I don't know how many of you folks know this, but I drive a diesel. Yep that cute little white Jetta of mine is really an oil-burning monster! Well not monster...but it does burn diesel not gasoline. What does this have to do with the price of tea in China? You ask... Nothing.

However I get 48MPG average over the last 25000 miles. So I guess the 650 miles between fill-ups and cheap fuel prices should make me ecstatic. And they do! I love it. I love everything about my little car except its colors I would prefer blue with a tan interior, but when buying a car in February in a big rush you don't get so many choices. I do have one gripe. It isn't about the car exactly. It is about buying fuel for my car.

First the facts:
• not all gas stations have diesel
• not all stations that have diesel sell much leading to several issues
• the fuel might not be fresh, important when changing from summer to winter fuel
• the pumps are often neglected
• the places that sell the most diesel are truck stops
• Semis and other large trucks have MUCH bigger fuel tanks than does my Jetta (300gal vs. 14gal)
• the fuel filler neck on a VW Jetta will take a high flow fuel nozzle
• the price of diesel is less volatile than the price of gasoline

What does all this mean, well I have to be a bit more careful when getting close to the bottom of a tank that there is a station where I can buy fuel, not a big deal when you can go 650miles on a single tank easy. But it does require a bit of planning and fussing about in strange towns. This is made worse by the strange desire not to get stagnant fuel, the solution is to fill up at a truck stop before entering the aforementioned strange city/town because if I go 650 miles in a strange city or town it won't be so strange anymore and odds are I can now find fuel.

I know why there is only one diesel pump at most stations that have it, it requires duplication of equipment because unlike the 3 grades of gas diesel can't be run through the same lines with them. But why is it the dork with 5 kids in her minivan or the asshole flirting with the desk clerk inside, always park at the one pump with diesel, it takes them FOREVER to get in and out of the gas station, meanwhile I am sitting there waiting, while there are empty gasoline pump stands on both sides of me... sometimes all the way down, the only one occupied is the one I need. So if you are going to flirt with the fuel desk girl, park in a space, or use the pump stand that doesn't have diesel, PLEASE?

Truck stops are an adventure, not all of them have diesel available up in the car area. This means heading back into big truck land.. now I am not easily intimidated but driving a 3000lb car in an area filled with semis is a bit intimidating, worse is getting in line with them while they fuel, with a high flow pump or two even it still takes them a LONG time to fill up. When presented with this option and the option of driving on I usually drive on. The other problem with using the truck pumps is because they are very high flow (for those who haven't seen them the diameter of the nozzle is probably between 2x and 2.5x the size of the one you are used to) it is easy to make a mess, and truck drivers don't much care if they spill a quart or three of fuel, which means the ground is wet, and stinky the pumps are covered in slowly drying fuel oil and black and grimy. Not too pleasant. Oh and filling a little tank with one of these buggers is a hoot because you have to run it really slow or your tank won't vent and the pump keeps shutting off thinking the tank is full, once you get the angle perfect if you really open that pump up you are done so fast fuel sprays back out at a distance of 2 feet or so.. if you are poorly positioned you could get soaked (I have missed this experience thus far). Fuel runs all down the side of your car too.. not real pretty.

My big gripe though has to do with smaller stations, not truck stops. At a truck stop I realize that I am in their environment, they are out to fuel big things and that's what you get. But what is wrong with the rest of the stations on earth? Why are diesel drivers second class citizens? Look around some time...see the grungy pump sitting over near the air compressor? It looks like a 1970s reject, no roof over it, no pay at the pump option? that is probably the diesel pump, or possibly K-1 the only less fortunate fuel buyers on earth. Why can't diesel pumps be under cover with the rest of them? Why can't we have pay at the pump? Why are they always nasty and grimy? Well actually they aren't always there is this lovely BP/Amoco Swift Stop in Ames, where I get all these things, and a decent enough turnover of fuel too because the UPS and FedEx trucks fill there. Even there at my haven of fueling I look at the gasoline pump handle right next to the diesel one, it is clean and freshly wiped and nice... the diesel one looks like it was dipped in used motor oil, then oil dry then left to spread its grimy oiliness to the customer. Do the instructions for employees read "Clean Gasoline Pumps" and they take it literally. I know the stuff is pervasive and sticky and all but it can't be that hard to clean. I wouldn't come in and get the gas station sink all nasty and dirty if my hands didn't get that way from their pumps.

Flying J has a truck stop in Des Moines, it is sort of a hybrid situation, they have good fuel, good turnover, a twisted sort of pay at the pump (not as convenient as at their gasoline island) and they have an RV/Diesel/Propane Island away from the Truck pumps and from the gasoline pumps. The problem it isn't under cover, now when it is warm and dry this doesn't matter so much, but in a pouring rain, or sleet or snow I don't really dig standing out in the elements to fill my tank. Their pump handle is always clean though.. so I know it must be possible to get all of the elements of a nominal filling experience in one place but nobody has done it yet. I am not looking for the ultimate fueling experience, just the same nominal forgettable adventureless filling experience I had when I drove a gasoline powered vehicle.