# I miss full service gas stations..REALLY



## BlunderWoman (Feb 3, 2016)

I never can figure out where to refill things in my car. Stuff like oil,water,break fluid. I keep having to drive over to my sons's house and ask him to look and see what needs filling up. Makes me feel stupid. I don't know why I can't retain that info. I wish they had the gas stations of yester-year.


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## SifuPhil (Feb 3, 2016)

It WAS nice having the full-service stations. I suppose they disappeared for the same reason so many other service places did - economics.


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## Butterfly (Feb 3, 2016)

Yup.  I take my car to a  Valvoline place here to get oil changes.  They'll check all your other fluids for free, even if you're not in there for an oil change (probably because I"m on their customer list) and if something's low, you just pay for what they add.  

I refuse to mess with my car's engine -- it's way over my pay grade.


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## Bluecheese50 (Feb 3, 2016)

I am more than happy filling my car with petrol, I don't have a problem with that.


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## SifuPhil (Feb 3, 2016)

Butterfly said:


> Yup.  I take my car to a  Valvoline place here to get oil changes.  They'll check all your other fluids for free, even if you're not in there for an oil change (probably because I"m on their customer list) and if something's low, you just pay for what they add.
> 
> I refuse to mess with my car's engine -- it's way over my pay grade.



The one problem being of course that you have to trust what they do.

It's so easy for a mechanic to rip you off if you don't know anything about your car. If you're a steady customer you're probably safe - they aren't going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

But first-timers? Ugh. Pray for them.


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## Karen99 (Feb 3, 2016)

SifuPhil said:


> The one problem being of course that you have to trust what they do.
> 
> It's so easy for a mechanic to rip you off if you don't know anything about your car. If you're a steady customer you're probably safe - they aren't going to look a gift horse in the mouth.
> 
> But first-timers? Ugh. Pray for them.



well, what do you do if you know zip about cars and you need something fixed.  I do feel I'm at their mercy.


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## SifuPhil (Feb 3, 2016)

Karen99 said:


> well, what do you do if you know zip about cars and you need something fixed.  I do feel I'm at their mercy.



You learn.

It isn't THAT hard if you put your mind to it. In fact, today's cars (if you're lucky enough to have a newer one) are so smart that they'll TELL you when your water or your oil is low.

For older cars, get a friend / neighbor / spouse / smart teenager to show you where and how to check fluids, belts, tires, etc.

God forbid there comes a day when you're out driving somewhere, somewhere a bit remote, and you get a flat tire. Your cell phone gets no reception. 

*imitating Karl Malden*

What will you do? What WILL you do?

Or, you go to your friendly local oil change place for the first time and ask them if your oil needs to be changed. The young buck on duty, still in high school, finds the oil dipstick, pulls it out and shows you - "Look, it's dirty - you need a full oil and filter change".

Problem is, the oil SHOULD be dirty, to a degree. It's doing its job. You need to learn to go by your car manufacturers recommendation as to when you change your oil. It used to be every 3,000 miles. Now, depending on the car and what TYPE of oil (something else you can learn), you might go 10-12,000 miles before you need to change it.

As seniors, it gets a bit more difficult to change a tire - I understand that. But at least then learn the going rate for tow truck service in your area so you don't get ripped off.


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## fureverywhere (Feb 3, 2016)

I hear ya, when I lived in PA some years ago suddenly it was self-service. In Jersey they always have attendants who just pump gas. Okay it took a bit of practice but I learned to fill my own tank. But when a tire was low on air I was pitiful. 
Find air machine
Try to unscrew the little cap gizmo that is stuck
Get it unstuck and it skitters under the car
How much air do you put in?
Is it like a bike tire and if you screw up it explodes?
Somebody yells across the lot " Check the number on the tire!"
Tires have numbers?
Um all right now what?
Someone takes pity and comes over, punches in the number, and hooks up the air to the tire.

I eventually learned all the basics but it was painful...


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## Sunny (Feb 3, 2016)

Fur, LOL!  Perfect description!


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## Don M. (Feb 3, 2016)

My first job was pumping gas, checking oil, washing windshields, etc., at a local gas station when I was in high school.  It was a fun job, and gave me some spending money.  There is only 1 such "service station", that I am aware of, in our area...in a small town about 15 miles away.....the rest are all self service.  

I took a car into one of these "lube" stations, Once, to get the oil changed....and I noticed an oil leak under the car the next morning.  The "mechanic" had only hand tightened the oil pan drain plug, and it was working loose.  Had I not noticed that, the plug could have come completely out, and left me stranded along the road....or destroyed the engine.  I vow to do my own basic maintenance so long as physically able.


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## SifuPhil (Feb 3, 2016)

fureverywhere said:


> I eventually learned all the basics but it was painful...



"The cap skitters under the car" LOL - how true! And usually when you're in a hurry.

BUT - you did eventually learn, right?

There's always a price for gaining knowledge. 

If you need some further motivation - I can tell you that automobiles and their maintenance are one of the last bastions of men. Women have NO RIGHT being under the hood, near the tires or anyplace else - they belong in the front seat, looking good and powdering their nose in the mirror.


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## Mrs. Robinson (Feb 3, 2016)

You could move to Oregon. It is illegal for anyone to pump their own gas there-all stations are full service. I have no idea why. Are any other states like this?


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## SifuPhil (Feb 3, 2016)

Mrs. R., I think New Jersey and Oregon are the only two states that ban self-service.


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## jujube (Feb 3, 2016)

It was a shock first time we visited Oregon years ago and tried to fill up our car.  There was a lady in a sari sitting in a chair outside the station, nursing a baby.  She jumped up and hurried over, telling us that she had to fill the car for us.  She did, while still nursing the baby.  I was concerned about the fumes that baby was breathing.  It couldn't be a healthy situation.


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## SifuPhil (Feb 3, 2016)

jujube said:


> It was a shock first time we visited Oregon years ago and tried to fill up our car.  There was a lady in a sari sitting in a chair outside the station, nursing a baby.  She jumped up and hurried over, telling us that she had to fill the car for us.  She did, while still nursing the baby.  I was concerned about the fumes that baby was breathing.  It couldn't be a healthy situation.



Ah, yes, but I bet that baby gets GREAT mileage!


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## Babsinbloom65 (Feb 3, 2016)

BlunderWoman said:


> I never can figure out where to refill things in my car. Stuff like oil,water,break fluid. I keep having to drive over to my sons's house and ask him to look and see what needs filling up. Makes me feel stupid. I don't know why I can't retain that info. I wish they had the gas stations of yester-year.



I can relate to that but I am blessed that my Honey takes care of all that for me.  Where I attend Worship services they started a group that does that kind of stuff for the single parent families and widows. This group also helps out with things around the house and yards too for these people.


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## AprilT (Feb 3, 2016)

I first learned and started my driving in New Jersey, so imagine my surprise my first visit to Florida, me at the gas pump, sitting waiting and waiting and wondering what the heck was going on when not one person came out to assist me.  I finally after observing a few other people getting out their car and putting gas in their own cars, I asked in a rather incredulously voice, why they were pumping their own gas and someone was nice enough to explain and show me how to do it.  I wasn't that could at it for a while, there was a time or two, I would pull the pump out of the gasket and still have my finger on the part to let gas out, people didn't appreciate that at all especially the time I got gas on the car on the other side.   

Prior to such incidences back in Jersey there was the time I didn't know about changing the oil and the whole anti-freeze thing until my car practically caught fire.  Thank goodness it was still under warranty and the big fix cost me zilch.  I truly lucked out in the situation.  I was totally clueless when it came to car maintenance, likely because I just hated everything to do with cars and driving anyway, so, it was the last thing I cared to invest time in getting to know about though it would have benefited me to learn.  This was definitely one area, I got taken advantage of many a time.  I even fell for the, I will give you same car care and prices as I do for my mother and other family.    Boy was I a sucker.


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## Karen99 (Feb 3, 2016)

SifuPhil said:


> You learn.
> 
> It isn't THAT hard if you put your mind to it. In fact, today's cars (if you're lucky enough to have a newer one) are so smart that they'll TELL you when your water or your oil is low.
> 
> ...



lol Phil..I know all the mundane things..changing a tire, oil change needed..usually at 30% for my car.but a light came on that something was wrong..took it to the dealer and they did put it on a computer thing to diagnose...also said I needed major tuneup blah blah...3k later problem all "fixed".


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## Babsinbloom65 (Feb 3, 2016)

SifuPhil said:


> You learn.
> 
> It isn't THAT hard if you put your mind to it. In fact, today's cars (if you're lucky enough to have a newer one) are so smart that they'll TELL you when your water or your oil is low.
> 
> ...



What will we do, what will we do? We will call AAA and keep on having our oil and fluids checked at our regular place...and I will pump my own gas if I have too. Where there's a will, there's a way.


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## SifuPhil (Feb 3, 2016)

Karen99 said:


> lol Phil..I know all the mundane things..changing a tire, oil change needed..usually at 30% for my car.but a light came on that something was wrong..took it to the dealer and they did put it on a computer thing to diagnose...also said I needed major tuneup blah blah...3k later problem all "fixed".



Uh, dealers ... the new robber barons.

But what can you do? That damned little light comes on, even the best backyard mechanics are stumped. Today's computer-controlled cars are a nightmare to work on.

So much for technology, eh? 

I used to keep my cars running with a screwdriver and some duct tape. You can't get away with that today.


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## fureverywhere (Feb 3, 2016)

I used to keep my cars running with a screwdriver and some duct tape. You can't get away with that today.

Best buddy used to have this beater . The windshield wipers broke down...so you have the clothes line connected and you did your own wiping. I think that car was possibly 50% duct tape, and an engine that sounded like there was a squirrel being mangled in there...but it ran...well most of the time.


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## SifuPhil (Feb 3, 2016)

LOL! 

Yep - for a while I took a perverse pride in how little I could pay for a used car that "ran". $250 for a huge old Chevy Caprice station wagon - I called her "The Brown Bomber". Holes in the exhaust system would occasionally cause passengers to become light-headed, the doors would once in a while refuse to open either from the inside or the outside, and "braking" involved pumping the pedal exactly seven times, but by Buddha she got me where I was going, and nobody ever had the courage to challenge her.


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## AprilT (Feb 3, 2016)

I did things kind of backwards, I dated a guy who's brother owned a nice car repair shop, my then boyfriend was also a great mechanic, I didn't learn to drive till a few years after that relationship ended.  A shame really, he wanted to teach me to drive, was even willing to get me a car, but, I just hadn't any interest in driving then.  When I married and moved to NJ, I didn't really have much choice but to learn how to drive if I didn't want to be stranded at home with no real way to get around or to even look for a job and get that job.  It is nice when at least one of you knows your way around a car, neither I nor my then husband had a clue about the mechanics of a car and he was a horrible driver on top of that.


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## Karen99 (Feb 3, 2016)

SifuPhil said:


> Uh, dealers ... the new robber barons.
> 
> But what can you do? That damned little light comes on, even the best backyard mechanics are stumped. Today's computer-controlled cars are a nightmare to work on.
> 
> ...



yes..agree.  My husband could work on the old style cars and did but not this new computerized stuff.  I remember literally putting a bandaid on a hole on a hose that was flooding my car with smoke...lol...an old Chevy Vega..1974.  I was on the freeway..uggh..pulled off and voila...


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## SeaBreeze (Feb 3, 2016)

I fill my own car with gas, just did it today for $1.56 per gal....likin' that price!   I check my washer fluid and oil, and add when needed.  The actual oil changes hubby takes care of .  I've also put air in my tires and changed them once or twice back in the day when I had to.  Haven't had too much experience with full serve stations, but do recall them when camping in Oregon.  I'm okay with doing some stuff on my own, but only the very basics.


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## Don M. (Feb 3, 2016)

SifuPhil said:


> Uh, dealers ... the new robber barons.
> 
> But what can you do? That damned little light comes on, even the best backyard mechanics are stumped. Today's computer-controlled cars are a nightmare to work on.
> 
> ...



That's for sure.  With today's cars, if you don't have a factory shop manual, and a $1500 code reader, there is little chance of finding or fixing some of the "computerized" issues that can crop up.  Even something simple like changing the spark plugs can be a real chore....with all the crap and plumbing that is on some of the engines...especially the lateral mounted V6's,  My "favorite" is Traction Control/ABS error messages on these new cars.  A dealer can easily charge 100's of dollars to "find/fix" those problems.  In reality, most of the time, those errors are caused by a dirty Mass Air Flow sensor...located between the air filter, and the Throttle Body intake.  This is such a common problem that you can buy a cleaning kit from Walmart, for under $10....But, the dealers aren't going to tell you that.


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## fureverywhere (Feb 3, 2016)

an old Chevy Vega..1974.

Oh Mahnnn, do you remember those things???!!! Every one I ever saw was blowing smoke or doing dickens knows what...the Edsel of our generation.


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## Butterfly (Feb 4, 2016)

Don M. said:


> That's for sure.  With today's cars, if you don't have a factory shop manual, and a $1500 code reader, there is little chance of finding or fixing some of the "computerized" issues that can crop up.  Even something simple like changing the spark plugs can be a real chore....with all the crap and plumbing that is on some of the engines...especially the lateral mounted V6's,  My "favorite" is Traction Control/ABS error messages on these new cars.  A dealer can easily charge 100's of dollars to "find/fix" those problems.  In reality, most of the time, those errors are caused by a dirty Mass Air Flow sensor...located between the air filter, and the Throttle Body intake.  This is such a common problem that you can buy a cleaning kit from Walmart, for under $10....But, the dealers aren't going to tell you that.



Actually, I had a similar thing happen a couple years ago.  My neighbor, an old shade tree mechanic, told me to take the computer readout (which I had gotten from my bud at the oil change place) up to a place he trusted, and VOILA! for a mere $40 and a new air filter, I got my "fuel too rich" problem taken care of and passed my emissions test.

I avoid dealers like the plague -- they WAY overcharge.


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## SifuPhil (Feb 4, 2016)

Don M. said:


> That's for sure.  With today's cars, if you don't have a factory shop manual, and a $1500 code reader, there is little chance of finding or fixing some of the "computerized" issues that can crop up.  Even something simple like changing the spark plugs can be a real chore....with all the crap and plumbing that is on some of the engines...especially the lateral mounted V6's,  My "favorite" is Traction Control/ABS error messages on these new cars.  A dealer can easily charge 100's of dollars to "find/fix" those problems.  In reality, most of the time, those errors are caused by a dirty Mass Air Flow sensor...located between the air filter, and the Throttle Body intake.  This is such a common problem that you can buy a cleaning kit from Walmart, for under $10....But, the dealers aren't going to tell you that.



Oh, man, I went crazy for a full week trying to diagnose and repair a Mass Air Flow sensor on my '88 Vette. 

It wasn't until I called an old Vette guy and he set me straight on it that I was able to repair it.


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## Ken N Tx (Feb 4, 2016)

AprilT said:


> I first learned and started my driving in New Jersey, so imagine my surprise my first visit to Florida, me at the gas pump, sitting waiting and waiting and wondering what the heck was going on when not one person came out to assist me.  I finally after observing a few other people getting out their car and putting gas in their own cars, I asked in a rather incredulously voice, why they were pumping their own gas and someone was nice enough to explain and show me how to do it.  I wasn't that could at it for a while, there was a time or two, I would pull the pump out of the gasket and still have my finger on the part to let gas out, people didn't appreciate that at all especially the time I got gas on the car on the other side.
> 
> Prior to such incidences back in Jersey there was the time I didn't know about changing the oil and the whole anti-freeze thing until my car practically caught fire.  Thank goodness it was still under warranty and the big fix cost me zilch.  I truly lucked out in the situation.  I was totally clueless when it came to car maintenance, likely because I just hated everything to do with cars and driving anyway, so, it was the last thing I cared to invest time in getting to know about though it would have benefited me to learn.  This was definitely one area, I got taken advantage of many a time.  I even fell for the, I will give you same car care and prices as I do for my mother and other family.    Boy was I a sucker.


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## oldman (Feb 4, 2016)

One of my jobs as a youngster, 16, I worked at the local gas station. Working the pumps was a one-man operation. I pumped the gas, washed the windshield and checked the oil and tires after asking, "Check the oil and tires?" On Saturdays, I washed cars. We charged $2.00 for a wash and vacuum, including doing the windows. I was tipped anywhere from a dime to a quarter. One guy laid a buck on me, but it was my Dad.


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## Ken N Tx (Feb 4, 2016)




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## Vee (Feb 4, 2016)

Wow Ken. and to think i  Australia we dont even have 1c or 2c coins any more!

What I dont understand is, we used to drive straight up to the choice of 2-3 pumps, and the one guy working there would come out immediately and "fill her up" checking under the bonnet as it filled. The he would collect the cash, take it inside and return with the change.  Now there's a often a choice of up to 12 pumps, and a couple of workers who sit inside at the counter taking money ... and there always a queue waiting for an available pump!!! I think if there was full service these days, the wait could be hours!


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## Ken N Tx (Feb 4, 2016)

Vee said:


> Wow Ken. and to think i  Australia we dont even have 1c or 2c coins any more!
> 
> What I dont understand is, we used to drive straight up to the choice of 2-3 pumps, and the one guy working there would come out immediately and "fill her up" checking under the bonnet as it filled. The he would collect the cash, take it inside and return with the change.  Now there's a often a choice of up to 12 pumps, and a couple of workers who sit inside at the counter taking money ... and there always a queue waiting for an available pump!!! I think if there was full service these days, the wait could be hours!



Down here in Texas we have Buc-ee's !!! The store features 120 fuel pumps, 83 toilets, 31 cash registers, 4 Icee machines, 80 fountain dispensers
.

.
80-120 fueling positions...
.
60,000 square foot store...
.


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## Pappy (Feb 4, 2016)

I actually found, one day googling, the Texaco station I worked at in CA while in the service. We had a list of things to check, or ask customer if they wanted them checked. Tire pressure, water, oil, wash front and back windows and check battery water level. Sometimes, the customer didn't want us doing anything to their vehicle. I imagine they had a bad experience somewhere, or did it themselves.


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## AprilT (Feb 4, 2016)

Ken N Tx said:


> View attachment 26480



:lofl:  Yes, indeed, Ken, that would resemble something similar to what I would have done back in the earlier days of my learning curve with pumping gas.


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## SifuPhil (Feb 4, 2016)

Pappy said:


> I actually found, one day googling, the Texaco station I worked at in CA while in the service. We had a list of things to check, or ask customer if they wanted them checked. Tire pressure, water, oil, wash front and back windows and check battery water level. Sometimes, the customer didn't want us doing anything to their vehicle. I imagine they had a bad experience somewhere, or did it themselves.




I worked at good ol' Charley Deering's Flying A gas station down the hill from my house as a young teen.



Charley and my Dad were goombahs, so I got the job of sweeping up, stocking shelves and once in a while pumping gas. Most of the time "the guys" would hang out in the garage playing cards and drinking beer.


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## Pappy (Feb 4, 2016)

Ah yes. Flying A. The Veedol oil was a big seller back then. 
My boss, Swede Lund, always kept a bottle of gin or vodka, in the Coke machine, as a hiding place. He always told me to help myself, but I didn't like either at the time.


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## SifuPhil (Feb 4, 2016)

LOL! My grandparent's house was right across the street from the station, and my Grandfather would bring over bottles of "Guinea Red" on a regular basis.

There was also a station cat. Not a station _dog_ - a station _cat_.


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## BlunderWoman (Feb 4, 2016)

I'm probably spoiled because my son is a mechanic. My x owns a place that has mechanics & they use some kind of diagnostic machine because of all the digital stuff in cars these days. Maybe 'digital' is the wrong word. I dunno. I'm not very mechanically inclined at all. Recently I called an electrician and was talking to him telling him the 'thingamajig' wasn't working properly. He said " At least it isn't the doo dad. That could be serious."


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## chic (Feb 5, 2016)

I go to full service gas stations all of the time but they don't give the _full service_ like they used. One attendant does clean my front and rear windshields though.


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## Linda (Feb 5, 2016)

When I was young and living in Oregon gas stations provided employment for young men (and maybe now, young women) and it was pretty handy for them.  I've only pumped gas a few times.  I'd forgotten this but my youngest son reminded me a few months ago.  Back in the early 80s I was pumping gas in my car and, who knows why, it ALL went on the ground and I didn't notice that for awhile.  So after my son showed me what I was doing I stopped and decided it wasn't safe to start the car.  I thought it might explode or something so we walked home.  He was in grade school and thought he knew everything.  He said I was lucky they didn't tow my car as I left it there till my husband got home a few hours later.  We just lived a few blocks from the station.  Now I realize my folly but I didn't back then.


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## MN Ryder (Feb 5, 2016)

I had a part time job doing the full service pumps at a Sinclair gas station, worked the night shift which was real fun once the bars let out.  Most of my tips were beer, although every now & then an RV came through and I usually earned a few extra bucks from their appreciating me getting the bugs off their massive windshields.


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## lydiag (Feb 7, 2016)

I miss full service stations-I do NOT want to have a relationship with a machine- "Do you want a receipt?"  "A 2 cent discount?" "A car wash?" "A pound of hot dogs?"  (just joking about the last one but really....)  I am happy that I can get gasoline whenever I want it, Sundays and holidays included. So I guess it's a trade off....


Wake me when gas is back to 30 cents a gallon.


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## Kitty cats (Feb 8, 2016)

My best memory of the full service station was the Coca Cola machine where u had to put in the penny first and then the nickel for the ice cold bottle of Coke. Back in the 50s that little bottle was plenty to drink but somewhere along the way it was decided that we needed 32oz super size drinks and we all gladly went along with it. We should have stuck with that little bottle of soda pop. If it ain't broke don't fix it lol


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## BlunderWoman (Feb 8, 2016)

Kitty cats said:


> My best memory of the full service station was the Coca Cola machine where u had to put in the penny first and then the nickel for the ice cold bottle of Coke. Back in the 50s that little bottle was plenty to drink but somewhere along the way it was decided that we needed 32oz super size drinks and we all gladly went along with it. We should have stuck with that little bottle of soda pop. If it ain't broke don't fix it lol


well that's the truth! I can't even drink 32 ounces unless I spread it out over the entire day & it would be flat.


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## BlunderWoman (Feb 8, 2016)

I just remembered when *ethyl *was a choice in gasoline


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## Ruthanne (Feb 28, 2016)

I go to a place called Lube Stop.  They change oil and check and fill all your fluids and between oil changes they will top off anything you need for nothing.  I really like them.


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