History Remember when Service Stations gave Service?

I worked at a Gulf Station in Birmingham MI. We had 18 gas pumps. This was in weekend job during '77-'79 during the old rationing. We were only alotted a cerian amount of fuel per day to sell. Man people would be pissed when we had to stop selling early in the day.

But you know two of us would go to the car. One would pump the gas and the other would wash the windshield, check all the fluids, tire pressure, and even empty the ash tray. The customer would give you their card you take her inside and slide her thru the imprinter. Then put it on to the old plastic company clip board with the card sticking up and have them sign it and give'm the top copy. They would always ask you to destroy the carbon.
Man the winters were brutal!

 

Pumped gas at Seth Miller's Union 76 station in Pasadena, CA, 61-63...Google Mapped it, now it's a U-Haul...whole neighborhood is changed. Filled tanks, checked oil, washed windshields, and filled batteries with what we said was distilled water ... (water actually came from the men's room). When people asked me what I did, I told them I was a "replacement engineer." Proud to have done it, though.

 

We use to say we were "Petrolum Transfer Agents" and "Automobile test equipment inspectors"....

 

Great Thread...

How about some dumb ass customer stories, here one of mine...

Guy pulls in with a Vega with the aluminum block, which is overheading. he wants me to fill the radiator with water, I'm told him lets let it cool down a wee bit and we will put some anti-freeze/water in it. Now I am just a kid (16) and had not been around cars too much, but my thinking is hot alum. engine + cold water not a good idea. I say dude you could crack the block and I will not be responsible, so he says just do it. So i did, you should have seen it the motor start to shake like a paint shaker and then stopped with a big puff, I'm like dude let push over to the side and call a tow truck.

 

There are stupid, over-paid people in every field. My 5 hours of cooler stocking, carrying 50 pound crates of pop in back breaking posistions repeatedly, cleaning up people's piss, sweeping up their ciggarette butts and picking up their garbage is only worth $30 a night with taxes and all.

Actually, its hard to find anyone that will come in around a certain time, not steal anything, and actually do their job. So I don't think minimum wage is too high.

 

Yep. The last gas station to be a full service station in Lakeport, ca switched over from that to a food, beer, soda, horseshit lighters and blinking dice station in the early 90's. A friend of mine worked there as a mechanic until it changed over. I believe it was about 1993. We used to hang out there on the weekends when the place closed, and it was always cool that my buddy worked there because if you needed oil, tranny fluid, or wiper blades, he got them for you. Wow,that really wasn't that long ago. But no kidding, full service gas stations are a thing of the past, and that's pretty sad. You break down somewhere on some backroad and need to find a service station that has an auto mechanic, good luck. More of the things in the past I wish were still around in my area.

 

A buddy of mine said there are still a couple around the K-falls oregon area, not sure if it's true or not. JOKER JASON.

 

The whole world is just shot now, I can't remember the last time the customer was right. You ask to speak to a manager and they're even dumber and more disrespectful than the fool who was helping you to begin with.

Everything these days is charge you the most they can while providing the least they can get away with.

 

Service stations still exist where people are willing to pay a little extra for service. 76 in Kingsburg CA offers full service if you honk. Employees wear uniforms. The station stocks a lot of parts, has a full-time mechanic with a helper, and the boss Robert is a nice guy who will pick up your car at your place of employment for service and return it the same day. He subcontracts work to local garages if a repair exceeds his capability, and he absolutely stands behind any work done in or through his station. We give him all our business even though his gas is not the cheapest in town.

The reason service stations are rare today is the majority of people won't pay a nickel for service. If we patronized only businesses that offered first class service, others would soon have to offer the same level of service or die. We're not getting the service we're not paying for.

I'm a child or the 50's. It was a much classier time. People were willing to pay a little extra for service, and got it. They ate off of fine china in air-conditioned stainless steel railroad dining cars going 81 miles an hour that arrived on time. Airlines made even coach passengers feel like they were something special. Automobiles were also regarded as something special and well cared for. It would still be like that today if the majority of people wanted it, but the sad fact is they don't.

 

the bells are still up at my father in laws old chevron station....last used about 91 or so.....one of those sounds you sorta miss hearing nowadays.

 

Here's a picture of when our shop had a Service Station out front....

-Jeremy

 

My Dad owned two Service Stations from 1953 to 1977, ( Shell, Veltex, Chevron). I started working there, in the summers, when I was 13. And every summer after that through high school and college. There was a comradery, working there, that I have never felt since. Basically a family affair; Grandfathers, an Uncle, 2 cousins and a few friends. It was a good time for the automobile. Performance was on everyone's lips. They were always "Full" service stations no matter what marque they carried. I learned alignments, rebuilds, smog, tune-ups and, of course, all aspects related to tires and servicing. I wonder how many remember the "After-Market" toilet paper oil filter, spin balancing tires ON the car, Lubesters, glass oil bottles and arcing drum brake linings.... Ah, the smell of asbestos. Always speed equipment laying around; Offy, Edelbrock, Eddie Meyers, Fenton, Hooker, Doug, you name it. Bikes too. My grandfather riding in on his '46 Chief and my Dad on his Pan. Teenage memories that still make me smile. I was a lucky guy.