Bad Gas!

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Mar 12, 2009 | 07:08 AM

#16

tex2670

Lexus Champion

Joined: Apr 2007

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From: Southeastern PA

Quote:

Originally Posted by Katyfan

I randomly filled up at a Citgo station here in Houston because I was heading to a wedding and was running low. After the wedding, my car would barely start and jerked like hell on the highway. i took it to the dealer and the said it was definitely the gas. They say it will run around $400 to clean everything out. Does this sound reasonable, and how do I approach the gas station about covering the charges?

If you have the dealer clean out the tank, you just go back to the station. Hopefully you kept your gas receipt. Chances are, there's just some cashier there, so ask how you contact the manager/owner. Explain what happened, show him your work order from the Lexus dealer (and try and get them to diagnose on it that there is bad gas).

If he won't play ball, there's not much you can do. You can report his station to the Better Business Bureau, and if you paid for the gas by credit card, you can call your credit card company when the bill comes and dispute that charge.

Mar 12, 2009 | 07:20 AM

#17

flowrider

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From: Arizona

^^^^There's also Small Claims Court. If you just make a case in court and the owner doesn't show, you win. If he does show, and you make a good case, you win. You will need something in writing from the dealer saying the bad gas damaged your car, and proof that you bought the gas from the station on the correct date.

Lou

Mar 12, 2009 | 07:36 AM

#18

badx33

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From: carbon F, Fl

dry gas? whats this never heard of this, and how would it help?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Feirax

Before you spend that money, I would try a can of Dry Gas and see if it gets better. The Sunoco station by my house (which I've stopped using) would occasionally leave me running rough, and dry gas would fix it every time. They usually even carry it at the gas station.

Mar 12, 2009 | 08:30 AM

#19

Kurtz

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From: NC

Quote:

Originally Posted by badx33

dry gas? whats this never heard of this, and how would it help?

It's basically alcohol. They sell it at any auto parts store, and it removes water from fuel.

Great if he got gas polluted by water.

Totally useless if he got E85 or something since ethanol isn't water.

Mar 12, 2009 | 08:38 AM

#20

badx33

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From: carbon F, Fl

ohk, cuz my car is doing the samething jerking and stuff, i have an is250 manual and i noticed the rpm's go up and down up and down when in neutral..

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kurtz

Mar 12, 2009 | 08:40 AM

#21

LexusIS-TL

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Joined: Feb 2007

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From: California

I think she may have used Premium gas but at an unreputable gas station. What about adding in some octane booster or gas treatment to help the motor?

Mar 12, 2009 | 09:26 AM

#22

Katyfan

Thread Starter

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Joined: Feb 2009

Posts: 16

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From: Texas

I went ahead and took it to the dealer, and will get it back this afternoon. They said they were going to give me a sample of the gas they extracted, as well as a copy of the report. I think these plus my credit card charge from their station should be enough proof to convince the manager, or at least a small claims court.

I'll give you an update when I get my car back, but I know I didn't put E85 in unless they mislabeled the pump...

Mar 12, 2009 | 09:43 AM

#23

Kurtz

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From: NC

Quote:

Originally Posted by LexusIS-TL

I think she may have used Premium gas but at an unreputable gas station. What about adding in some octane booster or gas treatment to help the motor?

Commercially sold octane booster is virtually useless for anything, and having put in 87 or 89 octane gasoline instead of 91 wouldn't cause the symptoms described.

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Mar 12, 2009 | 09:47 AM

#24

LEXUSF

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From: DALLAS TEXAS

Good luck!

Mar 12, 2009 | 10:24 AM

#25

tex2670

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Joined: Apr 2007

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From: Southeastern PA

Quote:

Originally Posted by lowrideraz

In court, your receipt may not be enough. It doesn't prove that the bad gas was put in your Lexus, as opposed to some other car. It just shows that gas was purchased with your credit card.

Mar 12, 2009 | 12:54 PM

#26

Feirax

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From: MA

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kurtz

That's right. Water in the tank could prevent the fuel from flowing properly and cause stuttering/stumbling, or even prevent the engine running altogether. Plus it's only $1-$2 to give it a shot if you're haven't stopped running the car out of fear of damage.

On my motorcycle the slightest bit of water and the bike wouldn't idle, but I could rev it and the secondary jets would kick in and it would run fine. Dry gas cleaned the prob. right up.