Totally agree about highway stations... learned that the hard way on a road trip last summer. Price checker said one thing, reality was like 15 cents higher. Now I stick to neighborhood spots—way more predictable and wallet-friendly.
"Price checker said one thing, reality was like 15 cents higher."
Had a similar experience myself—those highway stations can be notoriously unpredictable. Neighborhood spots definitely feel safer budget-wise. Glad you found a reliable alternative... makes road trips much less stressful.
"Neighborhood spots definitely feel safer budget-wise."
Yeah, neighborhood stations tend to be more consistent in my experience too. I've noticed those price-checker apps are usually decent for city areas, but once you're hitting highways or rural stretches, accuracy takes a nosedive. Maybe it's just fewer people updating prices out there? Or the stations themselves changing prices multiple times a day...
I remember one time planning a long drive and relying heavily on one of those apps. It showed this great deal at a station about halfway through my trip—like 20 cents cheaper than anywhere else. Got there, and not only was it way higher, but the place looked sketchy enough that I just kept driving. Ended up paying even more further down the road, but at least felt safer about it.
Makes me wonder if these apps have some kind of verification system or if they're purely crowdsourced. Does anyone know how they actually confirm prices? Seems like relying entirely on user input could lead to outdated or incorrect info pretty often.
Either way, I still use them as a general guide, but always mentally prepare myself for slight disappointments. Better safe than sorry when budgeting fuel stops...
Honestly, neighborhood stations aren't always the budget heroes they're cracked up to be. The one near me consistently charges more just because it's convenient. Ironically, the sketchy-looking highway spots sometimes have the best deals...if you're brave enough to stop, haha.
I get your point about neighborhood stations sometimes charging extra for convenience, but honestly, those sketchy highway spots aren't always the hidden gems people think they are. I've stopped at a few that looked promising on price-checker apps, only to find outdated prices or pumps that barely worked. Sure, you might save a few cents per gallon, but factor in the hassle and potential safety concerns...is it really worth it? I'd rather pay slightly more for reliability and peace of mind.
