Best All Around Fuel Card

[Jerry Emert]

Wondering if you RV Gurus/experts have found a good all around discount credit card.  I have and use the Pilot/Flying J discount/credit card frequently.  We are going to Alaska through Canada in the summer and when I looked at the 6000 mile trip from Orlando to Fairbanks I almost fell out of my chair.  I figure my coach costs around 50 cents a mile, maybe a little less, in diesel alone to operate.  So any other credit cards that y'all have found that have a good cash back or miles or something?  After last summer I think I have  PTSD where money is concerned!  I keep telling myself that the 2 year retirement reward vacation is almost half way gone and we are right on budget so chill!  Thanks as always.
Jerry

[David T. Richelderfer]

We have four or five different charge cards.  Recently we got 40c per gallon off when filling my pickup at Fry's in the Fortuna Foothills (Yuma) using our Kroger card in conjunction with the AmEx charge card.  The amount of credit one gets using the Kroger card depends upon how much is spent in the grocery store.  Safeway has a similar program.  We also have VISA, CFN, Pacific Pride, and RVPlus charge cards.  The best card is the one of many that works best at the particular filling station that is convenient to get into.

The RVPlus card will give 6c to 12c off the billboard's list price (which is good) but the list price is usually 15c to 20c over the "cheap stations" in the area (which is bad).  Many times for the added $10 to $15 cost to fill, using the RVPlus card is worth the easy in and out convenience at a Pilot or Flying J.

[Lee Welbanks]

David,
Be warned, if you read the sticker on the fuel pumps at Fry's, Circle K, Safeway, and others it is illegal to fuel our 3 axle coaches at these stations, Az charges a different fuel tax ($.18), There has been much talk about if a 3 axle coach is exempt to know real answer, but most say it is a $1000 fine if you get caught, for the price difference I'm not taking that chance anymore.

[Jerry Emert]

Is this only Az?

[Lee Welbanks]

Jerry, Yes I think Az is the only state that has this weird fuel tax. We had a Fry's close to the old house in San Tan and I fueled there many times until I actually read the statement sticker on the pump. I'm not taking any chances anymore not worth the trouble.

https://community.fmca.com/topic/7428-police-to-enforce-fuel-taxation-in-arizona/

[David T. Richelderfer]

Lee - I am well aware of Arizona's convoluted fuel tax law on diesel.  And we cannot get into a Fry's or Safeway to fuel the coach unless their associated parking lot is empty for several rows.  Given time and patience I suppose I could manage it, but what's the point of risking a several thousand dollar scrape to save a few dollars?

The cheapest fuel station in Quartzsite is the Arco station on the East end of downtown.  The diesel price is the same at the auto pumps in front versus the truck pumps in the back, yet the fuel tax notification stickers show, per gallon, 16c in front versus 26c in back.  I am thinking the Asian Indian family who operates the business either doesn't understand the fuel tax law, or aren't paying the state the extra 8c tax on the back pumps, or just don't care that they are losing 8c per gallon on the back truck pumps.

For more details, if you're interested...    http://beaveramb.org/forum/index.php/topic,5393.msg40364.html#msg40364

[William Jordan]

AZ tax was supposedly clarified that private rvs ( no matter the weight) do not pay the tax weight based tax   . I've seen several posts debunking this , I believe in the escapee forums and others. Plenty of confusion to be sure in the last couple years. I believe the latest I heard was you could fill at the commercial pumps and go in for a rebate.
We carry the Good Sam F/J fuel card and a couple fuel cash back cards. Costco and a Shell branded MasterCard gas card work well for us and then keep enough cash on hand to cover several fill ups. Price is considered but Convenience is top of mind.

[Lee Welbanks]

The Az reg that covers this is ARS 28-5432, within it does not say anything about exempting Rv's. I called the Az DOT office and they stated that as far as he knew you have to follow the decal and ARS 28-5432.
The difference in price is not worth the trouble if a ADOT official was to write you up.

[Joel Ashley]

Jerry's question isn't about the Arizona tax.