Esso charging 50p for air

Paul_the_Painter

I saw a couple of Esso stations recently with new air machines that charge 50p for air. thought that this was strange as most petrol stations have got rid of chraging for air, and even so they were only charging 10 or 20p. So I phoned Esso to find out what was going on (it might have been a couple of franchises and not Esso policy)

It turn out that Esso are changing all their Free Air to 50p a go, at the same time as contracting out the operation to another company. When I phoned they tried to fob me off with the phone number of the company running the air, my reaction was that it is their site, their fuel, and if the only air on site is available from machines charging 50p a go - my fuel will be purchased elsewhere. They did not seem overly concerned.

You do check your tyre pressures every week don't you?

prudryden

Paul_the_Painter wrote:

I saw a couple of Esso stations recently with new air machines that charge 50p for air. thought that this was strange as most petrol stations have got rid of chraging for air, and even so they were only charging 10 or 20p. So I phoned Esso to find out what was going on (it might have been a couple of franchises and not Esso policy)

It turn out that Esso are changing all their Free Air to 50p a go, at the same time as contracting out the operation to another company. When I phoned they tried to fob me off with the phone number of the company running the air, my reaction was that it is their site, their fuel, and if the only air on site is available from machines charging 50p a go - my fuel will be purchased elsewhere. They did not seem overly concerned.

You do check your tyre pressures every week don't you?

Unbelievable. I too will NOT buy my petrol from them any longer. Many thanks for the info.

Altarf

50p for a machine that is serviced and working, or a free sometimes working / sometimes not and probably inaccurate machine.

Free does not always equal good value.

To be honest I stick 20p / 40p in the machine at the local filling station because it is serviced, and is the design where you punch in the psi and it automatically fills to it (and yes I have checked it is accurate).

Lyndsay_21

my Oh always does his at the sainsburys garage where he gets his petrol as said by someone else he just enters his psi and it fills then up for FREE

Paul_the_Painter

Well all of the stations round me have the "punch in the psi and let it do the rest" all are free, all are accurate. BP, Tesco, Morrisons, Texaco. Esso are the only ones (that I know of) that are going to charge

Markyt

Paul_the_Painter wrote:

You do check your tyre pressures every week don't you?

Yes, but not using a dodgy, poorly maintained garage gauge.

I might amuse myself for 5 minutes with this and ask for 25 pence worth as my vehicle only has two wheels :-)

rygon

On most machine you do not have to put the money in to check your tyre pressure but only for the compressor to start. I check my tyres regulary as ive been known to leave it a while..which in the end cost me £50 due to a punctured tyre which put more load on the other tyre..which had to be changed.
Unfortunately near me a lot of garages have stopped supplying air due to some ppl superglueing the ends up (!!?).

dazco

Altarf wrote:

50p for a machine that is serviced and working, or a free sometimes working / sometimes not and probably inaccurate machine.

Free does not always equal good value.

To be honest I stick 20p / 40p in the machine at the local filling station because it is serviced, and is the design where you punch in the psi and it automatically fills to it (and yes I have checked it is accurate).

who says that it is so?

angelatgraceland

Well on the one hand I begrudge it but on the otherhand it is not the air you are paying for but the use of a reliable machine. They started charging at garages when people started vandalising the equipment from what I recall. The money you pay helps to pay for/run/replace that equipment as necessary. Why not invest in one of your own? Portable compressor type air pumps are quite inexpensive now. I have my own-I keep it in the boot and it runs off of the cigarette lighter socket.

RoCas

1. Blow up a balloon but don't tie it off
2. Take it into the garage and let if off
3. Charge them £1 for the air you've given them

gyzmo