LA to Sacramento

[hondatech]

Hi, im thinking about taking a trip to Sacramento in my 08 GX, however, seems like most of the stations there need PG&E cards or Pinnacle cards. I plan to drive up there and spend about 2 days in Sacramento, how am I supposed to fill up?

[freedml]

Re: LA to Sacramento

yes, you need to get a PGE card past Tulare. It's a hassle, so start early.

[PaulH]

Re: LA to Sacramento

Part of the hassle is that you need to receive brief training from a PG&E instructor before they will issue a card so you will need to plan ahead to schedule an appointment. However, PG&E has stations in many strategic locations (including the new station in Los Banos); if you plan to drive through the Central Valley, the Bay Area and Sacramento it is worth the hassle.

[hondatech]

Re: LA to Sacramento

Great, thanks for the info, I will contact them right away.

[Triskal]

Re: LA to Sacramento

Pinnacle stations don't require a Pinnacle card. They just take Visa/MC. In fact, Pinnacle won't give cards out to the public. I've tried. Wish they would. There have been several situations where the CC machine was out of order, but the Pinnacle cards would have worked. When planning routes, given the sparsely-located stations, one really depends on it being operational when one arrives with an empty tank.

[John Mitton]

Re: LA to Sacramento

I recently went up the 101 via Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, then San Jose. All of these stations take Visa/MC but if San Luis Obispo is down you are hosed since Salinas requires the PG&E card.

[freedml]

Re: LA to Sacramento

Unless you can show that you have had formal training, such as with a Phill install (formal training, Ha!)

[chromevader]

Re: LA to Sacramento

Unless you can show that you have had formal training, such as with a Phill install (formal training, Ha!)

Would this satisfy the formal training requirement?

http://www.cleanenergyfuels.com/training/

[PaulH]

Re: LA to Sacramento

I don't think so. I'm in the middle of getting a PG&E account. The paper work is complete, the account is set-up, but they will not give me a card until I receive instruction in person. And since the instructor no longer has a CNG vehicle to use for the instruction, I have to wait until my GX arrives until I can receive the instruction and get a card.

[hondatech]

Re: LA to Sacramento

I spoke to Adam with PG&E and after sending in the application and a letter stating that I was trained at the dealership where I purchased my GX, my card was OVERNIGHTED the very next day because I was in a rush to go to Sacramento. Actually, i'm leaving tomorrow morning.

[OptimaCNG]

Re: LA to Sacramento

I passed through the process and received my PG&E card by overnight yesterday, PG&E's price is way better than CE. Enjoy your trip!

[hondatech]

Re: LA to Sacramento

Well, to make it a long story short, my overnight mail did not come, so I left Pomona on Saturday morning headed out to Sacramento. Had to replan the stops to go to stations that took credit cards instead of the PG&E card. Filled in San Fernando, then to Delano, then swung by Woodland near Sacramento. Woodland fill was horrible, so before I left I went to Ranch Cordova, man what a great fill! Averaged 300 miles before low fuel light came on doing 75mph average. Who says a GX is a commuter car?

[OptimaCNG]

Re: LA to Sacramento

Great! I tried to fill at San Rafael PG&E station on labor day with no luck. I glad I made the whole trip to Oyster farm from Fremont. End up refill at Hayward PG&E station without key access on next morning. Prefect pressure, up to 4100 psi for 3600 psi pump and $2.22/gge. Try to ignore CE station.

I want to have a trip from Bayarea to South Cal. Does anyone can fill at Los Banos then refill at Santo Clarita skip Bakersfield? BTW check www.cngprices.com shows Los Banos station is non-operational.