Why the filler cap change?

[homer timpson]

Went to fill-up my 99 S40 today and, as usual, had that 'which side is it on' moment :cyclops:

My other halfs' new S40 has the filler cap on the opposite side - and when I'm driving it the same happens.

Yes it's trivial - but how many of you out there with 2 or more cars in the household 'suffer' this ailment :blk_md_wht:

Homer

[4 forty]

frustrating i know homer, remember the old fords? the filler was behind the rear number plate,no confusion there, and the hillman imp was under the bonnet!!

paul

[blues60]

Do you remember when you didn't have to worry because someone came out and did it for you?
I wonder why different cars have the fillers on different sides. It's not as if there is anything in the way which requires it to be routed a specific side as that area is just the boot? Anyone?

[homer timpson]

Ah, the Hillman Imp :Banane32:

Learned to drive in my dads Commer Caravanette - HCV 815L and took the test in my mums wee Hillman Imp - FWK 558L.

What a test day - came straight out of the test centre and my first task was to read read the number plate of a chosen car. I actually read the plate of the car in front of the one the instructor had specifically asked for !!

I then drove the car away from the test centre in Saltcoats - a typical wet and showery April day. I'd gone about 50 yards and the instructor piped up, " You'd probably see better out of your windsreen if you put your wipers on".

Me nervous .................................. doh!!

The rest of the test went fine until I came to the 3-point turn and he chose a wonderfully wide side road - a dawdle for a wee Imp you'd think. I 'messed up' and took 5 goes to get the task done. I honestly thought it had to be done in 3 moves and almost yanked the handbrake clean out of its bolts in frustration when I realised I wasn't going to achieve it. I then breezed through the rest of the test having calmed down fully expecting I'd failed at the 3-point turn.

I was gobsmacked when he passed me and I was too shocked to say anything at first. I managed to get my query out with regards the 3-point turn and it was only then I realised it was not 3!! - it was specifically that it had to be done in a safe manner and without the wheels touching the kerb.

30 years later I still chuckle when I think of that test day - and soon realise that I'm still not the perfect driver. One day I'll manage good clutch control and a smooth gear change that doesn't involve 'kangaroo petrol' :baring_teeth:

Homer

[homer timpson]

Do you remember when you didn't have to worry because someone came out and did it for you?
Funny you should say that!!! When I actually got to the pump yesterday at my local garage in Linwood, [on the wrong side of course], - there were 2 signs attached to the pump.

One was an appeal for information on a Rover 45 which appeared to be running on false plates and was 'filling up' and driving off without paying - very naughty:baring_teeth:

The other was giving info on a new courtesy service they were about to introduce - petrol fill up + oil and water check. I will have to go back tonight to double check that it is to be a completely free service - something from "the good old days" that would be welcomed back.

Homer

[Sprintman]

Ah yes, the 'attended pump service'. I remember when in my 'yoof' I used to pump petrol at a local garage. Petrol at 4 shillings [or thereabouts] a gallon! It was often confusing as to where the filler cap was, the Fords with it hidden behind the fold down number plate, and there was one vehicle, a Humber I seem to recall, where the filler cap was the rear reflector in the rear light cluster.

[Rooster]

Me thinks some ppl may be showing there age












(runs for cover)

[ivor940]

Hi, Does anyone remember the '76 Opel Kadette saloon ( similar to Vauxhall Chevette) which had the filler cap behind the RH air grille in the C post. I remember a customer came in to the local garage I used to work in, and we could not find the filler. The car was brand new and the guy was not shown where the fuel filler was. He went to drive off, and then saw the angle shaped trim in the rear view mirror, and found the cap behind the grill. Then there was the Renault 8, where the fuel cap, oil cap and radiator cap were all beside each other in the engine compartment. They all had the same caps. I remember that car, as the customer wanted the car fueled with the engine running as the battery was flat. And there was an NSU Prinz, with a wood dipstick ( no fuel guage) to see how much fuel you had left. Of course nowadays, you are not allowed to fuel cars if you are less than 16 due to Benzine in fuel. Back to the original question. Is it due to most cars in the world being LHD ?

ivor940

[Alec Dawe]

My first ever car, inherited the family Austin A50 when Dad bought an 1800 (Super Land Crab.. world cup rally winner? Hideous to drive, but built like a tank?)
I always did think our car was a little strange, as I never found another one like it. All the rest had the petrol filler under a little lockable flap top right hand corner of the boot lid. The boot lid had a section 'copped' out of it to make way for the filler cap, anyone remember.
OUR car didn't have the little flap, fuel filler was in exactly the same place, but he boot lid had to be lifted to gain access. Caused no end of confusion in garages. I always wondered if ours was a pre production car?
Still it was 'BUILT' like a volvo. did 12 years in the family, then was a technical write-off when a drunken clown in one of the old Skoda Octavia (the rear engined ones) decided to overtake the cars behind me, as I was turning right!....I still drove it home, and drove it around for the next few weeks. Driver's door was stuck, 'B' pillar bent, but the rest of the car was still ok. Happy daze¬!

[ivor940]

Hi Alec, We had an Austin 1800 (Landcrab) for 13 years when I was growing up. It was a mid beige colour. I did all the work on it to keep it going. There were 5 kids and a Labrador. All the kids and the Labrador fitted in the back. You did'nt have seat belts in those days. It only broke down twice during its time with us. It was a pity it was not a hatchback. When we sold it, it "lived" for 2 more years near a friend who said there was no more life in it when we sold it.

ivor940

[cbyard]

Don't have the problem at the moment- unless I'm braindead, Heralds, R reg Micras and Volvo 940s all have it on the left.

With the Herald and Micra it doesn't really matter- they're so narrow that the hose will reach either way.

Had a Renault 8 don't remember all caps looking the same but they were all under the (rear) bonnet.

Series 1 Landies- under the driver's seat directly on top of the fuel tank. Series 2 left the tank there but moved the filler to just behind the driver's door.

[AdamMarsden]

Back to the original question. Is it due to most cars in the world being LHD ?

ivor940

dont thing its that mate, i'm sure - for example - all honda preludes are same side wether LHD or RHD, so assume its same with all cars.

i think its quite literally by chance, same as indicators seem to always be on different sides. even my old accord and preludes had indicators on different sides - even tho they were both honda's of similar age!!

methinks the designers just toss a coin at the time!!!! lol

[morsing]

Why does it matter? The hose is long enough to reach either side and I always just use the closest or first available pump. I'm always pussled when people pull up behind me and gladly wait 6-7 minutes for me to finish and pay, when there are available pumps on the other side.

My Chevelle has the filler neck behind the rear licence plate which makes it a lot easier :)

[penninepullman]

As our 244 has filler on offside, and 760 on nearside it can't be a LHD 'thing' Possibly a need for manufacturers to alternate side to side when new models introduced to avoid everyone queuing at one side of all the petrol pumps!
Even though some petrol stations say they have long hoses I find the rub on the bodywork if fuelling from 'wrong side'.

[neil stevenson]

When I ran a motorcycle as my only form of transport I ran a winter hack to keep my big bike clean during the worst of the weather.
I was riding a Honda 90 step through one winter that had a very small tank under the seat. It was raining hard and I called in at my local small garage, sadly no longer with us, which had the pumps out in the open. After filling the tank with about 40p worth of fuel the attendant told me not to come back if it was raining as it was not worth him getting wet for 40p.

[penninepullman]

Is there an (unwritten) rule that says every time a manufacturer introduces a new model they change the filler to the other side of the car? If not we could end up with all cars having fillers on one side and long queuers on one side of the pumps at petrol stations!
'Cos even those petrol stations with so called long hoses either don't reach the 'wrong' side and/or rub on the car's bodywork.