If you are going to drive into Mexico, there is one very important thing you need to know: how to get gas. Unless you are from Oregon or New Jersey, you are probably used to pumping your own gas. Here in Mexico, your gas is always pumped for you, which means you need to be able to tell the gas station attendant what kind of gas you want and how much.
There are two types of gas here, magna and super. The pump for magna is green and the pump for super is red. Magna is equivalent to basic unleaded in the US. Super is like premium. There is no mid grade.
When we were first heading into Mexico, among all the research we found was a site that stated the correct way to say you wanted a full tank was completamente. While we did always get our point across using this word, it was laborious. We always got a puzzled look from the attendant, then after I repeated myself a few times, he would ask me something in Spanish, to which I always replied si, and I finally got some gas. I thought it was my bad pronunciation, but it turns out I was using the wrong word. The more common word is lleno (YAY-no), which also has the benefit of being easier to say.
A full tank of gas is great if you are traveling, but we drive so little around town that a full tank of gas would go stale before we used it all. I usually get $200MXN worth at a time, and that lasts about 3 weeks in the Ford Explorer. The word for 100 is ciento (see-AIN-toe). Just combine that with the appropriate number. 200 would be dos cientos, 300 would be tres cientos. This works for all the numbers except 500, which is quinientos (keen-YAIN-tose). If you still have problems, hold up the number of fingers of cientos you want when you say your number.
When you want to specify the type of gasoline, you can say magna or super and you will be understood perfectly. It is an acceptable way to request a type of gas. However, at least in Mazatlan, I find that it is much more common to specify by color. So, to get $200MXN worth of magna, I say "dos cientos verde, por favor." If you wanted a full tank of super, you would say, "rojo lleno, por favor."
Theoretically, while your tank is filling, the attendant will wash your windows, check the air in your tires, and check your oil. I have never had that happen. The best I have ever gotten without asking is all the windows washed. Usually they only do the windshield. If they are busy, they don't do anything. I have asked on a couple of occasions for the attendant to check the air in my tires. They always do so willingly and add air when necessary. I always tip between 3 and 5 pesos, based upon the number of services the attendant has performed for me. If they don't do anything, no tip is necessary.
You will not see gas prices posted outside of gas stations. All gas stations are Pemex. They are run by the government, and the price is regulated. It's going to be the same at any station you choose. Just like anywhere else, there are some stations that aren't up to the weights and measures standard. You can go to the Profeco website and see which ones are not dispensing the correct amount of gasoline.
There are a few other things to look out for. I have heard tales of attendants who fail to zero the pump before they fill your tank, although I have only read that on the internet. I haven't actually talked to someone who had a problem. I suspect this will die away as the stations are modernized. All of the stations I go to have electronic pumps and zero automatically.
That doesn't mean you won't get scammed. It's not common, but it happens. Two years ago, when Chuck and I were driving back to Texas, we stopped at a roadside Pemex for gas. It was late, and we were tired. We had asked the attendant to fill the tank. When he was done, he came to the window and waited for the money. I casually handed him a 500 peso note and went back to talking with Chuck. He got my attention and showed me a 50 peso note and indicated I had given him the wrong amount of money. I assumed I was tired and made a mistake. I traded him the 50 peso note for a 500, got my change and went on my way. We stopped a little ways down the road and counted our money. We quickly realized that I had indeed given him a 500 peso note to begin with and had just been scammed out of 450 pesos.
I have gotten very spoiled having someone pump my gas for me. I think all gas stations should be this way! And even with full time attendants there to pump your gas and wash your windows, gas is still cheaper than in the US. Most stations also have a convenience store attached, so snacks, ice, and bathrooms are available.
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