You Could Attempt This...
Wife's car got 'check engine' light. I've checked it and it was 'mixture too lean' - It could be many things.
Since it is still under warranty, we took it to the dealer. Dealer calls with info that it has bad fuel in it - 80%-90% ethanol !!!
They need to pump it out and advisor said they will provide gas analysis results of some sort.
80-90% ethanol! Can this even be true? If so, just WOW for the gas station.
$310 bucks lost so far as per dealer no warranty cover this. In any case, can I have gas station pay for my expenses?
Please share your thoughts.
I'm not a lawyer, nor do I play one on TV... so my post, as such, is NOT legal advice.
To me it would seem difficult to do so. How are you going to prove the gas in your vehicles tank was really pumped from the underground tanks located at the specified station? A gas receipt doesn't prove the above... only that a unspecified vehicle was fueled up with "X" (?) amount of gas at a specific time and date. I'm not saying it can't be done, but what I think could be done.
Get all documented information from the dealership as to problem, gas analysis % Ethanol content of gas, cost of repairs, plus your costs incurred so far, etc., etc. Take copies of the same to the gas station manager (which I know won't do any good, but at least follow the upward "chain of command/ownership), asking how (s)he wants to resolve the problem of cost reimbursement.
At this point they'll probably tell you it's out of their hands and they'll have to contact the _________. (Fill in blank with next upward responsible person.) I would let them know of a time limit expected on their reply to the above. If after "X" (?) number of days you hadn't received a response, then I would send a registered return receipt requested letter to the owner/company indicating that you would like to resolve this situation amicably... and you would hate to see this go into legal proceedings. (At this point lawyers {yours} still aren't involved.)
If you get resistance back from the owner/company you could then mention to ________ (here's that fill the name in the blank again), that you're going to not only go to your local newspapers "We're On Your Side" investigative reporter, but also the local TV station too.
I would think that the station/company (no matter what brand gas we're talking about), wouldn't want any type of negativity being brought forth to light before the general public. That alone, in a lot of cases, has resolved situations like the above.
If nothing else you can always spend a extra $30 (?) and bring a small claims court action against them. The cost alone of having one of their high priced lawyers (plus the inconvenience it involves), costs more than what it would be to resolve (or have resolved) the situation in the first place.
CX5T Lover