Tyre inflation inflation!

CheeseDreams

Local garage has an air pump. It only accepts £1 coins. Last time I swapped my pennies for a coin and checked my tyre pressure. The girl behind the counter gladly gave me the pound, but also said that it takes card payment.

I paid by card this week, more convenient! They've taken £2 off my card! I know that quibbling about £1 is petty, but if motorists up and down the country think the same then they make a massive profit from cashless Covid times!

Should I be that person and complain? About £1...

Money_Grabber13579

Just go to Sainsbury’s where the air is free (or at least, it was the last time I went). At £2 a time, it would be cheaper in the long run to buy your own pump.

photome

Those garage pumps are notorious for giving the wrong pressures. Buy a digital pressure gauge and a pump to do the job at home , will be cheaper in the long run ,and means you are more likely to check your tyre pressure more frequently

JamoLew

photome said:

Those garage pumps are notorious for giving the wrong pressures. Buy a digital pressure gauge and a pump to do the job at home , will be cheaper in the long run ,and means you are more likely to check your tyre pressure more frequently

That's what I do, it lives in the car boot so is always handy - plus it saves me from being stuck behind the "ditherers" at the air line who wait untill its their turn to remove all the dust caps (for gods sake, do it while you are waiting)

motorguy

Yup, i've a wee digital electric pump in the boots of my cars.  Ring do an analog one for around £11 on amazon, but i like the digital ones for their backlit easy to read displays.

Supersonos

Four replies that totally ignore the OP’s question.  Classic MSE forums.

I suspect you missed a sign on the machine saying £2 if paying by card?  If it was me and as the garage is local, I would complain because, as you say, that’s a lot of free pounds. Might be a genuine error but they won’t know unless someone tells them.

AdrianC

I'm not sure suggesting spending a tenner on a pump to avoid paying £2/time is ignoring the question.

photome

Supersonos said:

Four replies that totally ignore the OP’s question.  Classic MSE forums.

I suspect you missed a sign on the machine saying £2 if paying by card?  If it was me and as the garage is local, I would complain because, as you say, that’s a lot of free pounds. Might be a genuine error but they won’t know unless someone tells them.

It’s very MSE to suggest a pump rather than pay £2 a week? To check tyre pressure 

I don’t see what the complaint is? Unless it didn’t display a charge before the card was presented ,which is highly unlikely given that all card readers I have seen will display the amount before the card is tapped

Supersonos

photome said:

Supersonos said:

Four replies that totally ignore the OP’s question.  Classic MSE forums.

I suspect you missed a sign on the machine saying £2 if paying by card?  If it was me and as the garage is local, I would complain because, as you say, that’s a lot of free pounds. Might be a genuine error but they won’t know unless someone tells them.

It’s very MSE to suggest a pump rather than pay £2 a week? To check tyre pressure 

I don’t see what the complaint is? Unless it didn’t display a charge before the card was presented ,which is highly unlikely given that all card readers I have seen will display the amount before the card is tapped

I agree about the pump but it wasn't what the OP was asking.

"Should I be that person and complain? About £1..." was the question.  Maybe he has a pump but he'd lent it to someone.  Maybe he has a phobia of small pumps.  Maybe his dad invented the petrol station so he likes to support his local one.  Who knows?  

But he didn't ask for people's opinon on his choice of tyre pumper-upper.  He asked if he should complain about being over-charged.

Ganga

Then the correct answer is YES ! as long as the phone call does not cost him more than £1 

AdrianC

Supersonos said:

photome said:

Supersonos said:

Four replies that totally ignore the OP’s question.  Classic MSE forums.

I suspect you missed a sign on the machine saying £2 if paying by card?  If it was me and as the garage is local, I would complain because, as you say, that’s a lot of free pounds. Might be a genuine error but they won’t know unless someone tells them.

It’s very MSE to suggest a pump rather than pay £2 a week? To check tyre pressure 

I don’t see what the complaint is? Unless it didn’t display a charge before the card was presented ,which is highly unlikely given that all card readers I have seen will display the amount before the card is tapped

I agree about the pump but it wasn't what the OP was asking.

"Should I be that person and complain? About £1..." was the question.  Maybe he has a pump but he'd lent it to someone.  Maybe he has a phobia of small pumps.  Maybe his dad invented the petrol station so he likes to support his local one.  Who knows?  

But he didn't ask for people's opinon on his choice of tyre pumper-upper.  He asked if he should complain about being over-charged.

No, he should take it as a cheap nudge to make sure to read things before waving his plastic at them.