Lovgren

Yesterday I filled up my brand new TL for only the third time (1000 miles total) while on a road trip for Christmas. After carefully hanging the fuel cap on the fuel door, I proceeded to carefully insert the pump handle and began fueling. I clicked the standard clip on the handle for hands-free auto-filling and put my hands in my pockets for warmth.

Do you think the auto shut-off worked? Nope. Suddenly a GALLON OF FUEL was GUSHING all over the side of my shiny new car. I was so pissed! I spent ~$34k on this brand new baby and carefully took steps to avoid DRIPS on the paint while fueling, only to have a GUSH of fuel on the paint, mud flap, wheel, and tire.

ARGH! I wiped it off the best I could and went through a carwash last night, but really nothing else I could do... From now on, I will only take my car to gas stations with pumps that look brand new, and I may stop the pump before it clicks off by itself.

Acuraluvr

iTrader: (2)

did you go into the little snack shop thingie? tell the clerk? this has never happened... what station/brand? that sucks man!!! you should wax the part under the gas intake.. lol

matelot

did you raise the issue with the gas station ?

Lovgren

Yes, I did tell the station clerk about it. I asked if they had a carwash (they didn't). If so, I would have asked for a free wash. It wasn't worth my time to ask for the gas for free, or at least the $2 of spilled gas for free. The clerk said he would take that pump out of service until it could be looked at. It was a Conoco (Red). Usually these are nice, but this station was a little dated and obviously in disrepair. By the way, all of the window squeegie stations were frozen solid! I had to get wet paper towels from the bathroom to wipe off the car, and then go back inside to wash the gas smell from my hands! Grrr....

dashotgun

I had the same problem recently just wash the car and re wax that section it will be fine

J RIDE 81

Isn't that illegal?

avs007

Wow, never happened to me before
Not to sound like a jerk.... But if you are so meticulous about your paint, I can't believe you took the car to an auto-wash
This is why I carry microfiber towels and Detail Spray in the trunk

JoganJani

That sucks. Also, if you care so much about your paint you should not take it to car wash. They use all kind of dirty brushes and all. Look in car & wax sub forum and you'll get neat tricks and tips to take care of your paint.

jobes

Dude. You got flustered over a gas spill and then you take your baby into a scratch and splash. You need help.

Lovgren

Don't you guys have touch-free gas station car washes where you live? Maybe you haven't seen these or I'm ignorant of side effects???

Drive the car into a garage stall and a vertical arm of water jets rotates around the car. The arm sprays "soap" on the first two passes and then cleans and rinses on the next couple passes. Nothing ever touches the car. No wheel guides. No contact whatsoever.

Typical temp is about 15 degrees in WI in January, with significant salt on the roads. Twice/week touchfree washes with underbody blast is the norm up here for as sparkling a car as possible in the winter time. Not exactly weather for driveway wash 'n' wax. I don't think the touchfree washes do any damage to the paint. ???

Repecat

Don't have any of those new-fangled touchless car washes in my neck of the woods. Just the kind with whirling paint removers. I haven't taken any of my cars through an automated wash place in more than ten years. Now, wifey's car, thats another matter.

havokgroup

A lil spill won't do shit. Just clean it off good (carry some detail products in the trunk) and your good to go. There's not point in making a big deal over spilled milk. If your that paranoid about your car than order/buy gas by the drum and manually fill it at home so nothing gets spilled.