Plymouth Gas Station Cuts Prices With Membership Model

The ongoing conflict in Iran and rising oil prices haven’t stopped a Plymouth gas station from finding a way to give consumers a break at the pump.

Members Carwash and Fuel, located at 9950 Rockford Rd., has some of the lowest gas prices in town.

Signs outside the family-owned shop advertised prices at just over $3 per gallon on Monday, April 6. That was lower than the average price in Plymouth and under the asking price at Costco.

“It’s sparked a lot of interest with our gas prices being so low,” manager Terri Gerring told CCX News.

But those prices are exclusive — the pumps are protected by gates.

“We have license plate recognition cameras outside, so when you pull up to our gates, and you’re a member, the cameras will see your license plate, the gate will open up and you can come in,” Gerring said.

To get access, customers have to fork up an upfront membership fee.

“For $29.99 a month, you have access to our fuel, which is between 40 and 70 cents lower than the average cost in Plymouth,” Gerring said. “A lot of people really like it. I had a woman come in, get 24 gallons of the gas. She saved $14 just on that tank of gas. So that paid for half of her membership.”

There’s a bonus perk: members get an unlimited number of car washes with the cost of admittance.

That’s a big deal for customers like Madison Alcazar, who filled up her car just before noon on Monday.

Members Carwash and Fuel charges a membership for access to some of the lowest gas prices in town.

“Other car wash places, the monthly membership is way more,” she said. “And I feel like the quality here is better than the other places I’ve been.”

Since she signed up for a membership, Alcazar hasn’t filled up anywhere else, even though she has a Costco membership.

She finds the customer service better than expected at Members.

“Every time I come here, especially at the beginning, they came up to me, ask me how it was going, if I need help with anything,” Alcazar said. “Other gas stations they don’t even acknowledge you, so here, you actually feel like a person.”

That is, she feels like a person who’s paying less at the pump. And it’s the low prices that ultimately keep her coming back.

“Just because the prices are cheaper, it’s convenient for us, the car wash is included, we’re going to keep being members here,” Alcazar added.

Members is waiving its membership fee until June for the first 5,000 customers that sign up.

Related: ‘Price Keeps Going Up’: Cities, Bus Companies Grapple With Rising Fuel Costs

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