$3.89 a gallon and they pump it for you. No car wash required
Mark Hoidal has been selling gas and washing cars for 37 years
If you’ve ever driven by the General Brushless Car Wash on Evergreen Way in Everett you’ve likely seen the funny sayings on the readerboard. Today when I drove by, I saw on the sign that unleaded gas was $3.89. Since that’s much less than other stations are charging, I stopped in to ask the owner how he was able to offer such a good price. Mark Hoidal has been selling gas and washing cars for 37 years. He tells me he’s seen how the price fluctuates over time and as prices went up in recent months he adjusted how he buys his gas. Once affiliated with the Texaco brand, Hoidal is now unbranded and is free to choose from various suppliers. “My driver has five or six brands to choose from when he gets to the refinery,” said Hoidal. “They vary in price between five and ten cents a gallon depending on the brand and he selects the least expensive.”
Hoidal says that the price of gas remains high at many stations since they still have thousands of gallons in their tanks that they purchased at higher prices weeks ago. He says he didn’t re-order as often when prices went up and he let his tanks run empty. When it was time to fill up his storage tanks, he got only 5000 gallons instead of his usual 11,000. He did sell some inventory below cost to get to where he could charge less than the other stations and says he plans to drop the price another five to ten cents a gallon tomorrow. “I’d rather not be in the gas business and I don’t much like the gas business,” said Hoidal. “I’m really in the car wash business and just sell gas.” Hoidal says that now that the BP refinery is open again there’s a glut of gas on the market and he expects prices to continue to drop. With the market being spread so wide open with the opening of gas stations at stores like Safeway, Fred Meyer and Costco his strategy is to keep his prices the lowest in Everett, and hope people also need their car washed as well.
June 13, 2012 at 12:12 PM
Looks like we have a new friend, and I have a place to fuel up and get clean!
June 13, 2012 at 9:14 AM
Who supplies their gas? That will decide it for me.
June 12, 2012 at 6:23 PM
I love going hete to get my gas and to go through the car wash. It saves my manicures!
June 12, 2012 at 6:18 PM
I actually go here often. They do a great job and very friendly. The car wash isn’t too bad at all. I’d recommend this place. 😛
June 12, 2012 at 5:17 PM
My favorite station ever, I love the staff and when you live in the convergence zone, having them pump the gas is a great perk. I drive a little extra to get there but so worth it. The owner is a super nice guy who is often out there pumping gas himself, always smiling.
June 12, 2012 at 1:42 PM
I’ve used this station before for gas and car wash. I love that they pump the gas for you too, without upcharging for the service. I wish I had seen this sign before I filled my tank at another station. I’ll definitely let them fill up my vehicle next time, and maybe give it a bath as well!
June 13, 2012 at 8:25 AM
I’ve been using this station for a few years now. Their prices are always good, not the cheapest but when you consider they pump the gas for you, it’s a real bargain. I don’t get the car wash every time, but then again when I do, they take good care of the car, prebrushing the tires to remove dirt. I hope they stay in business forever!