Tesco to pay for fuel damage

Tesco has pledged to pay millions of pounds for repairs to cars damaged by contaminated petrol.

The supermarket giant has today taken out full page advertisements in national newspapers apologising for the damage caused to thousands of vehicles owned by its customers.

The advert says that the rogue petrol, which was tainted with silicon, has been drained from its store forecourts and replaced with a 'fresh, clean supply'.

It reassured its customers that its petrol can now be used 'with confidence'. The advert, which appears under the headline 'Tesco petrol. It's back to normal and we're sorry' goes on to offer to cover the cost of any repairs.

It carries the phone number 0800 028 6428 for customers to obtain further information and advice.

Contaminated fuel: Claiming for Damages

The Association of British Insurers has today announced that comprehensive motor insurance policy holders might be able to claim for accidental damage, provided they could prove where they purchased the fuel. Receipts would need to be submitted in order to make a successful claim, but this is great news for drivers with vehicles damaged by contaminated petrol.

For more infromation, visit the Association of British Insurers website:
www.abi.org.uk/

Car Shoppers Continue to Search for Hybrid Cars on Desperate Seller

With the days of 50p petrol prices long gone, and the average price now 89.1p per litre, motorists are beginning to demand more fuel efficiency from their cars.
 
Recent car searches on Desperate Seller.co.uk, one of the UK’s leading car selling and buying websites, reveals that more and more consumers are turning to hybrid cars as the solution for increased fuel efficiency and lower carbon emissions.
 
The Honda Civic 1.3 IMA Executive, which tops the Environmental Transport Association's green rankings, has featured in the Top 3 number of vehicle searches on Desperate Seller for the past three consecutive months. The Honda Civic offers everything a hybrid consumer could want: it has low greenhouse gas emissions; is relatively quiet; and scores well in the NCAP ratings.
 
The five door Toyota Prius, also features high in the number of searches on Desperate Seller.  The Prius uses battery power to back up a 1.5-litre petrol engine and emits just 104g/km of CO2.
 
Other vehicles showing significant increases in the number of searches include, the Daihatsu Charade 1.0 EL, this city car offers fantastic fuel efficiency and low greenhouse gas emissions of just 114g/km of CO2.  Also being searched for is the Toyota Aygo, this three-or five-door car posts the UK's second-lowest CO2 emissions of just 109g/km not far behind the ultra-clean Toyota Prius.  And the Peugeot 407 1.6HDI S 110, one of the most high specced green cars on the market, which not only breaks 50mpg but also has respectable CO2 emissions of 145g/km.
 
With hybrid cars, on average having a 90% lower carbon emission rate than traditional cars, and motorists being able to save hundreds of pounds a year in fuel bills by choosing a greener car, Desperate Seller.co.uk have a wide selection of fuel-efficient vehicles for consumers to choose from. 
 
For further information, please visit; www.desperateseller.co.uk
 

Contaminated fuel: What to Watch For!

As an investigation is launched by Trading Standards officers after thousands of motorists claimed they had been sold contaminated fuel, what should you do if you think your car has been affected?

It has been reported the outlets were selling petrol contaminated with ethanol without telling customers, although motoring organisations have been quick to call this unlikely.

But if you find yourself having car trouble, check out these tips :

What to look for:
* Drivers who have poured contaminated petrol into their tanks will notice their cars running roughly almost immediately

* AA technical specialist Vanessa Guyll said drivers would quickly find the car struggling to reach normal revs, slowing down and running badly

* By this point, a sensor in the exhaust pipe which measures exhaust gases will be sending information to the car's engine control unit (ECU) to run less fuel through the engine

* Many cars would move into "limp home mode", which allows the car to be driven slowly but with less acceleration - a protection built into most modern cars to prevent damage to the engine

* If the fuel is contaminated, the exhaust sensor will have turned a white or pink colour or have a white ash-type deposit on it

* The affected fuel is unlikely to cause any long-term damage to engines, provided drivers seek help immediately.

* However, the exhaust sensor would have to replaced at a cost of about £100

What should you do:
* Vehicle owners who suspect they may have been affected by contaminated fuel should take immediate action

* The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said drivers should keep all fuel receipts and note their mileage

* A spokesman said owners should contact their car dealer or manufacturer for advice if their engine starts to misfire or run roughly

* You should avoid driving the car, but your dealer should give the best advice on this

* The SMMT said if faulty fuel was proved to be the source of the problem, suppliers may be responsible for repair costs.

* The SMMT spokesman said owners should contact their local trading standards office for legal advice.

* The RAC has warned drivers not to attempt siphoning petrol from their tanks.