552.00 dollars later, the Malibu runs

[ls1mike]

So yesterday the wife goes out to get gas. I tell her do not use the station a 1/4 of a mile from the house get it from Chevron. I hate that gas.She was at a 1/4 a tank so she stopped at the local place anyway. The pump was slow, owner tells here they just did maintenance. So she stops at 3 gallons heads to Chevron.

She calls me from Chevron, car won't start, tank is full. Car started sputtering before she got to the station.

I go check it out. I think, odd maybe an infancy failure of the CPS or fuel pump. Call On Star, car gets towed to local dealer where I purchased it.

Long story short, they drained the tank, replaced the plugs, cleaned the lines and the rail.

They saved the gas for me. You could actually see the fuel sitting on top what looked like to be a gallon of water...

Was hard to even get it to burn.

Been a long time since someone else has worked on one of my cars. I forgot how pricey it can be.

 

[Quattro Pete]

The owner of that shoddy gas station should pay for this.

 

[ls1mike]

Won't happen, I will go speak to them as I seem them often. I use the store a couple of times a week.

 

[daves87rs]

Just wow...sorry Mike. It's why I can only do the top tiers around here...many of the stations are shady here....

 

[Andrew1972]

Not hard to get the station to pay for it with receipt for fuel(hopefully) and the invoice for work. They carry insurance for this kind of thing it is not a large issue.

 

[toneydoc]

Anytime the pump runs slow, STOP Go somewhere else because water settles to the bottom of tank and it is slow because almost empty.

Hope your wife learned lesson

 

[Mr Nice]

Can the catalytic converter get damaged ?

I would be fuming if my new car got water in the tank.

 

[cjcride]

Report them to the proper Government Department.

 

[Gasbuggy]

Recipet + statement from the shop + small claims court.

 

[ls1mike]

Originally Posted By: Mr Nice
Can the catalytic converter get damaged ?

I would be fuming if my new car got water in the tank.

Did not run with water...It wouldn't start. Wasn't in there long enough to hurt anything.

 

[Chris142]

Doesn't your state watch for this? I see the guys that check weights and measures and the guys that check fuel quality at the gas stations here often.

I have never had a bad tank of gas

 

[ls1mike]

I don't think so, at least I have not seen anyone do it. Bad gas is pretty common here.

 

[Nick1994]

Find out where to report them, and mail them the bill and see what happens.

I also never ever buy gas unless it's top tier. Usually Arco or lately it's been Valero ($1.49 a gallon)

 

[ls1mike]

It is a Texaco.

I am going to talk with the owner tomorrow. I see the pumps are out of order today.

 

[3800Series]

Don't always believe the signs. Anyone can buy a old Shell, Cheveron, or Exxon and Mobil and sell any brand of gas they choose at a premium. The sign doesn't guarantee quality.

 

[turtlevette]

If you suspected water, I wonder. Could you have gone to the pharmacy and picked up a gallon of 90% isopropal alcohol dump it in wait an hour and drive off?

 

[HTSS_TR]

Gas stations are mostly franchised and independently owned, they may have insurance to pay for this type of incident.

Costco gas stations are owned by Costco corporate and they have money to pay for any kind of damage that a bad tank of gas can do. We only fill up at Costco, also they have fuel trucks refill their tanks more than few times a week so that their gas are very fresh.

 

[Doog]

Originally Posted By: turtlevette
If you suspected water, I wonder. Could you have gone to the pharmacy and picked up a gallon of 90% isopropal alcohol dump it in wait an hour and drive off?



Think about how much water already got absorbed by the 10% ethanol. A gallon of alcohol could burn your valves in the engine.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: ls1mike
It is a Texaco.

I am going to talk with the owner tomorrow. I see the pumps are out of order today.


Good luck. Horrible that this would happen.

Photo-document that the pumps are out of order today. Not sure if the fact that she went to another station will make them try to pass blame...

 

[Eddie]

Make copies of your dated receipts and don't give originals up to gas station.