World's best kept secret?

[Marie]

WHO KNEW THIS???

I have been driving forover 7years. I would think I should have noticed the little secret on my dashboard that was staring me in the face the whole time...I didn't...and I bet you didn't either...

Have you ever rented or borrowed a car and when arriving at the petrol station wondered...mmm, which side is the petrol filler cap?
My normal solution was to stick my head out the window, strain my neck and look, try to see in the side mirrors or even get out of the car!!!!
Well ladies and gentlemen, I'm going to share with you my little secret so you will no longer look like Ace Ventura on your way to the petrol station or put your neck at risk of uncomfort or injury.

If you look at your petrol gauge, you will see a small icon of a petrol pump?
The handle of the petrol pump will extend out on either the left or right side of the petrol pump?
If your tank is on the left, the handle will be on the left? If your tank is on the right, the handle will be on the right. It is that simple!

[gfalls]

My dad told me that...when I was twelve..!

[mcgon1979]

Brilliant...

Anyone know why it differs so much? I think mercs all have it on passenger side? Is that the same for left hand drive mercs though?

I heard before it was on passenger side on right hand drive cars so that f you ran out of fuel on the roadside you could safely fill it up standing off the road?

no idea...

[Kace]

Never knew that - but also have never cared as it doesn't matter which side the thing is on, the pump hose always reaches across anyway.

[mcgon1979]

its not true either... I wanted it to be. but right hand drive uk mini cooper (new mini) has the same symbol as my FTO but cap is on the left hand side...

[mcgon1979]

nissan micra too. booo.... Its a cool idea though. rental cars drive me nuts for it.

good old snopes to the rescue

http://www.snopes.com/autos/techno/icon.asp

[colm_mcm]

Brilliant...

Anyone know why it differs so much? I think mercs all have it on passenger side? Is that the same for left hand drive mercs though?

I heard before it was on passenger side on right hand drive cars so that f you ran out of fuel on the roadside you could safely fill it up standing off the road?

no idea...

I think it's to do with ease of refuelling.

In a right hand drive car, with the tank on the drivers side, If you pull up to a petrol station and want fuel you have two options:

Have petrol pump on the left: hard to stretch the fuel hose across the car

Have petrol pump on the right: your door bumps off the petrol pump.

Generally if a car is primarily designed for a right hand drive market, the fuel flap will be on the passenger side, if it's mostly for a left hand drive market the flap will be on the right hand side.

VW/Mercedes/BMW/Opel/Peugeot/Citroen/Renault: right hand side
Toyota/Nissan/Honda/Hyundai/Kia etc: Left hand side

Bizzarely, Mitsubishis from the 90's (like the FTO!) tend to have them on the drivers side...

[Dave]

350z is on the drivers side!

[colm_mcm]

350z is on the drivers side!

Yes, I mentioned Renault in the cars that have them on the drivers side.

[Dave]

350z is on the drivers side!

Yes, I mentioned Renault in the cars that have them on the drivers side.

Harsh!!

[optical illusion]

Yes, I mentioned Renault in the cars that have them on the drivers side.

PWND!

[colm_mcm]

PWND!

I had to google that, and I'm still not sure what it means.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=pwnd