Arco & AMPM

They do not accept credit, only cash or debit card. If you use debit there is a 35 cent charge. 3 stars because well it’s a gas station, not much to it. Location right by the 210 fwy. I wouldn’t use the pay machine for debit cards because I’ve seen people get their card hacked into after using at a gas stations machine, just go inside unless it’s cash.

Super crowded. The way the pumps are set up is kind of inconvenient. A little higher priced than what I’m used to, but I was in def need of gas. Right off the Roxford exit on the 210.

Hands down the worst car wash ever!
Ten dollars and I couldn’t see out my windows when it was finished. The car was left covered in dirt and some blue slime. I had to take it to another spot to get it clean.

Terrible customer service, the employee’s child was running around the back counter. After trying to swipe my credit card five times she tells me they don’t take credit. Then she says we take it for five dollars or more… So annoying and rude. Never stop here again.

This ARCO Ampm location, just North of the 210 off the Roxford Street exit in Sylmar, makes for a quick and easy rest/​refueling stop with very easy access both on and off the freeway (if you know what you’re doing — and with my help, you will)
First, and most important, this station has very clean restrooms. There is a Chase ATM inside if you need a little cash. The soda fountain carries both Coke and Pepsi products. There are several diet options including Diet Coke, Diet Dr Pepper, Diet Mountain Dew, and Diet Pepsi. Impressively, there are two different textures of ice available at the fountain; the Pepsi side has regular ice cubes and the Coke side has ‘crunch ice’ which comes as smaller pellets. I prefer Pepsi products, but I’m definitely in the crunch ice camp. There is also a good selection of drinks in cooler, including Crystal ice and energy drinks.
This is an ARCO station, so you can only pay using cash or an ATM card — no credit cards accepted, BUT this station is unique in that there is a separate payment station for cash, but you can pay with your ATM card (for a $.35 fee) right at the pump which I find very handy.
I read in another review that ARCO is NOT listed on the site
and that this means that their gas is somehow inferior but that is simply not true. Try checking that website yourself, as I did, and you will find ARCO listed as providing some of the best quality gas available today. According to that website,
«TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline is the premier standard for gasoline performance. Seven of the world’s top automakers, BMW, General Motors, Honda, Toyota, Volkswagen, Mercedes-​Benz and Audi recognize that the current EPA minimum detergent requirements do not go far enough to ensure optimal engine performance.»
ARCO is on the list of retailers that uphold this high standard.
This particular ARCO location also has a car wash. Yes, you read that correctly, a car wash.
And there is a flower stand on the North side of the building, next to the fountain and 3 picnic tables with shade umbrellas. Also on the North side of the building is a Blue Rhino propane tank exchange. $ 24.99 if you’re exchanging a used tank, $ 59.99 without an exchange.
On the South end of the building, with its own entrance is the Fast n Fresh Mexican Grill.
NOW for the inside information: if you try to exit the gas station using the entrance nearest the Ampm building you will be forced to make a right turn and will have to travel a significant distance before making a u-​turn. If, instead, you exit by the entrance to the East, just past the car wash, you will be allowed to turn left and will make it back to the freeway much quicker. Trust me on this one.
Leave by east entrance

Very friendly people. They live to make sure your happy and take care of you very efficiently. They are always happy when you walk in and always say hello and thank you when you leave. When I go there they usually offer a small candy to my son on each visit.

In my opinion this ampm gets
2 stars for cleanliness
1 for having an attentive staff
1 for having very decent coffee
–1 for single occupancy restrooms where long lines of pee pee dancers may form
This place gets a lot of traffic, locals and passers by, but you wouldn’t be able to tell because they always open 2 or more cash registers. Also it is clean inside and out.
I often take advantage of services such as Chase ATM and the no-​touch drive-​thru car wash. For your pooch, there’s a pet potty area (but clean up after yourself).

I really like this place. The ladies behind the counter are hilarious. I go in pretty much everyday to fill the tank and get a nice cup of coffee. Their coffee is tremendous. Anyway every week or so I get a treat of a customer mouthing off. The ladies behind the counter speak english well, but not perfect. So they say a few things in a broken sarcastic way, the customer gets all irritated, then they look at each other and laugh… which in turn keeps me laughing. Makes my morning.

I’m giving this Arco 4 stars, not because of the quality in relation to other gas stations, but from it’s relation to other Arcos. Lets start with a little history.
I got my first car, (88′ Toyota Corolla with about 250k miles) back in 2005. Yeah, a hunk of junk I know. From now on it would be referred to as «Ramfla». I used to put Arco cuz it’s cheaper than most gas (but even Arco isn’t that cheap in my neighborhood) and my parents would say all gas is the same. But its a good thing I drove the Ramfla cuz it taught me otherwise. The car had this crazy, cartoony way of turning off. The engine would seriously shake, after I turned the ignition off and had the key out, making all sorts of noises. I thought it was going to blow up. Even scared a few of my friends riding with me for the first time. One day, I wasn’t near an Arco and I got gas elsewhere. Amazingly, the shaking stopped. I went back to Arco one last time, and the shaking came back. After that, I never went to Arco for gas again.
The Ramfla ended up dying, and now I drive a Lexus, and there’s no way I’m putting Arco in it. But I still stop by this Arco in particular because of the location, and the AMPM. It’s right off the Roxford exit, just one exit away from my house, and walking distance from a close friend’s house. If I ever wanna grab something quick, it’s usually on the way. The exterior is nice in comparison to other Arcos. They actually put a little outdoor fountain and bench. Also, there’s a place to tie your horse in case you need to fill-​her-​up (gotta love Sylmar). The pumps all have little TVs and their own credit card reader. It’s usually crowded, but I’ve seen worse (Foothill & Sayre). The only thing that really bothers me is the compact parking. Usually a normal car can squeeze in, but nope, not here. You need to be driving a Mini Cooper or something, otherwise you will take a spot and a half. And that’s usually what ends up happening.

Probably the CLEANEST and most well kept gas station in the area. Don’t believe me? Go to the gas stations on the south side of Roxford Street to get an idea. The inside of the store is always fully stocked with whatever grab and go items you may need.
Aside from that, its a gas station. Compared to others in the are, they aren’t the cheapest or the most expensive. My only gripe, as with all Arco stations, the damn debit/​credit card fee. That and I never use Arco gas unless I absolutely have too. I have always gotten engine knock whenever I use Arco gas.

i dont like the charge for using my atm card or credit cards. i assume debit cards aka atm cards would be fine without xtra charges but its not for them…

7÷2÷10, 1.30 am.
$ 2.99 per gallon, which was cheaper than the surrounding gas stations.
What??? You’re gonna charge me $ 0.45 for using my debit card!!!

Generally, I don’t think there is much point to reviewing an Arco station. It a convenience store and a gas station, with cheap (er) gas of suspect origin. If you read my 100^th review you know that I spend a lot of time driving up and down the 210 from Pasadena to Santa Clarita. This Arco is by far the most convenient station along the whole 40 mile trip. That still doesn’t really justify a review, though.
This Arco, however, is a little different than most I’ve been to. First, it’s new, if you are using a card, you can pay at the pump rather than having to go to one of those kiosks. Everything is clean. I don’t generally buy gas here because it’s in Sylmar, thus more expensive than, say, Pasadena, but I do frequent the convenience store (an AM/​PM) on occasion. This is THE most well stocked convenience store I’ve seen in a while. Exhibit A — they carry Kettle Chips — individual sized bags of Kettle Chips — in lots of flavor (Spicy That, Buffalo Bleu) — the only other place I’ve seen that is at Whole Foods.
The most significant thing about this place, though, is the service. The people working behind the counter at this station are by FAR the NICEST convenience store clerks I have ever encountered. They ALWAYS greet me with a smile; they always say «Hello», even when the place is packed with crazy people fighting over the coffee. It literally brightens my morning, the days that I stop here — as long as I don’t have to buy gas…