Arco

 

2

14

Satoko B.

Tiburon, CA

Price is worth the wait, even with the debit charge.  The lines go fairly fast, even if you are a few cars back.   Avoid first thing in AM and between 4 and 6 (DUH!!)

Service is not the friendliest but hardly needed.

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Elite '08

228

1447

Yan M.

San Francisco, CA

This is one of the cheapest gas station and this is Marin county!! It's great to pump up before coming back into the city! It's literally $0.30-$0.40 per gallon cheaper and it makes quite a difference IMHO.

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5

50

andree t.

San Francisco, CA

Only go here if you dont care about your car. The gas sucks at all Arcos. It is cheap yes, but when I see nice cars coming to get gas here I dont get it. There is such thing as quality in gas. Go to a Chevron or 76. In the end the price difference is only like a dollar. Plus you have to wait in that long ass line of dumb people. I want gas prices to go down too but I refuse to get shitty gas.

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Elite '08

177

157

Robyne G.

Mill Valley, CA

This station is very convenient for me coming from San Rafael to Mill Valley every day for work.... I just take the exit and pull in... also the prices are the lowest I have seen in Marin....  

Soooooooooooooo why only the 3 stars... well it is because the people who normally visit this station are S T U P I D and can't figure out how to keep the traffic flowing.  Its a very simple process... pull up... take an open spot...  inset cash or debit card... go to pump.... pump.... complete pumping.... return handle to cradle.... put cap back on.... get in car.... pull out....  Ta Da...  

They have a ton of bays to pull your car in to.... and for those of you who don't understand unless you are driving a huge SUV or Truck you probably are stuck with making certain your gas pump is on the same side as your gas cap... however for most of us who have large, mid-size, and small cars just a heads up, their hoses reach and you don't have to worry about being on the correct side.... sure would make the process go a bit more quickly....

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Elite '08

99

123

Laura T.

Redwood City, CA

The cheapest gas station is WHERE?!?

Years ago, I paid my rent babysitting for nice, rich families in Tiburon, and could never get over the fact that a gas station in MARIN, of all places, had prices that were consistently about 10-20 cents less than the cheapest place in San Francisco. I would wait all week to fill up my gas tank at this Arco. 7 years later, I have yet to see a place within 50 miles of my house that has cheaper gas prices than the Tiburon Arco (OK so maybe it's not technically in Tiburon since it's on the other (west) side of the freeway but that's how I think of it cause it's right there off the 101 by the Tiburon Exit).

When looking up Arco on Yelp, I was a little confused as to which of the 2 Arco's in Marin is "the really cheap one" (I didn't know the street name). There seem to be a few in Marin but one look at the map told me this is the one - just off the freeway, after the Belvedere exit if you're heading to SF (on the other side of the fwy is the 'strawberry' shopping center with the Safeway). I just filled up yesterday and gas was "just" 3.09 a gallon (yeah it makes me sick that I'm actually saying 3.09 is cheap but when the cheapest place in my hood - the Arco on Whipple - is 3.19 it gives me a sense of glee to know I just saved ten cents a gallon.)

Lines can be a little long but it seems like if your tank is on the right side of the car, or even if you don't but have a small car and can stretch the gas hose all the way to the other side of your car, you're in luck, cause the lanes for people with right side gas tanks seem to be pretty empty. Lucky for me I have a little CRX and it's easy to stretch the hose!  And I have to give this place kudus for their renovations. It's huge now, compared to when I used to come here regularly after work.

I'm not crazy about the fact that they charge a debit fee, but I just plan ahead and bring cash (yes I am that cheap - I refuse to fork over that 45 cents dammit). Then when I go inside to get my change I know I'll probably be able to use it for the hefty bridge toll.

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Elite '08

107

362

Rachel C.

Tiburon, CA

Yep! I go to this station too!

It is a royal pain-in-the-you-know-what, but with gas prices the way they are and, even worse, the way they fluctuate on a daily basis, we all need to seek out the cheapest station you can find and just grin and bare the other stuff.  

Other stuff: Long lines, 45-cent debit charge, non printable receipts,  jocking for position, long lines inside, pumps that don't work, grumpy clerks, easy to get in (if you are headed south), hard to get out of (it you are headed north), etc. etc.  

All this station really gives you is the cheapest gas around . . . . sometimes it is well worth it to just smile and be patient.

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Elite '08

368

484

Jason R.

San Francisco, CA

I can't stand that I have to go to this station, but I do it anyway.

The problem is I usually need gas when I'm headed north, not southbound on 101, so I do that horrific loop past the Ferrari dealership and all of that.

Then when you get there, there's always a line.

Worst of all, though, is their pumps don't really work. They start pumping and then stop. I start them again and then they stop. I mean what's the big deal, why can't they just keep pumping? They kinda remind me of me in the sack circa 1996.

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Elite '08

65

153

Leon R.

San Francisco, CA

Some of the cheapest gas in Marin, but a pressure cooker environment.  Also a breeding ground for ill-mannered behavior.  Expect multiple lines, sometimes out to the street.  Everyone's jockeying to get in and get out quickly, with the occasional yelling/honking match.  Whatever.  If you want to sip hot tea, go to Chevron.  Ladies, if you prefer gentlemen, go to Chevron.  From what I witnessed today, you sure as hell won't find any here.  What really annoys the shit out of me is the $.45 debit card surcharge.  Just grit your teeth and press YES.

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Elite '08

31

234

allison s.

Indianapolis, IN

Yes, this one is a pressure cooker. But I make a special voyage to this place once a week to fill up. Yes the debit card charge blows, but I can spare $.40 when I am saving $.30 a gallon compared to my local place in Fairfax.

Fairfax: $3.63
here: $3.33

I will take the longs lines, 6 lanes of idiots... maybe not a wise choice afterall.

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