Just received a Chevron Texaco Pre Qual offer in the mail. Worth it or NO?

[Anonymous]

Just received a Chevron Texaco Pre Qual offer in the mail. Is this card worth getting? I currently spend around $100.00 a week in gas. I always use Chevron but never knew they had a card. How accurate are their pre approvals? Is this card worth getting?

[chalupaman]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Just received a Chevron Texaco Pre Qual offer in the mail. Is this card worth getting? I currently spend around $100.00 a week in gas. I always use Chevron but never knew they had a card. How accurate are their pre approvals? Is this card worth getting?

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I used to have the non Visa version. It was an alright card but it was when I didn't have as much credit history. They started me off at $500 and I got an auto increase to $800 a few months later since I used the card and PIF. If you regularly get gas at Chevron, which I think is more expensive here, I can see the appeal in having the card. I keep hearing about people wanting to get at least one of these gas cards as an emergency. I don't know if I'd ever want to have something like this again. The Visa's tempting but I don't wanna risk ending up with the store version again.

[Anonymous]

The card is pretty easy to get.  With a 670 TU, I'm guessing you'll get the VISA version...I got the VISA with around 650 score.

Is it worth it?  I'd say it is if you spend $100 a week on gas and exclusively buy Chevron.  They have cashback if you pass XXX amount per month.

The other nice perk is they give you the same as cash price.

The first month I believe they give you $.50 cashback per gallon.  CLI's are easy too.

APR is high so I really only use the card when I buy Chevron gas.

[Kirmie2010]

If you always use Chevron and want to keep the limits open on your other cards it would be a great card to get.  If you get better gas rewards from a different card you may want to pass on it.  Or just get it, for overall utilization!  Cap on earning is 300 per year.

Current deal when I got my card (last week) was 10 cents off per gal for 6 months then 5 cents off from then on.  (not including any other offers or promos they have going on then)

656 fico on the report they pulled, I got the non visa version but my credits bad, lots of inqs and new accounts.

I hoped for the VISA version to use the card more but got the regular version.  My idea was to leave it in the car in case of an emergency.  (odd chance of losing my wallet and being nowhere near home, but you never know.  Also could use the cash advance if wallet is lost, or for snacks, I think I read you can buy food stuffs and such at their little stores)

The VISA offer is slightly better but about the same.  I dont know what the cash advance limit is, probably very low for the non visa

https://www.chevrontexacocards.com/dualcardimages/generic/chevron/en/landing_plcc_compare.html?siteC...

[joedtx]

It can be handy if you drive alot, just make sure you PIF that 26.9% APR is harsh.

[takeshi74]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Just received a Chevron Texaco Pre Qual offer in the mail. Is this card worth getting? I currently spend around $100.00 a week in gas. I always use Chevron but never knew they had a card. How accurate are their pre approvals? Is this card worth getting?

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Worth is always a highly subjective matter.  SInce I have a PPCR that automatically credits 5% on gas at any pump it's a no for me.  YMMV.

Don't just respond to offers.  Determine your needs/wants and use that to select cards that suit you.  Any preapp is as accurate as the data that was pulled for you.  The problem is that you have no idea when the SP was performed and what changed with your credit since then.

If you want our feedback then you need to clarify what would or would not make the card worth it to you specifically.  What are you looking for from a gas card?  If it's rewards most gas station cobranded cards offer poor rewards compared to other credit cards with gas rewards.  However, such cards are generally easy to qualify for though they tend to come with smaller limits and higher APR's, like store cards.  Why do you always use Chevron?  Why would you consider a Texaco card if you always use Chevron?

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all the replies. Yes I only use chevron stations here in Southern California. Between me and my DW, we average $400.00 a month in gas. Even more when the prices are up. Currently I've been alternating between my freedom, BOA rewards and discover. Do I get better rewards using those over the chevron card?

[Anonymous]

Assuming the Chevron stations in your part of Southern California are charging more for credit (non-chevron credit), then you're automatically saving .10 per gallon. I drive a diesel, but I'm estimating that you're buying about 120 gallons of gas. So without taking advantage of the other Chevron card perks, you'd be saving $12.00 up front. If gas is 3.25 per gallon, and you are buying 120 gallons, AND it happens to be a 5% month, you'd be getting about .16 per gallon or about $20.00 per month. But if it's an average month at 1% points/rewards then you'd only be getting about .03 per gallon or about $4.00 per month. 

We resisted getting the Chevron Visa for a long time, but when they went to the extra .10 for credit, we caved. I ended up having several auto pays switched to the card to take advantage of more perks. I have to say, it's one of the more convoluted systems I've seen though. IIRC the thresholds are if you charge $200 a month in non-gas Chevron (or maybe non-gas station) stuff, you get an extra amount off per gallon, and if you charge an extra $1000 a month you get a better extra amount off per gallon. I figured out a combo of auto pays to keep me just over $200 a month and I'm set. 

I can't recall how long we've had it (18 months?) but this past fall they did a 5% rewards on other things purchased (I think) but it had a very small limit. So we used it for some purchases over the holidays to max that out. I don't remember the details and I don't know if they do it on a regular basis. 

What helps for us is that we also often shop at Vons and that Chevron is THE most convenient station for us AND has about the lowest prices AND has diesel. If we lived near where we work, this would not work for us. That Chevron station is always about .30 per gallon more than ours about 6 freeway offramps away. And Vons (So Cal's safeway) rewards help too. I try to shop at Stater Brothers when I can, but DH prefers Vons and it's most convenient to both work and school so...we try to get an additional .20 per gallon when we can. (Not that this influences the Chevron CARD but it helps keep us always going to Chevron.)

I waffle once in a while thinking it's not worth the hassle chasing rewards at the various places (love 5% off at Target) but they just make it way too worthwhile for me. HTH.

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:
Thanks for all the replies. Yes I only use chevron stations here in Southern California. Between me and my DW, we average $400.00 a month in gas. Even more when the prices are up. Currently I've been alternating between my freedom, BOA rewards and discover. Do I get better rewards using those over the chevron card?

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As Tortoisewins stated, when you pay with other credit cards, they usually jack up the price by 10 cents a gallon.

With no credit card fee surcharge and the cashback from Chevron, it easily beats my 5% Freedom rewards

If you get the card, make sure you get the AU card for your wifey too so you guys both work towards the bonus threshhold.

I also have the Shell card and same thing.  In my area, every gas station charges a surcharge if you use credit unless you use their branded card.  No surcharge + 5 cents off for every gallon on the Shell again beats my other rewards cards.

[Anonymous]

Ok thanks you guys. I think this cars will be more Beneficial to me as I exclusively use Chevron here in Southern California. I was approved, but with a small CL. $400.00 I guess I will burn that easily in a month. Does anyone know how they are with recon on spending limits? I was hoping for at least $800.00 in case I do spend over my $400. How are they with CLI.