Topaz Fuel Card - Worth Getting?

ianobrien

Lads & Lassies,

I have the opportunity of getting/signing up a Topaz Fuel Card through the group scheme at work and I am wondering if any of you have any feedback. It's offering 2c per litre off on both petrol & diesel and it's weekly billing by direct debit. My questions are

1. Convenience - if you get milk/sandwich/etc can that be put on the card also?
2. Billing errors - have any of you seen any billing errors?
3. How long usually between the fuel being bought and being paid for by direct debit?
4. Initial setup costs & annual costs?

It appears to me the only advantage is 2c a litre off the fuel, equating to approx 1€ off on an average fill (50L). If you're getting a tank a week that could be €50 saved.

_Kaiser_

ianobrien wrote: »

Lads & Lassies,

I have the opportunity of getting/signing up a Topaz Fuel Card through the group scheme at work and I am wondering if any of you have any feedback. It's offering 2c per litre off on both petrol & diesel and it's weekly billing by direct debit. My questions are

1. Convenience - if you get milk/sandwich/etc can that be put on the card also?
2. Billing errors - have any of you seen any billing errors?
3. How long usually between the fuel being bought and being paid for by direct debit?
4. Initial setup costs & annual costs?

It appears to me the only advantage is 2c a litre off the fuel, equating to approx 1€ off on an average fill (50L). If you're getting a tank a week that could be €50 saved.

I have one for personal use.

It used to be the case that there was a fixed weekly price regardless of where you filled up, and it was billed monthly - this was FAR better!

Then about a year ago they changed it to the system you describe, basically because a small minority of tools weren't paying the bill. The new system makes it practically useless IMO and the savings are minimal.
Topaz is usually more expensive anyway but the convenience it USED to offer made it worth it to me.

1. No you can't add anything else. Just fuel and maybe a car wash I think
2. Billing seems pretty spot on to be fair
3. Bills are issued on a Friday and taken Monday week (eg: issued tomorrow 1/8, taken 11/8)
4. Costs are pretty minimal. I certainly don't notice them.

However, due to the above changes the card is pretty useless to me now so I only use it if I'm stuck or maybe towards the end of the month if I need a fill before I get paid.

BMJD

there are no set-up or monthly/annual costs

you can use it to pay for car washes, as far as I remember you can't use it for anything else

obezyana

I had one I found it wasn't really an advantage but if you were ever stuck for fuel and had no cash then it's handy that way but if that's never the case then I think it's not really any benefit.

ironclaw

One of my cars takes about 35L per week. So this would save me about 36.40 per year, which is equivalent to 1.2% off the total fuel bill if I didn't have the saving. Can't see the point unless your doing serious mileage.

quadrifoglio verde

ironclaw wrote: »

One of my cars takes about 35L per week. So this would save me about 36.40 per year, which is equivalent to 1.2% off the total fuel bill if I didn't have the saving. Can't see the point unless your doing serious mileage.

And theres usually cheaper than topaz out there. My local Maxol is 2 cents cheaper than my nearest Topaz, esso on the way to work is 3 cents cheaper.

Frankie Lee

Maxol fuels are generally considered better than Topaz I believe besides I don't see how anyone would willingly support these.

_Kaiser_

Frankie Lee wrote: »

Maxol fuels are generally considered better than Topaz I believe besides I don't see how anyone would willingly support these.

Slightly O/T, but ok... does that really matter when buying fuel?

Seriously, this country is corrupt and inept from top to bottom (just look at the sentences the Anglo pair got this afternoon!). Seeing as we don't "do" protesting, and we don't "do" change, you're going to be supporting Biffo and his mates either way - or do you REALLY think Kenny and Co are any different?

Besides, it'll be FF's turn at the wheel again shortly anyway.

wonski

I had one, but cancelled it as soon as the weekly billing and 2c discount started.

I have enough monthly direct debits, another one every week might be difficult to keep an eye on. The discount is pointless - other petrol stations are cheaper than that anyway.

It was very convenient to budget it monthly, one bill for all the petrol was great, and the fixed price even better - especially if you filled up in Dublin.
Now it isn't worth the hassle tbh.

You could buy petrol/diesel and engine oils iirc.

pawrick

I had considered it but the Topaz garage near me over the past 1.5 years at its cheapest was 2 cent more expensive than most other garages in the area and at it's worse was 6 cent dearer! No savings to be made for me in this case for the extra trouble of signing up to a bill. if it worked out cheaper I'd sign up however.

151.5 currently cheapest around Athlone town with Topaz around 154.9 or 156.9 depending on the day of the week.

ianobrien

Thanks for all the replies. I was thinking about it as I've heard that Topaz diesel is "supposedly" better than other diesels in the market and I'm switching to a new diesel motor. Given the amount of crap that can be found in some diesels (and having seen what has come out of some fuel filters when friends who are mechanics are changing diesel pumps) I was thinking of getting it and using Topaz diesel only.

quadrifoglio verde

ianobrien wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies. I was thinking about it as I've heard that Topaz diesel is "supposedly" better than other diesels in the market and I'm switching to a new diesel motor. Given the amount of crap that can be found in some diesels (and having seen what has come out of some fuel filters when friends who are mechanics are changing diesel pumps) I was thinking of getting it and using Topaz diesel only.

If you tell enough people that you're diesel is best (they advertise it at their pumps) eventually it will become the common belief.
Personally I find no difference between maxol, topaz, esso and texaco. I have found however that my car doesn't seem to be as happy running on apple green or tesco petrol (yes it could be all in my head, but Ill stick to the likes of maxol where it always seems to run happy on).

jspuds

A few years back I got a fill of dodgy fuel from a non-branded garage and the mechanic that fixed the car told me Topaz are the only supplier that guarantee their fuel as they control the whole supply chain, not sure if this is true but it's what he told me.

ianobrien

quadrifoglio verde wrote: »

If you tell enough people that you're diesel is best (they advertise it at their pumps) eventually it will become the common belief.
Personally I find no difference between maxol, topaz, esso and texaco. I have found however that my car doesn't seem to be as happy running on apple green or tesco petrol (yes it could be all in my head, but Ill stick to the likes of maxol where it always seems to run happy on).

Ya I was thinking along those lines alright. After all, marketing is a wonderful thing......

ianobrien

A friend of mine runs a garage and any diesel car or van that comes in with high pressure fuel pump problems he takes a sample of diesel from the tank, and marked where the diesel was bought. They are frightening as to what cheap diesel really is. I was thinking of Topaz alright due to the quality (or perceived quality, rather than marketing). I don't fancy dropping over €1k on fuel pump rebuild due to "dodgy" diesel.

Thanks all. I will probably get it alright. After all, if there is another branded station cheaper nearby I can always do the maths.....

Peanut2011

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

I have one for personal use.

It used to be the case that there was a fixed weekly price regardless of where you filled up, and it was billed monthly - this was FAR better!

Then about a year ago they changed it to the system you describe, basically because a small minority of tools weren't paying the bill. The new system makes it practically useless IMO and the savings are minimal.
Topaz is usually more expensive anyway but the convenience it USED to offer made it worth it to me.

1. No you can't add anything else. Just fuel and maybe a car wash I think
2. Billing seems pretty spot on to be fair
3. Bills are issued on a Friday and taken Monday week (eg: issued tomorrow 1/8, taken 11/8)
4. Costs are pretty minimal. I certainly don't notice them.

However, due to the above changes the card is pretty useless to me now so I only use it if I'm stuck or maybe towards the end of the month if I need a fill before I get paid.

This is spot on! I canceled mine when the new they changed the deal. The reason was that Topaz station is usually 2 cents more expensive anyway, so no real saving!

Bandara

jspuds wrote: »

A few years back I got a fill of dodgy fuel from a non-branded garage and the mechanic that fixed the car told me Topaz are the only supplier that guarantee their fuel as they control the whole supply chain, not sure if this is true but it's what he told me.

No its not true.

Unless one has free banking a weekly direct debit isn't an insignificant cost.

bcmf

Topaz South of Ashbourne has Diesel at 1.40.

zg3409

BMJD wrote: »

there are no set-up or monthly/annual costs

All new account applications will incur a fee of €25 (or sterling equivalent). The fee will be charged in the first invoice from FCS

Other places they say the card is 100% free!

https://www.topazcard.ie/terms

obezyana

zg3409 wrote: »

Other places they say the card is 100% free!

https://www.topazcard.ie/terms

Yep I got mine for free.