Anyone figure out how to fill with fuel without reinserting your card?

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KandT

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takes about $300 for me to full up but the darn credit card shuts off every $100 (or $75 or $125).  Anyone figure a way around this problem?
 
Don't know if you can if you pay at the pump. If I'm really low I usually just go inside, but it's a hassle for sure. I did that last year then when I was ready to pay, my card was declined. I was so mad, because I told my card company that I'd be traveling, and gave them the dates. They had shut my card down because of 2 out of district charges in 4 hours. They had sent me an Email stating they were doing that, but I hadn't checked my Email.  I get a text if over my set limit is charged and it is very quick. I bought some things last week and I got a text before I left the register at the store. It's a pain, but better safe than sorry.
 
Yes, go inside and present the card to the cashier and tell him/her how much fuel you want to purchase.

The process is the gas station first issues a credit request to verify your card will accept that amount.  The credit card company then reserves, or holds that amount against your credit limit.  When the purchase is finalized, the hold is released and replaced with the actual purchase price.

The problem is it can take several hours or days for the credit card charge and the release of the credit hold to work it's way through the system, so the gas stations have to limit the pump hold to an amount that won't inconvenience the majority of their customers.  If you're taking a car trip and making multiple $20 gas purchases but the pumps are placing credit holds of $300 each time, you can max out your available credit even though you haven't made anything near that amount in actual purchases.
 
NY_Dutch said:
One of the things I like about the RV lanes at Flying J is the high pump limits. I've seen some with a $495 limit posted for Visa.
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Yep, when I bought my first motorhome in 2006 (100 gallon fuel tank) was when I noticed the low limits on my Mastercards. I had not really ever thought it made much of a difference between the two, but the limits that Visa had set were much higher. That inspired me to apply for a Visa, so one of the criteria I used to select one was a card that offered cash back on gas purchases. (But that's another topic). 

I do find different limits by both Visa and M/C depending on the state I'm in.  But Visa is usually always higher. And if I do go inside to the fuel desk, I usually quote a much higher limit than I need, like $250 if I think I may need between $150 and $200.  That way it is just one continuous pump. When I check the amount charged later it is always for the actual amount pumped.
 
We havent figured out a way around the credit purchase limits, but what we can usually get by with swiping the same card twice, but a few years ago when gasoline was higher, when we needed to swipe three times, we would use two cards, one twice, and another card the third time.

I prefer swiping at the pump even if it means swiping two or three times, which I still believe is a lot quicker than going inside telling the clerk about how much you are going to pump, and then maybe have to leave a credit card with them, come back out and fuel up, go back inside to pay, and then come back out so they leave. This is one of my few pet peeves when it comes to RVing.
 
Last time I ever went inside was when they lost my card and the three people working there were not very good English speakers. They had given it to another customer. The guy noticed it was the wrong card and brought it back.

So I play the insert game at the pump while I listen to the VERY annoying ads they are playing on the pumps. Also inside they wanted to know what amount. How do I know until I'm finished pumping. 
 
I use the flyinJ credit card and the RV lanes to fuel. The way my tank is plumbed the big hose truck fill to fast and have to run it as slow as possible. Their card does not shut off at set amount. I also disable the card when we are not traveling on the account web site.
The Pilot locations as far as where we travel don't have the rv lanes , so I don't use them. Flyin J is competitive with other truck stops  on price and 5 cents more on 100 gal =$5.00  ain't gonna break me.
 
I believe the only Pilots that have RV lanes are the few Flying J's that were rebranded as part of the merger. Love's also acquired 20+ PFJ locations to keep the DOJ happy, but I don't know if they've retained the RV lanes at those.
 
Many statiions say "Well Master Card" or "Visa" or _____, will only let us...
DO NOT BELIEVE THEM, the station programmed the pump.

I've had stations where I can pump in theory 70 Gallons (Really closer to 60 cause more than that and I'd be needing to change underwear before I go there. 70 gallon tank) and stations where 70 dollars is the limit.
 
Station owners, or their parent company, frequently set the card swipe limit at the amount the card company will reimburse them for fraudulent card use at the pump.
 
Dragginourbedaround said:
We do the same. Traveled from FL to CO then down to NM for the Balloon Fiesta and back to FL. We used The Flying J RV lanes and credit card almost exclusively.
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We save even more using our Good Sam "Swipe & Save" $0.05 gas discount membership card when the PFJ pumps ask for our loyalty card, and then paying with our 5% cash rebate PenFed Visa card.
 
Also inside they wanted to know what amount. How do I know until I'm finished pumping. 
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If you know how much your tank holds, and if you know what the fuel gauge reads, you can make a rough guesstimate. Then add somewhat to that.

For example, my rig holds 100 gallons, so if the gauge reads 3/8 remaining I know it should be around 37 gallons remaining, or 63 needed to fill, if the gauge is close. Since the gauges aren't completely accurate, I'll figure it needs 70 gallons, then at, say, $2.89.9/gallon (round it to $3 for easy figuring), I'd say $210. They run a preliminary ticket for that amount, but you'll only be charged for what you actually pump.

I usually go back in to get an updated receipt after I've finished pumping. So if I actually pumped 64.7 gallons, the updated receipt would be for $187.57, which would be the final charge to your card. That leaves a cushion for inaccuracies, even if I'd pumped 68 gallons.
 
I do the same but never go back (actualy send my wife initially). I do keep a log of miles, gallons, and $ but rarely bother to verify.

Ernie
 
As Dutch says, the dollar limit for card swipes is set as part of the financial processing, by whatever company controls the credit card system accessed by the pump. The card processor assumes liability for the transaction and sets the approval limit.  While the individual station could change or even eliminate the dollar limit, it would then have to assume the risk of any bad transactions.  Maybe John From Detroit will do that when he owns his own station, but nobody else is taking the risk.

Fuel stations that regularly handle larger rigs typically have higher limits but only for customers with their loyalty card or a fleet account card and usually on a pump dedicated to those customers.  That extra level of ID verification substantially lowers the risk of a bad transaction and makes the higher limit practical.

If you don't want to accept the pump default credit limit, go to the attendant inside and have a larger amount pre-authorized. That option is available at just about all fuel stations except those in extreme high fraud areas.
 
Dragginourbedaround said:
We do the same. Traveled from FL to CO then down to NM for the Balloon Fiesta and back to FL. We used The Flying J RV lanes and credit card almost exclusively.
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I have found that for a  gasser the Flying J with RV lane is very convenient, but where there is none it can be a big challenge to navigate a longer RV and dinghy past their pumps. That makes any advantage of a larger pump limit seem like a nonissue.
 
I have been using the Pilot/Flying J RV Plus charge card for the last 6+ years. I can use it at any of the pumps and get 8 cents off per gallon. I rarely go to any other fuel stops.
 
I try to stop more frequently that way I don't need to test it.  ;D
I have found that only 2 times seem to be OK on the same card.
 
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