Signs -- Husky etc

First of all, this picture is a joke, somebody has messed around the numbers.

Service Bays = the "bay" is the area your car ca be driven into to recieved mechanical service

Husky = brand name

Self serve = serve yourself, it's a command. it's not a full sentence, they aren't worried about grammar they just want you to understand in as few words as possible

Lube oil tn up = lube, oil, tune-up

REG. = regular gas at $91.5, probably used to be $1.95

4CY = ??

TX = tax probably

The picture is not a joke, and the numbers have not been altered. The picture very obviously is of a service station in Canada--hence the use of the term "service bay," and the price for gasoline shown--91.5 cents per litre, Canadian. That's rather high even for Canada, but the prices vary widely by region, and are affected by, among other things, artificial price floors and ceilings mandated by the Federal government to help equalize the horrible cost of imported oil in the Maratimes, and what would otherwise be dirt-cheap oil in the prairies.

"TN UP 4CY $89.95TX" means $89.95, plus tax, for a tune-up on a four cylinder engine. That price is not so bad, though, as for most of the last four years, one dollar Canadian has been about equal to 65 or 70 cents U.S. The last time i was in Canada, two weeks ago, a Canadian dollar cost 75 cents U.S. At the rate a year ago, that would be $60.00 U.S. for a tune-up on a four cylinder engine, which is a little high, but not bad. It depends on how much the tune-up includes. If it is just spark plugs, plug wires and distributor cap, it is still not a bad price, considering what labor for mechanical work usually runs.

Husky is a Canadian brand...sort of Husky Eskimo dog...
Service bays are where they raise your car to service it
Self Service has evolved to Self Serve
Reg is regular octane gas...around 87
Tune Up-4 cylinders-89.95 + tax

oops, after you

I suspect, also that the use of the term "plus tax" means that the picture was not take in either Ontario or Québec. There is a national sales tax in Canada, the GST (Goods and Services Tax). In Ontario and Québec, merchants almost never mention tax, because both provinces have a PST--a Provincial Sales Tax. That means, for example, that with GST and PST combined, in Ontario, you pay a 15% sales tax on your purchases. The only time i've seen any advertisements about sales tax in Ontario is when a store offers a special in which they state that they will pay the sales tax--the price on the item is the price you pay. Draws 'em in like flies to honey, too. In many other provinces, there is no provincial sales tax, and although the GST is high by U.S. standards, it is low by European standards, where the VAT (value added tax) runs about 15%. With the high price for gasoline shown, and the mention of tax, i would surmise this picture was taken in the Maratimes, where oil prices are high, but some of the provinces have no provincial sales tax--but that is just a guess.

My guess is Vancouver...because of the Pacific Indian totem

Good guess, Boss, i hadn't thought of that. I really have no idea what gasoline costs on the left coast--they are close to cheap prairie oil, but i don't know how the Feds structure oil prices in BC. I also don't know if they have a provicincial sales tax in BC. One thing is certain though, merchants in Ontario do not care to discuss the sales tax until they actually get your money from you.

You betcha they have a sales tax, and a gas tax.

Wait, I found the real image

Feel better?

Great job Stuh! Ori is gonna love that photo.

Good pic, I like it!

Thank you all.