boe4fun
Super Nomad
Posts: 1040
Registered: 1-22-2006
Location: Margaritaville
Member Is Offline
Mood: Circling the drain........
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Pemex rip off
The last Pemex station leaving La Paz - on the right side going towards Loreto (NOT the one at the fork near El Centenario but about a mile or so
before) will try to rip you off if you're not paying attention. I had a diesel bill for $1760 Pesos, counted out (4) $500 Peso notes and while I was
distracted putting my wallet away the attendant (a kid about mid twenties) tried to "palm" one and showed me he only had 3 bills. I reached over, took
his hand, turned it palm up and pointed to the bill he had rolled up and placed in his long sleeve shirt. "Desculpe" was all he said. I called him a
pendejo and got my change. Be forewarned about this station!
Two dirt roads diverged in Baja and I, I took the one less graveled by......
Soy ignorante, apático y ambivalente. No lo sé y no me importa, ni modo.
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Russ
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6741
Registered: 7-4-2004
Location: Punta Chivato
Member Is Offline
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Yep and the some station owners aren't any better. I know of one that will not pay the pitiful wages due his attendants. So if they can't get wages I
guess they'll work at another way to get money. And then there is the corporate guys. What a mess!
Bahia Concepcion where life starts...given a chance!
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bajabuddha
Banned
Posts: 4024
Registered: 4-12-2013
Location: Baja New Mexico
Member Is Offline
Mood: Always cranky unless medicated
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I got short-changed in El Rosario at Baja Cactus' station a few years back. I was too road-weary and in a hurry to get to Cataviña before dark, and
was short-changed by an attendant. Found out about it when I got to my camping spot and counted change in my pocket... made the ol' "lotsa peso
change for dolares / cash" switcheroo on me and I figger he got me for about $20 worth (large tank and bottles), and I've been doubly diligent ever
since... my fault for letting my guard down. Just goes to show a business is only as reputable as their employees. Crooks abound in all walks and
all places; proper awareness is the key, and as I learned the hard way, tiredness and travel are not good company.
I don't have a BUCKET LIST, but I do have a F***- IT LIST a mile long!
86 - 45*
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BajaBlanca
Select Nomad
Posts: 13165
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
Member Is Offline
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Quite a while ago, I somehow got done when they did not fill my tank properly, I never noticed until the dial was waaaay down (I was headed south) and
I luckily found someone with a drum when I was already going on fumes.
You snooze and you lose bigtime.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64478
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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You may want to add, that Antonio (owner of Baja Cactus Pemex) does not tolerate any such behavior of his staff. A full refund of your money not given
to you would be offered if you told him about the foul deed. It would help if you knew the date, time and best of all, the attendant's name (they all
wear uniforms with names). The Pemex in El Rosario is one of the good ones with honest pumps, too.
In addition to the motel and gas station, Antonio also runs the emergency rescue service with satellite bases opening soon in Cataviña and maybe also
in Punta Prieta. Here is the Facebook page for The Desert Hawks: https://www.facebook.com/HalconesdelDesierto/
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bajabuddha
Banned
Posts: 4024
Registered: 4-12-2013
Location: Baja New Mexico
Member Is Offline
Mood: Always cranky unless medicated
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DK, you're as thin-skinned as your Fuhrer. As I said, a station is only as reputable as the employees, and rip-offs abound... the guy is probably
long-gone. Or not. My parents had a grocery store, and employee thefts like till-tapping and 'back-door delivery' was constant. Far's 'letting
Antonio know' is concerned, I wasn't going to drive back over two hours to turn in someone I didn't read the name-tag. I was pushing for La Perla the
next day and took it to heart, lesson learned. We can't always be so tuned into total reality as you are.
In other words, I wasn't bashing Antonio, so take your defensive posture elsewhere, puh-leeze. I've also had many memorable chats with attendants at
his station in both Spanish and English. I hold no ill-will, and as I said, it was ultimately my fault and responsibility.
I don't have a BUCKET LIST, but I do have a F***- IT LIST a mile long!
86 - 45*
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64478
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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You weren't doing anything, but the complaining years later has the potential of damaging a good business.
Drive back to Rosario? Who would do that? Antonio has email, reads Nomad, and is totally into the customer experience. Give the guy a chance to fix
the wrong done to you. Give a fellow Nomad the benefit of what he can do to fix your rip off, if that is what it was.
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Gulliver
Senior Nomad
Posts: 651
Registered: 11-18-2013
Member Is Offline
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Every time I have thought that I had been significantly cheated in some way down here it has turned out to be some honest confusion or that I was just
plain mistaken. And I've been buying gas here off and on since 69.
I do have local advice that the two stations in Mulege have 'inaccurate' pumps but I cannot confirm that personally. I live in Mulege.
It's been many years (like 25+) since i have gotten any dirty gas including a bunch of bike fills from jars.
I'll second the voucher for Antonio at Baja Cactus. Those gals he employs would cut important parts off of anyone who tried to screw a customer.
On an unrelated subject, I have the EMTs at my fire department stateside save any un-needed or out slightly out of date supplies from their kits and
box them up. On my way south each year I drop them off with Antonio. That stretch from his place all the way past Catavina is much safer due to his
ambulance efforts. And any donations on his web site are not wasted and go a long way.
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bajagregg
Junior Nomad
Posts: 67
Registered: 9-6-2015
Member Is Offline
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I had a similar experience at that same station. It's a prepay station and the guy (sounds like the same person) did not have change after I was done
filling up. I found the correct change and settled the bill. Avoid this station.
Traveling Baja for 50 years.
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