03:42 AM

Gas Buddy and other such "Fuel finder" site do have a value. We use then more to find a fuel station but experience has taught us that the pricing is not all that reliable. When on the road with the rig we stay with truck stops not for the pricing but for the ease of fueling. Our primary choice is FJ/Pilot because there seems to be more of them and most of them are very user friendly. Trucks stops are designed for big rigs and at 55 feet or so we are not a Volkswagen. They have parking space and IMO fairly good food if you decide on lunch. Gas buddy will list sites that are not big rig friendly. Prices fluctuate so quickly any more that they can not keep up.

we did just get on Gas buddy for our local area and they are right on.

We fuel diesel here in Florida at Race trac across the street not because it is cheaper but because it is right across the street and the nearest less expensive diesel is about 15 miles round trip.

8.1al · 04-02-2014, 04:07 AM

I like to use Gasbuddy but realize they are not perfect since their numbers depend on what is reported to them

dieselguy · 04-02-2014, 05:01 AM

Off main topic, but I know why some of you swear by Pilot/Flying J ... however in my neck of the woods, Pilot / Flying J's prices are consistently a good 15 cents a gallon higher than a fuel stop two blocks down the road. I'm just not that loyal and have accepted I may have to wait on a "soccer mom" from time to time.

**DQDick** · 04-02-2014, 05:29 AM

I agree with both Diesel Guy and Rich. We do use Pilot/Flying J when on the road because of ease of getting in and out and we have the Good Sam card with a Life Membership behind it and get a good deal on fuel off of their cash price. I've never gotten stuck and had to have Joyce flag me backing out at P/FJ but have in several gas stations and once at a Love's even. When we're at the RV home base, same state as Diesel Guy I never use them for the reason he stated. When possible and not towing I use my Kroger card for fuel discounts.

richfaa · 04-02-2014, 05:38 AM

You are absolutely right dieselguy. We have the RV plus card with FJ/pilot that cuts the cost somewhat. We only use truck stops when the Montana is behind us and it is convenience not price that is our main concern. I can't say we have seen that a big difference in price. Racetrack across the street in 409.9 diesel and FJ/Pilot about 5 miles up the road in 409.9 diesel .Shell down the road is 419.9 diesel.

We are not happy to shoehorn into a small fuel stop to save a few cents per gallon .Been there done that. When solo it is a different story. I admit I am a easier is better guy. When I can pull the rig straight in and pull straight out and fuel in a couple of mins I am a happy camper and not all the frugal.

We are the same as DQdick and I believe that is 8 cents off per gallon diesel. Still a throat clutcher when you do 30 gallons at a time.

pineranch · 04-02-2014, 08:50 AM

I've refueled hooked up twice in 4 years. I carry 86 gallons. I will not pay freeway prices. I do use gas buddy as a guide. JMHO
Mike

WaltBennett · 04-02-2014, 10:55 AM

I've used Gas Buddy for a couple of years and the only times it's been wrong has been when no one updated it. Those prices are all reported by folks like us, and everyone knows how reliable "us" are.

And, while Pilot/Flying J is good in VA, I was surprised to see their prices at least 25 cents higher than just about anyone else in OH and MI last summer. Got one of their cards as well as Good Sam, but that's too much to make up.

JandC · 04-02-2014, 12:17 PM

Well, I have only used Pilot/Flying J in Illinois, Wisconsin, TN, AL, and Florida. After our trip to Seattle and back this summer we might change our opinion about them. In the past two years I have always been able to pay at the pump and have gotten .8 off the cash price per gallon. I look ahead for the next day and always plan my fuel stops since I only have a 26 gallon tank when pulling the Montana. I really don't think I would ever try to pull into a regular gas station and try to maneuver around to get diesel when pulling the Montana. That's part of the reason I carry an extra 10 gallons of diesel to help keep me out of those situations. When not pulling Montana I try using Kroger (with discount) or a Shell where I can at least get .3 off per gallon.

Hooker · 04-02-2014, 02:16 PM

I avoid all the big truck stops. By using The Next Exit and Gas Buddy, I can normally find a station that is big rig friendly, sells lots of diesel without the hassle of the national big rig stops. JMHO, but I find the big chains to be crowded, noisy, dirty, higher priced and a PITA when using a credit card.

richfaa · 04-02-2014, 02:26 PM

we are again so very fortunate as we do not have the issues other have with truck stops, credit cards , etc. Hope our good fortune holds up.

richfaa · 04-02-2014, 02:39 PM

Just checked FJ/Pilot Diesel for our trip home. GA,SC,NC,Ohio just about all under 4.00 per gallon and some far under 4.00 per gallon. With our 8 cent discount we are in good shape.

**DQDick** · 04-02-2014, 03:41 PM

Just used them twice in AZ yesterday with good results.

bigred715 · 04-02-2014, 04:46 PM

Have used Pilot in California and don't like the fact after putting the Pilot card in machine we have to pay at cashier and estimate how much fuel we need. We use our credit card as we don't like carrying that much cash around. We get 3 cents off the credit price. Even the Pilot in Oregon you have to estimate how much fuel you need and if you have extra left over they will credit your account or go back into cashier and get refund.

Irlpguy · 04-02-2014, 06:13 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by bigred715

Have used Pilot in California and don't like the fact after putting the Pilot card in machine we have to pay at cashier and estimate how much fuel we need. We use our credit card as we don't like carrying that much cash around. We get 3 cents off the credit price. Even the Pilot in Oregon you have to estimate how much fuel you need and if you have extra left over they will credit your account or go back into cashier and get refund.

I have a Pilot/Flying J credit card, you use it at the pump and do not have to go into the cashier at all. There is no limit other than the limit on their credit card which on mine is 1 grand. The statement must be paid in full upon receipt of statement.

I don't like them because they are usually dirty, no paper or water to wash windshield and half the nozzles leak and they compare in price with all the other ones that sell a decent volume of fuel.

Fueled up at Thousand Palms,CA today and it is a crappy place to get into and out of and was as I said above, will never stop there again unless I am desperate.

I don't see how anyone is getting .8 off per gallon at Flying J.

old turbo · 04-03-2014, 01:08 AM

Flying/J was always good but the merger with Pilot all the prices went up. I find that a lot of Truck stops will give you an easy in and out and at a cheaper price than even using the Sam card. If I stop for the night near a Wal-Mart with a Murphy Fuel station I just unhook and go down and top off. I go in and use the fuel card and get three cents off the price and the regular price is way cheaper than Pilot-Flying J. Fuel prices are a real game and with 35 gal. in the truck tank and 91 gal. in the bed tank I can avoid the rip off states. We use Gas Buddy a lot when we are on the road to keep us informed on prices state to state.

JandC · 04-03-2014, 03:02 AM

[/quote]

Fueled up at Thousand Palms,CA today and it is a crappy place to get into and out of and was as I said above, will never stop there again unless I am desperate.

I don't see how anyone is getting .8 off per gallon at Flying J.
[/quote]

I am not sure why you are not getting the .8 off with your Flying J/Pilot credit card. I have only had mine for about 18 months but have been using it and getting that type of discount for over a year. I really don't care how "dirty" a station is as long as I have room to get my rig in for fuel and they charge a fair price. I carry my own windshield cleaning supplies and never use fuel soaked brushes supplied at gas stations anyway.

richfaa · 04-03-2014, 04:05 AM

You must be a GS life member to get the 8 cents off otherwise it is 6 cents off .That is with the RV plus card.
We never liked the pilot Stations as many were smaller, not as well kept and you did have to leave your credit card inside and estimate the fuel. The pilot stations generally did not have RV pumps.We avoided the pilot station when we could.

After the merger the pilot stations had to catch up with the technology of paying at the pump like the FJ stations and they were slow in doing that. It is apparent that many still have not caught up.

We still avoid the pilot stations when we can because they are still not all that RV friendly however we have found that many have upgraded their technology to pay at the pump. Example the pilot station at the 25 mile marker I-77 Ohio is small not a pay at the pump and not IMO in very good shape. We do not stop there .

Remember to get the 6 and 8 cent discounts it MUST be on the RV plus card. Look it up.

We continue to use them as our primary fuel stop when towing because of the convenience. We also use other stations example the liberty truck stop, exit 170, I-77 Wva. It is rough around the edges but the folks there are very nice and they have a big truck repair facility. We also like Tamarack Wva Exit 44 I-77 it is very expensive for fuel but a great rest area with good food. We usually do a major fuel at the Liberty truck stop then stop at Tamarack area for a top off and a major out of the camper lunch. Loves are Ok and we will use them. TA stations although improving are smaller and many have no RV pumps.
We use what is convenient to us and that happens to be FJ/Pilot for us.

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