gas pumps in various states including FL

[Da2154]

I was surprised that almost every gas pump is 'prepay only' now. If you swipe a credit card, they ask for Zip code! Had a funny experience in Jacksonville where all of the customers at the station were Canadian and had to go inside to prepay. Also quite annoying. Clerk said the station was going to have to spend $1000 per pump to upgrade to alphanumeric to allow postal codes.

 

[Mike2023]

Yep,,, I guess us Canadians can just be trusted to pay for the gas that we pump..... ah well.

 

[ccudmore]

And to add to the pain with pre-pay pumps, if you can't use your credit card you have to go inside and pay cash. And if it's a rental car I've found that I have no idea what it costs to fill up half a tank of gas in gallons in a car I've never driven before. So sometimes I way over-pay (and get a refund) and other times I use up the pre-pay and have to go in and pay a second time to get more gas.

 

[sprmom]

Just don't fill your rental car at the airport, the price was 2.00 high per gallon there, it cost us an extra 15.00-20.00 just to fill at the gas station outside of the Hertz lot. We were surprised, the Hess station at Disney was very affordable.

 

[MainStreetMouse]

As we were leaving Orlando we stopped in at the HESS near the Boardwalk. You need to enter a ZIP code when paying by credit card at the pumps so I had to go inside. What a mess ... line up was about 20 deep wanting to pre pay. This ZIP code thing needs to be addressed.

 

[surfer_ed]

I agree I was waiting in the line so I questioned the guy. He said in Canada we have camera's at the pumps and they don't in the USA. He wanted me to leave my credit card...nope...or pre-pay. Had this issue in every station in Orlando or Port Canaveral.

 

[sjsjbrook]

Can you just put in any zip code. Did anyone try this? I usually use the 90210(It's one I can always remember) area code for some things that require a zip code and won't take a canadian postal code. I don't think they can compare the zip code and the credit card. That info isn't contained on the magnetic strip.

 

[MainStreetMouse]

Can you just put in any zip code. Did anyone try this? I usually use the 90210(It's one I can always remember) area code for some things that require a zip code and won't take a canadian postal code. I don't think they can compare the zip code and the credit card. That info isn't contained on the magnetic strip.

Yes, I tried that once and it didn't work. Hopefully some of these gas stations will become CDN zip code friendly soon.

 

[I Run Long]

Wow - this is good know about. Mind you - we've had to prepay in B.C. for over a year now but we don't have to enter postal codes. I guess I'll have to bring some more cash for gas. Doh!

 

[irisesareblue]

Wow - this is good know about. Mind you - we've had to prepay in B.C. for over a year now but we don't have to enter postal codes. I guess I'll have to bring some more cash for gas. Doh!

My husband has been so annoyed with the pre-pay / zip code thing that he called the bank who we have our Visa through and asked if there was anything they could do or if we could have a zip code attached to the card....they said no....

BUT if you use your debit card that has a 4 digit pin, you won't have to go inside - you can just prepay and it comes straight out of your bank account. No problems at the Hess at Disney last time when I did this. And no extra charges from the bank either.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Driving down Interstate 75 there are still some stations in the various states where you don't need a zip code when pumping gas, although there was one gas station in Valdosta, Georgia that asks for one. Plus I think all the gas stations in Florida ask for a zip code, because I can not remember going to one where we didn't pre-pay a certin amount inside before pumping the gas.

 

[I Run Long]

My husband has been so annoyed with the pre-pay / zip code thing that he called the bank who we have our Visa through and asked if there was anything they could do or if we could have a zip code attached to the card....they said no....

BUT if you use your debit card that has a 4 digit pin, you won't have to go inside - you can just prepay and it comes straight out of your bank account. No problems at the Hess at Disney last time when I did this. And no extra charges from the bank either.

Thanks for this info. I think we'll just use our debit card then.

 

[sjsjbrook]

My husband has been so annoyed with the pre-pay / zip code thing that he called the bank who we have our Visa through and asked if there was anything they could do or if we could have a zip code attached to the card....they said no....

BUT if you use your debit card that has a 4 digit pin, you won't have to go inside - you can just prepay and it comes straight out of your bank account. No problems at the Hess at Disney last time when I did this. And no extra charges from the bank either.

thanks that is great to know

 

[Sue M]

My husband has been so annoyed with the pre-pay / zip code thing that he called the bank who we have our Visa through and asked if there was anything they could do or if we could have a zip code attached to the card....they said no....

BUT if you use your debit card that has a 4 digit pin, you won't have to go inside - you can just prepay and it comes straight out of your bank account. No problems at the Hess at Disney last time when I did this. And no extra charges from the bank either.

Tried that. For some reason, the CIBC debit card doesn't work in the states at retail places, incl. gas stations. Only works in a bank machine. I hate having to either leave my credit card, or pre pay when I have no idea how much the rental car is going to take. ugh. I hope they remedy this soon.

 

[rjan67]

No, don't put in any zip code. This puts a flag on your card and your credit company may put a freeze on your card , maybe not the first time but will probably the second time until they speak to you as they will think it is stolen. Just cancel it.

 

[sjsjbrook]

Why do they have to make getting gas such an ordeal. Can you pay with a credit card when you pre pay at the station on DW property? We are renting a car when we stay there and I want to know prior to going if we need to budget gas into the amount of cash we are bringing

 

[rjan67]

Along 75 it just seemed to be in Florida. I had no other problem in other states (although I did find one in Michigan previously, this is why I know about it). You can give the attendant your card and then pay the total, but it just depends how comfortable you are with that.

 

[U2FanHfx]

This happened to me in Anaheim and Las Vegas as well. I needed to go inside and thankfully another customer explained the process to me as the clerk was no help what so ever.

Regs,

CJM

 

[irisesareblue]

Tried that. For some reason, the CIBC debit card doesn't work in the states at retail places, incl. gas stations. Only works in a bank machine. I hate having to either leave my credit card, or pre pay when I have no idea how much the rental car is going to take. ugh. I hope they remedy this soon.

It's apparently the "system" that the card is attached to that determines whether or not it is accepted. Canadians are fairly familiar with the Interac system, but there are also other systems such as Cirrus. Just verify whether the "system" your card is attached to is also one which the pump is attached to (I'm not sure how else to explain it but there are pictures on the back of your debit card and you have to verify that the same pictures are on the debit machine you are dealing with.)

We always forget that the U.S. is a different country with different banking systems. Canadian systems are adapted to the American system, but the U.S. system is not necessarily adapated to the Canadian.

 

[bgula]

If I can jump in on this thread - what bugs me not only having to go into the store and wait in line is what happened for the first time this past Christmas. Usually you just give them a number, say $50 and if your vehicle only takes $40, it will bill you $40. However, I had one gas station bill me the total that I told them, then refund the difference back to my credit card. I end up losing some $ in the exchange. If that starts happening, I'll end up having to call the credit card company to have them refund me the exchange - not something I really want to have to deal with.