FUELISH BEHAVIOUR AT THE PUMP COSTS MOTORISTS £60 MILLION A YEAR
British motorists are unnecessarily paying out over £60 million a year in wasted fuel, repairs and follow-on costs after mistakenly putting the wrong fuel in their cars at the pump.
New figures from Halfords Autocentres reveal that, as many as 123,000 vehicles a year in the UK suffer a ‘mis-fuelling mishap’ – in many cases leaving them with a hefty bill from £500 to over £3000.
Whilst the rising cost of motoring means that 47% of drivers spend most of their disposable income on motoring, in the last 12 months a motorist has put the wrong fuel in their car approximately once every 4 minutes.
Rory Carlin from Halfords Autocentres explains: “Diesel powered cars now make up almost 50% of cars sold in the UK and have become more refined to cater for customers used to quieter petrol-powered cars who are making a switch to more economical diesels in order to keep their motoring costs down.
“Our garages see significantly more mis-fuelling cases during March and September - the peak months for new car purchase - than any other, which is largely made up of new vehicle owners who aren’t yet used to driving a diesel and have consequently made a mistake at the pump.”
The cost of wasted fuel and repairs alone ranges from £200 up to £2,500 in severe cases where rectifying the mistake involves replacing fuel filters, diesel pumps and diesel particulate filters. However, this can be the tip of the iceberg once roadside recovery or garage call-out fees (£100-150), refilling the tank (£100), not to mention lost work or leisure time, extra transport costs and the inconvenience involved (approx. £150) are added.
Rory Carlin added: “Our advice to any motorist who realises that they have put the wrong fuel in their car at the pump is not to attempt to drive off. If you have already driven away before realising your mistake, stop as soon as it is safe to do so because circulating the incorrect fuel can cause further unnecessary engine damage.
“Of course the best thing would be not to do it in the first place and Halfords stores sell ‘Diesel Only’ stickers which costs less than two pounds and might just jog your memory in time to save you thousands.”
For more information about the Halfords Autocentres or to find your nearest garage visit www.halfordsautocentres.com
ENDS
Media contacts:
Stuart Humphreys, Automotive PR Manager: T: 01527 513410, M: 07738 751930, E: stuart.humphreys@halfords.co.uk
About Halfords Autocentres
Halfords Autocentres is a leading independent garage network with a heritage spanning more than three decades.
Highly trained technicians at over 300 Halfords Autocentres carry out over 1 million jobs a year - including MOTs, car servicing and repairs as well as tyre sales and fitting - for over 850,000 customers a year, with more than 9 out of 10 of them being happy to recommend us to their friends.
Being independent means that we deliver dealership quality work at more affordable prices for any make or model of car. We offer a price match guarantee and a minimum guarantee of 12 months or 12,000 miles on work carried out (See website for terms and conditions).
Tags: