Even before Australia’s latest petrol price panic, the cost of filling up our cars was driving a lot of financial stress.

In a Consumer Pulse survey of households we conducted last June, 76% said they were concerned about the cost of fuel.

Now, prices have jumped above normal levels as turmoil in the Middle East threatens supply and Aussie motorists rush to fill up.

Motoring groups have accused some fuel retailers of profiteering, saying their prices are much higher than they should be and have urged consumers to shop around, noting some outlets are still keeping prices competitive.

But filling up at a fair price is only part of the equation – you can put off your next servo stop a bit longer and save even more money by considering how you drive and caring for your car.

Here are five of our tips to save on fuel.

• 1. Think about how you drive
• 2. Care for your car
• 3. Compare prices via apps and websites
• 4. Get to know your city’s petrol price cycle
• 5. Consider a more efficient vehicle

1. Think about how you drive

Are you guilty of being a little heavy-footed on the accelerator? Easing back on the pedal is just one of a range of practices you can adopt to save on fuel.

“Changing your driving style is one of the most effective ways to improve your car’s fuel economy,” says Alex Forrest, vehicles and fuels manager at Western Australia’s Royal Automobile Club.

“Think of the accelerator as a tap – the more you press it down, the more fuel you’ll send to the engine to be burnt,” he adds.

“Relax a bit as you drive,” advises Dr Ian Jeffreys, principal economic and affordability specialist at the Royal Automobile Club of Queensland (RACQ). 

“Smooth out the drive [and] drive steadily, avoiding any harsh acceleration or hard braking.”

It also pays to avoid driving at times when traffic is congested: cars tend to use more fuel when moving in a stop-start fashion, such as in bumper-to-bumper traffic.

Once you’ve reached your destination, it’s a good idea to shut the engine off, even if you’re only stopping for a short time.

“Modern cars don’t need to be ‘warmed up’, it just wastes fuel,” says James Williams, head of policy at the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria (RACV).

“By having the engine switched off, even for a short period, you will save more fuel than is lost in restarting the engine and the increased wear and tear from this is negligible.”

There’s also a careful (but beneficial) balance you can strike between running the air conditioning and rolling down windows that could leave more in your wallet.

Running a car’s air con causes it to work harder and use more fuel, so if you want to cool off, it’s usually better to crack a window instead.

But when a car is travelling at 80km/h or more, the aerodynamic drag caused by an open window will cause more stress on the engine than running the air conditioning, leading to less juice in the tank.

Do manual cars use less fuel?

When we asked ����Vlog members for tips to save on fuel, some recommended driving a manual, suggesting automatic cars were less economical.

“This is true of older vehicles, such as those from the 1980s, ’90s and early 2000s, which had less advanced automatic transmissions that sapped more of the engine’s power,” says Alex Forrest.

“The availability [now] of more modern auto transmission designs, such as dual clutch and continuously variable transmissions, have helped automatic vehicles become much more efficient.”

Ian Jeffreys agrees manual cars don’t automatically take the title of the most economical vehicles, but argues it can be easier to drive more efficiently with your hand on the gear stick.

“In a manual car, it’s very clear which gear you’re in and you are in control,” he says. “You want to be getting into as high a gear as possible [to save fuel].”

2. Care for your car

On top of general maintenance, there are several specific tips that can pay dividends at the bowser.

One is to unload unnecessary items from your car. The NRMA found loading a vehicle to its maximum-rated weight will lead to it using 24% more fuel.

“If you’re a golfer or scuba diver, get your gear out of the boot, put it in the garage,” advises Peter Khoury, a spokesperson for the NSW-based motorist group.

The NRMA also found keeping your car’s tyres inflated at the right pressure will reduce rolling resistance and fuel consumption by around two percent.

You can usually find the recommended pressure for your tyres written on the driver’s door jamb or in your owner’s manual.

Ian Jeffreys says removing any car add-ons when you don’t need them will also reduce resistance.

“If you don’t need the roof racks, take them off,” he advises. “[These sorts] of things will increase drag and increase your fuel use.”

3. Compare prices via apps and websites

Browsing your local bowsers before filling up is a great way to avoid spending more than you have to, as prices can vary hugely even between outlets in the same town or suburb.

Using the NSW FuelCheck platform this week, ����Vlog found a difference of over 20 cents per litre in the cost of unleaded 91 petrol on the same day between two Sydney service stations, seven minutes’ drive apart.

Luckily, you too can shop around and find the cheapest deal thanks to the various apps and websites that let you compare prices at retailers near you.

What fuel comparison tools are available?

There are over 40 free fuel price apps and websites operating in Australia, with different platforms servicing different parts of the country.

So, wherever you are, there should be an app or website that will let you compare the going rates for different fuel types near you.

In most states and territories, these comparison services draw their prices from a government database that retailers are required to report to. We’ve previously found these services to be the most accurate.

Some states and territories with databases also have their own government-run apps or websites. Others have a list of third-party apps or websites that receive data from their respective fuel reporting schemes.

Some other non-government apps use crowd-sourced data, meaning you’re relying on other motorists to update the price information being displayed.

How to compare fuel prices in each state and territory

NSW: Has a government-run database and . Third-party services are also available.

ACT: Most service stations are included on NSW’s , but third-party services are also available.

Victoria: Has a government-run database and . Third-party services are also available.

Tasmania: Has a government-run database and . Third-party services are also available.

Western Australia: Has a government-run database and . Third-party services are also available.

Northern Territory: Has a government-run database and . Third-party services are also available.

South Australia: Has a government-run database and a .

Queensland: Has a government-run database. Data is provided to third-party apps and websites, including RACQ, PetrolSpy, MotorMouth and FuelRadar.

4. Get to know your city’s petrol price cycle

You should know that, outside of times of unusual price volatility, petrol prices go up and down in a relatively predictable pattern in Australia’s largest cities: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. Similar sequences have also been observed in some neighbouring regional areas.

This is the “petrol price cycle” (diesel prices don’t move in this way) and it can make a big difference to how much you pay at the pump.

If you’re in one of the five largest capitals, you can observe your city’s cycle by checking the . 

The consumer regulator updates this resource three times a week, telling you where your city’s cycle is up to and providing buying advice.

“[The petrol price cycle] can either help you save money on fuel or leave you absolutely exposed if you fill up at the wrong point,” explains Peter Khoury from the NRMA.

If you live in a city with a petrol price cycle, you can save by filling up towards the end of the cheap (or lower) part of the cycle. Ian Jeffreys says this is the time to be comparing local prices.

“It’s in the cheap phase, moving into the price hike phase, where the best deals can be found,” he says. “You really want to be watching the cycle in your city and making sure that when you’re moving into the price hike phase, you’ve got a full tank of fuel.”

You can sign up for alerts to let you know when it’s a good time in your area to buy fuel via most price apps and websites.

Why do we have petrol price cycles?

When in operation, the petrol price cycle doesn’t mirror changes in wholesale costs, but is driven by retailer strategies in bigger cities.

Retailers seem to adopt these practices in districts where they’re competing against lots of other service stations and want to get a competitive edge.

In these areas, the price you pay at the bowser at the bottom of the cycle tends to be close to the wholesale price, and can even be below the average costs borne by the retailers to supply the petrol.

This means the price cycle can deliver good deals to consumers buying at the right time, especially compared to regional areas, where petrol prices are usually higher and more heavily influenced by international factors.

But it also means retailers’ margins get squeezed, so they’ll start to raise the price after a period of time. 

This increase happens more slowly in the areas with the most retailers, where businesses are cautious about raising prices too quickly and being undercut by the rest of the market.

Prices will rise to a certain point, until some retailers start cutting them again to gain an edge on the competition and attract more customers.

Desire to compete leads other retailers to follow suit, until the bowser prices fall back closer to the wholesale rate (back to the beginning of the cycle), where they will stay until retailers start looking for higher margins again.

While petrol price cycles in Perth and Adelaide are shorter (one and two weeks, respectively), it usually takes around five weeks for prices in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane to go from their low point to a high and back again.

5. Consider a more efficient vehicle

Switching to a vehicle with better fuel economy is an obvious way to spend less on refills, but going all the way to an electric or hybrid car can cut down on these costs substantially, if not completely.

The RACV recommends this not just as a solution to fuel-induced hits to your hip pocket, but also other ongoing outlays, as EVs typically have lower maintenance costs than petrol or diesel vehicles.

For info on how to choose the best electric, hybrid or just more fuel-efficient vehicle, check out our eco-friendly car buying guide. 

It talks through the available options and explains whether purchasing an EV or hybrid car will actually save you money.

If you do decide an EV is for you, compare models with our electric vehicle review and see which are the quickest to charge, have the longest range and are the cheapest to run.

Once you’re running on battery power, you can employ the same tips for saving fuel from the beginning of this article, such as careful driving and removing unnecessary items from your car, to conserve your new vehicle’s battery.

The post 5 ways to save on petrol appeared first on ����Vlog.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and the federal government have responded with increased monitoring of prices, a beefing up of penalties for unlawful conduct, and promises to come down hard on any fuel companies caught taking advantage of the disruption to global oil supply chains. 

But will this work to prevent petrol retailers from trying to cash in? And how can consumers avoid the worst of the effects every time they fill up their cars? 

Price-gouging allegations 

Queensland’s peak motoring body, RACQ, has referred a number of major fuel retailers to the ACCC for allegedly taking advantage of drivers by hiking prices significantly in less than three days after the war broke out. 

“There is no good reason for fuel companies to be increasing their prices just days after conflict broke out in the region,” says Ian Jeffreys, RACQ’s principal economic and affordability specialist.��

“Yes, we’ve seen an increase in the global oil price, but that usually takes around two weeks to flow through to bowsers here in Australia, not two days,” he says.

“South East Queensland is already at the expensive phase of the price cycle. Before this additional hike, many fuel stations were already charging more than 50 cents per litre above the average wholesale price.” 

Meanwhile, NSW motoring group NRMA has called the level of price hikes “completely unjustifiable”.

“With prices in Australia’s three largest cities already at the top of the regular cycle, half of the stations in our three biggest cities are effectively inflating that margin to take advantage of the community,” says NRMA spokesperson Peter Khoury. 

“Australians are doing it tough with cost of living pressures, and now is not the time to be ripping the community off – we urge the ACCC to act.” 

What the government is doing

The federal government says it’s increasing scrutiny and surveillance of the fuel sector, shoring up fuel supply and increasing penalties for misconduct. 

“The conflict overseas shouldn’t be an excuse to profit off Australians,” says Andrew Leigh, Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury. 

“We’re putting petrol companies on notice. We won’t cop big corporates treating Australian consumers like mugs.” 

Companies will face penalties of up to $100 million per offence for misleading conduct and cartel behaviour. 

Professor David Byrne, an expert in energy and resource markets at the University of Melbourne, says research has shown that during the COVID pandemic, the government talking tough on petrol companies and putting them on notice did have a small positive price impact for consumers. 

“The ACCC has gotten very good at actively monitoring the situation. They have the resources, the data and the people in-house to monitor the wholesale price, what customers are paying and the split. In the past, we have seen fear of prosecution work to drive down prices,” he says. 

Missed opportunity

����Vlog head of policy Morgan Campbell says when sudden prices rises happen, regulators are often limited in what they can do. The federal government last year giving the regulator new powers to tackle price gouging in the supermarket sector was welcome, he says, but also a “missed opportunity” to go further. 

“When the government was looking at price gouging last year, we made two recommendations: ban it wherever it happens, not just in supermarkets, and specifically outlaw unfair price rises during shortages,” Campbell says. 

“The government missed an opportunity, but as global disruptions cause prices to skyrocket again, it’s time to revisit this and give regulators the power to tackle potential price gouging across the economy.” 

Fuel apps

Meanwhile, state governments have been talking up the importance of price comparison apps to help customers shop around and find the best deal on fuel. Melbourne University’s Byrne says the more customers use price apps, the bigger impact it has on competition in the marketplace.��

“The more, in effect, that we’re able to pit the companies against each other to bid for your business, to keep the prices low for your demand, the more we are going to be able to keep the companies in check,” he says. 

“We can’t know how long this war will go on and we can’t stop global oil prices going above $100 per gallon, so some of that we are going to have to eat at the bowser. But there are some things we can do,” he adds. 

The post Can the government stop petrol price gouging in Australia? appeared first on ����Vlog.

On this page:

• Why do you need a headlight restoration kit?
• Turtlewax 2 in 1 Headlight Cleaner & Sealant
• Meguiar's Two Step Headlight Restoration Kit
• What we found
• DIY headlight restoration options
• The ����Vlog verdict

Dull, discoloured car headlights are a drag, but help is at hand thanks to kits that promise to leave your lenses luminous as new.��

Commercial car headlight restoration kits are designed to quickly and easily remove the oxidisation, haziness and discolouration that builds up on polycarbonate headlights over time, reducing light transmission and potentially becoming a defect.

Available at a range of price points, these kits all promise to restore your headlights to their former glory, but do they work?

Why do you need a headlight restoration kit?

Over time, the ravages of the Australian environment can wreak havoc on outdoor surfaces, and your car is no exception. Interiors can crack and fade in the sun, and your car’s paint and plastic headlights can oxidise and discolour.

Dull, cloudy paint might be the most obvious sign of weathering, but crazed, yellowed headlight lenses not only look unappealing, they can have substantially reduced light transmission, which has obvious implications for safety.

In NSW, the Road Transport (Vehicle Registration) Regulation 2017 light vehicle standards rules state that a low-beam headlight must be able to illuminate the road ahead for at least 25 metres and a high-beam headlight for at least 50 metres, and other states have similar regulations.

If your headlights are so cloudy and faded that they can no longer achieve this, your car might fail its pink slip inspection, or you could even receive a defect notice and accompanying fine from the police.

Unfortunately, there’s little you can do to prevent your headlights from weathering over time, but the good news is there’s a range of techniques and products out there that can restore them to their former glory.

The internet is awash with DIY techniques, including buffing with avocado, toothpaste, car polish or even fine grit sandpaper or wet and dry, with varying levels of effectiveness.

There are also commercial products specifically designed for headlight restoration that promise to power through the job with maximum efficiency.��

We picked two popular products at opposite ends of the price spectrum, rolled up our sleeves and got to work on restoring some badly faded lights to find out.

Turtlewax 2 in 1 Headlight Cleaner & Sealant

RRP: $22.99

A two-in-one formulation, Turtlewax Headlight Cleaner & Sealant combines a cleaning compound to remove light oxidisation and yellowing from polycarbonate automotive lights with a chemical sealant that claims to help prevent future degradation.

The two-in-one formulation is convenient, but you need to supply your own applicator cloth – not a big deal, but notable considering the Meguiar’s product comes with everything you need, including applicators.��

Interestingly, Turtlewax also produces a multi-step kit for more heavily damaged headlights – this kit contains a separate clarifying compound, abrasive ‘restoration pads’, and sealant applicators for twice the price.

The instructions are fairly simple – wash and dry your lights, then apply a small amount of cleaner/sealant to a cotton cloth and rub it on the lens using a firm pressure until the plastic becomes clear. Once done, buff the light with a clean cloth. Additional applications may be needed for best results, particularly for badly faded headlights.

Meguiar’s Two Step Headlight Restoration Kit

RRP: $98.99

Like the Turtlewax, Meguiar’s headlight restoration kit is designed to restore dull, yellowed and oxidised headlights, then seal them to help protect against re-oxidisation.��

Unlike the Turtlewax product though, this requires two steps – cleaning, then sealing. The kit also comes with cleaning pads, which can be used in conjunction with Meguiar’s ‘DA Power System’ – a rotary polisher drill attachment – for faster application.

Step one is to apply a small amount of cleaning solution to the supplied pads and thoroughly clean the entire headlight using a back and forth motion (or the aforementioned DA Power System) until there’s a uniform frosted appearance across the entire headlight, then wipe clean with a damp cloth and dry thoroughly.��

As with the Turtlewax, you may require multiple applications (we opted for five for our badly faded lights) for best results.

Step two is to apply two applications of the Headlight Restoration Coating, leaving 3–5 minutes between coats (the coating takes 24 hours to cure fully). Meguiar’s cites laboratory results to say the coating provides 12 months’ protection against re-oxidisation.

What we found

We rolled up our sleeves and got to work on a ����Vlog vehicle that was exhibiting some fairly major headlight degradation. Starting with the Meguiar’s kit, we gave one light five cycles of rubbing and buffing with the cleaning solution, followed by the requisite two applications of the headlight coating.��

Given how badly faded the headlight lens was before we started, the results were immediately obvious and pleasantly surprising.

Switching to the Turtlewax, we gave the other headlight five cycles of application and buffing. Being an all-in-one product, this was a simpler process, and while also effective, it clearly wasn’t doing as good a job as the Meguiar’s restoration kit, which is understandable given it’s promoted as a lighter duty product.

DIY headlight restoration options

We’re a little wary of taking advice from random strangers on the internet at the best of times, but especially when it comes to using abrasives or chemicals on our precious vehicles, so we’ll leave these methods up to you to experiment with if you dare.

Popular chemical cleaning suggestions include vinegar, avocado and, ahem, urine – the theory being that with vigorous rubbing, these are acidic enough to strip the oxidisation from your lights. On the abrasive side, bicarbonate of soda, car polish and even toothpaste are also widely spoken about on forums.��

Aside from leaving your headlights minty fresh or smelling like a salad, we’d be sceptical these methods would have much of an effect, and have the potential to make the situation worse.

Not to mention none of these options provide the protective coating a for-purpose commercial cleaner includes, so any gains may be short-lived.

The ����Vlog verdict

These headlight restoration kits both did a great job of removing oxidisation and yellowing from faded polycarbonate automotive lenses (headlights, tail lights, indicators etc).��

At 15–20 minutes per headlight and requiring no special skills or tools, restoring your lights’ faded looks and improving the performance of your headlights with one of these kits is a fast and inexpensive chore that virtually anyone can tackle in an afternoon.

For particularly badly oxidised lights, it may even save you from a defect notice, which means your kit has practically paid for itself, and it’s way cheaper than completely replacing your headlights (the cost of which can run into many hundreds of dollars).

The results from our testing were, ahem, clear – virtually all the haze and yellowness were removed, and our headlights look great. More importantly, the lights were noticeably brighter on our nighttime test drive.

While comparatively expensive and a little more involved to apply than the Turtlewax product, the Meguiar’s kit performed noticeably better and would be our choice for heavily oxidised lenses.

On the other hand, the Turtlewax two-in-one was effective, simpler to apply and only a quarter of the price. If we hadn’t seen it in comparison to the other Meguiar’s-treated light, we would have been happy with the result, and it would be our choice for treating mild haziness and discolouration.

The post Do headlight restoration kits work? appeared first on ����Vlog.

It’s the kind of company runaround that would be comical if it weren’t so infuriating.��

����Vlog member Stephen Wise bought a Volkswagen Australia five-year service care plan from the dealer for his Passat in June 2023, about eight months after he had purchased the car.��

The Passat came with 12 months of roadside assistance included when he bought it.��The service care plan, which was on top of the manufacturer’s warranty, cost $3100 and supposedly included an automatic extension of the roadside assistance for up to another 12 months every time the car was serviced at a VW dealership.��

Stephen had the car serviced by the dealership where he bought it in July 2023.

But in late September 2023 he was contacted by the third-party roadside assistance provider that VW had hired and told he needed to pay up to renew the roadside assistance membership.��

Something had clearly gone wrong.��

He had paid Volkswagen Australia for the extended care plan, so that’s who he got in touch with about the issue.��

That didn’t go so well.��

Breakdown in communication 

Stephen first contacted Volkswagen on 6 December 2023, saying “clearly the missing link is Volkswagen telling roadside assistance membership services of the renewal to be taken care of by Volkswagen”.

Volkswagen got back six days later saying hold on, we’ll figure this out soon.��

Months went by.��

Stephen contacted ����Vlog on 22 February 2024.

“They have still not resolved the issue, I still don’t have the cover promised and paid for, and I am a most unhappy customer,” he told us.��

‘We hope this email finds you well’

The infuriating part comes out in the lengthy email chain between Stephen and a Volkswagen ‘Customer Experience Ambassador’.����

There were seven emails from Volkswagen Australia, each ending with “your continued patience will be highly appreciated”.

Each email promised a new date for a resolution of the issue, but the dates all just came and went.��

Stephen didn’t hold back on his feelings. Three days before Christmas he wrote: 

“It is hard to believe that this is a difficult issue to sort out. It is so simple. I paid for a care plan. Now we are in holiday season, I am travelling, and if anything goes wrong with my car, the roadside assistance people will decline to assist. As far as they are concerned I let my membership lapse.”

Still no resolution four months later

After ����Vlog got in touch on 27 February, a Volkswagen Australia spokesperson told us the issue had to do with “both a new roadside assist provider being implemented and an inputting oversight”.��

VW Australia’s new roadside assistance provider is a company called 365, the spokesperson said.��

“While this took an unacceptably long time to be addressed, it is being done today and the team is reaching out to Stephen,” the spokesperson said.��

Yet when we contacted Stephen to follow up a few days later, there had been no reaching out.��

“I have heard nothing from them. I have not received anything, not even the standard reassurance that they are looking into it.”

The back and forth saga with Volkswagen Australia started on 6 December last year and was still not resolved at the time of publish (8 March). Stephen says his next move will be to contact NSW Fair Trading.

The post He paid for VW roadside assistance but there was none appeared first on ����Vlog.

On this page:

• Do I need to service my car at the dealership?
• Dealerships giving the wrong information
• Are genuine parts needed?
• Can independent mechanics do software updates?
• Can I skip a service?
• Can I do the servicing work myself?
• How to keep your car manufacturer's warranty intact 
• Extended warranties and car servicing

Bought a new car? Then you may wonder if you have to get it serviced at an authorised dealership to keep your manufacturer’s warranty intact. If so, you’re not alone.

When we surveyed 300 car owners in 2016, we found:

• just under 50% thought they had to return their car to the dealer to maintain their warranty or were unsure
• of the 105 people who had bought a new car, 90% serviced their vehicle at the dealer.

Do I need to service my car at the dealership?

No, you don’t need to get your car serviced at the dealership to keep your manufacturer’s warranty intact.

Despite what your dealer may say, or the impression you get reading the logbook or warranty terms, you’re legally entitled to shop around for the best servicing deal without voiding your manufacturer’s warranty (note: the rules are different for extended warranties).

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) says “a manufacturer’s warranty is a promise to the consumer that the vehicle will be free from defects for a certain period of time”.��

While a manufacturer can have certain requirements in its warranty terms – such as ensuring any servicing is carried out by qualified staff, according to the manufacturer’s specification, and that appropriate quality parts are used where required – it can’t require you to service your vehicle through an authorised dealer to keep your warranty intact.

“Provided you service the vehicle in accordance with any such requirements, the warranty will remain valid. If the manufacturer’s warranty states that the vehicle can only be serviced by an authorised dealer, this may raise concerns under the Competition and Consumer Act,” the ACCC has said in written guidance to the automotive industry.

But that message doesn’t always seem to be getting across: we’ve come across examples of dealers flouting the ACCC guidelines and saying you should service your car at an authorised dealer.��

We also found language in logbooks that strongly implies you’ll be voiding the warranty if you don’t take it back to the dealer for servicing.��  

Dealers rely on car servicing to make profit

Why do dealerships push customers to return their cars for servicing?  Dealers depend on servicing, parts, car finance and insurance to make their profit margins. A motor industry report from Deloitte found on average, almost 30% of car dealer’s profits come from servicing, while dealers lost money on new car sales.

One lobby group for some major dealerships explained in a submission to government how their business model works: 

“By generating sales volumes, dealers create opportunities to build customer relationships which result in a future stream of revenue. Such revenue includes adding and installing aftermarket accessories on the new vehicle sale, dealership finance and insurance, and servicing the customer’s vehicle throughout the life of the car.”

Dealerships giving the wrong information

In our 2016 investigation, we called 24 Toyota, Mazda and Holden dealerships across Australia to get an idea of what consumers are being told about their rights in relation to servicing and warranties.��

Three dealers gave us completely incorrect advice, saying we had to return the vehicle to a dealer to maintain the warranty. A number of others gave us questionable advice, or only told us we could go to an independent mechanic after we pushed them on it.

While most dealers generally said the right thing about warranties and servicing once pushed, many didn’t offer this information upfront and resorted to sales tactics to promote dealer servicing, such as capped price service deals and extended warranties, both of which usually lock you into servicing your vehicle at the dealer.��

Many used terms such as “advisable”, “recommended” and “preferred” in relation to dealer servicing, which could further add to the impression that using an independent mechanic may result in problems.

Logbooks also misleading

We also took a look at a number of logbooks in 2016 to see what messages were being conveyed to consumers. The upshot? We won’t blame you if you’ve been led to believe you have to take your vehicle back to the dealer for servicing.

A number of brands include a space on the service pages indicating that it should either be stamped and/or signed by an authorised dealer.��

For example, one Ford logbook we looked at has a space for an “Authorised Ford Dealer Log Book Service Verification Stamp” and also has a checklist asking the mechanic to tick that they are an Authorised Ford Dealer Service Department.��

Mazda’s logbook asked for a dealer validation stamp and Hyundai’s asks for a dealer’s signature. None of these things are required to keep your warranty intact, but the logbooks certainly make it look that way.

What’s the law?

The ACCC has clearly said: “Even if the service page boxes in the logbook are labelled in this way, an independent repairer may sign or stamp the relevant page of the customer’s service logbook (once they have completed the service) without it affecting the manufacturer’s warranty provided any other requirements are met (i.e. the service is carried about by qualified staff etc.).”

Are genuine parts needed?

Many dealers also angled for dealer servicing by saying genuine parts (also known as OEM, or original equipment manufacturer parts) were either required or highly recommended in order to keep the warranty intact.��

The problem here is that genuine car parts can be much more expensive than aftermarket parts (parts not made by the original manufacturer).

In fact, when we looked at this issue previously, we found details of the mark-up being as much as 60% even though the parts are often identical.

But you don’t have to pay the price premium on parts to be covered. The ACCC’s guidance says that provided you use quality parts, your car manufacturer’s warranty won’t be voided.

If a non-genuine part is used it won’t be covered under the manufacturer’s warranty, but it would be covered under the warranty of the part’s supplier and/or Australian Consumer Law.��

To be fair, despite the initial response of dealers, when pushed many did clarify that it’d only be the actual part that wouldn’t be covered rather than the whole warranty being voided.

Can independent mechanics do software updates?

Another common dealer lock-in tactic was to say that independent service agents won’t be able to offer all the software updates that are required. One dealer told us: “Legally you don’t have to [bring it back to the dealer] … but independents can’t update the car which needs to be done pretty much every service”.��

CEO of the Australian Automobile Aftermarket Association (AAAA) Stuart Charity says independent mechanics generally have enough information available to be able to do a scheduled service. But cars are becoming increasingly computerised and car manufacturers aren’t sharing enough information when it comes to repairs and software updates, he says.��

This is despite car industry bodies signing a  in December 2014, which said they would make available to independent repair shops all the necessary information.

However, a  found there were still barriers in the industry preventing access to technical information.

“This lack of competition hurts new car buyers who have fewer options to get the best deal for repairs and servicing, and restricts independent repairers from competing on a level playing field,” said ACCC chairman Rod Sims.

Convincing you to bring your car back to the dealer for servicing is a business priority for many dealers, but dealerships generally charge more than independent shops.

Can I skip a service?

It’s always a good idea to keep up with your vehicle’s service schedule.

If you skip a scheduled service, depending on the time between services and the type of mechanical issues that may arise, you run the risk of voiding your warranty.��

However, consumer guarantees still apply and if, for example, any mechanical issue is due to a defect, you can still be covered by consumer law.��

Can I do the servicing work myself?

Maybe, but it mightn’t be a good idea, and you could invalidate your warranty if you’re not a qualified mechanic.��

In theory you could do the work yourself if you have the necessary skills, because as we’ve explained you can get your vehicle serviced anywhere as long as it’s in accordance with the manufacturer’s specifications and standards (and isn’t warranty work – manufacturers can set repair requirements for warranties against defects).

However, modern cars are a lot more complicated than they used to be and you may not have access to the same specialist tools or testing equipment as an authorised service centre or licensed mechanic.��

While changing the windscreen wiper blades or air filters might be relatively straightforward and can be part of general maintenance, by doing all the servicing work yourself you may miss faults with onboard computers or miss out on important software and tech updates that would be available through a licensed mechanic.��

And if you were to use non-genuine parts, those parts won’t be covered under the manufacturer’s warranty on the vehicle.��

A vehicle manufacturer may also refuse a warranty claim if there’s evidence of lack of maintenance, inappropriate work or where a non-genuine part has failed or caused damage (although you may still be covered under the manufacturer of the part’s warranty or your consumer guarantees under the ACL). So it’s better to err on the side of caution and take your vehicle to a licensed mechanic.

It’s also worth noting that for extended car warranties you may void your cover if there’s a clause in the policy that specifies where servicing work must be undertaken and instead you do the work yourself. If you’re unsure, check your warranty paperwork or ask the vehicle manufacturer for advice on servicing.

Are ‘capped price servicing’ deals worth it?

A number of car manufacturers offer capped price service (CPS) deals when buying a new car. Locking in a set servicing price may sound like an appealing offer, but check what you’re getting before you sign on the dotted line. While the term ‘capped price service’ gives the impression of price transparency and value for money, the reality is this is rarely the case.

The CPS is often built into the cost of buying the car and may be subject to change at the manufacturer’s discretion. Many CPS policies don’t cover the critical service items specified in the manufacturer’s service schedules for the vehicle, meaning replacement parts can cost extra.

In early 2015, the over its capped price servicing program. The ACCC said that the car manufacturer had made representations on its website that “the capped price applicable for each service is the maximum you will pay for your scheduled service”.��

All the while, Kia’s terms and conditions had allowed scheduled service prices to be amended at any time, and service prices had in fact been changed by Kia four times since 2012.

When we took a look at a few servicing deals in 2016 to find out what was going on, we found it hard to see the benefit in some cases. The offer of Hyundai’s Lifetime Service Plan, for example, was fairly ambiguous. One of Hyundai’s explanations said it “allows the reassurance of knowing in advance the maximum cost for each scheduled service”.

When we viewed the plan, Hyundai’s terms explained that the entitlement to receive the scheduled service for a price not exceeding the published price “applies for the lifetime of the vehicle”.

When we asked Hyundai for more details in our earlier investigation one of their spokespeople told us that prior to these types of programs being introduced, service costs weren’t standardised and they varied markedly across their dealerships in Australia.

Our Lifetime Service Plan fixes that issue, and gives customers a very clear picture of what the prices will be going forward for servicing. Yes, prices may increase slightly due to inflation and that needs to be explained in the T&Cs,” the spokesperson said.

How to keep your car manufacturer’s warranty intact 

• Shop around for the best servicing deal and stick with a trusted, licensed mechanic.
• Service your car in line with the schedule and specifications in the owner’s manual or warranty logbook.
• Ask that quality parts be used for servicing (the parts don’t have to be genuine to keep the consumer guarantees intact and you are still covered by the warranty on the part). Ask for an itemised account for the labour conducted and parts installed. If there’s a problem with the parts used, the repairer or part manufacturer will be responsible.
• Ask the mechanic to fill in your logbook – they don’t need an authorised dealer stamp for the warranty to be valid.
• If you’re choosing not to service your car through the dealership, ensure your service centre is reputable. NSW and WA have repairers’ licensing schemes, and elsewhere, you can check to see if they’re a member of the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce (VACC, in Victoria) or the Motor Traders Association in the other states.

Extended warranties and car servicing

Extended warranty offers additional cover, such as for breakdown, to your vehicle once your manufacturer’s warranty runs out. Often these plans are sold by dealerships with new or used cars, by insurance companies, or through third parties such as carsales.com.au. Some dealers may include an extended warranty with minimum cover in the sale price, or offer it free of charge as part of the sale.��

Should I buy an extended warranty?

Extended warranty policies may not offer the same cover as the manufacturer’s warranty and could include special conditions you have to follow – like servicing the vehicle at a specific place during the whole warranty period – or they may have an excess or caps on payouts. There could also be exclusions for things such as wear and tear, modifications, specific parts or systems.��

Extended warranties on secondhand cars are often not worth the money. Consumer Action Law Centre in Victoria conducted an investigation in 2015 into Motor Vehicle Discretionary Risk Products issued by three companies: National Warranty Company, Australian Warranty Network and Integrity Car Care.The Centre found that the warranties on offer often include complicated and confusing exclusions and/or a “discretionary risk” clause which lets the insurers choose if they pay, even if the vehicle is covered by the warranty.��

They concluded that these products were almost completely worthless.

If you’re buying or you’re offered an extended warranty, make sure you know exactly what you are, or are not, covered for. In many cases you’re likely better off creating an emergency fund for repairs that you can use as things pop up.

Do I have to buy the extended warranty?

Not usually. Extended warranties are generally optional, but some finance products require you to buy the extended warranty as a condition of approving your finance.��

It pays to be cautious before accepting these policies. NSW Fair trading warns you may end up paying more for the car, as well as interest on the warranty and principal loan amount.

Do I have to service my car at the dealership to keep my extended warranty?

Yes – depending on your policy. A number of the dealers we spoke to said cars needed to be serviced at the dealer the whole time in order to keep the extended warranty.��

The ACCC guidance says that extended warranties usually kick in at the completion of the manufacturer’s warranty.��

“A common requirement of these warranties is that the vehicle must be serviced by the dealer offering the warranty. Imposing this requirement on the owner is permissible,” the ACCC says in its guidance.

The post Car warranties and dealer servicing appeared first on ����Vlog.

Camilleri’s story is one of many ����Vlog heard once we published the findings of our original investigation into contaminated fuel. A few of the cases end with customers recouping costs, but most illustrate just how difficult it is to hold petrol stations accountable.

“The stress this has brought upon my partner Kylie and myself is massive,” says Camilleri. “I’ve never had a debt of this amount.”

Taking on Goliath

Parallels can be drawn between Camilleri’s case and the one featured in our original investigation, that of Ahmed Kilani. Camilleri was driving back from Canberra having picked his kids up from the airport when, on his way through Michelago, NSW, he pulled into a United Petroleum service station and filled his 2015 Mazda with 70 litres of diesel.

The car broke down before he could make it home having sustained major damage to the fuel system. The date was 20 January 2016.

Three months later, Camilleri was knee deep in litigation. He initiated proceedings against United Petroleum before the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT), but his first hearing wouldn’t take place until 4 October – nine months after the contamination.

“All United [Petroleum] is doing is delaying the case,” says Camilleri. “It’s going around in circles, it’s unbelievable. They should be held accountable.”

United Petroleum agreed in April to reimburse Camilleri for the costs, a total of $12,880 to cover repairs, towing and fuel, under the condition he signed a confidentiality agreement.

Camilleri signed the paperwork, but United Petroleum failed to make the payment. Now the workshop that repaired his car has hired debt collectors and has added the expense of legal fees.

“The dealer has been quite good up until the last couple of months,” he says. “They haven’t been paid. Now their bill has gone up because they’re taking me to court.”

A second hearing was held between United Petroleum and Camilleri on 25 October. United argued the contract the company drafted was not legally binding because it wasn’t signed by a company representative. The case has since been adjourned until the 13 of January, 2017 – almost a full twelve months after he filled his car with a tank of diesel from United Petroleum.

“I’m hoping they’ll agree to pay, but I don’t think that’s going to happen,” says Camilleri.

He will have to escalate the issue if the tribunal does not rule in his favour.

“I think they’re going to make us take them to court,” he says. “My solicitor says it’s going to cost more than $10,000.”

Fuel and water a bad mix

More than 670 contaminated fuel claims were made to insurance companies in Australia within the last financial year. This would not include the cases where petrol stations covered the costs of repairs.

Many readers claiming to have been sold contaminated fuel contacted us following our original investigation. We assessed the cost of repairs where documentation was provided on 14 of those cases, and found the average cost to customers was $4986. The petrol stations involved in most cases denied accountability and refused to reimburse their customers.

Often the rejection letters issued by petrol companies focus on the quality of the fuel when it is being delivered, but most contaminations happen on site, says Ross Rogers, who worked at Shell Australia for 29 years.

“Most of the contamination in fuels is due to water. If the storage tanks at sites are not maintained and inspected regularly, water [will build up] until it reaches the pickup of the tank and a slug of water is dispensed into vehicles.”

Rogers retired from his role as the fuels technical advisor at Shell two years ago. He and his team would determine if the fuel sold from a service station was contaminated.

“My last year on the job, we had five cases because of water. Forty or fifty vehicles were affected in those instances, some ten or fifteen vehicles from a busy location at a time,” says Rogers, adding the numbers were similar the year prior as well.

Shell covered the cost of repairs in these cases, says Rogers, but he wouldn’t reveal the number of claims that were denied.

Failing to follow best practice

Most contaminants are denser than fuel – water, dust, rust, iron filings, sludge – and so they separate from the fuel by sinking to the bottom of a storage tank. Staff failing to follow best practice can cause a tank’s contaminants to mix with the fuel.

“When a tanker comes to drop fuel into a location, they’ll stir up the fuel and water will be in suspension. You’ll get some pick up of water [by the bowser],” says Rogers.

“The water needs to settle for a short period” before it can be sold safely to customers, he adds. “[Petrol stations] need to do water level paste checks all the time.”

Camilleri believes negligence and a fuel delivery led to contamination of the diesel he bought. Samples kept from his tank clearly show hazy diesel fuel mixed with dirty, brown water.

“They put 12,000 litres in the [storage] tank before I arrived,” he says. “They should’ve closed the tank down.”

Service stations will neglect to mention that a fuel delivery can impact fuel quality. For instance, we’ve seen three rejection letters issued by Woolworths to customers claiming they were sold contaminated fuel. Only one acknowledges “there is no evidence to suggest a delivery of petrol was made into the…storage tank”. The other two letters – which are based on the same templates – make no mention of fuel deliveries.

Supermarkets earn the most complaints

Almost half the cases we examined involved a petrol station affiliated with a supermarket.

The four customers who bought Shell-branded fuel did so from service stations operated by Coles Express. The Shell fuel sold at these service stations is supplied by Viva Energy.

“Coles Express stands behind the quality of the products we sell and we thoroughly investigate any customer complaints we receive,” says a company spokesperson. “Viva Energy maintains the fuel service equipment at service stations operated by Coles Express.”

But when we asked for a breakdown of who manages the onsite equipment, representatives from Coles Express and Viva Energy chose not to clarify.

A Viva Energy prospectus states the properties “are operated by Coles Express”, a claim reiterated by the Coles Express website, which states the company operates “685 sites across Australia, employing more than 5000 team members”.

Similarly, more cases of alleged dirty fuel were brought against Woolworths than its supplier Caltex. Five cases brought to our attention involved Caltex fuel, three of which were service stations operated by Woolworths.

Woolworths is a major supplier of Caltex fuel, managing 527 service station properties. The company responded to our request for comment with the following statement:

“Woolworths will manually check underground storage tanks for evidence of water on a weekly basis. Furthermore, automatic tank gauges continually monitor our storage tanks for the presence of water to an accuracy of 1mm.”

But industry experts recognise automatic tank gauging (ATG) is not a foolproof system.

“There is always some water that exists in storage at a very low level, but it is only once the level reaches a set point that it is detectable,” says Rogers. “If there was detection on the true bottom of the tank, then no tank would be considered completely water free.

“This has always been known and these storage tanks at service stations require regular draining and inspection.”

In fact, ATG is used mostly to keep track of fuel inventory, says Sam Collyer, senior media and communications adviser of Caltex Australia.

“The ATG measures the density of all the liquid in the tank. Retailers can reconcile their daily or weekly fuel sales volumes with records of how much was delivered by truck.

“If the volume sold, the volume delivered and the volume in the tank don’t match, this requires further investigation,” he says. Such a discrepancy is likely due to the presence of a contaminant.

Other reported offenders

Cases were lodged against two other large petrol station retailers.

Four cases alleging contaminated fuel were made against Metro Petroleum. The company did not respond to our request for comment this time, but did confirm the sale of contaminated fuel to Ahmed Kilani in our original investigation, causing $21,646 in damages in April of 2016.

“Currently my insurance company has sent a letter of demand for costs and the petrol station is negotiating a settlement amount,” Kilani tells us. “I’m not sure how long this process will take.”

By lodging a claim with his insurance provider, Kilani can make use of its resources and expertise, though the process is still costing him.

“I received my insurance renewal but lost 20% of my 60% no claim bonus,” he says. Kilani also had to pay an excess of $800, as per his policy.

Three people also alleged United Petroleum damaged their vehicles by selling them contaminated fuel.

We contacted United Petroleum for an interview. Company representatives provided the following comment:

“Our fuel is of the highest quality and is not contaminated in any way. It is sourced from local and overseas refineries and we follow a strict quality testing regime. If we become aware of any isolated instances of service or product issues, in all cases we immediately rectify the situation.”

All seven complaints received against Metro and United Petroleum were alleged to have taken place this year.

Beware the smaller service stations

Less frequented petrol stations operated by smaller brands are more likely to sell contaminated fuel, says Rogers, as they wouldn’t top up storage tanks as often.

“Some of the smaller outlets rarely get diesel because they have a small storage tank and it’s barely being used,” he says. “That’s where you end up with quality issues.” Issues such as the build-up of a contaminant.

Rogers says he never uses an independent or a smaller outlet and that he often disagrees with their maintenance practices.

Shop big brands, busy outlets and company-owned

����Vlog received fewer complaints against larger, company-owned petrol providers. Often they would cover the cost of repairs to maintain a good reputation.

“If we sold fuel that is not on spec, we would absolutely reimburse customers for any reasonable out-of-pocket expenses,” says Caltex Australia’s Sam Collyer.

“We have to make sure our fuel quality meets the highest expectations. It’s why people shop with a recognised brand.”

Two Caltex sites sold fuel that was contaminated in the last eighteen months. Contaminated E10 sold by Caltex Eastern Creek, NSW, left 28 people stranded in the breakdown lane of the M4 motorway in June 2015. Then, in May of 2016, diesel was unloaded into the unleaded petrol tank by a third-party contractor at the Caltex in Reddy Creek, Qld.

In both instances, Caltex covered the cost of repairs.

A couple of readers approached us claiming BP had sold them dirty fuel. Repair costs were covered, but they could not divulge much about their experience because they’d signed non-disclosure agreements.

Protect yourself

Apart from buying your fuel from big brands and company-owned outlets, there are other ways you can protect yourself when it comes to contaminated fuel.

As a precaution:

• Always ask for a receipt and take note of the bowser number.
• Fill up a full tank at a time – no partial fillings – so you can identify the service station responsible for potential contamination.

If affected by contaminated fuel:

• Exchange details with any other drivers that have been affected.
• Make your case for compensation in writing to the petrol station’s head office and be sure to document everything to maintain a paper trail.

And if you find yourself stranded down the road from a service station selling questionable fuel, get your car towed to a mechanic that is reputable.

“Normally you get a proper estimate by recognised mechanics. Service stations should accept that,” says Rogers, “especially if you know more than one person who suffered.”

Each state has its own governing body designed to enforce Australian Consumer Law, and because dirty fuel is a major failure of consumer rights, they should hold service stations accountable. But our investigation reveals the process can cost you time, patience and money.

Lodging a claim with your insurance provider is easier, provided your policy covers contaminated fuel – not all of them do. It’s the path Ahmed Kilani has taken and one Rodney Camilleri says he would have considered, had he realised what he was up against.

“I just thought it wasn’t fair to be using my insurance, not realising it was going to take this long,” says Camilleri. “It was going to cost $1000, then you lose your no-claim bonus and your insurance goes up next year.”

“We should have a right to put fuel in our car and drive safely home.”

The post Fuel contamination leaves more customers with big repair bill appeared first on ����Vlog.

On this page:

• Pumping water
• Water could be your best case scenario
• Holding service stations accountable
• Who foots the bill?
• What to do if your car is damaged by contaminated fuel
• How to protect yourself

There’s no way to tell if the fuel you’re buying, whether petrol or diesel, is contaminated. It’s not until you leave the service station that you’d even realise your car has been damaged.

We take a close look at the issue of contaminated fuel, examining case studies and speaking to industry experts, to help find the best ways to protect yourself.

Pumping water

One rainy April night this year, Ahmed Kilani filled his car with a full tank of fuel. The next day his car was sluggish and had to be towed to its Hyundai dealership. Mechanics concluded the fuel had been contaminated by water and scheduled repairs that would cost more than $20,000.

“Fuel sitting in the tank within the service station can become contaminated, in that water gets into them. It [can] happen after heavy rain,” says NRMA spokesperson Peter Khoury.

And while it may just be water, it can do some serious damage to a car.

“It is an expensive thing to fix,” says Khoury. “Sometimes they have to remove the engine and drain it.”

Often symptoms will present quickly – just a few kilometres down the road from the servo. You might notice the engine running rough, lacking power or stalling; being harder to start than usual; or misfiring, pinging or backfiring. The ‘engine check’ light may also be illuminated.

Four petrol stations in NSW have sold dirty fuel in the last 18 months, but these are only the instances the NRMA is aware of.

One of the most publicised incidents of fuel contamination happened last year, when more than 24 drivers were stranded in the breakdown lane of the M4 motorway, after buying fuel at a Caltex Petrol station in Eastern Creek, NSW.

“Cars were filling up, it was peak hour, and as soon as they drove out a bunch began to break down,” says Khoury.

The media coverage prompted a response from Caltex, with drivers being urged to keep their receipts in order to recoup the financial costs.

Smaller petrol stations are less accommodating, as Ahmed Kilani discovered. He bought diesel fuel from Metro Petroleum in Narwee, NSW; a full tank for his four-year-old Hyundai Sante Fe.

“It was a rainy night and the car was running on empty. [My wife and I] filled up more than 50-litres and basically drove it [a few kilometres] home.

“The next day the car was so sluggish, it wouldn’t accelerate or anything. Then a light came on and said you need to clean the fuel filter.”

It needed to be towed to the Hyundai dealership – on more than one occasion, as it would turn out – where the mechanics on site would conclude in a report: “Upon inspection found water in fuel filter…Fuel sample has been taken from vehicle and found to be very hazy.”

Changing the fuel filter cost $218, but then, after driving a few kilometres, the problem reoccurred and the car had to be towed back to the dealer.

This time mechanics removed the fuel tank and replaced the fuel pump, seal and filter, at a cost of $2619.

But more work would be needed, as the contaminated fuel had affected the car’s engine. Invoices seen by ����Vlog reveal the cost of the third repair was $18,810. And the extent of the repairs left the Kilani family without a car for six weeks.

The total cost of getting the car back on the road was a hefty $21,646 – and that doesn’t include the cost of a tow truck or a rental car. Who is responsible for the bill remains a contentious subject.

Water could be your best case scenario

Water is the most common contaminant – particularly in diesel-powered cars ­– but a number of foreign particles can enter a storage tank and pervert a service station’s supply of fuel.

It was “predominantly magnetic iron particles” in fuel, according to a report seen by ����Vlog, that damaged Greg Meredith’s car in 2011. The iron particles took a slow toll on his 2007 Toyota LandCruiser, allowing him to drive 400-kilometres before causing the engine to misfire.

Fixing the car would cost $19,600, but the petrol station in Bathurst, NSW did not accept responsibility.

“I spoke to the NRMA and their legal people said if you drive out of the servo and you go less than 10 kilometres, then they can be held liable. But once you go 400 to 500 kilometres, then the fuel company can say ‘it wasn’t us’,” Meredith tells us.

Holding service stations accountable

Getting a petrol station to claim responsibility for contaminated fuel isn’t easy. Discussions can come to an immediate halt if a customer doesn’t provide a receipt. Without it, a petrol station can evade liability.

“I paid by credit card, but [management] wouldn’t accept the statement [as a proof of purchase],” says Kilani.

“I went down to the servo the next day and the staff member pulled [a copy of the receipt] out of the computer for me.”

More than three months have passed since Kilani filled his car with contaminated fuel. Representatives of Metro Petroleum opened an investigation that has stalled. Mechanics have assessed the fuel as being contaminated by water. Kilani has provided company management with his proof of purchase, repair invoices, copies of his licence and registration papers, a first-person account of what happened and photos of the contaminated fuel sample.

Weeks later, he noticed construction work was underway on the very pumps he used to fill his car. Kilani kept a record of it by snapping some photos.

And yet Metro Petroleum did not take responsibility for the damage caused to his car.

The petrol station’s standards and compliance officer, Melad Najem, confirmed to ����Vlog the fuel was unfit for sale.

“We had issues with the tank underground, which led to the problem with the fuel. It was repaired by the respective landlord [at] that site,” says Najem.

“Naturally we only knew there was a problem when customers were complaining about the fuel.”

Routine water-paste tests using a dipstick and colour-sensitive paste could’ve identified the fuel contamination. Najem says the site in Narwee, a franchise, is in charge of its own quality assurance measures.

“Whether that site has performed water paste tests is something I don’t know. We don’t have any control over that site in any way.”

Najem would not disclose if the service station has paid to make repairs to any affected cars.

Who foots the bill?

Not everybody has $20,000 that can be earmarked for contaminated fuel repairs. If a petrol station is evading responsibility, or taking too long to admit fault, a less expensive solution may be available.

Insurance providers may process a claim to repair the damage caused by dirty fuel. A handful of providers will cover the cost of repairs for comprehensive policyholders, such as NRMA and GIO, as long as a mechanic’s report determines contaminated fuel to be the cause. However, check with your insurer – we found customers of AAMI and Just Car Insurance, for example, would not be covered.

Ahmed Khilani held a comprehensive insurance policy with Allianz, which did cover the cost of his repairs. He incurred the $800 charge of his premium and lost his 60% no-claim bonus. Had Metro Petroleum confirmed the fuel was contaminated, he would’ve had a rental car, but because it wasn’t part of his policy, he and his family had to make do without a car for the six weeks.

Even the small costs hurt

Not all repairs caused by contaminated fuel cost the equivalent of a brand new car. Mechanics can start by replacing the fuel filter in the hope further damage hasn’t been caused. This can be the extent of the damage in some cases, but unless a petrol station concedes fault, you’ll still have to wear the cost.

Zoe Okely filled her Hyundai Sante Fe with diesel on 17 June this year at United Petroleum in South Nowra, NSW. After driving a claimed 80 kilometres, the car entered what her husband described as ‘limp mode’, failing to go faster than 70km/h or enter higher gears. Mechanics at the Hyundai dealership in Bomaderry determined the cause of the sluggish performance to be “lots of water and contaminated fuel”.

Replacing the fuel cartridge, along with labour and replacement petrol, cost $499 – less than the excess of many insurance premiums.

Invoices seen by ����Vlog confirm Okely had her fuel filter replaced and her fuel system inspected when it was serviced six months prior to the contamination.

Two complaints were filed in writing and, after a month, United Petroleum declined her claim on account of no other customers being affected, leaving her with the unexpected expense.

What to do if your car is damaged by contaminated fuel

Australian Consumer Law should protect the rights of consumers, as contaminated fuel qualifies as a major failure of a purchased good, but the process of recourse is not simple.

Each state has a government body that processes contaminated fuel grievances.

In New South Wales, for instance, the process is handled by the Department of Fair Trading. Cases may be referred to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT), which can make orders of compensation to the value of $30,000. This includes payments of money, fixing the problem or replacing the goods.

NRMA’s Peter Khoury describes the process as challenging.

“The [NSW] Department of Fair Trading is responsible for making sure nothing untoward is happening in the industry,” he says. “But the benefit of [contacting them about contaminated fuel] is quite limited.”

How to protect yourself

• Always ask for a receipt when filling up fuel. An invoice proves a business transaction occurred at a specific time, date and place. It’s also the first step in establishing a paper trail.
• Take note of the bowser number – check it’s on the receipt.
• Other cars may have broken down nearby as a result of the same contaminated batch of fuel. Find them and exchange details. Proving it happened to more than one customer helps eliminate other factors as the cause of the damage to your car.
• Tow your car to a reputable mechanic. Both the petrol station and the insurance company will ask for a mechanic’s report certifying the damage to the car was caused by contaminated fuel. Request for a sample to be kept; in Ahmed Kilani’s case, Metro Petroleum requested a photo of it.
• Notify the service station and its head office in writing. Not only does this help to ensure no one else suffers from a contaminated batch, but it also establishes a paper trail detailing the events.
• Fill up at trusted petrol stations with a high turnover of customers. The cases of dirty petrol we observed happened in areas further away from the city. Smaller petrol stations in these cases were more reluctant to cover the cost of repairs.
• Check your insurance policy to make sure you’re covered for contaminated fuel. Insurance product disclosure statements (PDS) tend to refer to dirty fuel as ‘contaminants’.

The post The cost of dirty fuel appeared first on ����Vlog.

If it ain’t broke…

A 2012 WA court case gives a sense of the difficulties that car owners face. A service centre in the outer Perth suburb of Midland was fined $3000 and ordered to pay $2000 in court costs after it was found guilty of making false or misleading representations to a customer.

The customer had taken his car to be serviced at the garage and was told it required new brake pads and discs at a cost of $798. Sensing something fishy, he declined to have the work done and lodged a complaint with Consumer Protection WA.

An independent inspection of the vehicle found the brake pads and discs didn’t need to be replaced. The company was taken to court and fined, by which time it had gone into liquidation. It’s just one example of how some practitioners in the motor vehicle service and repair industry contravene consumer law.��

Some bad apples

The vast majority of vehicle repairers abide by strict ethical standards and take their responsibilities to their customer seriously. But some repairers may be taking advantage of their customers, over-charging them for parts that aren’t needed or diagnosing faults that don’t exist. These mechanics do little to help the reputation of what is otherwise an honourable trade.

Does the vehicle repair industry have a case to answer or has it been unfairly maligned? What steps have been taken to clamp down on unscrupulous repairers? And what can you do to avoid being ripped off?

Over-servicing

It’s difficult to quantify the extent to which over-servicing occurs as the phenomenon appears to be under-reported. Some consumers may not know they’ve been presented with an inflated quote for their car to be serviced or repaired, and pay without questioning it. Others suspect something’s not right but feel bound to foot the bill, not realising their rights as a consumer are protected by the Australian Consumer Law.

Statistics show that poor service is not uncommon. A spokesperson from NSW Fair Trading confirmed the department had received 1486 complaints over a nine-month period about vehicle repairs. The majority of the complaints related to the quality of the work or raised concerns that the work was defective.

These complaints could be put down to shoddy workmanship on the part of the repairer. But over-servicing connotes something more malevolent – an intention to deceive for the purposes of unfair gain.

‘Cowboys’

Anecdotal evidence offered by repairers sheds light on the practice in the absence of any hard figures. ����Vlog spoke with the owner of a garage in Sydney’s inner south who indicated that over-servicing in the industry is “rife”. “There are a few cowboys out there, that’s for sure,” he says. “There’s a lot of good in the industry, but unfortunately the good guys are tarred with the same brush.”

He knows of a number of instances of repairers over-servicing customers’ vehicles, but says he’s also aware of other ploys. He told us the story of a nearby repairer, which is now out of business, that sold service dockets for $65 that promised savings worth $800. Once a car was brought into the garage by a docket holder, a higher-than-normal quote was then given to the customer. “If the deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is,” he says.

Choosing the right quote

The garage owner cautions consumers against accepting the cheapest possible quote, saying that modern cars, with their complicated in-built computer technology, are becoming increasingly expensive to repair.

This point was supported by a Brisbane-based motor mechanic we spoke to. He says repairers can arrive at a cut-price quote if the customer is prepared to have cheap – and often inferior – parts fitted to their vehicle. He advises to shop around for the best available quote, be guided by a mechanic’s professionalism, and take heed of the recommendations of friends and family. Your gut instinct is rarely wrong, he says.

On a positive note, he says it doesn’t make sense for repairers to treat customers badly because they rely on good word of mouth and repeat custom. While he concedes “over-servicing can and does happen, it’s probably not as widespread as people think”.

Further protection for consumers

Some state governments are looking to improve consumer protection in the motor industry. In NSW, the Motor Vehicle Repairs Act and the Motor Dealers Act were recently merged to form the . The merger was aimed at improving the regulation of the motor industry and strengthening levels of consumer protection.

Some of the key provisions of the new Act include:

• increasing penalties for odometer tampering from $11,000 to $22,000,
• allowing Fair Trading inspectors to issue orders to a licensed dealer or repairer to fix shoddy work without the consumer having to go to the trouble of taking legal action.

Undercover stings

In addition, WA’s Department of Commerce (comprising ) has undertaken secret shopper campaigns to verify whether work quoted for vehicles actually needed to be carried out. These initiatives are designed to improve the protection already offered to consumers.

Licensing

In NSW, for example, repairers must be licensed with NSW Fair Trading to operate and must display their licence. Under the Australian Consumer Law, motor vehicle repairers across Australia have a responsibility to ensure the work they carry out is done in a workmanship-like manner, and it is an offence for them to engage in conduct that is misleading or deceptive.

What to do if you think you’ve been had

Consumers may seek recourse if they feel they’ve been taken advantage of. Anyone who believes a repairer has acted in a dishonest or fraudulent manner can report the matter to the relevant consumer protection body in their state. Repairers can be fined, as the service centre in Midland was. And, in the case of a serious ethical breach, a vehicle repairer can have their licence suspended or cancelled.

How to avoid car repair rip-offs

• Ask family, friends or work colleagues where they take their car to be serviced. If they’re happy with the level of care offered to them by a particular vehicle repairer, it’s likely you will be.
• Don’t be afraid to shop around. Ask repairers to provide indicative pricing for regular work such as brake-pad replacement and an hourly rate for labour. Comparing one repairer’s standard rates with another’s will help you make an informed decision.
• Ask to be contacted before unplanned work is carried out, such as when faulty parts are revealed when vehicles are taken apart. You can also expect to have your car back within a reasonable timeframe, so ask to be contacted if additional time is needed to make the required repairs.
• If you suspect your vehicle has a fault, try to explain what you think the cause of the fault is. If that means asking the mechanic to jump in the passenger seat to help identify the source of a rattle, so be it. If your vehicle is in need of a regular service, explain what service you think it requires. Your car’s logbook should outline whether it is due for a specific kilometre service or a general service. If you don’t have a logbook, ask the repairer to explain what is involved with each type of service and what kind of costs you might be up for. As a general rule, your vehicle should have a basic service (oil change, oil filter and safety check) every 5000km or six months, whichever comes first.
• Always ask for an itemised bill and ensure it shows the cost of parts and labour. If a worn part has been removed from the vehicle, it is your right to ask to see it. If the repairer can’t produce the part, you have grounds to suspect their integrity.
• Knowing some of the basics of car mechanics will reduce your chances of being duped. If you’re told you’ll be getting a “reconditioned” part, this generally means good as new. Something that’s been “serviced or overhauled”, however, will have been repaired so as to make it serviceable.
• Bear in mind a strong regulatory framework exists to protect the rights of all vehicle owners, and never hesitate to exercise your rights!

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Bumper to bumper

The NRMA Insurance Research Centre tested nine top-selling small cars to see how their bumpers fared in a low-speed collision. The goal was to urge car manufacturers to improve bumper bar design to help keep the cost of collision repairs affordable. Lower repair costs could save you hundreds of dollars each year in insurance premiums.

Small doesn’t mean affordable

The Holden Barina was by far the cheapest car to repair bumper damage on. After that it was a substantial jump to the Nissan Micra, and a steady climb from there to the most expensive small cars for bumper repairs, the Honda Jazz and Toyota Yaris.

What’s really eye-opening is the cost of the repair compared with how much it costs to buy the car in the first place. The cost to repair both bumpers on the Toyota Yaris amounted to 70% of its purchase price.

Testing process

The NRMA Insurance Low-Speed Crash Test Program used a new  (1.2MB) from the (RCAR). A ‘roller coaster’ type device simulates a 10km/h collision with another car – the most common type of accident on our roads.

Front and rear bumpers were tested. Even travelling at 10km/h, many of the cars had poor-performing bumper design which resulted in high repair costs.

The NRMA Insurance Low-Speed Crash Test Program is a collision repair cost test and is not an indicator of vehicle safety features. All of these cars, except the Nissan Micra, have been awarded five star ANCAP safety ratings.

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