gas stations and 9/10 cent deal

[sonoma1993]

What the deal with gas station charging the 9/10 cent on gas? In my area gas is $2.18 9/10 cent. I know the stupid gas pump machine round up the 9/10 to 1 cent since there no was possible to give some one a 9/10 of a penny.

 

[quakefiend420]

doesn't it give you a penny for every 10 gallons?

i would think that's how it would work

plus 2.299 looks cheaper than 2.30...people are stupid

 

[sonoma1993]

yeah it probably does do 1 cent for every gallon but who knows the darn pump machine display doesnt list the 9/10 display when you are pumping gas.

 

[josh0099]

I thought it was for tax purposes or something to that extinct....

 

[quakefiend420]

Originally posted by: josh0099
I thought it was for tax purposes or something to that extinct....

i wish taxes were extinct...

 

[tyler811]

The 9/10 you is for taxes. Thats 9/10 of a penny. Andy Rooney years ago on 60 Minutes went to 6 or 7 different gas stations filled up with gas then wanted his 1/10 change back

 

[Nitemare]

99.9 cents looks alot cheaper than $1 to mentally deficient people. Gas stations think most people are that way.

 

[mugs]

So discount gas stations can sell it for $2.18 8/10

I don't think it has anything to do with taxes... what would the government gain by making the tax $X.XX9 instead of $X.XX + $.01?

I think it's just for the same reason you see prices ending with .99 - people perceive it as cheaper. Since everyone does it though, it makes no difference.

How often do you buy by the whole gallon anyway? Pumps measure with more precision than that, so you aren't "losing" the 1/10 of a cent if you buy less than 10 gallons, you just get slightly more gas than you would have if they priced it 1/10 of a cent higher.

Example: you get $7 worth of gas at $2.199 - that's 3.183 gallons.
$7 worth of gas at $2.20 = 3.182 gallons.

You got an extra ~.19 fl oz with the 9/10 pricing.

 

[rmrf]

it's no different than stores marketing their products for $x.99

it just looks cheaper.

 

[mercanucaribe]

TO MAKE THE PRICE LOOK LOWER THAN IT IS. TO MAKE THE PRICE LOOK LOWER THAN IT IS. TO MAKE THE PRICE LOOK LOWER THAN IT IS. TO MAKE THE PRICE LOOK LOWER THAN IT IS. TO MAKE THE PRICE LOOK LOWER THAN IT IS. TO MAKE THE PRICE LOOK LOWER THAN IT IS. TO MAKE THE PRICE LOOK LOWER THAN IT IS. TO MAKE THE PRICE LOOK LOWER THAN IT IS. TO MAKE THE PRICE LOOK LOWER THAN IT IS. TO MAKE THE PRICE LOOK LOWER THAN IT IS. TO MAKE THE PRICE LOOK LOWER THAN IT IS.

 

[jagec]

I hate that. In many countries, they give you decent round figures for prices, and already have tax included...so you pay $1 or $7 or $2.50 or whatever, and don't have odd amounts of change left over.

 

[Cooler]

Originally posted by: mercanucaribe
TO MAKE THE PRICE LOOK LOWER THAN IT IS. TO MAKE THE PRICE LOOK LOWER THAN IT IS. TO MAKE THE PRICE LOOK LOWER THAN IT IS. TO MAKE THE PRICE LOOK LOWER THAN IT IS. TO MAKE THE PRICE LOOK LOWER THAN IT IS. TO MAKE THE PRICE LOOK LOWER THAN IT IS. TO MAKE THE PRICE LOOK LOWER THAN IT IS. TO MAKE THE PRICE LOOK LOWER THAN IT IS. TO MAKE THE PRICE LOOK LOWER THAN IT IS. TO MAKE THE PRICE LOOK LOWER THAN IT IS. TO MAKE THE PRICE LOOK LOWER THAN IT IS.

QFT

 

[DrPizza]

Originally posted by: quakefiend420
doesn't it give you a penny for every 10 gallons?

i would think that's how it would work

plus 2.299 looks cheaper than 2.30...people are stupid

*sigh*

Try again.

How about 9 cents for every 10 gallons?


Anyway, what I'd like to know is if the pumps actually have that level of precision and accuracy. That is, if I purchase 1.000 gallons of gas (by carefully measuring it, not relying on the machine) will the price on the machine show 2.499 (if gas is 2.49 9/10)
Or is it just as likely to show 2.47 or 2.53?

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: DrPizza

Originally posted by: quakefiend420
doesn't it give you a penny for every 10 gallons?

i would think that's how it would work

plus 2.299 looks cheaper than 2.30...people are stupid

*sigh*

Try again.

How about 9 cents for every 10 gallons?


Anyway, what I'd like to know is if the pumps actually have that level of precision and accuracy. That is, if I purchase 1.000 gallons of gas (by carefully measuring it, not relying on the machine) will the price on the machine show 2.499 (if gas is 2.49 9/10)
Or is it just as likely to show 2.47 or 2.53?

You mean it COSTS you nine cents for every 10 gallons. Quakefiend was right

Let's say gas costs $7.999 a gallon (not unreasonable in a couple years). You buy ten gallons, and pay $79.99. The gas station across the way DOESN'T do the 9/10 thing, so they charge $8.00, and you pay $80.00

Difference...one cent.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: DrPizza

Originally posted by: quakefiend420
doesn't it give you a penny for every 10 gallons?

i would think that's how it would work

plus 2.299 looks cheaper than 2.30...people are stupid

*sigh*

Try again.

How about 9 cents for every 10 gallons?


Anyway, what I'd like to know is if the pumps actually have that level of precision and accuracy. That is, if I purchase 1.000 gallons of gas (by carefully measuring it, not relying on the machine) will the price on the machine show 2.499 (if gas is 2.49 9/10)
Or is it just as likely to show 2.47 or 2.53?

$2.299 vs $2.30 would give you 1 cent for 10 gallons, $2.299 vs $2.29 would be 9 cents per 10 gallons...

From what I've read, gas pumps are precise to 1/1000 of a gallon, but not all states require them to adjust for the ambient temperature, so all of the precision in the world means nothing if it's not accurate to begin with.

Edit: To clarify - they accurately measure the gas that's coming out of the pump, but the amount of gas that is not the same at different temperatures... you understand that, you're a physics teacher. Some states require the pump to adjust so that 1 gallon from the pump is equal to 1 gallon at a particular temperature, regardless of what the current temp is. When gas stations get gas delivered, it's adjusted for the current temperature, and in that case it makes a BIG difference because of the quantity.

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: mugs
Edit: To clarify - they accurately measure the gas that's coming out of the pump, but the amount of gas that is not the same at different temperatures... you understand that, you're a physics teacher. Some states require the pump to adjust so that 1 gallon from the pump is equal to 1 gallon at a particular temperature, regardless of what the current temp is. When gas stations get gas delivered, it's adjusted for the current temperature, and in that case it makes a BIG difference because of the quantity.

Maybe they should sell it by the kilo, the way it burns

granted, volumetric is easier for liquids...