What to do if you suspect garage is interfering with fuel?

sallywin

Hey, this is something I've been thinking about for over a year now and finally am going to ask and find out. Right, say you have found a garage/petrol station which is undercutting a lot of others (which itself is not necessarily an indicator of anything dubious) but say if you then stop going to that garage, go to a different one, and you notice immediately your petrol going a lot further than what you are used to, that might flag something up.

Then you realise your engine/car is noisier than ever before and this only started happening a while after you went to first garage (with cheap rates) are those things cause for concern?

If so, what could you do about it, just ignore it and move on yourself?

Jimbob 83

All garages are subject to random fuel dipping, some will chance it though

sallywin

What is random fuel dipping? What if you suspect this has been happening on at least a 6 month period?

Is there any way to tell from the engine of your car if interference with fuel has anything to do with it deteriorating?

L1011

Let the NSAI and/or customs know. Garages do get inspected at random, but the NSAI will inspect quicker if there's been a complaint.

About all you could do yourself is have your tank drained and what's in it inspected. Not cheap.

sallywin

Yeah I agree that would be the right thing to do but at the same time I'd be happier if I was sure that what they had done had damaged my car. Otherwise I don't like bringing trouble on someone, could be bad karma, and times are tough... isn't it up to individual drivers to cop it?

Do you know if you would be able to tell by the engine?

L1011

The NSAI inspect forecourts *anyway*. If their fuel is being correctly dispensed and is unadultered, their inspection will pass as normal.

sallywin

MYOB wrote: »

The NSAI inspect forecourts *anyway*. If their fuel is being correctly dispensed and is unadultered, their inspection will pass as normal.

Do they inspect all forecourts yeah?

L1011

sallywin wrote: »

Do they inspect all forecourts yeah?

Yes. You'll see the stickers on the pumps from the last inspection generally.

Fighting Irish

sallywin wrote: »

Yeah I agree that would be the right thing to do but at the same time I'd be happier if I was sure that what they had done had damaged my car. Otherwise I don't like bringing trouble on someone, could be bad karma, and times are tough... isn't it up to individual drivers to cop it?

Do you know if you would be able to tell by the engine?

It's ok, you won't get bad karma!

Big Nasty

MYOB wrote: »

Yes. You'll see the stickers on the pumps from the last inspection generally.

Would it not be more likely that weights and measures check the pump delivery (quantity) and customs check the fuel itself?

L1011

MCMLXXV wrote: »

Would it not be more likely that weights and measures check the pump delivery (quantity) and customs check the fuel itself?

NSAI check more than just the delivery rate, as far as I can tell / the information my brother who hasn't worked with them in 6 years can remember.

shedweller

Wasn't there a few posts here recently about petrol diluted with ethanol or methanol, i forget which. It was negatively affecting peoples mileage iirc. I'd report them. That's a disgraceful thing to do to people.

sallywin

shedweller wrote: »

Wasn't there a few posts here recently about petrol diluted with ethanol or methanol, i forget which. It was negatively affecting peoples mileage iirc. I'd report them. That's a disgraceful thing to do to people.

I don't know for sure though. And surely if they are diluting it the NSAI crowd would suss that out?

CJhaughey

shedweller wrote: »

Wasn't there a few posts here recently about petrol diluted with ethanol or methanol, i forget which. It was negatively affecting peoples mileage iirc. I'd report them. That's a disgraceful thing to do to people.

There is some alcohol in all petrol now.

Northern Monkey

sallywin wrote: »

could be bad karma

Report them, that will be karma catching up with them:D

Pdfile

report and see what happens OP, post you're details and findings here