A Bad Wrong Fuel Recovery Experience - How to Avoid the Industry Cowboys

Nick drives a diesel powered Toyota Landcruiser and was driving his vehicle to work in Gloucester city centre as usual on a Monday morning. It was early so there were not many vehicles on the road as yet and Nick decides to fill up his vehicle with fuel whilst the fuel station is quiet, even though he already has half a tank of fuel. He has not had a very good night's sleep and is feeling tired as he pulls onto the forecourt and parks up next to a pump. He picks up the fuel nozzle and places it into the tank aperture clicking on the trigger latch and leaving the nozzle in the tank to fill the vehicle tank to the top.

When the nozzle automatically clicks into the off position he knows his vehicle is full to the top with fuel and he pays at the forecourt shop. He returns to his vehicle and turns on the ignition, the engine starts but sounds rough. Nick puts it down to the cold damp morning and drives away from the forecourt. As he is driving the vehicle engine is starting to sound worse until he comes to a juddering halt at a busy junction and the engine cuts out altogether. There is just enough room to one side of his vehicle to allow other drivers to pass as Nick tries to get his vehicle started again, but without any luck. He then has a moment of recall and realises what may have happened, with a feeling of impending gloom he checks his fuel station receipt and confirms his suspicion that he has filled up with vehicle with the wrong fuel type. He has put unleaded petrol into his vehicle instead of diesel.

At this point, Nick is about 500 metres away from the forecourt and he can't risk leaving the vehicle where it is because it's in a dangerous position. As he is thinking about what to do, a bus arrives behind him and there is not enough room for it to pass safely so, he has to push the vehicle to the right to make enough room leaving his vehicle in the middle of the junction with traffic manoeuvring around him. He checks his smart phone which has some charge in it so he calls his roadside assistance company who tell him that they can be with him within an hour as they are very busy so, Nick says he will call them back if he needs to. He then quickly searches the internet for help. He enters the search phrase "wrong fuel in car Gloucester" and chooses a website at random from the page as he is conscious that he could run out of charge at any moment. The site is for a company who claim that they will come out to the vehicle and remove the wrong fuel. They will then replace the fuel with the correct type and send you on your way for a small charge. This looks ideal to Nick and he calls the number and speaks to someone who says a van will be with him in 30 minutes.