Topaz charging for air

drunkmonkey

I'm raging, a hot day, a long line in the shop and I didn't have a euro in my pocket, boy was I pissed off, it's been going on a while but it seems to be getting more common. I for one have a topaz fuel card and spend about 500pm with them. No more I tell you. No more. They dirty tight scumbags are charging for air in more and more places. I'm changing my fuel card, making a complaint to the rsa and will be avoiding topaz garages in the future.

It should not be legal for a garage to charge for air. I will bet any money that people avoid putting air in their tyres when they see the charge for air.

Can someone recommend a fuel card that is linked to garages that don't charge for air for your tyres.

phasers

my local one works like a trolley at the supermarket and you get the euro back. I keep a trolley token on my keys for it. I agree with doing that because it stops idiots from driving over the hoses and breaking the machines.

Are there some garages actually charging money? That's a total disgrace.

starviewadams

Bit OTT!

They only charge to stop certain stupid motorists from making a balls of their equipment,which I'm sure isn't free for Topaz to repair or replace.

M cebee

it costs them to run the compressor

they're probably following michael o'leary's lead

keep the headline figures low and do you on the extras

MadsL

Air isn't free now is it? A compressor takes a fair bit of electricity to run, and with the recession fuel prices are more and more competitive. Would you rather your fuel was pricier to cover the cost of "free" air?

Cathalog

They have to pay for the machines. So why can't they charge for the service? Seriously, we have bigger problems than paying for compressed air.

It's only a euro. If you didn't have the coin, you could go into the shop with a note for change. It's not that often that you need to pump your tyres either.

2qk4u

They are not charging for air, they are charging you for the privilege of using their machine to allow you put the air into your tyre.
Topaz are not tight, they are in business. You are tight if you have a problem with paying €1 to ensure your vehicle is safe and road worthy in order to keep you and other road users safe.
If you are so concerned about this issue that you want to complain to the RSA then maybe you should do what I do, keep an air compressor in the boot along with many other items that will allow you to continue your journey.

bijapos

I don't agree with anyone charging for air, though I've only come across it once or twice, most places are like phasers said simply looking for a deposit to make sure you hang the air pump back up properly.

It's a bit daft to say that they are killing people with this though, it's like saying Bridgestone are trying to kill me by charging €140 for a tyre when I can get a sh1t quality one for €80. Is the €60 difference enough to make me take the cheap tyre and kill myself in an accident with it? I don't get your point to be honest.

Running a car costs money, it's not just about throwing fuel into the tank.

Big Nasty

Scumbags? Road Deaths?

LOL! :pac:

Anan1

drunkmonkey wrote: »

It should not be legal for a garage to charge for air.

What if they decide not to supply air at all?

M cebee

Anan1 wrote: »

What if they decide not to supply air at all?

that's also illegal:pac:

coylemj

Topaz on Rochestown Ave. in Dun Laoghaire requires a Euro coin like the supermarket trolley system, it's a hostage to make sure you replace the air line on the mounting and you get the coin back when you're done.

Blame the morons who toss the air line in any direction when they're finished or just leave it on the ground for the next guy to drive over it. As usual the rest of us are being penalised or inconvenienced because of the selfish actions of others.

you spend 500 pm on petrol and you think a euro for safe tyres is too much?

CiniO

drunkmonkey wrote: »

I'm raging, a hot day, a long line in the shop and I didn't have a euro in my pocket, boy was I pissed off, it's been going on a while but it seems to be getting more common. I for one have a topaz fuel card and spend about 500pm with them. No more I tell you. No more. They dirty tight scumbags are charging for air in more and more places. I'm changing my fuel card, making a complaint to the rsa and will be avoiding topaz garages in the future.

It should not be legal for a garage to charge for air. I will bet any money that people avoid putting air in their tyres when they see the charge for air.

Can someone recommend a fuel card that is linked to garages that don't charge for air for your tyres.

It's not the fact that you have to pay for using their air compressor that's making you angry, but the fact that you didn't have to pay for it so far, and now you do.

It's probably common enough with people psychology that it's annoying.

I'm always raging when traveling through Germany and on every petrol station they want me to pay 1 euro for using the toilet, while nearly all over Europe this is free. Last time I managed to squeeze few times under the barrier when no one was looking, while other time I just use natural toilet behind a tree

The same after moving to Ireland I still can't understand a fact that we all need to pay motortax, as I never had to pay it at home. It's really annoying for me, while I see Irish people are well used to it, and most of them would prefer to get rid of NCT instead of motortax, for the same reason that many of them never had to do NCT before while now they do.

On the other hand, I'm so pleased that in Ireland I don't have to pay a bill for the water in my house, while all over Europe people do have to pay it.

Anyway - no air charges on my local Topaz yet.

MetzgerMeister

Erm...they don't charge you anything for the air. You put in a €1 to release the latch then when you reconnect it, you get your euro back.

It's a way of stopping people leaving it on the ground for every ape to drive over.

Big Nasty

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

Erm...they don't charge you anything for the air. You put in a €1 to release the latch then when you reconnect it, you get your euro back.

It's a way of stopping people leaving it on the ground for every ape to drive over.

Some of them do actually charge in fairness.

Although if it was a euro I wouldn't be in any way upset. A fiver maybe so.

Anan1

CiniO wrote: »

It's not the fact that you have to pay for using their air compressor that's making you angry, but the fact that you didn't have to pay for it so far, and now you do.

It's probably common enough with people psychology that it's annoying.

That's the only explanation I can think of. Apart from being used to it, can anyone come up with a single reason why petrol stations should have to provide air at all, let alone free?

Big Nasty

Anan1 wrote: »

That's the only explanation I can think of. Apart from being used to it, can anyone come up with a single reason why petrol stations should have to provide air at all, let alone free?

While I disagree with the OP's rant, customer service. Same as water and hand towels and squeedgees or however dafuq ya spell 'em.

MadsL

At least the air compressor is working!!

Lost count of the time I have been told "sorry, bud - It's broken"

osheen

MadsL wrote: »

At least the air compressor is working!!

Lost count of the time I have been told "sorry, bud - It's broken"

And thats the reason why topaz require you to put the euro in.
When you replace the air or water line you get your euro back.
Supermarkets have used the same system for their trolleys for years.

Big Nasty

osheen wrote: »

Supermarkets have used the same system for their trolleys for years.

Along with the charge for plastic bags that's why you see infinitely less trolleys in local rivers and shopping bags flapping around chain link fences. I'm no tree hugger but that's all good IMO.

biko

I've used many Topaz around the city and put a euro in while using the air line, or water line. As said it's only there to stop people from just dropping the line on the ground when done and return it.
What Topaz garage is actually charging for this?

I saw another thread where Esso was charging for air and a poster there also meant that this would prevent people from inflating tires and cause road deaths.
Way to go, blaming someone else for your crash. Just find another garage or keep a lighter tyre inflater handy.
It's not the garage's fault if you fail to inflate the tyres and kill yourself or someone else.

Anan1

MCMLXXV wrote: »

While I disagree with the OP's rant, customer service. Same as water and hand towels and squeedgees or however dafuq ya spell 'em.

Isn't that why you feel they should, as opposed to why they should be obliged to?

Big Nasty

Anan1 wrote: »

Isn't that why you feel they should, as opposed to why they should be obliged to?

That's a bit like saying restaurants should provide napkins even though they are not obliged to.

biko

This is where garages can compete, not by the petrol price since that's more or less the same all over town, but by providing fringe benefits like free air/water, cheap car wash etc.

The OP is OTT in my opinion. It's not just topaz that are charging, some essos do too, I used one recently as the car I was driving had a slightly soft tyre, it was automatic and gave me three minutes of air, it barely did the four tyres in that time it was so slow.

The thing is though, I only ever fill my car with diesel, and I check my tyres regularly as I often drive long distances. I'm going to fill the fuel tank and the tyres in the same garage, so I'm going to go to the the garage with "free" air every time, so those who charge for air are losing all and any business i would otherwise give them, I'm sure other people are the same. The trolley coin type ones I don't mind.

Jesus Shaves

Buy a foot pump and stop complaining

eringobragh

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

Erm...they don't charge you anything for the air. You put in a €1 to release the latch then when you reconnect it, you get your euro back.

It's a way of stopping people leaving it on the ground for every ape to drive over.

Not in all of them..my local stations, most now charge for air...im blanking the ones that do actually charge for air.

L1011

I have NEVER seen a station that actually charges, e.g. keeps the coin, and I'd probably fill up in 15-20 different stations every single month (I've a van that's thirstier than Shane McGowan)

Chris_Heilong

it is an outrage, how dare they charge, even 10 cent seems to much for a few squirts of air but a euro is highway robbery. Let the garage know how angry you are OP otherwise this trend may continue.

colm_mcm

This has been discussed here

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056614249

Popoutman

One wonders if the gauges are properly calibrated and accurate, in those garages that are actually charging for the service as opposed to those taking the coin as a deposit. That for me would be the only value-add that could possibly be used as a reason the charge that much.

If it's a deposit system, that is fair enough. However an actual €1 charge (non-refunded) for the use of the air nozzle is not good value at all.

dr.fuzzenstein

Chris_Heilong

dr.fuzzenstein, are you offering to fill our tires with air, thats very kind of you after spending all that money on one of those expensive compressors/jumpstarter all in ones in all.

dr.fuzzenstein

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

http://images.maplin.co.uk/full/a56fr.jpg[/IM

Have one in my boot but it's really really slow.

kerry4sam

drunkmonkey wrote: »

I'm raging, a hot day, a long line in the shop and I didn't have a euro in my pocket, boy was I pissed off, it's been going on a while but it seems to be getting more common. I for one have a topaz fuel card and spend about 500pm with them. No more I tell you. No more. They dirty tight scumbags are charging for air in more and more places. I'm changing my fuel card, making a complaint to the rsa and will be avoiding topaz garages in the future.

It should not be legal for a garage to charge for air. I will bet any money that people avoid putting air in their tyres when they see the charge for air.

Can someone recommend a fuel card that is linked to garages that don't charge for air for your tyres.

The last-time I used one at a Topaz station I had to put a €uro in to release the cable, but once the cable was returned to the hook, the €uro was released back to me.
I find it handy having spare change in my car, for instances like this and impromptu parking for shopping in car-parks for example

carbon nanotube

MadsL wrote: »

Air isn't free now is it? A compressor takes a fair bit of electricity to run, and with the recession fuel prices are more and more competitive. Would you rather your fuel was pricier to cover the cost of "free" air?

good luck getting 'free' air in the uk.

Id rather pay 50p for a working compressor you can actually use than drive around like a mope looking for one that works.

Anan1

MCMLXXV wrote: »

That's a bit like saying restaurants should provide napkins even though they are not obliged to.

It kind of is, actually. Most people feel that they should, and they mightn't go back to one that didn't, but they're not calling for it to be made a legal requirement.

Big Nasty

Anan1 wrote: »

It kind of is, actually. Most people feel that they should, and they mightn't go back to one that didn't, but they're not calling for it to be made a legal requirement.

Not sure what you're getting at here. You asked why they should and I gave my opinion on same, end of.

MuppetCheck

I would gladly pay a euro if the equipment was working correctly.

By the lack of response from the original poster am I the only one thinking he has gone back to retrieve his euro from the slot?

dr.fuzzenstein

Chris_Heilong wrote: »

dr.fuzzenstein, are you offering to fill our tires with air, thats very kind of you after spending all that money on one of those expensive compressors/jumpstarter all in ones in all.

Only cost 40 yoyo. Get cher own!
It's in her car, since there was a fault with the aerial and it wouldn't retract all the way, running the battery down.
No way would that thing start my CMax.
I do have an aircompressor from LIDL in my boot.
I don't carry them for fear of having to pay for air (which I wouldn't), but more due to the fact that 90% of stations just do not have air in the first place. Limerick is terrible for it.
Except the Topaz on the Ennis road after the Coonagh roundabout, they have one of those one euro supermarket trolley type of things, very handy.
On Germany charging for restrooms:
If you buy a meal or a coffee, you get to use it for free, or if you pay, you get a voucher for a coffee.
Don't mind them at all for some reason, maybe because these toilets are clean, well lit, have soap, warm water and paper towels. A lot of toilets in Irish petrol stations look like this:

Anan1

MCMLXXV wrote: »

Not sure what you're getting at here. You asked why they should and I gave my opinion on same, end of.

I think you misunderstood my post. I didn't ask why they should, I asked why they should have to, ie on what grounds they should be legally obliged to provide air.

Big Nasty

Anan1 wrote: »

I think you misunderstood my post. I didn't ask why they should, I asked why they should have to, ie on what grounds they should be legally obliged to provide air.

I think it's obvious they have no legal obligation to provide 'free air'. I think it's just as obvious that you would argue with your own shadow.

fasttalkerchat

I've never seen a free one! You mean the air and water machines? They always run for a few minutes when you pay a euro or so.

SniperSight

The one where I work is constantly being run over, dropped, the connectors broken/bent. Unfortunately, because there are so many idiots out there our one spends more time broken than it does available to customers.
Everytime it gets mangled, it needs fixing, and that costs monies!
If the OP knows a company that fixes /maintains compressors and air hoses for free, perhaps he might let Topaz know...or by his own logic he's gonna be responsible for deaths etc.

Pkiernan

I know Topaz doesn't charge this guy for air:

gammygils

Well if they start charging for air in my area I'll use it no more
Motorists are shelling out enough already. Most of them gauges are dodgy
anyways. You can't see the readings.
I have a foot pump (2 yoyos in Pound Shop) And a Digital pressure reader (2 yoyos in Aldi). I also have the starter pack with compressor.
There's a principle here

starviewadams

The principle of getting free use of a machine that costs the garage money to maintain and repair!

Anan1

MCMLXXV wrote: »

I think it's obvious they have no legal obligation to provide 'free air'. I think it's just as obvious that you would argue with your own shadow.

You might read the thread properly before getting all cranky.;)

R.O.R

Anan1 wrote: »

MCMLXXV wrote: »

I think it's obvious they have no legal obligation to provide 'free air'. I think it's just as obvious that you would argue with your own shadow.

You might read the thread properly before getting all cranky.;)

Took you a while there to get the last word in. You must have been busy.....

Anan1

R.O.R wrote: »

Took you a while there to get the last word in. You must have been busy.....

What are you talking about? I made a simple point, why the need for the little digs? If you have an issue with what I said then be a man and address it.