CJ Gas Inc

Some of the cheapest gas this side of downtown! If you’re tired of getting price gouged at the Chevrons and Shells of the world, rest assured that little local gas stations like CJ will always gladly take your business.
Up until last year, I wouldn’t come here. That’s because the pumps were outdated and painfully slow and it’s not exactly the easiest place to get to when heading east on Folsom Boulevard. But that all changed when they replaced their old pumps with new, fast and efficient ones and expanded by adding a couple new ones. Now it’s in and out as fast as any of the big name gas stations.
Pro tip: Paying by debit will cost you extra so plan on binging cash and paying inside first.

Great Prices, But What Bullshit $ 75 «Hold» Policy Is This? Seriously?
SITREP
When hitting my eLearning Instructional Design classes at SacState Modoc Hall, hanging out at University Starbucks with classmates, and/​or just cruising through East Sacramento, THIS is my gas station of choice.
GOOD PRICES
CJ is generally a full 20, even 25 cents less than the service stations closer to my home in Midtown. Today it was only $ 3.09:
So if I find myself reasonably in this area — and more than half a tank empty — I’ll make the stop and fill-​up.
THE SETUP
I’ve had a long-​term relationship with this station going back years & years. However, the station has placarded the pumps with stickers (can’t believe I’m just noticing them now, but I don’t remember this the last time I stopped here on Halloween 2014), stating they MAY be entitled to put a $ 75 hold on your credit card when utilizing their gas pumps:
THE CONCERN
What if I only need $ 10 of gas? Does that mean that $ 65 extra dollars is going to put a 2-​Day (IF that’s all it is) hold on my credit-​card for a whole $ 75 hold?
Call me over-​curious, but I had to check it out:
(1) The fill-​up cost $ 32.64:
(2) The Credit Card hold after the fill-​up was…
…was only $ 32.64. So at least on my credit card, the hold was only for the amount of gas put into the car. [Not including the separate $ 1 pre-​charge to verify my account.] So the $ 75 hold is no doubt for the Debit-​Credit cards or Debit cards. But I’m not interested in checking THAT out just to see the full hold.
I have a problem with this kind of policy:
(A) Many gas companies don’t practice this policy — sure they do a $ 1 verification charge like Arco-​AMPM does, but they don’t «over”-hold;
(B) From personal experiences with lots of businesses that put on «holds» well beyond & above the expected charge, even after the gas is purchased, the rental car returned, the hotel room left, they will STILL «hold» your funds days, if not WEEKS until your next account statement cycle.
© The worst outcome is when a gas station states on the pump options, «Inside Credit» or «Outside Credit», and you choose «Outside Credit», but then after you swipe your credit card, the attendant THEN states on the intercom that you have to go inside. I refuse. So I leave. But then I notice that my online credit card accounts shows that I have a $ 40 «hold» from the gas station that I didn’t purchase any gas from. I call my credit card company, and sometimes I get to fill out an online complaint-​form that even leads to an investigation and the station getting fined, sometime with penalties if other complaints are already in the queue, and in once instance a business license suspension.
So I DESPISE «Hold» policies of any form and see them as archaic, useless vestige (and possibly symptomatic of a fraudulent business) before all banks were «verified”-interconnected.
Sure you have to live with some (ie. Hotels), but not all.
THE LOWDOWN
Good gas. Questionable «Hold» Policy — the fact that it is stated as a choiceless «waiver» on the gas pump, doesn’t reduce the risk of mal-​intent.

I’ve been coming here for years. It’s conveniently located between home and office. I had found they are on the lower end per gallon however, I have found that am/​on just on the other side of the freeway beats CJ.
You are able to pay with credit/​debit card at the pump, but have noticed a couple months ago the little sticker on the pump stating that you must have at least 75.00 available on your card because they hold that amount for a couple days.
The gas station itself is kept pretty clean. They provide the water and squeegees for your windshield. The little convenient store has your basics, but if you’re looking for hot gas station-​type food there is. 7 – 11 kiddie corner to CJ.

Very unassuming gas station at a convenient location. Low prices compared to the surrounding competition. Noticed though that they only had one trash can between two islands. I like that there are still independent gas stations around.

The gas prices here are usually lower than at the bigger name stations. It’s right on a corner and easy to get in and out of the property.

Cheap gas, caring staff, convenient location.

July 30, 2010: Clean, inexpensive gas (13 cents below the others in the area), window cleaning supplies in good shape and clean. In/​out, saved a few dollars, got some nicely clean windows. Easily accessible from Highway 50, using 65^th St exit. I drive a few extra miles to go here.

Any gas station that is willing to start carrying something because a customer has requested it is worth an extra star in my yook. Get it? Unilocal,book. Yook.