TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin buying gas

best to buy on French or Dutch side? do they normally take credit cards?

Gasoline is sold in litters and you will want to fill the car up before you return it to the rental agency. No gas station, none that we found, seems to accept gasoline credit cards so leave those gasoline credit cards at home. There are Sol, Texaco, Cadisco (sp), Gess, Best Gas and probably other gasoline stations on the island. I find the Cadisco near Orient Beach to be the cheapest. They normally sell it in Euro’s but they accept $1= 1 Euro. There is a Sol and Texaco station just below the airport where you can fill up, before returning the car, but they are expensive.

regular (mastercard) credit cards ?

US dollars cash at Cadisco by Orient has always been the best deal when I have looked as well.

No. Do not plan on ANY gas station accepting credit cards. Possibly one or two do, but I do not personally know of any. Honestly, in a week or so, how much gas can you use on such a small island anyway? Budget $50 to $75 for gas for your week to ten day stay and you should be fine.

Well, the Texaco station off of the roundabout by Le Grande Marche and Mark's Place on Bush Road takes cards, but you have to go inside and use the self serve pumps. Lately, I just let the gas men put it in for me there, same price except for the extra I give them. Agree, it is a small expense while on the Island.

I do have to laugh a bit about some folks, I know, spending far more at the bars and then worrying about saving a few pennies at the pump. To each their own, as they say.

"Gasoline is sold in litters" Didn't know they breed gasoline. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

If you buy on the Dutch side the pump price is in Antilean Guilders. I use the approx conversion of 35 Guilders equals 20 US. If I do buy on the Dutch side I pull out a 20 for the attendant and then check they pump in 35G's worth

Note learned that from TTOL!, thanks to whoever posted that tip a yr or so ago!

J&B

Cadisco in Nettle Bay Area take Visa definitely and probably MasterCard. Had no problems in March. If I paid with US dollars it was at a rate of 1.20, by using the credit card it was 1.06. They did not offer 1-1, driving around we noticed the Cadiscos near Orient and out around Marigot were cheaper, but not by much.

Are you sure it wasn't the other way around with Cash being 1.06 and CC being 1.20?

No. It was more expensive to pay with cash than with the credit card.

If you use a credit card and they put it through in Euros, you'll get the most current conversion rate. What Kim said makes sense to me.

almost choked on my celery...very funny

Gas prices on the Dutch side are fixed and the latest price I see reported in the Daily Hearld is 1.999 NAF per liter. With the 1.75 to 1 exchange rate, the Dutch side price per liter is 1.142 USD.

The Cadisco on the way to Orient Beach and the one on the Marigot side of the French bridge offer 1:1 with cash (Euro to USD). So if their prices are less than 1.142 euros, which I suspect they are, then those are probably the cheapest on the island.

I just drove past the Cadisco in Sandy Ground on the lagoon (NOT the one Kim mentioned). They do NOT take credit cards; they give $1= 1 euro, and gas (essence) was .96 per liter - cheapest it's been since late October.

So gas is currently about 16% cheaper at the Cadisco on the Marigot side of the French bridge than what's charged on the Dutch side.

Just back. I used a full serve pump in Sucker Garden. The attendant seemed a little bit down. I tipped him two dollars and watched a highly appreciative smile cross his face. So, I did it again elsewhere on the island and same result. It made me feel good and it was appreciated by the attendant. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

I just got back last week also. Honestly, in the three weeks we were there, i filled up twice....once when the light was on, and that was at the Texaco station across from the big grande marche at the circle. I was very pleasantly surprised when was charged only 40 bucks...and it was filled to the brim. Second fill was at the Sol station in Simpson Bay on our way to return the car. The light wasn't on yet, but it cost me 40 bucks then too. I have heard from different people during our years of staying, that the gas on the french side is more ''watered'' down than the Dutch side. Is it??? I really don't know, but usually buy it on the dutch side, and don't shop price, because i figure the difference would be very small.

EdB,
I have heard the term "watered down" used before when speaking of gasoline. I don't think there is any way to add water to gas and not cause major problems with the way the car runs. I'm sure it just seems that you didn't get as much gas for the same price at Sol.